[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 119 (Thursday, June 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41952-41953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-15586]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 02-022-1]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New information collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to initiate a new information collection activity to support 
cooperative agreements in the study of bovine tuberculosis.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 19, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery 
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send 
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket 
No. 02-022-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 
3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state 
that your comment refers to Docket No. 02-022-1. If you use e-mail, 
address your comment to [email protected]. Your comment must 
be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. 
Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No. 
02-022-1'' on the subject line.
    You may read any comments that we receive on this docket in our 
reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, 
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, 
please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
    APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related 
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who 
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the National 
Cooperative State-Federal Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program, 
contact Dr. Joseph Van Tiem, Senior Staff Veterinarian, National Animal 
Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1231; (301) 734-7716. For copies of more detailed information on 
the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' 
Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 734-7477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Cooperative Agreements in the Study of Bovine Tuberculosis.
    OMB Number: 0579-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 
the United States Department of Agriculture is responsible for, among 
other things, preventing the spread of serious communicable animal 
diseases (such as bovine tuberculosis) from one State to another, and 
for eradicating such diseases from the United States when feasible. 
Bovine tuberculosis is a contagious, infectious, and communicable 
disease that affects cattle, bison, deer, elk, goats, and other 
species, including humans. Tuberculosis in infected animals and humans 
manifests itself in lesions of the lung, bone, and other body parts, 
causes weight loss and general debilitation, and can be fatal.
    Through the National Cooperative State-Federal Bovine Tuberculosis 
Eradication Program, APHIS works with the national livestock industry 
and State animal health agencies to eradicate tuberculosis from 
domestic livestock in the United States and to prevent its recurrence. 
APHIS sponsors cooperative agreements for research on such issues as 
testing, vaccinations, pathobiology, and molecular biology relating to 
bovine

[[Page 41953]]

tuberculosis infection in animal species that could lead to 
improvements in disease detection and prevention. Granting cooperative 
agreements to institutions of higher education (including State-
sponsored universities), hospitals, or other nonprofit organizations to 
conduct research projects necessitates the use of information 
collection activities, including the completion of project proposals 
and progress and financial status reports.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
the information collection activities for cooperative agreements for 
the study of bovine tuberculosis.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
information collection, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, electronic, 
mechanical, and other collection technologies, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 3.5 hours per response.
    Respondents: Program participants (researchers associated with 
universities, hospitals, or other nonprofit organizations).
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 4.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 2.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 8.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 28 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 14th day of June 2002.
Peter Fernandez,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-15586 Filed 6-19-02; 8:45 am]
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