[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 123 (Thursday, June 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37999-38000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16183]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 123 / Thursday, June 26, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 37999]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 03-064-1]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of approval of an 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 request an extension of approval of an information 
collection in support of regulations requiring permits for the 
interstate movement of certain animals.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 25, 2003.

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. 03-064-1, 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. 03-064-1. 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. 
03-064-1'' 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 regarding the 
regulations requiring permits for movement of restricted animals, 
contact Dr. Michael Gilsdorf, Director, Eradication and Surveillance 
Team, National Center for Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-6954. 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: Permit for Movement of Restricted Animals.
    OMB Number: 0579-0051.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture is 
responsible for, among other things, preventing the spread of 
contagious, infectious, or communicable animal diseases interstate and 
for eradicating such diseases from the United States. In connection 
with this mission, Veterinary Services (VS), Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service, carefully monitors animals which either have, or 
have been exposed to, diseases of quarantine significance as these 
animals are transported to appropriate slaughtering facilities.
    When farm animals (such as cattle, swine, sheep, or horses) become 
sick or have been exposed to a disease of quarantine significance, it 
is important that they be removed promptly from the farm to prevent 
exposing and infecting other animals. In such situations, the owner of 
sick or exposed animals may have the animals transported from the farm 
to a slaughtering establishment. When this movement requires animals to 
be transported across State lines, the owner is required to complete a 
``Permit for Movement of Restricted Animals,'' also known as VS Form 1-
27.
    It is imperative that these animals not be removed from the vehicle 
during transport or be otherwise diverted from their destination, since 
such an event could result in the spread of a disease of quarantine 
significance among healthy animals. VS Form 1-27, which is completed by 
specified personnel at the farm of origin and again at the point of 
destination, is our primary means of ensuring that these animals move 
directly from the farm to the slaughtering establishment.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity for an additional 3 
years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning this information collection. 
We need this outside input to 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 0.083 hours per response.
    Respondents: State field personnel, accredited veterinarians, meat 
inspectors, animal health technicians, and other regulated entities, 
including owners of cattle, swine, horses, sheep, and goats.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 4,000.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 3.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 12,000.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 996 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours

[[Page 38000]]

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 23rd day of June, 2003.
Peter Fernandez,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-16183 Filed 6-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P