[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60634-60635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26786]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 03-089-1]


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 the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
December 22, 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. 03-089-1, 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. 03-089-1. 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. 
03-089-1'' 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 
Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey, contact Ms. Coanne O'Hern, 
National Survey Coordinator, Pest Detection and Management Programs, 
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 137, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 
734-4387. 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 Agricultural Pest Survey.
    OMB Number: 0579-0010.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-7772), the 
Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for preventing the introduction 
and interstate spread of plant pests and noxious weeds that are new to 
or not widely distributed within the United States.
    To this end, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant 
Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program, has joined forces with the 
States and other agencies to create a program called the Cooperative 
Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS). The CAPS program collects and manages

[[Page 60635]]

data on plant pests, weeds, and biological control agents, which may be 
used to control plant pests or noxious weeds.
    This program allows the States and PPQ to conduct surveys to detect 
and measure the presence of exotic plant pests and weeds and to enter 
survey data into a national computer-based system known as the National 
Agricultural Plant Information System (NAPIS). This, in turn, allows 
APHIS to obtain a more comprehensive picture of pest conditions in the 
United States as well as detect, in collaboration with the National 
Plant Diagnostic Network and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), 
population trends that could indicate an agricultural bioterrorism act.
    The information generated by this program is used by States to 
predict potential pest situations in the United States and by Federal 
interests (e.g., PPQ and CSREES) to promptly detect and respond to the 
occurrence of new exotic pests and to provide documentation on plant 
pests to facilitate and record the location of those pest incursions 
that could directly hinder the export of U.S. farm commodities. The 
system also provides data management support for PPQ pest programs such 
as imported fire and gypsy moth.
    The CAPS program entails the use of several information collection 
activities, including a cooperative agreement and a Specimens for 
Determination Form (PPQ Form 391).
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3 
years.
    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 0.1091824 hours per response.
    Respondents: State cooperators participating in the Cooperative 
Agricultural Pest Survey.
    Estimated annual number of respondents : 103.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 352.932.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 36,352.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,969 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 17th day of October, 2003.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-26786 Filed 10-22-03; 8:45 am]
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