[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 234 (Friday, December 5, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68017-68018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30234]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 03-095-1]


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 for importation of seed and 
screenings.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
February 3, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery 
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/

[[Page 68018]]

commercial delivery, please send four copies of your comment (an 
original and three copies) to: Docket No. 03-095-1, 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. 03-095-1. 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. 03-095-1'' 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 regulations 
for importation of seed and screenings, contact Ms. Polly Lehtonen, 
Botanist, Biological and Technical Services, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-4394. 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: Imported Seed and Screenings.
    OMB Number: 0579-0124.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the authority of the Federal Seed Act (FSA) of 
1939, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1551 et seq.), the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) regulates the importation and interstate movement of 
certain agricultural and vegetable seeds and screenings. Title III of 
the FSA, ``Foreign Commerce,'' requires shipments of imported 
agricultural and vegetable seeds to be labeled correctly and to be 
tested for the presence of the seeds of certain noxious weeds as a 
condition of entry into the United States. The Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service's regulations implementing the provisions of title 
III of the FSA are found in 7 CFR part 361.
    The regulations require the use of a number of information 
collection activities, including declaration of importation, container 
labeling, notification of seed location, a seed return request, seed 
analysis certificates, seed identity maintenance, and associated 
recordkeeping.
    We are asking 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 0.37816 hours per response.
    Respondents: Importers of seed and screenings, seed cleaning/
processing facility personnel, officials of the Canadian Food 
Inspection Agency (CFIA), and private seed laboratories accredited by 
CFIA.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,200.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 25.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 30,000.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 11,345 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 2nd day of December, 2003.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-30234 Filed 12-4-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P