[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 73 (Thursday, April 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 19971]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8560]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-026-1]


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 the interstate movement of 
regulated articles from quarantined areas in order to prevent the 
spread of the West Indian fruit fly to noninfested areas of the United 
States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 
14, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send 
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket 
No. 04-026-1, 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. 04-026-1.
     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. 04-026-1'' on the subject 
line.
     Agency Web site: Go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/cominst.html for a form you can use to 
submit an e-mail comment through the APHIS Web site.
    Reading Room: 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.
    Other Information: You may view APHIS documents published in the 
Federal Register and related information, including the names of groups 
and individuals who have commented on APHIS dockets, on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the West Indian 
fruit fly regulations, contact Mr. Michael B. Stefan, Director, 
Emergency Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 134, 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: West Indian Fruit Fly.
    OMB Number: 0579-0170.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-7772) authorizes 
the Secretary of Agriculture, either independently or in cooperation 
with States, to carry out operations or measures to detect, eradicate, 
suppress, control, prevent, or retard the spread of plant pests, such 
as West Indian fruit fly, that are new to or not widely distributed 
within the United States.
    The West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), is a very 
destructive pest of fruits and vegetables, including carambola, 
grapefruit, guava, limes, mangoes, oranges, passion fruit, peaches, and 
pears. This pest can cause serious economic losses by lowering the 
yield and quality of these fruits and vegetables and, in some cases, by 
damaging seedlings and young plants. Heavy infestations can result in 
complete loss of these crops.
    Regulations in 7 CFR 301.98 through 301.98-10 restrict the 
interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas to 
prevent the spread of the West Indian fruit fly to noninfested areas of 
the United States and require the use of certain information collection 
activities in the form of certificates or limited permits and 
compliance agreements.
    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 1 hour per response.
    Respondents: State and county cooperators (inspectors) and 
producers, handlers, and movers of regulated fruit and vegetables.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 37.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 37.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 37 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 9th day of April 2004.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 04-8560 Filed 4-14-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P