[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 73 (Thursday, April 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19971-19972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8561]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-027-1]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

[[Page 19972]]


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 to gather data on West Nile virus.

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. 04-027-1, 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. 04-027-1.
     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. 04-027-1'' 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 regarding the West 
Nile virus surveillance project, contact Dr. Tim Cordes, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Certification and Control Team, NCAHP, VS, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-3279. 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 Nile Virus Surveillance Project.
    OMB Number: 0579-0162.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates the importation and interstate 
movement of animals and animal products, and conducts various other 
activities to protect the health of our Nation's livestock and poultry. 
Disease surveillance plays an important role in protecting the health 
of the U.S. livestock and poultry populations.
    One such surveillance program gathers information concerning 
outbreaks of West Nile virus (WNV) in the United States. WNV, although 
not considered to be a national epidemic, has potential to cause 
economic harm to the U.S. equine industry due to possible trade 
restrictions that could be imposed by other countries. The goal of the 
WNV surveillance project is to collect data from equine owners and to 
analyze this data to explain equine or premises risk factors for WNV 
infection.
    Gathering this data entails the use of two information collection 
activities in the form of an owner/operator agreement to participate in 
the survey and a WNV data collection form.
    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 this information collection 
activity. These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the information collection is necessary for 
the proper performance of our agency's functions, 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 collection of information 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 1.125 hours per response.
    Respondents: Equine owners.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 420.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 2.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 840.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 945 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. 04-8561 Filed 4-14-04; 8:45 am]
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