[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 107 (Thursday, June 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31380-31381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12568]



[[Page 31380]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-04-60]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on (404) 498-1210 or send an email to [email protected].
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Send comments to Seleda Perryman, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E11, 
Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Written comments 
should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Control of Communicable Diseases: Restrictions on African Rodents, 
Prairie Dogs, and certain other Animals (OMB 0920-0615)--
Reinstatement--National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    Section 361 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, [42 U.S.C. 
264], authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make 
regulations necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or 
spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the United 
States. Existing regulations governing quarantine activities [42 CFR 
71.54] provide for the issuance of permits by the Director, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for the importation of any animal 
host or vector of human disease, or any other animal capable of being a 
host or vector of human disease, contingent upon the importers meeting 
certain application and disease control requirements, to be established 
by the Director (OMB 0920-0199).
    In 2003, individuals in the United States began contracting 
monkeypox, and very likely as a result of contact with prairie dogs 
that had contracted monkeypox from diseased African rodents. 
Investigations indicated that a Texas animal distributor imported a 
shipment of approximately 800 small mammals from Ghana on April 9, 
2003, and that shipment contained 762 African rodents, including rope 
squirrels (Funiscuirus sp.), tree squirrels (Heliosciurus sp.), Gambian 
giant rats (Cricetomys sp.), brushtail porcupines (Atherurus sp.), 
dormice (Graphiurus sp.), and striped mice (Hybomys sp.). Some animals 
were infected with monkeypox, and CDC laboratory testing confirmed the 
presence of monkeypox in several rodent species.
    On June 11, 2003, the Director of CDC and the Commissioner of the 
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a joint order prohibiting, 
until further notice, the transportation or offering for transportation 
in interstate commerce, or the sale, offering for sale, or offering for 
any other type of commercial or public distribution, including release 
into the environment, of:
     Prairie dogs (Cynomys sp.);
     Tree squirrels (Heliosciurus sp.);
     Rope squirrels (Funisciurus sp.);
     Dormice (Graphiurus sp.);
     Gambian giant pouched rats (Cricetomys sp.);
     Brush-tailed porcupines (Atherurus sp.), and
     Striped mice (Hybomys sp.).
    In addition, CDC implemented an immediate embargo on the 
importation of all rodents from Africa (order Rodentia). On Nov. 4, 
2003, the Department of Health and Human Services (the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA) and CDC) promulgated an Interim Final Rule (IFR) 
restricting the importation of African rodents (42 CFR 71.56) and 
restricting domestic trade in certain African rodents and domestic 
prairie dogs (21 CFR 1240.63) (see 68 FR 62353). This interim final 
rule supersedes the June 11, 2003, order.
    Under Sec.  71.56(a) (2), prospective importers must submit a 
proposed import plan to CDC if they wish to import the specific rodents 
and rodent products covered by this rule. The plan must address disease 
prevention procedures to be carried out in every step of the chain of 
custody of such rodents, from embarkation in the country of origin to 
release from quarantine (if required). Information such as species, 
origin and intended use for the rodents and/or rodent products, transit 
information, isolation and quarantine (if required) procedures, and 
procedures for testing of quarantined animals is necessary for CDC to 
make public health decisions. This information enables CDC to evaluate 
compliance with the standards and determine whether the measures being 
taken to prevent exposure of persons and animals during importation are 
adequate.
    The burden imposed by this permit application is based on the 
estimated amount of time needed to perform the requirement multiplied 
by the number of responses. Five (5) respondents are estimated to 
submit an average of 2 responses each. Respondents operating with 
established permits would normally need less time to make submissions 
(30 minutes per response); new permit holders, estimated to be 7 in 
number, would each make no more than 1 full submission. All remaining 
submissions would be itinerary and/or change information only (10 
minutes per response). The estimated total annual burden is 10 hours. 
There is no cost to respondents.

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                                                                      No. of      Average burden/
                   Respondents                        No. of        responses/     response  (in   Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent        hours)         in hours
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Individuals.....................................               2               1           30/60               1
Businesses......................................               5               1           30/60               3
Organizations--initial request..................               5               1               1               5
Organizations--subsequent request...............               5               1           10/60               1
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................              12  ..............  ..............              10
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[[Page 31381]]

    Dated: May 27, 2004.
Alvin Hall,
Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-12568 Filed 6-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P