[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42035-42036]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15808]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-060-1]


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 
sheep and goats and an indemnity program to help prevent the spread of 
scrapie.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
September 13, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

[[Page 42036]]

     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies 
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 04-060-1, 
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. 04-060-1.
     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. 04-060-1'' 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 domestic 
regulations to help prevent the spread of scrapie, contact Dr. Diane 
Sutton, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Eradication and Surveillance Team, 
National Center for Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-6954. 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: Scrapie in Sheep and Goats; Interstate Movement Restrictions 
and Indemnity Program.
    OMB Number: 0579-0101.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 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.
    Scrapie is a degenerative and eventually fatal disease affecting 
the central nervous systems of sheep and goats. It is a member of a 
class of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies 
(TSEs). Its control is complicated because the disease has an extremely 
long incubation period without clinical signs of disease.
    The regulations in 9 CFR part 79 restrict the interstate movement 
of certain sheep and goats to help prevent the spread of scrapie. APHIS 
also has regulations at 9 CFR part 54 for an indemnity program to 
compensate owners of sheep and goats destroyed because of scrapie.
    The scrapie disease control program requires the use of a number of 
information collection activities, including cooperative agreements; 
applications from owners to participate in the Scrapie Flock 
Certification Program; post-exposure management and monitoring plans; 
scrapie test records; applications for indemnity payments; 
certificates, permits, and owner statements for the interstate movement 
of certain sheep and goats; applications for premises identification 
numbers; and applications for APHIS-approved eartags, backtags, or 
tattoos.
    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 0.133378666 hours per response.
    Respondents: Flock owners, market operators, accredited 
veterinarians, and State animal health authorities.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 150,000.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 5.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 750,000.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 100,034 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 7th day of July 2004.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 04-15808 Filed 7-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P