[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 191 (Monday, October 4, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59179-59180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-2474]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-097-1]


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 associated with accrediting nongovernment facilities to 
perform services related to the export certification of plants or plant 
products.

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

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     EDOCKET: Go to http://www.epa.gov/feddocket to submit or 
view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the 
official public docket, and to access those documents in the public 
docket that are available electronically. Once you have entered 
EDOCKET, click on the ``View Open APHIS Dockets'' link to locate this 
document.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies 
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 04-097-1, 
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. 04-097-1.
     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. 04-097-1'' 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 
accreditation program, contact Mr. Michael Ward, Accreditation Program 
Manager, Phytosanitary Issues Management, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, 
Unit 140, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8262. 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: Accreditation of Nongovernment Facilities.
    OMB Number: 0579-0130.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), among other things, 
provides export certification services to assure other countries that 
the plants and plant products they are receiving from the United States 
are free of plant pests specified by the receiving country. This 
activity is authorized by the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-
7772).
    The export certification regulations, which are contained in 7 CFR 
part 353, describe the procedures for obtaining certification for 
plants and plant products offered for export or reexport. Our 
regulations do not require that we engage in export certification 
activities; however, we perform this work as a service to exporters who 
are shipping plants or plant products to countries that require 
phytosanitary certification as a condition of entry.
    After assessing the condition of the plants or plant products 
intended for export (i.e., after conducting a phytosanitary 
inspection), an inspector will issue an internationally recognized 
phytosanitary certificate, a phytosanitary certificate for reexport, or 
an export certificate for processed plant products. Laboratory testing 
of plant or plant product samples is an important component of the 
certification process.
    The regulations allow nongovernment facilities (such as commercial 
laboratories and private inspection services) to be accredited by APHIS 
to perform specific laboratory testing or phytosanitary inspections 
that could serve as the basis for issuing Federal phytosanitary 
certificates, phytosanitary certificates for reexport, or export 
certificates for processed plant products.
    The accreditation process requires the use of several information 
collection activities to ensure that nongovernment facilities applying 
for accreditation possess the necessary qualifications.
    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 
collection of information, 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 3.4482 hours per response.

[[Page 59180]]

    Respondents: U.S. growers, shippers, and exporters; State and plant 
health protection authorities.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 15.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 5.8.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 87.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 300 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 28th day of September, 2004.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E4-2474 Filed 10-1-04; 8:45 am]
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