[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 159 (Friday, October 8, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60348-60349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-2552]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-099-1]


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 nursery stock regulations that govern the 
importation of nursery stock (plants and plant parts and products for 
propagation) into the United States to prevent the introduction of 
plant pests.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
December 7, 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. 04-099-1, 
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. 04-099-1.
     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. 04-099-1'' 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 nursery 
stock regulations, contact Ms. Jane Levy, Senior Staff Officer, 
Quarantine, Policy Analysis and Support, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 60, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8295. 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: Update of Nursery Stock Regulations.
    OMB Number: 0579-0190.
    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 to restrict the importation, entry, or 
interstate

[[Page 60349]]

movement of plants, plant products, and other articles to prevent the 
introduction of plant pests into the United States or their 
dissemination within the United States.
    The regulations in ``Subpart-Nursery Stock, Plants, Roots, Bulbs, 
Seeds, and Other Plant Products'' (7 CFR 319.37-319.37-14) prohibit or 
restrict the importation of living plants, plant parts, and seeds for 
propagation.
    Under the regulations, individuals who are involved in growing, 
exporting, and importing nursery stock must provide information to 
APHIS about the commodities they wish to bring into the United States. 
This information is vital to help ensure that plant pests are not 
introduced into the United States.
    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 0.5 hours per response.
    Respondents: Importers of nursery stock; foreign government 
officials.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 20.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 20.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 10 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 4th day of October, 2004.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E4-2552 Filed 10-7-04; 8:45 am]
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