[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 159 (Friday, October 8, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60349-60350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-2553]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-096-1]


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 the Foreign Animal Disease Surveillance 
Program.

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. 04-096-1, 
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. 04-096-1.
     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. 04-096-1'' 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 Foreign 
Animal Disease Surveillance Program, contact Dr. Aida Boghossian, 
Senior Staff Veterinarian, Emergency Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-5776. 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: Foreign Animal Disease/Emerging Disease Investigation (FAD/
EDI) Database.
    OMB Number: 0579-0071.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), 
among other things, administers regulations intended to prevent foreign 
diseases of livestock or poultry from being introduced into the United 
States, conducts surveillance for the early detection of such foreign 
animal diseases, and conducts eradication programs if such foreign 
diseases are detected.
    Through our Foreign Animal Disease Surveillance Program, APHIS 
compiles essential epidemiological and diagnostic data that are used to 
define foreign animal diseases and their risk factors. When a potential 
foreign animal disease incident is reported, APHIS dispatches a foreign 
animal disease veterinary diagnostician to the site to conduct an 
investigation.
    The diagnostician obtains vital epidemiologic data by conducting 
field investigations, including sample collection, and by interviewing 
the owner or manager of the premises being investigated.

[[Page 60350]]

    These important data include such items as the number of sick or 
dead animals on the premises, the results of necropsy examinations, 
vaccination information on the animals in the flock or herd, 
biosecurity practices at the site, whether any animals were recently 
moved out of the herd or flock, whether any new animals were recently 
introduced into the herd or flock, and detailed geographic data 
concerning premises location.
    Government diagnosticians record this information on Veterinary 
Services (VS) Form 12-27, which is available electronically, allowing 
epidemiological and diagnostic information to be collected and 
transmitted more easily and quickly. The owner/manager of the premises 
being investigated assists in this process by verbally providing 
information to the diagnostician.
    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 0.978947368 hours per response.
    Respondents: Government diagnosticians; owners/managers of 
premises.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 635.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 3.889763779.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 2,470.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 2,418 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. E4-2553 Filed 10-7-04; 8:45 am]
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