[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 10 (Friday, January 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2603-2604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-803]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-124-1]


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 Application for Inspection and 
Certification of Animal Byproducts.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
15, 2005.

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. 04-124-1, 
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. 04-124-1.
     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. 04-124-1'' on the subject 
line.
    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.,

[[Page 2604]]

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 on the Application for 
Inspection and Certification of Animal Byproducts, contact Dr. Terry 
Morris, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Technical Trade Services, National 
Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 40, 
Riverdale MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-5259. 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: Application for Inspection and Certification of Animal 
Byproducts.
    OMB Number: 0579-0008.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: U.S. exporters who wish to export certain animal 
byproducts to other countries must, in some instances, furnish the 
importing country with certificates that have been issued or endorsed 
by Veterinary Services (VS) of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. VS Form 16-24, Application for 
Inspection and Certification of Animal Byproducts, is one such 
certificate. The form also serves as a written agreement under which 
the exporter pays for services we render in connection with documenting 
the certification statements required by the importing country.
    The exporter provides VS with the information requested on VS Form 
16-24, including a detailed description of the processing techniques 
that are used to make the product eligible to enter the importing 
country. VS uses this information to monitor and certify the processing 
techniques. After monitoring the processing technique, VS issues or 
endorses the certificate attesting to the class and quality of the 
products and that the products have been processed according to the 
conditions and requirements of the importing country.
    Without this certification, the importing country would not accept 
the product, and the exporter would be unable to conduct business with 
that country. The use of VS Form 16-24 has no impact on animal disease 
prevention or eradication activities in the United States. The form was 
developed to meet the importation requirements of other countries.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity 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 0.5 hour per response.
    Respondents: U.S. exporters of animal byproducts.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 10.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 10.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 5 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 10th day of January 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 05-803 Filed 1-13-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P