[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 18 (Friday, January 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4084-4085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-329]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 18 / Friday, January 28, 2005 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-135-1]


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 for self-certification medical statements.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
29, 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. 04-135-1, 
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. 04-135-1.
    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. 04-135-1'' 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., 
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 self-certification 
medical statements, contact Ms. Linda L. Lane, Human Resources 
Specialist, Human Resources Division, MRPBS, room 1726, South Building, 
14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250; (202) 
720-3519. 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: Self-Certification Medical Statement.
    OMB Number: 0579-0196.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) agencies of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture facilitate the domestic and 
international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and protect the 
health of domestic animal and plant resources. The MRP agencies are the 
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS), and the Grain Inspection, Packers and 
Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). Resource management and 
administrative services, including human resource management, for the 
three MRP agencies are provided by the MRP Business Services unit of 
APHIS, which is the lead agency in providing administrative support for 
MRP.
    In accordance with 5 CFR part 339, Federal agencies are authorized 
to obtain medical information from applicants for positions that have 
approved medical standards. Medical standards may be established for 
positions for which the duties are arduous or hazardous or require a 
certain level of health status or fitness.
    Certain positions in MRP agencies have medical standards. An 
example of such a position is the agricultural commodity grader 
position in AMS. Each year, AMS hires a number of agricultural 
commodity graders. These employees work under dusty conditions, around 
moving machinery and slippery surfaces, and in areas with high noise 
levels. They have direct contact with meat and dairy products, fresh 
and processed fruits and vegetables, and poultry products intended for 
human consumption or cotton and tobacco products intended for human 
use.
    The MRP agencies require a self-certification statement from 
applicants for these positions regarding their fitness for the 
positions. The MRP agencies need this information to determine whether 
the applicants can perform the duties of the positions. Inability to 
collect this information would adversely affect the MRP agencies' 
ability to recruit and hire qualified individuals and carry out their 
missions.
    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,

[[Page 4085]]

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 0.1666 hours per response.
    Respondents: Applicants for MRP positions with approved medical 
standards.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 300.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 300.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 50 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 24th day of January 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E5-329 Filed 1-27-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P