[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 32 (Thursday, February 17, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8057-8058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3056]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-136-1]


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 Cooperative State-Federal Bovine 
Tuberculosis Eradication Program.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 
18, 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. 04-136-1, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 
River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.

[[Page 8058]]

Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 04-136-1.
    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 on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the 
Cooperative State-Federal Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program, 
contact Dr. Michael Dutcher, National Tuberculosis Program Coordinator, 
Eradication and Surveillance Team, National Center for Animal Health 
Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737; 
(301) 734-5467. 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: Tuberculosis.
    OMB Number: 0579-0084.
    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 is responsible for, among 
other things, preventing the interstate spread of serious diseases and 
pests of livestock, and for eradicating such diseases from the United 
States when feasible.
    In connection with this mission, APHIS participates in the 
Cooperative State-Federal Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program, 
which is a national program to eliminate bovine tuberculosis from the 
United States. Bovine tuberculosis is a serious disease of livestock 
that also affects humans through contact with infected animals or their 
byproducts
    The Cooperative State-Federal Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication 
Program is conducted under the various States' authorities supplemented 
by Federal regulations on the interstate movement of affected animals. 
A concerted effort (State and Federal) requires that we conduct 
epidemiologic investigations to locate the disease and provide an 
effective means of controlling it. Federal regulations also provide for 
the payment of indemnity to owners of animals that must be destroyed 
because of tuberculosis.
    This program necessitates the use of a number of information-
gathering documents, including various forms needed to properly 
identify, test, and transport animals that have been infected with 
tuberculosis, or that may have been exposed to tuberculosis. We also 
employ national epidemiology forms for the purposes of recording, 
reporting, and reviewing epidemiological data. Still other documents 
provide us with the information we need to pay indemnity to the owners 
of animals destroyed because of tuberculosis.
    The information provided by these documents is critical to our 
ability to locate herds infected with tuberculosis and to prevent the 
interstate spread of tuberculosis. The collection of this information 
is therefore crucial to the success of the Cooperative State-Federal 
Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program.
    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 0.324473748 hours per response.
    Respondents: State animal health protection personnel, accredited 
veterinarians, livestock inspectors, shippers, herd owners, and 
slaughter establishment personnel.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 6,897.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 7.762650427.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 53,539.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 17,372 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 11th day of February 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 05-3056 Filed 2-16-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P