[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 46 (Thursday, March 10, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11931-11932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4706]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-140-1]


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 regulations for the importation of poultry 
meat and other poultry products from Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico, into 
the United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
9, 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

[[Page 11932]]

comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 04-140-1, 
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. 04-140-1.
    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 on regulations for the 
importation of poultry meat and other poultry products from Sinaloa and 
Sonora, Mexico, contact Dr. Christopher Robinson, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Technical Trade Services Team, National Center for Import 
and Export, VS, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 
734-7837. 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: Importation of Poultry Meat and Other Poultry Products from 
Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico.
    OMB Number: 0579-0144.
    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, regulating the importation into the United States of 
certain animals and animal products to prevent the introduction of 
serious pests and diseases of livestock into the United States.
    The regulations for the importation of animals and animal products 
are contained in 9 CFR parts 92 through 98.
    The regulations in part 94, among other things, restrict the 
importation of poultry meat and other poultry products from Mexico and 
other regions of the world where exotic Newcastle disease (END) has 
been determined to exist. The regulations allow the importation of 
poultry meat and poultry products from the Mexican States of Sinaloa 
and Sonora under conditions that protect against the introduction of 
END into the United States.
    To ensure that these items are safe for importation, we require 
that certain data appear on the foreign meat inspection certificate 
that accompanies the poultry meat or other poultry products from 
Sinaloa and Sonora. We also require that serially numbered seals be 
applied to containers carrying the poultry meat or other poultry 
products.
    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 1 hour per response.
    Respondents: Federal animal health authorities in Mexico, and 
personnel in Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico, who operate slaughtering and 
processing plants and who engage in the export of poultry meat and 
other poultry products to the United States.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 10.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses Per Respondent: 4.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 40.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 40 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 March 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 05-4706 Filed 3-9-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P