[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 72 (Friday, April 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19919-19920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7584]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 05-019-1]


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 humane handling, care, 
treatment, and transportation of marine mammals under the Animal 
Welfare Act.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 
14, 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. 05-019-1, 
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. 05-019-1.
    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 concerning the Animal 
Welfare Act regulations and standards for marine mammals, contact Dr. 
Barbara Kohn, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-7833. 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: Animal Welfare, 9 CFR Part 3, Marine Mammals.
    OMB Number: 0579-0115.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal Welfare Act standards and regulations have 
been promulgated to promote and ensure the humane handling, care, 
treatment, and transportation of regulated animals. The regulations in 
9 CFR part 3, subpart E, cover marine mammals.
    The regulations in 9 CFR part 3, subpart E, require facilities to 
complete a number of information collection activities, such as written 
protocols for cleaning, contingency plans, daily records of animal 
feeding, water quality records, documentation of facility-based 
employee training, plans for any animals kept in isolation, medical 
records, a description of the interactive program, and health 
certificates for transportation of marine mammals. These information 
collection activities do not mandate the use of any official government 
forms. APHIS needs this information to ensure compliance with the 
regulations intended to ensure the humane care and treatment of marine 
mammals.
    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

[[Page 19920]]

information is estimated to average 0.1698175 hours per response.
    Respondents: Employees or attendants of USDA licensed/registered 
marine mammal facilities.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 2,197.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 24.847.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 54,588.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 9,270 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 12th day of April 2005.

Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 05-7584 Filed 4-14-05; 8:45 am]
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