[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 126 (Friday, July 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38092-38093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-3462]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 05-045-1]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; User Fee Regulations

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 collecting user fees, ensuring remittances in a timely 
manner, and determining proper credit for payment of international air 
passenger, aircraft clearance, commercial truck, commercial railroad 
car, commercial vessel, phytosanitary certificate, import/export, and 
veterinary diagnostic user fees.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 30, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either 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. 05-045-1, 
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. 05-045-1.
    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 user fees, contact 
Ms. Kris Caraher, Team Leader, VS User Fees, FMD, MRPBS, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 54, Riverdale, MD 20737-1232, (301) 734-5743. For 
copies of more detailed information on the information collection, 
contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (301) 734-7477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 38093]]

    Title: User Fee Regulations.
    OMB Number: 0579-0094.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Section 2509 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
Trade Act of 1990, as amended, authorizes the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) to collect user fees for agricultural 
quarantine and inspection (AQI) services, for providing for the 
inspection and certification of plants and plant products offered for 
export or transiting the United States, and for providing veterinary 
diagnostic services and services related to the importation and 
exportation of animals and animal products.
    Although certain AQI functions, but not the laws or regulations 
upon which they are premised, were transferred from APHIS to the 
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bureau of the Department of 
Homeland Security, in 2002, APHIS remains responsible for the 
regulations related to AQI activities, including the user fee 
regulations. APHIS also remains responsible for administration of the 
user fee programs.
    Neither APHIS nor CBP receives an appropriation to fund these 
activities; instead, user fees are calculated and assessed to ensure 
full cost recovery of each user fee program. If the information was not 
collected, the agencies would not be able to perform the services since 
the fees collected are necessary to fund the work.
    Requesters of services usually are repeat customers, and, in many 
cases, request that we bill them for our services. Also, the 1996 Debt 
Collection Improvement Act requires that agencies collect tax 
identification numbers (TINs) from all persons doing business with the 
government for purposes of collecting delinquent debts. Without a TIN, 
service cannot be provided on a credit basis.
    The requests for services are in writing, by telephone, or in 
person. The information contained in each request identifies the 
specific service requested and the time in which the requester wishes 
the service to be performed. This information is necessary in order for 
the animal import centers and port offices to schedule the work and to 
calculate the fees due.
    APHIS is responsible for ensuring that the fees collected are 
correct and that they are remitted in full and in a timely manner. To 
ensure this, the party (ticketing agents for transportation companies) 
responsible for collecting and remitting fees must allow APHIS 
personnel to verify the accuracy of the fees collected and remitted, 
and otherwise determine compliance with the statute and regulations. We 
also require that whoever is responsible for making fee payments advise 
us of the name, address, and telephone number of a responsible officer 
who is authorized to verify fee calculations, collections, and 
remittances.
    This information collection is necessary for APHIS to effectively 
collect fees, ensure remittances in a timely manner, and determine 
proper credit for payment of international air passenger, aircraft 
clearance, commercial truck, commercial railroad car, commercial 
vessel, phytosanitary certificate, import/export, and veterinary 
diagnostic user fees.
    We have reviewed the paperwork requirements of the user fee 
programs and have made every possible effort to streamline our 
processes and minimize the impact on the public. Whenever possible, we 
use existing billing/collection methods to minimize the cost to the 
Agency.
    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 
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 0.0351595 hours per response.
    Respondents: Arriving international passengers, owners and 
operators of arriving international means of conveyance, importers/
exporters who wish to import or export plants and plant products, and 
importers/exporters who wish to import or export animals and animal 
products.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 184,277.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.324875.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 244,144.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 8,584 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 27th day of June 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E5-3462 Filed 6-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P