[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 904-905]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-87]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 05-049-1]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; National Veterinary Accreditation Program

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 National Veterinary Accreditation 
Program.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
7, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the ``Search for Open Regulations'' box, 
select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service'' from the agency 
drop-down menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, 
select APHIS-2005-0114 to submit or view public comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. After the 
close of the comment period, the docket can be viewed using the 
``Advanced Search'' function in Regulations.gov.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies 
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 05-049-1, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 
River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your 
comment refers to Docket No. 05-049-1.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this

[[Page 905]]

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: Additional information about APHIS and its 
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the National 
Veterinary Accreditation Program, contact Ms. Lynn Thomas, Management 
Analyst, Surveillance and Identification Programs, National Center for 
Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 200, Riverdale, 
MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-5777. 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: National Veterinary Accreditation Program.
    OMB Number: 0579-0032.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture is responsible for, among other 
things, protecting the health of our Nation's livestock and poultry 
populations by preventing the introduction and spread of serious 
diseases and pests of livestock and poultry and for eradicating such 
diseases and pests from the United States when feasible.
    To help us accomplish our mission, APHIS' Veterinary Services 
administers the National Veterinary Accreditation Program. This program 
certifies private veterinary practitioners to work cooperatively with 
Federal veterinarians, as well as with State animal health officials, 
to conduct certain activities for us. Accredited veterinarians are 
instrumental in increasing our capacity to perform health 
certifications and conduct extensive disease surveillance and 
monitoring.
    Operating this program requires a number of information gathering 
activities, including:
     Conducting veterinary accreditation orientation and 
training.
     Completing animal health certificates.
     Applying and removing official seals.
     Completing test reports.
     Reviewing applications for veterinary accreditation and 
reaccreditation.
     Recordkeeping.
     Updating information on accredited veterinarians.
    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 
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, 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 0.477348 hours per response.
    Respondents: Accredited veterinarians, candidates for the National 
Veterinary Accreditation Program, and State animal health officials who 
review applications for veterinary accreditation and reaccreditation.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 63,000.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 2.095936.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 132,044.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 63,031 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 29th day of December 2005.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 06-87 Filed 1-5-06; 8:45 am]
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