[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 72 (Friday, April 14, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19476-19477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-3575]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 72 / Friday, April 14, 2006 / 
Notices  

[[Page 19476]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0049]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Horse Protection 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 associated with the Horse Protection Program.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 
13, 2006.
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the lower ``Search Regulations and Federal 
Actions'' 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-2006-0049 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. APHIS-
2006-0049, 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. APHIS-2006-0049.
    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: 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 Horse 
Protection Act regulations, contact Dr. Todd Behre, Horse Protection 
Coordinator, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1234; (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: Horse Protection Regulations.
    OMB Number: 0579-0056.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: In 1970, Congress passed the Horse Protection Act (15 
U.S.C. 1821 et seq.), referred to below as the Act, that prohibits the 
showing, sale, auction, exhibition, or transport of horses subjected to 
a cruel and inhumane practice referred to as ``soring.'' This practice 
causes a horse to suffer pain in any of its limbs for the purpose of 
affecting the horse's performance in competition. All horses are 
covered by the Act and the regulations in title 9, part 11, of the Code 
of Federal Regulations, although enforcement emphasis has historically 
been placed on Tennessee Walking horses and other gaited breeds due to 
the prevalence of soring documented in that industry. The regulations 
are administered and enforced by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
    In 1979, APHIS issued regulations in response to an amendment to 
the Act under which horse show managers may hire private individuals to 
conduct inspections, in order to limit their liability under the Act if 
sored horses are entered in their event. These individuals are referred 
to as designated qualified persons (DQPs). DQPs must be trained and 
licensed by USDA-certified and monitored programs that are run by horse 
industry organizations or associations (HIOs).
    Enforcement of the Act and its regulations relies on horse 
inspections conducted by APHIS veterinarians and by DQPs. To ensure 
that enforcement by DQPs and USDA-certified DQP programs is effective, 
APHIS requires DQPs, HIOs, and horse show management to maintain or 
submit records related to these inspections, their DQP programs, and 
the horse events to APHIS. No official government form is necessary for 
the reporting and recordkeeping required.
    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 0.8454 hours per response.
    Respondents: Designated qualified persons, horse industry 
organizations, and horse show management.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,573.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.77240.

[[Page 19477]]

    Estimated annual number of responses: 2,788.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 2,357 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 6th day of April 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 06-3575 Filed 4-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P