[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 134 (Thursday, July 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39655-39656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11044]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 134 / Thursday, July 13, 2006 / 
Notices  

[[Page 39655]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0108]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Introduction of Organisms and Products Altered or Produced 
Through Genetic Engineering

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment 
request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 introduction of 
organisms and products altered or produced through genetic engineering.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
September 11, 2006.

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-2006-0108 to submit or view public comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. Information 
on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing 
documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close 
of the comment period, is available through the site's ``User Tips'' 
link.
    Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies of your 
comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0108, 
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-2006-0108.
    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.
    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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the 
information collection associated with regulations for the introduction 
of organisms and products altered or produced through genetic 
engineering, contact Ms. Ingrid Berlanger, Document Control Officer, 
Regulatory Operations Programs, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-4885. 
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: 7 CFR Part 340; Introduction of Organisms and Products 
Altered or Produced through Genetic Engineering.
    OMB Number: 0579-0085.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), 
the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to prohibit or restrict the 
importation, entry, or movement in interstate commerce of any plant, 
plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed, article, or 
means of conveyance, if the Secretary determines that the prohibition 
or restriction is necessary to prevent the introduction or the 
dissemination of a plant pest into the United States.
    Under that authority, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service administers the regulations in 7 
CFR part 340, ``Introduction of Organisms and Products Altered or 
Produced Through Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests or Which 
There Is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests,'' which regulate, among 
other things, the introduction (importation, interstate movement, or 
release into the environment) of organisms and products altered or 
produced through genetic engineering that are plant pests or that there 
is reason to believe are plant pests. Such genetically engineered 
organisms and products are considered ``regulated articles.'' A permit 
must be obtained or a notification acknowledged before a regulated 
article may be introduced.
    The regulations set forth the permit application requirements and 
the notification procedures for the importation, interstate movement, 
or release into the environment of a regulated article and necessitate 
certain information and recordkeeping requirements, including APHIS-
issued permits, applicants' field testing records, and the submission 
of protocols to ensure compliance.
    This notice includes a description of the information collection 
requirements currently approved by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) under number 0579-0216, ``Field Testing of Plants Engineered to 
Produce Pharmaceutical and Industrial Compounds.'' After OMB approves 
and combines the burden associated with this extension notice under 
number 0579-0085, the Department will retire number 0579-0216.
    We are asking 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

[[Page 39656]]

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 1.0034129 hours response.
    Respondents: U.S. importers and shippers of genetically engineered 
organisms and products and agricultural companies that produce or test 
genetically engineered organisms or products or that engage in product 
research and development.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 121.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 24.214876.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 2,930.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 2,940 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 10th day of July 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-11044 Filed 7-12-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P