[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 159 (Thursday, August 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47480-47481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13575]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0103]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey

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 Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 16, 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-2006-0103 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-
2006-0103, 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-2006-0103.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the 
Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey, contact Mr. Billy Newton, Interim 
National Survey Coordinator, Emergency and Domestic Programs Staff, 
PPQ, 4700 River Road, Unit 137, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8717. 
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: Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.
    OMB Number: 0579-0010.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, either independently or in 
cooperation with States, to carry out operations or measures to detect, 
eradicate, suppress, control, prevent, or retard the spread of plant 
pests and noxious weeds that are new to or not widely distributed 
within the United States. This authority has been delegated to the 
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
    As part of this mission, the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) 
program, APHIS, has joined forces with the States and other agencies to 
create a program called the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey 
(CAPS). The CAPS program collects and manages data on plant pests, 
noxious weeds, and biological control agents, which may be used to 
control plant pests or noxious weeds.
    This program allows the States and PPQ to conduct surveys to detect 
and measure the presence of exotic plant pests and noxious weeds and to 
enter survey data into a national computer-based system known as the 
National Agricultural Plant Information System (NAPIS). This, in turn, 
allows APHIS to obtain a more comprehensive picture of plant pest and 
noxious weed conditions in the United States as well as detect, in 
collaboration with the National Plant Diagnostic Network and the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service (CSREES), population trends in plant pests or noxious 
weeds that could indicate an agricultural bioterrorism act.
    The information generated by this program is used by States to 
predict potential plant pest and noxious weed situations in the United 
States and by Federal interests (e.g., PPQ and CSREES) to promptly 
detect and respond to the occurrence of new plant pests or noxious 
weeds and to provide documentation on plant pests and noxious weeds to 
facilitate and record the location of those incursions that could 
directly hinder the export of U.S. farm commodities. The system also 
provides data management support for PPQ programs such as imported fire 
and gypsy moth.
    The CAPS program entails the use of several information collection 
activities, including a cooperative agreement and a Specimens for 
Determination Form (PPQ Form 391).
    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 0.1092 hours response.
    Respondents: State cooperators participating in the Cooperative 
Agricultural Pest Survey.
    Estimated annual number of respondents : 155.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 235.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 36,352.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,969 hours. (Due to

[[Page 47481]]

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 August 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-13575 Filed 8-16-06; 8:45 am]
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