[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62239-62240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17772]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0154]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Importation of Fruits and Vegetables

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 regulations for the importation of fruits 
and vegetables.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
December 26, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://regulations.gov, 
select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service'' from the agency 
drop-down menu, then click ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select 
APHIS-2006-0154 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-
2006-0154, 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-2006-0154.
    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 on regulations 
associated with the importation of fruits and vegetables, contact Ms. 
Donna L. West, Senior Import Specialist, Commodity Import Analysis and 
Operations, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; 
(301) 734-8758. 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: Importation of Fruits and Vegetables.
    OMB Number: 0579-0236.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: As authorized by the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 
et seq.) (PPA), the Secretary of Agriculture may prohibit or restrict 
the importation, entry, exportation, or movement in interstate commerce 
of any plant, plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed, 
means of conveyance, or other article if the Secretary determines that 
the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent a plant pest or 
noxious weed from being introduced into or disseminated within the 
United States. This authority has been delegated to the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which administers regulations 
to implement the PPA.
    The regulations in Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables (7 CFR 319.56 
through 319.56-8) authorize a number of fruits and vegetables to be 
imported into the United States, under specified conditions, from 
certain parts of the world. These fruits and vegetables include, among 
other commodities, African horned cucumber from Chile;

[[Page 62240]]

cherimoya, soursop, custard apple, sugar apple, and atemoya from 
Grenada; coconut fruit with milk and husk from Mexico; pitaya from 
Mexico; melon and watermelon from certain countries in South America; 
watermelon, squash, cucumber, oriental melon, and grapes from the 
Republic of Korea.
    Before entering the United States, all of these fruits and 
vegetables are subject to inspection and disinfection at their port of 
first arrival to ensure that no plant pests are inadvertently brought 
into the United States. These precautions, along with other 
requirements, help ensure that these commodities do not introduce 
exotic plant pests, such as fruit flies, into the United States.
    The regulations require the use of certain information collection 
activities, including import permits, phytosanitary certificates, fruit 
fly monitoring records, and box labeling.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3 
years. After approval of the burden associated with this extension 
notice, OMB will combine it with another information collection, also 
titled ``Importation of Fruits and Vegetables (number 0579-0128),'' and 
the Department will retire number 0579-0236.
    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 0.1320 hours per response.
    Respondents: U.S. importers of fruits and vegetables and plant 
health officials of exporting countries.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 141.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 5.5319.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 780.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 103 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 18th day of October 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-17772 Filed 10-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P