[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 46 (Friday, March 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10630-10631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4239]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0010]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; 
National Animal Identification System; Tribal Participants in Premises 
Registration

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New 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 initiate a new information collection activity for Tribal 
participants in premises registration for the National Animal 
Identification System.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
8, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.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-2007-0010 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-2007-0010, 
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-2007-0010.
    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

[[Page 10631]]

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 an information 
collection for Tribal participants in premises registration for the 
National Animal Identification System, contact Dr. John Wiemers, 
National Animal Identification Staff, VS, 2100 Lake Storey Road, 
Galesburg, IL 61401; (309) 344-1942. 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 Animal Identification System; Tribal Participants 
in Premises Registration.
    OMB Number: 0579-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: As part of ongoing efforts to safeguard animal health, 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture initiated implementation of a 
National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in 2004. The NAIS is a 
cooperative State-Federal-industry program administered by USDA's 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The purpose of the 
NAIS is to provide a streamlined information system that will help 
producers and animal health officials respond quickly and effectively 
to animal disease events in the United States.
    The first component of the program, premises registration, is well 
underway and the second component, animal identification, is being 
implemented for several species. The third component, animal tracing, 
is currently under development with USDA's State and industry partners. 
Industry, through private systems, and States will manage the animal 
tracking databases that maintain the movement records of animals. These 
information systems will provide the location of a subject animal and 
the records of other animals that the subject animal came into contact 
with at each premises. Participation in any component of the program is 
voluntary.
    Premises registration, the foundation of NAIS, is critical to 
rapidly detecting and evaluating the scope of animal disease outbreaks, 
controlling emergency program budgets, and improving emergency response 
efficiency. Having the ability to plot locations within a radius of 
affected premises will help determine the potential magnitude of a 
disease event and the resources that are needed to adequately respond 
in an effective manner. This can be accomplished only if the affected 
premises and other premises in the area have been registered. All 50 
States, 60 Native American Tribes, and 2 territories are currently 
participating in premises registration. More than 350,000 premises have 
been registered to date.
    Several systems are available to States and Tribes for use in 
registering premises: The Standardized Premises Registration System 
provided by USDA, Compliant Premises Registration Systems developed by 
States or third parties and evaluated by USDA as compliant, and now a 
Tribal Premises Registration System provided by USDA.
    USDA is pleased with the cooperative working relationships we have 
with Tribes participating in the development and implementation of the 
NAIS. Meeting the needs of Native Americans has been a priority for 
USDA since the inception of the NAIS, and we have sought to have Tribal 
representatives involved in the development of the system. Most 
recently, USDA partnered with Tribal representatives in the development 
and testing of the Tribal Premises Registration System that is now 
available for use.
    APHIS will provide the opportunity for participating Tribes to 
designate, by completing a form, which premises registration system 
they prefer to use, and will use the form to initiate the process for 
Tribes to have access to their system of choice. The form will be made 
available by the Tribal liaison for the NAIS program and on the NAIS 
Web site (http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/index.shtml).
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget to approve our 
use of this information collection activity for 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 
collection of information, 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 collection of information 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 hour per response.
    Respondents: Tribal entities or organizations who are interested in 
participating in the NAIS premises registration component or who are 
already participating in the NAIS.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 60.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 60.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 60 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 5th day of March 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-4239 Filed 3-8-07; 8:45 am]
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