[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 52 (Monday, March 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12753-12754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4916]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0035]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza; Voluntary Control Program 
and Payment of Indemnity

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 a voluntary control program 
for the H5/H7 subtypes of low pathogenic avian influenza in poultry and 
the payment of indemnity for costs associated with eradication of the 
disease.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
18, 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-2007-0035 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-
2007-0035, 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-2007-0035.
    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 the information 
collection associated with the voluntary control program for subtypes 
H5/H7 low pathogenic avian influenza and the payment of indemnity, 
contact Mr. Andrew Rhorer, Senior Coordinator, Poultry Improvement 
Staff, National Poultry Improvement Plan, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 
USDA, 1498 Klondike Road, Suite 101, Conyers, GA 30094-5104; (770) 922-
3496. 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: Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza; Voluntary Control Program 
and Payment of Indemnity.
    OMB Number: 0579-0305.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has 
authority for, among other things, administering the National Poultry 
Improvement Plan (NPIP), the primary purpose of which is to protect the 
health of the U.S. poultry population. NPIP is a Federal-State-industry 
cooperative program for the improvement of poultry breeding flocks and 
products through disease control techniques. Participation in all Plan 
programs is voluntary, but flocks, hatcheries, and dealers of breeding 
poultry must first qualify as ``U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean'' as a 
condition for participation in the other Plan programs.
    Under the Plan, the regulations in 9 CFR part 56, ``Control of H5/
H7 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza,'' provide for the payment of 
indemnity for costs associated with the eradication of H5/H7 subtypes 
of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI). To participate in the LPAI 
indemnity program, poultry owners must sign a payment, appraisal, and 
agreement form (VS Form 1-23) and must certify as to whether any other 
parties hold mortgages on the flock and whether any contracts exist for 
the growing or care of poultry to be destroyed. In addition, the 
regulations in 9 CFR part 146, ``National Poultry Improvement Plan for 
Commercial Poultry,'' require for the voluntary program the use of a 
number of information collection and recordkeeping activities: VS Form 
9-2, Flock Selecting and Testing Report; VS Form 9-4, Summary of 
Breeding Flock Participation; and VS Form 9-5, Report of Hatcheries, 
Dealers, and Independent Flocks Participating in the NPIP.
    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

[[Page 12754]]

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 0.586196963 hours per response.
    Respondents: Poultry slaughter plants and table-egg producers.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 2,317.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 40.45446698.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 93,733.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 54,946 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 13th day of March 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-4916 Filed 3-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P