[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 71 (Friday, April 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18621-18622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7044]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0181]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter

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 commercial 
transportation of equines to slaughtering facilities.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 
12, 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

[[Page 18622]]

Docket ID column, select APHIS-2006-0181 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-2006-0181, 
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-2006-0181.
    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 regarding an 
information collection associated with regulations for the commercial 
transportation of equines to slaughtering facilities, contact Dr. Tim 
Cordes, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Aquaculture, Swine, Equine, and 
Poultry Programs, NCAHP, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 46, Riverdale, 
MD 20737; (301) 734-3279. 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: Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter.
    OMB Number: 0579-0160.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act 
of 1996 (``the Farm Bill''), Congress gave responsibility to the 
Secretary of Agriculture to regulate the commercial transportation 
within the United States of equines for slaughter. Sections 901-905 of 
the Farm Bill (7 U.S.C. 1901 note) authorized the Secretary to issue 
guidelines for the regulation of commercial transportation of equines 
for slaughter by persons regularly engaged in that activity within the 
United States. As a result of that authority, the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, established 
regulations in 9 CFR part 88, ``Commercial Transportation of Equines 
for Slaughter.''
    The minimum standards cover, among other things, the food, water, 
and rest provided to such equines. The regulations require the owner/
shipper of the equines to take certain actions in loading and 
transporting the equines and to certify that the commercial 
transportation meets certain requirements. Our regulations prohibit the 
commercial transportation to slaughter facilities of equines considered 
to be unfit for travel, the use of electric prods on such animals in 
commercial transportation to slaughter, and the use of double-deck 
trailers for commercial transportation of equines to slaughtering 
facilities.
    These regulations require the use of two information collection 
activities: (1) The preparation of an owner-shipper certificate for 
each equine transported to slaughter and (2) the collection of business 
information from any individual or other entity found to be 
transporting horses to a slaughtering facility.
    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 0.0523661 hours per response.
    Respondents: Owners and shippers of slaughter horses.
    Estimated annual number of respondents : 200.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 401.5.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 80,300.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 4,205 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 9th day of April 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-7044 Filed 4-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P