[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 148 (Thursday, August 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42372-42373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15009]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0077]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Black Stem Rust; Identification Requirements for Addition 
of Rust-Resistant Varieties

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 black stem rust quarantine and 
regulations.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 1, 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-2007-0077 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-2007-0077, 
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-2007-0077.
    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,

[[Page 42373]]

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 regulations 
for the black stem rust quarantine and regulations, contact Dr. Vedpal 
S. Malik, Agriculturist, Emergency and Domestic Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 
4700 River Road Unit 134, Riverdale MD 20737; (301) 734-6774. 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: Black Stem Rust; Identification Requirements for Addition of 
Rust-Resistant Varieties.
    OMB Number: 0579-0186.
    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 to prohibit or restrict the 
importation, entry, or interstate movement of plants and plant products 
to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States or 
their dissemination within the United States.
    Black stem rust is one of the most destructive plant diseases of 
small grains that is known to exist in the United States. The disease 
is caused by a fungus that reduces the quality and yield of infected 
wheat, oat, barley, and rye crops by robbing host plants of food and 
water. In addition to infecting small grains, the fungus lives on a 
variety of alternate host plants that are species of the genera 
Berberis, Mahoberberis, and Mahonia. The fungus is spread from host to 
host by wind-borne spores.
    The black stem rust quarantine and regulations, contained in 7 CFR 
301.38 through 301.38-8 (referred to below as the regulations), 
quarantine the conterminous 48 States and the District of Columbia and 
govern the interstate movement of certain plants of the genera 
Berberis, Mahoberberis, and Mahonia, known as barberry plants. The 
species of these plants are categorized as either rust-resistant or 
rust-susceptible. Rust-resistant plants do not pose a risk of spreading 
black stem rust or of contributing to the development of new races of 
the rust; rust-susceptible plants do pose such risks.
    Persons who request the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
to add a variety to the list of rust-resistant barberry varieties in 
the regulations must provide the Agency with a description of the 
variety, including a written description and color pictures that can be 
used by State nursery inspectors to clearly identify the variety and 
distinguish it from other varieties. This requirement helps to ensure 
that State plant inspectors can clearly determine whether plants moving 
into or through their States are rust-resistant varieties listed in 7 
CFR 301.38-2.
    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 
activity. APHIS needs this outside input to help accomplish the 
following:
    (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 4 hours per response.
    Respondents: Nurseries.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents : 4.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 8.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 32 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 27th day of July 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-15009 Filed 8-1-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P