[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 187 (Thursday, September 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54890-54891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19090]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0091]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation of Animals 
and Animal Products

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 animals 
and animal products and byproducts to protect against the introduction 
of bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
November 26, 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-2007-0091 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

[[Page 54891]]

comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0091, 
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-2007-0091.
    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 for the 
importation of animals and animal products and byproducts to prevent 
the introduction of bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United 
States, contact Dr. Freeda Isaac, Assistant Director of Imports, 
National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
39, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-6479. 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: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation of Animals and 
Animal Products.
    OMB Number: 0579-0234.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates the importation of animals and 
animal products into the United States to guard against the 
introduction of animal diseases. The regulations in 9 CFR parts 93, 94, 
95, and 96 (referred to below as the regulations) govern the 
importation of certain animals, birds, poultry, meat, other animal 
products and byproducts, hay, and straw into the United States in order 
to prevent the introduction of various animal diseases, including 
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a chronic degenerative disease 
affecting the central nervous system of cattle.
    With some exceptions, APHIS' regulations prohibit or restrict the 
importation of live ruminants and certain ruminant products and 
byproducts from the following three categories of regions with regard 
to BSE: (1) Those regions in which BSE is known to exist; (2) those 
regions that present an undue risk of introducing BSE into the United 
States because their import requirements are less restrictive than 
those that would be acceptable for import into the United States and/or 
because the regions have inadequate surveillance; and (3) those regions 
that present a minimal risk of introducing BSE into the United States 
via live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts.
    To help ensure that BSE is not introduced into the United States, 
the regulations allow, under specified conditions, the importation of 
certain live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts. These 
requirements necessitate the use of several information collection 
activities, including certification statements for the importation of 
ruminants and ruminant products, permits for animals destined for 
immediate slaughter or for movement to designated feedlots; the placing 
of seals on certain conveyances, the identification of individuals 
authorized to break the seals, and agreements entered into by 
slaughtering establishments or feedlots with APHIS; identification of 
animals; a certificate of processing from the government of the 
exporting region regarding the source of all raw material of animal 
origin in the imported products; and an APHIS Veterinary Services' 
veterinary import permit.
    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 1.349469965 hours response.
    Respondents: U.S. importers; foreign exporters of animals and 
animal products and byproducts; full-time, salaried veterinary 
officials of exporting regions; herd owners; feedlot and slaughter 
facility personnel; APHIS accredited and State veterinary authorities.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 9,800.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 17.32653061.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 169,800.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 229,140 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 21st day of September 2007 .
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-19090 Filed 9-26-07; 8:45 am]
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