[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65558-65559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-22742]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0131]


Notice of Request for Revision and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Scrapie in Sheep and Goats; Interstate Movement 
Restrictions and Indemnity Program

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision and 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 a revision and extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with regulations for the interstate 
movement of sheep and goats and an indemnity program to help prevent 
the spread of scrapie.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
January 22, 2008.

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-2007-0131 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-2007-0131, 
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-2007-0131.
    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

[[Page 65559]]

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 the domestic 
regulations to help prevent the spread of scrapie, contact Dr. Diane 
Sutton, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Ruminant Health Programs, NCAHP, VS, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-6188. 
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: Scrapie in Sheep and Goats; Interstate Movement Restrictions 
and Indemnity Program.
    OMB Number: 0579-0101.
    Type of Request: Revision and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates the importation and 
interstate movement of animals and animal products and conducts various 
other activities to protect the health of our Nation's livestock and 
poultry.
    Scrapie is a degenerative and eventually fatal disease affecting 
the central nervous systems of sheep and goats. It is a member of a 
class of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies 
(TSEs). Its control is complicated because the disease has an extremely 
long incubation period without clinical signs of disease and because 
there is no test that can detect the disease early in the incubation 
period and no known treatment.
    The regulations in 9 CFR part 79 restrict the interstate movement 
of certain sheep and goats to help prevent the spread of scrapie. APHIS 
also has regulations at 9 CFR part 54 for an indemnity program to 
compensate owners of sheep and goats destroyed because of scrapie.
    The scrapie disease control program requires the use of a number of 
information collection activities, including APHIS forms for inspection 
and epidemiology data; applications from owners to participate in the 
Scrapie Flock Certification Program; flock plans; post-exposure 
management and monitoring plans; scrapie test records; applications for 
indemnity payments; certificates, permits, and owner statements for the 
interstate movement of certain sheep and goats; applications for 
premises identification numbers; and applications for official APHIS-
approved eartags, backtags, or tattoos.
    The information provided by these documents is critical to our 
ability to prevent the interstate spread of scrapie, and therefore 
plays a vital role in our disease control and eradication efforts.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities 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 
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 1.098674842 hours per response.
    Respondents: Flock owners, dealers, market operators, accredited 
veterinarians, and State animal health authorities.
    Estimated annual number of respondents : 132,059.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 4.621169325.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 610,267.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 670,485 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 14th day of November 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-22742 Filed 11-20-07; 8:45 am]
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