[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 236 (Monday, December 10, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69642-69643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23881]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2007 / 
Notices  

[[Page 69642]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0137]

Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; 
Phytophthora Ramorum Surveys and Data Collection Form

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: 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 approval of new information collection activities 
associated with a program to prevent the spread of Phytophthora ramorum 
to noninfested areas of the United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
February 8, 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-2007-0137 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-
2007-0137, 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-2007-0137.
    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 Phytophthora 
ramorum program, contact Mr. Jonathan Jones, National Phytophthora 
ramorum Program Manager, Pest Detection and Management Programs, PPQ, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 160, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8247. 
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: Phytophthora ramorum Surveys and Data Collection Form.
    OMB Number: 0579-xxxx.
    Type of Request: Approval of an information collection.
    Abstract: As authorized by the Plant Protection Act (PPA) (7 U.S.C. 
7701 et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture may prohibit or restrict 
the importation, entry, exportation, or movement in interstate commerce 
of any plant, plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed, 
means of conveyance, or other article if the Secretary determines that 
the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent a plant pest or 
noxious weed from being introduced into or disseminated within the 
United States. This authority has been delegated to the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which conducts various 
regulatory programs under the PPA.
    One such program concerns a plant disease known as sudden oak death 
(SOD), ramorum leaf blight or ramorum dieback, which is caused by the 
pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. Beginning in 1995, oak and tanoak plants 
in coastal counties of California were found to be dying from this 
disease. Since then, other types of plants also have been found to be 
infected or associated with this disease, and the pathogen has been 
confirmed in additional areas.
    APHIS continues to define the extent of the pathogen's distribution 
in the United States and to limit its artificial spread beyond infected 
areas through quarantine and regulations and a public education 
program. As part of these efforts, APHIS has developed questionnaires 
for property owners or managers at sites where infected plants are 
found and where we are surveying for the presence of possible infected 
plants. The questionnaires are intended to gather information that will 
help determine the possible sources of infection. APHIS has also 
developed a data collection form that will be used to record 
information about locations found to have infected plants. This data 
will assist the Agency in determining how the pathogen is spreading.
    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 this 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 0.25 hours per response.

[[Page 69643]]

    Respondents: Property owners or managers at sites where infected 
plants are found.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 166.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 18.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 2,922.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 733 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 4th day of December 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-23881 Filed 12-7-07; 8:45 am]
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