[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 126 (Monday, June 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36838-36839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14793]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0046]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Treatments for Fruits and Vegetables

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 interstate movement of 
fruits and vegetables from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands to help ensure that injurious plant pests are not spread to 
noninfested areas of the United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 29, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://
www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/

[[Page 36839]]

component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0046 to submit or view 
comments and to view supporting and related materials available 
electronically.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0046, 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-2008-0046.
    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 
interstate movement of fruits and vegetables from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, 
and the U.S. Virgin Islands, contact Dr. Inder P. S. Gadh, Senior Risk 
Manager, Commodity Import Analysis and Operations, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8758. For copies of 
more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. 
Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 
851-2908.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Treatments for Fruits and Vegetables.
    OMB Number: 0579-0281.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: As authorized by the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 
et seq.) (PPA), 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 administers regulations 
to implement the PPA.
    Regulations governing the interstate movement of plants and plant 
products from Hawaii and U.S. territories, including Guam, Puerto Rico, 
and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are contained in 7 CFR 318, ``Hawaiian and 
Territorial Quarantine Notices.'' These regulations are necessary to 
prevent the interstate spread of plant pests such as the Mediterranean 
fruit fly, the melon fly, the Oriental fruit fly, green coffee scale, 
the bean pod borer, and other plant pests to noninfested areas of the 
United States.
    Certain fruits and vegetables moved interstate from Hawaii, Puerto 
Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands must undergo irradiation treatment. 
Requirements for irradiation treatment of fruits and vegetables are 
contained in 7 CFR 305, ``Phytosanitary Treatments.'' These 
requirements involve information collection activities, including the 
use of permits, certificates, requests for facility approval, and 
package marking.
    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 0.2444 hours per response.
    Respondents: Persons moving fruits and vegetables interstate from 
Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, irradiation facility 
personnel, shippers, and State plant regulatory officials.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 23.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 9.7826.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 225.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 55 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 24th day of June 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-14793 Filed 6-27-08; 8:45 am]
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