[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 160 (Monday, August 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48188-48189]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19090]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0087]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; 
Integrated Survey Information System

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New 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 an information collection associated 
with the Integrated Survey Information System.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 17, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0087 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-2008-0087, 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-2008-0087.
    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 Integrated 
Survey Information System, contact Valerie DeFeo, National Program 
Manager, Emergency and Domestic Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 134, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-3393. 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: Integrated Survey Information System.
    OMB Number: 0579-xxxx.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, either independently or in 
cooperation with States, to carry out operations or measures to detect, 
eradicate, suppress, control, prevent, or retard the spread of plant 
pests and noxious weeds that are new to or not widely distributed 
within the United States. This authority has been delegated to the 
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
    As part of this mission, the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) 
program, APHIS, has designed a data management system by integrating 
existing systems focused on core program functions to maximize PPQ's 
ability to respond to plant health emergencies. This Plant Health 
Information System (PHIS) provides APHIS a comprehensive plant health 
data management system capable of supporting the mission of 
safeguarding U.S. agriculture. The Integrated Survey Information System 
(ISIS) is one of PHIS' core components. ISIS is a web-enabled and 
seamlessly integrated survey tool for timely or ``real-time'' 
collection and storage of data concerning plant pests, easily merged 
into a geographic information system mapping and analysis tool and 
available to key regulatory partners and stakeholders. Flexibility 
within ISIS allows for transfer of summary data to public sites, 
including PPQ's National Agricultural Pest Information System. 
Individual States and PPQ utilize ISIS to conduct surveys, to detect 
and measure the presence of plant pests, and to generate reports which 
may be used for operational decisionmaking when responding to plant 
pest problems. As part of ISIS information collection activities, PPQ 
and States use PPQ form 391, ``Specimens for Determination,'' to submit 
samples for pest identification.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to

[[Page 48189]]

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 0.25 hours per response.
    Respondents: State plant health regulatory officials.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 470.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 39.361702.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 18,500.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 4,625 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 12th day of August 2008.
Cindy Smith,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-19090 Filed 8-15-08; 8:45 am]
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