[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 74687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29084]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0133]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; PPQ Form 816; Contract Pilot and Aircraft Acceptance

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 for contract pilot and aircraft acceptance associated with 
Plant Protection and Quarantine domestic, emergency, and biological 
control programs.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
February 9, 2009.

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-2008-0133 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-2008-0133, Regulatory Analysis and 
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to 
Docket No. APHIS-2008-0133.
    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 contract pilot and 
aircraft acceptance, contact Mr. Timothy Roland, Director, Aircraft and 
Equipment Operations, PPQ, APHIS, 22675 N. Moorefield Road, Edinburg, 
TX 78541; (956) 580-7270. 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: PPQ Form 816; Contract Pilot and Aircraft Acceptance.
    OMB Number: 0579-0298.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an 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, responds to introductions of plant pests to eradicate, 
suppress, or contain them though various programs in cooperation with 
State departments of agriculture and other government agencies. These 
programs may include release through aerial application of treatments 
to control plant pests.
    APHIS contracts for these services, and prior to any aerial 
applications, requests certain information from the contractor and/or 
contract pilots to ensure that the work will be done according to 
contract specifications. Among other things, APHIS asks to see aircraft 
registration, the aircraft's airworthiness certificate, the pilot's 
license, the pilot's medical certification, the pilot's proof of flight 
review, the pilot's pesticide applicator's license, and the aircraft 
logbook. APHIS transfers information from these documents to PPQ Form 
816, which is then signed by the APHIS official collecting the 
information and the contractor or contract pilot, indicating acceptance 
of the pilot and aircraft for the job.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity 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 
collection of information, 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 collection of information 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: Contractors and/or pilots of aircraft.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 15.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 15.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 4 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 3rd day of December 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-29084 Filed 12-8-08; 8:45 am]
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