[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 42 (Thursday, March 5, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9587-9588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4696]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Foreign Agricultural Service's (FAS) intention to 
request an extension for a currently approved information collection. 
This information collection is required in petitions filed with FAS for 
emergency relief from duty-free imports of perishable products under 
section 204(d) of the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 4, 2009 to be 
assured consideration.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver comments to Robert Miller, Office of 
Negotiations and Agreements, Foreign Agricultural Service, Stop 1040, 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1040, or e-mail to 
[email protected], or fax to (202) 720-1139.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Miller, Office of Negotiations 
and Agreements, Foreign Agricultural Service, Stop 1040, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1040, (202) 720-1047.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Emergency Relief from Duty-Free Imports of Perishable 
Products from Andean Countries.
    OMB Number: 0551-0033.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 2009.
    Type of Request: Extension for a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Andean Trade Preference Act, 19 U.S.C. 3201 et seq., 
was retitled the ``Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act'' 
(the Act), under section 3101 of Public Law 107-210, the ``Trade Act of 
2002''. The Act authorized the President to proclaim duty-free 
treatment for imports from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru except 
for specifically excluded products. Section 204(d) provides for 
emergency relief from duty-free imports of certain perishable 
agricultural products from the beneficiary Andean countries and, in 
part, that a petition for emergency import relief may be filed 
simultaneously with the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. 
International Trade Commission (ITC) pursuant to the provisions of 
section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2251). 
Emergency import relief is limited to restoration of most favored 
nation tariffs during the period of the ITC's investigation. On October 
16, 2008, section 208 of Public Law 110-436 amended the Act to extend 
the expiration date from December 31, 2008 to December 31, 2009. In the 
case of Ecuador and Bolivia, the President will review on or before 
June 30, 2009 to determine if both countries satisfy the requirements 
set forth in Section 203(c) for being designated as a beneficiary 
country in order to continue to receive benefits through December 31, 
2009. Under 7 CFR part 1540, subpart C of this part, a procedure is 
provided for an entity to submit a petition for emergency relief to the 
Administrator of FAS. Section 1540.43 requests that the following 
information, to the extent possible, be included in a petition: A 
description of the imported perishable product concerned; country of 
origin of imports; data indicating increased imports are a substantial 
cause of serious injury (or threat of injury) to the domestic industry 
producing a like or directly competitive product; evidence of serious 
injury; and a statement indicating why emergency action would be 
warranted. The information collected provides essential data for the 
Secretary regarding specific market conditions with respect to the 
industry requesting emergency relief. Within 14 days of the filing of a 
petition, the Secretary shall advise the President if there is reason 
to believe that emergency action is warranted, or to publish a notice 
of a determination not to recommend emergency action and advise the 
petitioner.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated at $533.00.
    Respondents: Non-profit institutions, businesses, or farms.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 23 hours.
    Copies of the information collection can be obtained from Tamoria

[[Page 9588]]

Thompson-Hall, Information Collection Coordinator, at (202) 690-1690.
    Requests for Comments: The public is invited to submit comments and 
suggestions to the above address regarding the accuracy of the burden 
estimate, ways to minimize the burden, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, or any 
other aspect of this collection of information. Comments on issues 
covered by the Paperwork Reduction Act are most useful to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) if received within 30 days of the 
publication of the Notice and Request for Comments, but must be 
submitted no later than 60 days from the date of publication to be 
assured consideration. All responses to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also be 
a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC on February 19, 2009.
Suzanne Hale,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
 [FR Doc. E9-4696 Filed 3-4-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P