[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 116 (Thursday, June 16, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35185-35186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14989]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2011-0043]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation of Animals 
and Animal Products

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

[[Page 35186]]

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 importation of animals 
and animal products and byproducts to protect against the introduction 
of bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 15, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0043-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2011-0043, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-
0043 or in our reading room, which 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 
importation of animals and animal products and byproducts to prevent 
the introduction of bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United 
States, contact Dr. Langston Hull, Staff Veterinarian, Live Animal 
Imports, National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road, Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8364. 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: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; 
Importation of Animals and Animal Products.
    OMB Number: 0579-0234.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates the importation of animals and 
animal products into the United States to guard against the 
introduction of animal diseases. The regulations in 9 CFR parts 93, 94, 
95, and 96 (referred to below as the regulations) govern the 
importation of certain animals, birds, poultry, meat, other animal 
products and byproducts, hay, and straw into the United States in order 
to prevent the introduction of various animal diseases, including 
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a chronic degenerative disease 
affecting the central nervous system of cattle.
    To help ensure that BSE is not introduced into the United States, 
the regulations allow, under specified conditions, the importation of 
certain live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts. These 
requirements necessitate the use of several information collection 
activities, including VS Form 16-3, permit application; certification 
statements for the importation of ruminants and ruminant products; 
certificate for inedible processed animal origin materials and products 
from BSE-free regions; cooperative agreements with foreign facilities 
that process and store regulated materials and products destined for 
importation into the United States; VS Form 17-33, Animals Imported for 
Immediate Slaughter; the placing of seals on conveyances from the 
exporting region; agreement with slaughter facilities on use of seals 
on conveyances transporting animals from BSE minimal-risk regions; and 
notification of designated individuals authorized to break seals.
    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 
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 0.6039374 hours per response.
    Respondents: U.S. importers; herd owners; foreign exporters; 
foreign salaried veterinary officials of exporting regions; APHIS 
accredited veterinarians; slaughter facility personnel.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 5,949.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 21.695747.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 129,068.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 77,949 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 10th day of June 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-14989 Filed 6-15-11; 8:45 am]
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