[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7738-7739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02355]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0102]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Certification Program for Imported Articles of 
Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. to Prevent the Introduction of Potato 
Brown Rot

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision to and 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 a revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with the regulations for a 
certification program for imported articles of Pelargonium spp. and 
Solanum spp. to prevent the introduction of potato brown rot into the 
United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 
5, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0102-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0102, 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-2012-
0102 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

[[Page 7739]]

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) 799-7039 
before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the regulations for 
the certification program for imported articles of Pelargonium spp. and 
Solanum spp. to prevent introduction of potato brown rot, contact Dr. 
Vedpal Malik, Senior Agriculturist, QPAS, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 60, Riverdale MD 20737; (301) 851-2278. 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: Certification Program for Imported Articles of Pelargonium 
spp. and Solanum spp. to Prevent the Introduction of Potato Brown Rot.
    OMB Number: 0579-0221.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to restrict the importation, 
entry, or interstate movement of plants, plant products, and other 
articles to prevent the introduction of plant pests and noxious weeds 
into the United States.
    The regulations in 7 CFR part 319 prohibit or restrict the 
importation of certain plants and plant products into the United States 
to prevent the introduction of plant pests. The regulations contained 
in ``Subpart--Plants for Planting,'' Sec. Sec.  319.37 through 319.37-
14 (referred to below as the regulations), restrict, among other 
things, the importation of living plants, plant parts, seeds, and plant 
cuttings for propagation. These restrictions on certain importations 
help to prevent the introduction of plant pests and diseases, such as 
Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2, into the United States. R. 
solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 is a bacterium that causes potato brown 
rot, which causes potatoes to rot through, making them unusable and 
seriously affecting potato yields.
    The regulations provide a certification program for articles of 
Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. imported from countries where R. 
solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 is known to occur. The requirements of the 
certification program were designed to ensure that R. solanacearum race 
3 biovar 2 will not be introduced into the United States through the 
importation of articles of Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. The 
certification program requires information collection activities, 
including a phytosanitary certificate and additional declaration, trust 
fund, compliance agreement, and production site registration.
    The information collection activities of a phytosanitary 
certificate, trust fund, and compliance agreement were approved by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under control number 0579-0221. 
However, when comparing the regulations with the information collection 
activities, we found that production site registration was omitted from 
previous information collections. This has resulted in a change of the 
estimated total annual burden from 1,022 hours to 1,027 hours.
    We are asking OMB to approve our use of these information 
collection activities, as described, 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 1 hour per response.
    Respondents: Growers, importers, and foreign national plant 
protection organizations.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 37.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 27.89.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 1,032.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,027 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 30th day of January 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-02355 Filed 2-1-13; 8:45 am]
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