[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 251 (Tuesday, December 31, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79656-79657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-31245]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 251 / Tuesday, December 31, 2013 / 
Notices  

[[Page 79656]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2013-0023]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; 
Approval of Laboratories for Conducting Aquatic Animal Tests for Export 
Health Certificates

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 a new information collection for the 
approval of laboratories for conducting aquatic animal tests for export 
health certificates.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
3, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0023-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2013-0023, 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-2013-
0023 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) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the approval of 
laboratories for conducting aquatic animal tests for export health 
certificates, contact Dr. Christa Speekmann, Import-Export Specialist-
Aquaculture, NAHPP-NCIE, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, 
MD, 20737; (301) 851-3365. 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: Approval of Laboratories for Conducting Aquatic Animal Tests 
for Export Health Certificates.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: The Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA) is the primary 
Federal law governing the protection of animal health. The AHPA gives 
the Secretary of Agriculture broad authority to detect, control, or 
eradicate pests or diseases of livestock or poultry. The Secretary may 
also prohibit or restrict import or export of any animal or related 
material if necessary to prevent the spread of any livestock or poultry 
pest or disease.
    The export of agricultural commodities, including animals and 
animal products, is a major business in the United States and 
contributes to a favorable balance of trade. To facilitate the export 
of U.S. animals and animal products, the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
maintains information regarding the import health requirements of other 
countries for animals and animal products, including aquaculture 
animals, exported from the United States.
    Some countries that import aquaculture animals from the United 
States require these animals to be tested for certain diseases and the 
test results recorded on the export certificates. In addition, the test 
results must originate from a laboratory approved by the competent 
authority of the exporting country, which is APHIS in this case. State, 
university, and private laboratories can voluntarily seek APHIS 
approval of individual diagnostic methods. Though APHIS does not have 
regulations for the approval or certification of laboratories that 
conduct tests for the export of aquaculture animals, APHIS provides 
this approval as a service to U.S. exporters who export aquaculture 
animals to countries that require this certification.
    As part of the approval process, APHIS evaluates diagnostic methods 
for aquatic animal pathogens listed by the World Organization for 
Animal Health (OIE) according to international standards in the OIE 
diagnostic manual and other supporting scientific literature. APHIS 
maintains a list of approved laboratories \1\ and inspects each 
approved laboratory every 2 years.
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    \1\ To view the list of APHIS-approved laboratories, go to 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/lab_info_services/downloads/ApprovedLabs_Aquaculture.pdf.
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    The approval of laboratories to conduct tests for the export of 
aquaculture animals requires the use of certain information collection 
activities, including notification of intent to request approval, 
application for APHIS approval, protocol statement, submission and 
recordkeeping of sample copies of diagnostic reports, quality 
assurance/control plans and their recordkeeping, notification of 
proposed changes to assay protocols, recordkeeping of supporting assay 
documentation, and request for removal of approved status.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to 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 
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

[[Page 79657]]

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 37.04 hours per response.
    Respondents: State, university, and private laboratories.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 12.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 41.25.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 495.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 18,336 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 20th day of December 2013.
 Kevin Shea,
 Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-31245 Filed 12-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P