[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 171 (Thursday, September 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52625-52626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21115]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2014-0066]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Control of Chronic Wasting Disease

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 the control 
of chronic wasting disease in farmed or captive cervid herds.

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

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0066.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2014-0066, 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-2014-
0066 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.

[[Page 52626]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the regulations for 
the control of chronic wasting disease in farmed or captive cervid 
herds, contact Dr. Patrice Klein, Cervid Health Team Leader, Sheep, 
Goat, Cervid, and Equine Health, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, 
Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-3435. 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: Control of Chronic Wasting Disease.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0189.
    Type of Request: Revision to and 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 (USDA) is authorized, among other 
things, to protect the health of the United States' livestock and 
poultry populations by preventing the introduction and interstate 
spread of serious diseases and pests of livestock and for eradicating 
such diseases from the United States when feasible.
    Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform 
encephalopathy of cervids (elk, deer, and moose) typified by chronic 
weight loss leading to death. The presence of CWD in cervids causes 
significant economic and market losses to U.S. producers. In an effort 
to accelerate the control and limit the spread of this disease in the 
United States, APHIS created a cooperative, voluntary Federal-State-
private sector CWD Herd Certification Program designed to identify 
farmed or captive herds infected with CWD and provided for the 
management of these herds in a way that reduces the risk of spreading 
CWD. APHIS' Veterinary Services (VS) manages the CWD Herd Certification 
Program.
    Owners of farmed or captive elk, deer, and moose herds who choose 
to participate in the Herd Certification Program would need to follow 
program requirements for animal identification, testing, herd 
management, and movement of animals into and from herds. The 
regulations for this program are located in 9 CFR part 55. Part 55 also 
contains the regulations that authorize the payment of indemnity for 
the voluntary depopulation of CWD-positive, CWD-exposed, or CWD-suspect 
captive cervids. APHIS also established requirements in 9 CFR part 81 
for the interstate movement of elk, deer, and moose to prevent movement 
that could pose a risk of spreading CWD.
    The Herd Certification Program and the indemnity program entail the 
use of information collection activities, such as memoranda of 
understanding between APHIS and participating States; USDA-APHIS 
Veterinary Services, Application for Enrollment in the Federal Chronic 
Wasting Disease Voluntary Herd Certification Program for Farmed and 
Captive Cervids (VS Forms 11-1/11-1A); USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services, 
Application for Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program (CWD 
HCP) Approval, Renewal, or Reinstatement of a State (VS Form 11-2); 
farmed and captive cervid identification; farmed and captive cervid 
Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI); reports of 
cervid suspects, escapes, disappearances, and deaths; recordkeeping 
(herd records); certificates and/or animal identification documents to 
move wild cervids; surveillance data; a letter to appeal suspension, 
cancellation, or change in status; a herd or premises plan if CWD is 
discovered; annual reports; State reviews; epidemiological 
investigations and reporting of out-of-State traces to affected States; 
sample collections and laboratory submissions, testing, and reporting; 
and an APHIS-USDA Veterinary Services Appraisal and Indemnity Claim 
Form (VS Form 1-23).
    In addition to including several additional information collection 
activities, this notice includes a description of the information 
collection activities currently approved by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for the CWD Herd Certification Program under number 
0579-0237, and for payment of indemnity under voluntary depopulation 
for CWD under number 0579-0189. After OMB approves and combines the 
burden for both collections under one collection (number 0579-0189), 
the Department will retire number 0579-0237.
    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 2.55 hours per response.
    Respondents: Cervid herd owners, industry representatives, Federal- 
and State-approved appraisers, accredited veterinarians, certified 
sample collectors, and State animal health officials.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 5,735.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 26.26.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 150,580.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 383,383 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 28th day of August 2014.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-21115 Filed 9-3-14; 8:45 am]
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