[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 117 (Thursday, June 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34882-34883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15005]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0043]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Citrus Greening and Asian Citrus Psyllid; Quarantine and 
Interstate Movement Regulations

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 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request an extension of approval of an information 
collection associated with the regulations to prevent the spread of 
citrus greening and its vector, Asian citrus psyllid, to noninfested 
areas of United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 17, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0043.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2015-0043, 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-2015-
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) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the regulations for 
the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of 
citrus greening and its vector, Asian citrus psyllid, contact Dr. Mary 
Palm, National Coordinator for Citrus Pest Programs, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 
4700 River Road Unit 52, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-2069. For 
copies of more detailed information on the information collection, 
contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, 
at (301) 851-2727.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Citrus Greening and Asian Citrus Psyllid; Quarantine and 
Interstate Movement Regulations.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0363.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
either independently or in cooperation with States, to carry out 
operations or measures to detect, eradicate, suppress, control, 
prevent, or retard the spread of plant pests and diseases that are new 
to or not widely distributed within the United States. Under the Act, 
the Secretary may also issue regulations requiring plants and plant 
products moved in interstate commerce to be subject to remedial 
measures

[[Page 34883]]

determined necessary to prevent the spread of the pest or disease, or 
requiring the objects to be accompanied by a permit issued by the 
Secretary prior to movement. The USDA's Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) administers the regulations to implement the 
PPA.
    Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing disease of citrus, is 
considered to be one of the most serious citrus diseases in the world. 
Citrus greening is a bacterial disease that attacks the vascular system 
of host plants. This bacterial pathogen can be transmitted by grafting 
and, under laboratory conditions, by parasitic plants. The pathogen can 
also be transmitted by two insect vectors in the family Psyllidae, one 
of which is Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). 
ACP can also cause economic damage to citrus in groves and nurseries by 
direct feeding. Both adults and nymphs feed on young foliage, depleting 
the sap and causing galling or curling of leaves. High populations 
feeding on a citrus shoot can kill the growing tip.
    Under the regulations in ``Subpart--Citrus Greening and Asian 
Citrus Psyllid'' (7 CFR 301.76 through 301.76-11), APHIS restricts the 
interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas to 
control the artificial spread of citrus greening and ACP to noninfested 
areas of the United States. The regulations contain requirements that 
involve information collection activities, including a compliance 
agreement, limited permit, Federal certificate, recordkeeping, labeling 
statement, the application of a tag to the consignee's waybill, 72-hour 
inspection notification, and cancellation of certificates, permits, and 
compliance agreements.
    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 0.12 hours per response.
    Respondents: Commercial nurseries/operations in U.S. States or U.S. 
Territories quarantined for citrus greening or ACP.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 621.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 23.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 13,882.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,785 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 12th day of June 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-15005 Filed 6-17-15; 8:45 am]
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