[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 212 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67698-67699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27960]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0064]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Phytosanitary Export Certification

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 issuance 
of phytosanitary certificates for plants or plant products being 
exported to foreign countries.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
January 4, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0064.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2015-0064, 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-
0064 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 
phytosanitary export certification for plants and plant products being 
exported to foreign countries, contact Mr. Terrance Wells, Export 
Specialist North America and U.S. Territories, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 131, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-2315. 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: Phytosanitary Export Certification.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0052.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to certify as to the freedom of 
plants, plant products, or biological control organisms from plant 
pests or noxious weeds, or the exposure of plants, plant products, or 
biological control organisms to plant pests or noxious weeds, according 
to the phytosanitary or other requirements of the countries to which 
the plants, plant products, or biological control organisms may be 
exported.
    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), among other 
things, provides export certification services to assure other 
countries that the plants and plant products they are receiving from 
the United States are free of plant pests specified by the receiving 
country. Our regulations do not require that we engage in export 
certification activities. However, we perform this work as a service to 
exporters who are shipping plants or plant products to countries that 
require phytosanitary certification as a condition of entry.
    The export certification regulations in 7 CFR part 353 describe the 
procedures for obtaining certification for plants and plant products 
offered for export or re-export. To request that we perform a 
phytosanitary inspection, an exporter must complete and submit an 
Application for Inspection and Certification of Plants and Plant 
Products for Export (PPQ Form 572).

[[Page 67699]]

    After assessing the condition of the plants or plant products 
intended for export (i.e., after conducting a phytosanitary 
inspection), an inspector (who may be an APHIS employee or a State or 
county plant regulatory official) will issue an internationally 
recognized phytosanitary certificate (PPQ Form 577), a phytosanitary 
certificate for re-export (PPQ Form 579), or an export certificate for 
processed plant products (PPQ Form 578). These forms are critical to 
our ability to certify plants and plant products for export. Without 
them, we would be unable to conduct an export certification program.
    Since the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) last approval 
of this collection, we have revised the estimates of burden associated 
with this information collection. We have added activities that were 
previously not accounted for, such as the recordkeeping burden for PPQ 
Form 572 or its equivalent, a memorandum of understanding for State 
inspectors, request for APHIS to negotiate with national plant 
protection organizations for industry-issued certificates or 
documentation, memorandum of understanding with industry for inspection 
and use of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures 
Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International 
Trade (ISPM 15), and the application of an ISPM 15 mark. In addition, 
we have removed burden that reflected activities that were conducted by 
APHIS personnel.
    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 0.0066 hours per response.
    Respondents: State, local, and county plant regulatory officials, 
U.S. growers, shippers, and exporters.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 9,101.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 6,155.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 56,015,610.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 369,977 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 October 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27960 Filed 11-2-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P