[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 81 (Friday, April 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19652-19653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08728]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0033]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation 
of Animals and Animal Products

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 activities to prevent the 
introduction of bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United 
States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 
27, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0033.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0033, 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

[[Page 19653]]

may be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-
2017-0033 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 to 
prevent the introduction of bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the 
United States, contact Dr. Alexandra MacKenzie, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Live Animal Imports, NIES, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; 301-851-3411; and Dr. Magde S. 
Elshafie, Senior Staff Veterinary Medical Officer, NIES, VS, APHIS, 
4700 River Road Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737, 301-851-3300. For copies 
of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Ms. 
Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at 301-851-
2483.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation of Animals and 
Animal Products.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0393.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to, among other things, 
prohibit or restrict the importation and interstate movement of animals 
and animal products into or through the United States to prevent the 
introduction and dissemination of animal diseases and pests.
    To guard against the introduction of animal diseases, the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) regulates the importation 
of animals and animal products into the United States. The regulations 
in 9 CFR parts 92, 93, 94, 95, and 96 govern the importation of certain 
animals, birds, poultry, meat, and other animal products and byproducts 
into the United States to prevent the introduction of various animal 
diseases, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a chronic 
degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of cattle.
    Section 92.5 of the regulations provides that all countries of the 
world are considered by APHIS to be in one of three BSE risk 
categories: Negligible risk, controlled risk, or undetermined risk. 
These risk categories are defined in Sec.  [thinsp]92.1. Any region 
that is not classified by APHIS as presenting either negligible risk or 
controlled risk for BSE is considered to present an undetermined risk. 
Under the regulations, APHIS may classify a region for BSE in one of 
two ways. One way is for countries that have not received a risk 
classification from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to 
request classification by APHIS. The other way is for APHIS to concur 
with the classification given to a country by the OIE.
    To ensure BSE is not introduced into the United States, the 
regulations place specific conditions on the importation of animals and 
animal products. These requirements necessitate the use of several 
information collection activities, including, but not limited to, 
certifications, official identification, request for and retention of 
classification as negligible or controlled risk, declarations of 
importation, import and export certificates, applications, import and 
movement permits, agreements, certification statements, seals, 
notifications, and recordkeeping.
    The information collection requirements above are currently 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB control 
numbers 0579-0393 (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation of 
Bovines and Bovine Products) and 0579-0234 (Bovine Spongiform 
Encephalopathy; Importation of Animals and Animal Products). After OMB 
approves this combined information collection package (0579-0393), 
APHIS will retire OMB control number 0579-0234. We have also updated 
the title of this information collection to ``Bovine Spongiform 
Encephalopathy; Importation of Animals and Animal Products.''
    We are asking the 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 0.52 hours per response.
    Respondents: Shippers, hunters, U.S. importers of regulated animal 
products, herd owners (including hobby farms), salaried veterinarians 
of foreign nations, foreign exporters of processed animal protein and 
other regulated materials and products, accredited veterinarians, and 
slaughter facility managers.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 2,225.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 238.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 529,236.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 275,743 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 25th day of April 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-08728 Filed 4-27-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P