[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 208 (Monday, October 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 50117]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23540]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0092]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Importation of Plants for Planting; 
Establishing a Category for Plants for Planting Not Authorized for 
Importation Pending Pest Risk Analysis

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 revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with the category of plants for 
planting that are not authorized for importation pending pest risk 
analysis.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
December 29, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0092.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0092 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-2017-
0092 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 importation of 
plants for planting not authorized for importation pending pest risk 
analysis, contact Dr. Indira Singh, Botanist, Plants for Planting 
Policy, IRM, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1236; (301) 851-2020. 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: Importation of Plants for Planting; Establishing a Category 
for Plants for Planting Not Authorized for Importation Pending Pest 
Risk Analysis.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0380.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), 
the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to take such actions as may 
be necessary to prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests and 
noxious weeds within the United States. The Secretary has delegated 
this authority to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS).
    The regulations contained in ``Subpart-Plants for Planting'' (7 CFR 
319.37 through 319.37-14) prohibit or restrict, among other things, the 
importation of living plants, plant parts, and seeds for propagation. 
These regulations are intended to ensure that imported plants for 
planting do not serve as a host for plant pests, such as insects or 
pathogens, which can cause damage to U.S. agricultural and 
environmental resources.
    In accordance with Sec.  319.37-2a, the importation of certain taxa 
of plants for planting poses a risk of introducing quarantine pests 
into the United States. Therefore, the importation of these taxa is not 
authorized pending the completion of a pest risk analysis, except as 
provided in the regulations. Requests to remove a taxa from the 
category of plants for planting whose importation is not authorized 
pending the completion of a pest risk analysis must be made in 
accordance with Sec.  319.5. These requests contains information 
collection activities that include information about the requesting 
party, the commodity proposed for importation into the United States, 
shipping information, a description of the pests and diseases 
associated with the commodity, current practices for risk mitigation or 
management, and any additional information listed in Sec.  319.5 that 
may be necessary for APHIS to complete a pest risk analysis.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (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 burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 3.13 hours per response.
    Respondents: National plant protection organizations of exporting 
countries and importers of plants for planting into the United States.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 16.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 16.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 50 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 October 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-23540 Filed 10-27-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P