[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58590-58591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26788]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0093]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Commercial Transportation of Equines for 
Slaughter

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 
commercial transportation of equines to slaughtering facilities.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
February 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0093.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0093, 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-
0093 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 commercial transportation of equines for slaughter, contact Mr. 
Joseph Astling, Compliance & Outreach, Commercial Transport of Equines 
for Slaughter, Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services, VS, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 20737; (817) 247-3704. 
For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, 
contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, 
at (301) 851-2843.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0332.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: Sections 901-905 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement 
and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901) authorize the Secretary of 
Agriculture to issue guidelines for regulating the commercial 
transportation of equines for slaughter by persons regularly engaged in 
that activity within the United States. Specifically, the Secretary is 
authorized to regulate the food, water, and rest provided to these 
equines while the equines are in transit and to review related issues 
appropriate to ensuring that these animals are treated humanely. Based 
on that authority, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) established regulations in 
9 CFR part 88, ``Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter.''
    The regulations in part 88 provide minimum standards that cover, 
among other things, the food, water, and rest provided to such equines 
prior to transportation. The regulations also prohibit the commercial 
transportation for slaughter of equines considered to be unfit for 
travel, the use of electric prods on such animals in commercial 
transportation for slaughter, and the use of double-deck trailers for 
commercial transportation of equines for slaughter.
    APHIS' regulations also require the application of backtags and the 
completion of owner/shipper certificates of fitness to travel to a 
slaughter facility that include identification of the animals, details 
of the transportation, and signatures attesting to compliance with the 
provision of food, rest, and water, and to the animal's fitness to 
travel. In addition, any owner/shipper transporting equines to 
slaughtering facilities outside the United States must present the 
owner-shipper certificates to USDA representatives at the U.S. border.
    Implementing these regulations entails the use of information 
collection activities, such as providing business information, 
completing owner/shipper certificates of fitness to travel to a 
slaughter facility, certificates of veterinary inspection, maintaining 
records of the owner/shipper certificate and continuation sheet, and 
applying backtags, as needed.
    The information collection requirements above are currently 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the 
commercial transportation of equines for slaughter under OMB control 
numbers 0579-0332 and 0579-0160. After OMB approves this combined 
information collection package (0579-0332), APHIS will retire OMB 
control number 0579-0160.
    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 burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.465 hours per response.
    Respondents: Owners and shippers of slaughter horses, owners or 
operators of slaughtering facilities, and drivers of the transport 
vehicles.

[[Page 58591]]

    Estimated annual number of respondents: 302.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 61.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 18,500.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 8,608 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 7th day of December 2017.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-26788 Filed 12-12-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P