[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 6507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03084]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 31 / Wednesday, February 14, 2018 / 
Notices  

[[Page 6507]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0005]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of an Approval of 
an Information Collection; Importation of Eggplant From Israel

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision to and extension of an 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 
importation of eggplant from Israel into the continental United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 
16, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0005.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2018-0005, 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-2018-
0005 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 
eggplant from Israel, contact Mr. Hesham Abuelnaga, Trade Director, 
Africa and the Middle East, PIM, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 140, 
Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-2010. 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 Eggplant From Israel.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0350.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to restrict the importation, 
entry, or interstate movement of plants, plant products, and other 
articles to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United 
States or their dissemination within the United States. As authorized 
by the PPA, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service regulates 
the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States from 
certain parts of the world as provided in ``Subpart-Fruits and 
Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56-1 through 319.56-81).
    Section 319.56-49 of the regulations provides the requirements for 
the importation of eggplant from Israel into the continental United 
States under specified conditions intended to prevent the introduction 
of certain quarantine pests. These requirements include the use of 
information collection activities such as trapping records, box 
labeling, grower registration and approval of production sites, 
inspection of pest-exclusionary structures, treatment approval, pest 
detection notification, and a phytosanitary certificate issued by the 
national plant protection organization (NPPO) of Israel with an 
additional declaration confirming that the eggplant has been produced 
in accordance with the regulations.
    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 0.0008 hours per response.
    Respondents: Eggplant importers and growers, packinghouses, and the 
NPPO of Israel.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 4.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 5,003.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 20,011.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 16 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 9th day of February 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-03084 Filed 2-13-18; 8:45 am]
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