[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 51 (Thursday, March 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11492-11493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05263]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0009]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Control of Chronic Wasting Disease

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 control 
of chronic wasting disease in farmed or captive cervid herds.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
14, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0009.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2018-0009, 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-
0009 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 
related to the control of chronic wasting disease in farmed or captive 
cervid herds, contact Dr. Randy Pritchard, Surveillance, Preparedness, 
and Response Services, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 
80526; (970) 494-7241. 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: Control of Chronic Wasting Disease.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0189.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture is authorized, among other things, to 
protect the health of the United States' livestock and poultry 
populations by preventing the introduction and interstate spread of 
serious diseases and pests of livestock and for eradicating such 
diseases from the United States when feasible.
    Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform 
encephalopathy of cervids (elk, deer, and moose) typified by chronic 
weight loss leading to death. The presence of CWD in cervids causes 
significant economic and market losses to U.S. producers. In an effort 
to control and limit the spread of this disease in the United States, 
APHIS created a cooperative, voluntary Federal-State-private sector CWD 
Herd Certification Program designed to identify farmed or captive herds 
infected with CWD and provide for the management of these herds in a 
way that reduces the risk of spreading CWD. APHIS' Veterinary Services 
(VS) manages the CWD Herd Certification Program.
    Owners of farmed or captive elk, deer, and moose herds who choose 
to participate in the CWD Herd Certification Program would need to 
follow program requirements for animal identification, testing, herd 
management, and movement of animals into and from herds. The 
regulations for this program are located in 9 CFR part 55. Part 55 also 
contains the regulations that authorize the payment of indemnity for 
the voluntary depopulation of CWD-positive, CWD-exposed, or CWD-suspect 
captive cervids. APHIS also established requirements in 9 CFR part 81 
for the interstate movement of elk, deer, and moose to prevent movement 
that could pose a risk of spreading CWD.
    The CWD Herd Certification Program and the indemnity program entail 
the use of information collection activities such as VS appraisal and 
indemnity claim form; sample collections and laboratory submissions, 
testing, and reporting; VS State application for CWD Herd Certification 
Program approval, renewal, or reinstatement; application for enrollment 
in the CWD Herd Certification Program; memoranda of understanding 
between APHIS and participating States; herd or premises plans; annual 
reports; State reviews; epidemiological investigations and reporting of 
out-of-State traces to affected States; reports of cervid suspects, 
escapes, disappearances, and deaths; inspections and inventories; a 
letter to appeal suspension, cancellation, or change in status; farmed, 
captive, and wild cervid identification; interstate certificates of 
veterinary inspection; surveillance data; and recordkeeping.
    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

[[Page 11493]]

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 2.813 hours per response.
    Respondents: State animal health officials, accredited 
veterinarians, laboratories, and businesses managing farmed, captive, 
or wild cervid herds.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 4,532.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 27.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 123,397.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 347,163 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, on March 9, 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-05263 Filed 3-14-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P