[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42860-42861]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18414]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0055]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Importation of Small Lots of Seeds Without 
Phytosanitary Certificates

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 
importation of small lots of seeds into the United States without 
phytosanitary certificates.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 23, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0055.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2018-0055, 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-
0055 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 importation of small lots of seeds into the United 
States without phytosanitary certificates, contact Mr. Joseph Corpuz, 
Assistant Director, Permitting and Compliance Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 
4700 River Road, Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-2068. For 
more detailed information on the information collection, contact Ms. 
Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 
851-2483.

[[Page 42861]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Importation of Small Lots of Seeds Without Phytosanitary 
Certificates.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0285.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (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. The regulations 
contained in ``Subpart--Plants for Planting'' (7 CFR 319.37-1 through 
319.37-23) prohibit or restrict, among other things, the importation of 
living plants, plant parts, and seed for propagation.
    These regulations allow small lots of seed to be imported into the 
United States under an import permit with specific conditions as an 
alternative to a phytosanitary certificate requirement. These 
conditions include packet and shipment labeling and marking and port of 
arrival notification. Noncompliant imported lots may be confined at the 
port of entry while the importer responds to and acts on a Government-
issued emergency action notification.
    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 0.02 hours per response.
    Respondents: Importers, commercial horticulturalists and plant 
scientists, and private individuals.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 2,376.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 423.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 1,005,494.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 18,732 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 21st day of August 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-18414 Filed 8-23-18; 8:45 am]
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