[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47600-47601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20449]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0058]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Importation of Fresh Peppers From Peru Into the 
Continental United States and the Territories

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 
importation of fresh peppers from Peru into the continental United 
States and the Territories.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
November 19, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0058.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2018-0058, Regulatory Analysis

[[Page 47601]]

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-
0058 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 
fresh peppers from Peru into the continental United States and the 
Territories, contact Ms. Claudia Ferguson, Senior Regulatory Policy 
Coordinator, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737; 
(301) 851-2532. For more detailed information on the information 
collection, contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Importation of Fresh Peppers From Peru Into the Continental 
United States and the Territories.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0434.
    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. Regulations 
authorized by the PPA concerning the importation of fruits and 
vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world are 
contained in ``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56-1 through 
319.56-83).
    The regulations in Sec.  319.56-73 allow the importation of fresh 
peppers into the continental United States and the Territories from 
Peru. As a condition of entry, the peppers have to be produced in 
accordance with a systems approach that includes requirements for 
operational workplans, quality control programs, fruit fly trapping, 
pre-harvest production site inspections, production site and 
packinghouse registration, emergency action notifications, notices of 
arrival for imports, and packinghouse procedures designed to exclude 
quarantine pests. The peppers are also required to be imported in 
commercial consignments and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate 
issued by the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of Peru 
with an additional declaration stating that the consignment was 
produced in accordance with the systems approach outlined in the 
regulations. These actions allow for the importation of fresh peppers 
from Peru while continuing to provide protection against the 
introduction of plant pests into the United States and the Territories.
    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 1 hour per response.
    Respondents: Exporters, importers, and the NPPO of Peru.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 15.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 16.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 249.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 294 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 14th day of September 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-20449 Filed 9-19-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P