[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66238-66239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27940]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0086]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Importation of Tomatoes From Certain Central 
American Countries

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 tomatoes from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, 
Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
February 25, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0086.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2018-0086, 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-
0086 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 tomatoes from certain Central American 
countries, contact Ms. Claudia Ferguson, Senior Regulatory Policy 
Coordinator, Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-2352. 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 Tomatoes From Certain Central American 
Countries.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0286.
    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 the regulations in 
``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56-1 through 319.56-12, 
referred to below as the regulations).
    In accordance with the regulations, tomatoes from Costa Rica, El 
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama may be imported 
into the United States under certain conditions to prevent the 
introduction of plant pests into the United States. These conditions 
require the use of certain information collection activities including 
development and monitoring of an insect trapping and quality control 
plan; registration and recertification of production sites; production 
site and insect trap inspections and recordkeeping; export 
certifications; box labelling; notices of arrival to ports; responses 
to emergency action notifications; and permit applications. Also, each 
consignment of tomatoes must be accompanied by a phytosanitary 
certificate issued by the country's national plant protection 
organization (NPPO). Depending on the Mediterranean fly (Medfly) status 
of the region of origin, the certificate must contain an additional 
declaration stating that the tomatoes were either grown in an approved 
production site and the consignment has been inspected and found free 
of the pests listed in the requirements or grown in an area recognized 
to be free of Medfly and the consignment has been inspected and found 
free of the pests listed in the requirements. These information 
collection activities allow the importation of tomatoes from these 
countries while continuing to protect the United States against the 
introduction of plant pests.
    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.

[[Page 66239]]

    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 0.18 hours per response.
    Respondents: The NPPOs of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, 
Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama; import brokers; and commercial tomato 
producers in the countries of origin.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 49.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 142.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 6,937.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,242 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 19th day of December 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-27940 Filed 12-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P