[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 3, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66148-66149]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26111]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0075]
Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an
Information Collection; Phytosanitary Export Certification
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 issuance
of phytosanitary certificates for plants or plant products being
exported to foreign countries.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
February 3, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0075.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2019-0075, 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-2019-
0075 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
[[Page 66149]]
help you, please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the regulations for
phytosanitary export certification for plants and plant products being
exported to foreign countries, contact Mr. Christian Dellis, Export
Specialist North America and U.S. Territories, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 131, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-2154. For more
detailed information on the information collection, contact Mr. Joseph
Moxey, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Phytosanitary Export Certification.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0052.
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 certify as to the freedom of
plants, plant products, or biological control organisms from plant
pests or noxious weeds, or the exposure of plants, plant products, or
biological control organisms to plant pests or noxious weeds, according
to the phytosanitary or other requirements of the countries to which
the plants, plant products, or biological control organisms may be
exported.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), among other
things, provides export certification services to assure other
countries that the plants and plant products they are receiving from
the United States are free of plant pests specified by the receiving
country. Our regulations do not require that we engage in export
certification activities. However, we perform this work as a service to
exporters who are shipping plants or plant products to countries that
require phytosanitary certification as a condition of entry.
The export certification regulations in 7 CFR part 353 describe the
procedures for obtaining certification for plants and plant products
offered for export or re-export. To request that we perform a
phytosanitary inspection, an exporter must complete and submit an
Application for Inspection and Certification of Plants and Plant
Products for Export.
After assessing the condition of the plants or plant products
intended for export (i.e., after conducting a phytosanitary
inspection), an inspector (who may be an APHIS employee or a State or
county plant regulatory official) will issue an internationally
recognized phytosanitary certificate, a phytosanitary certificate for
re-export, or an export certificate for processed plant products. These
forms are critical to our ability to certify plants and plant products
for export. Without them, we would be unable to conduct an export
certification program.
In addition, APHIS requires information collection activities such
as the recordkeeping, a memorandum of understanding for State
inspectors, request for APHIS to negotiate with national plant
protection organizations for industry-issued certificates or
documentation, memorandum of understanding with industry for inspection
and use of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures
Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International
Trade (ISPM 15), and the application of an ISPM 15 mark.
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 reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average 0.0074 hours per response.
Respondents: State, local, and county plant regulatory officials,
U.S. growers, shippers, and exporters.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 9,101.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 6,155.3.
Estimated annual number of responses: 56,019,465.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 412,985 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 26th day of November 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-26111 Filed 12-2-19; 8:45 am]
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