[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 42 (Friday, March 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12901-12902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04511]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0004]


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

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

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
4, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2021-0004 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2021-0004, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.

[[Page 12902]]

    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located 
in room 1620 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. Jennifer L. Siembieda, Ruminant Health Center 
(Cervid Health), Strategy and Policy, Veterinary Services, 2150 Centre 
Ave, Building B, MS 2E6, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117; (970) 494-7412; 
[email protected]. For more detailed information on the 
information collection, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS' Information 
Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2533.

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. The program is designed to identify farmed or 
captive herds infected with CWD and provide for the management of these 
herds in a way that will reduce the risk of spreading CWD. APHIS' 
Veterinary Services manages the CWD Herd Certification Program.
    Owners of farmed or captive elk, deer, and moose herds who choose 
to participate in the Herd Certification Program 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 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 deer, elk, and moose to prevent movement that could pose a 
risk of spreading CWD.
    The Herd Certification Program and the indemnity program entail the 
use of information collection activities such as an APHIS Veterinary 
Services appraisal and indemnity claim form; sample collections and 
laboratory submissions, testing, and reporting; APHIS Veterinary 
Services State application for chronic wasting disease herd 
certification program approval, renewal, or reinstatement; 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; inspection 
reports; cooperative agreements; laboratory worksheets; 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 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 4 hours per response.
    Respondents: State animal health officials, laboratories, 
accredited veterinarians, and businesses managing farmed, captured, or 
wild cervid herds.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 9,053.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 9.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 78,128.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 322,546 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 1st day of March 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-04511 Filed 3-4-21; 8:45 am]
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