[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 96 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27364-27365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-10634]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0024]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Endangered Species Regulations and Forfeiture 
Procedures

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 
protection of endangered species of terrestrial plants and for 
procedures related to the forfeiture of plants or other property.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before July 
19, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2021-0024 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-2021-0024, 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 www.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 to 
protect endangered species of terrestrial plants and forfeiture 
procedures, contact Dr.

[[Page 27365]]

John Veremis, National CITES Director, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-2347. For information on 
the information collection, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS' Paperwork 
Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Endangered Species Regulations and Forfeiture Procedures.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0076.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is 
responsible for enforcing provisions of the Act and the Convention on 
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 
(CITES) that pertain to the importation, exportation, or reexportation 
of plants.
    As part of this mission, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) administers the regulations in 7 CFR part 355, 
``Endangered Species Regulations Concerning Terrestrial Plants.'' In 
accordance with these regulations, any entity wishing to engage in the 
business of importing, exporting, or reexporting terrestrial plants 
listed in the CITES regulations at 50 CFR 17.12 or 23.23 must obtain a 
protected plant permit from APHIS. Such entities include importers, 
exporters, or reexporters who sell, barter, collect, or otherwise 
exchange or acquire terrestrial plants as a livelihood or enterprise 
engaged in for gain or profit. The requirement does not apply to 
persons engaged in business merely as carriers or customhouse brokers.
    To obtain a protected plant permit, entities must complete an 
application and submit it to APHIS for approval. When a permit has been 
issued, the plants covered by the permit may be imported into the 
United States, exported, or reexported, provided they are accompanied 
by documentation required by the regulations and all other conditions 
of the regulations are met.
    Effectively regulating entities who are engaged in the business of 
importing, exporting, or reexporting endangered species of terrestrial 
plants requires the use of this application process, as well as the use 
of other information collection activities including, but not limited 
to, appealing the denial of a permit; marking containers used for the 
importation, exportation, or reexportation of the plants; notifying 
APHIS of the impending importation, exportation, or reexportation of 
the plants; validating documents; creating and maintaining records of 
importation, exportation, and reexportation; and submitting related 
reports from records required to be maintained.
    APHIS also administers regulations at 7 CFR part 356, ``Forfeiture 
Procedures,'' which sets out procedures for the forfeiture of plants or 
other property by entities found to be in violation of the Endangered 
Species Act or the Lacey Act (16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.). Entities whose 
property is subject to forfeiture may file with APHIS a waiver of 
forfeiture procedures, a claim, a request for return of property, or 
petition for remission or mitigation of forfeiture.
    The information provided by these information collection activities 
is critical to APHIS' ability to carry out its responsibilities under 
the Endangered Species Act and the Lacey Act. These responsibilities 
include monitoring importation, exportation, and reexportation 
activities involving endangered species of plants, as well as the 
investigation of possible violations and the forfeiture of plants or 
other property.
    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 0.084 hours per response.
    Respondents: U.S. importers and exporters of endangered species of 
terrestrial plants.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,097.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 147.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 161,434.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 13,499 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 May 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-10634 Filed 5-19-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P