[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 149 (Friday, August 4, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51768-51769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16618]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2023-0054]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Bees and Related Articles

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: 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 an extension of approval of an information 
collection associated with the regulations for the importation of bees 
and related articles into the United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 3, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-

[[Page 51769]]

2023-0054 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-2023-0054, 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 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 for 
the importation of bees and related articles, contact Mr. Ben Slager, 
Senior Entomologist, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, 
MD 20737; (810) 626-8841; [email protected]. For information 
on the information collection reporting process, contact Mr. Joseph 
Moxey, APHIS' Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Bees and Related Articles.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0207.
    Type of Request: 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 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.
    Under the Honeybee Act (7 U.S.C. 281 through 286), the Secretary is 
authorized to prohibit or restrict the importation of honeybees and 
honeybee semen to prevent the introduction into the United States of 
diseases and parasites harmful to honeybees and of undesirable species 
such as the African honeybee. This authority has been delegated to the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture.
    The establishment of certain bee diseases, parasites, or 
undesirable species and subspecies of honeybees in the United States 
could cause substantial reductions in pollination by bees. These 
reductions could cause serious damage to crops and other plants and 
result in substantial financial losses to American agriculture.
    Regulations for the importation of honeybees and honeybee semen and 
regulations to prevent the introduction of exotic bee diseases and 
parasites through the importation of bees other than honeybees, certain 
beekeeping products, and used beekeeping equipment are contained in 7 
CFR part 322, ``Bees, Beekeeping Byproducts, and Beekeeping 
Equipment.'' These regulations require the use of certain information 
collection activities, including application for a permit, State 
consultation, written agreement to permit conditions, appealing denial 
of a permit application or revocation of permit, packaging and 
labeling, notice of arrival for shipments from approved regions, 
transit shipment, port of entry inspection, notification of escaped 
organisms, emergency action notification, request for release, request 
for risk assessment, request for facility approval, and recordkeeping 
for containment facilities.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities 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 0.26 hours per response.
    Respondents: Importers, exporters, and shippers of bees and related 
articles; foreign and State governments; and containment facilities.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 8.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 31.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 250.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 64 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 31st day of July 2023.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-16618 Filed 8-3-23; 8:45 am]
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