Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 125 (Friday, June 30, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 125 (Friday, June 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29823-29824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13782]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0048]
Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an
Information Collection; Importation of Animals and Poultry, Animal and
Poultry Products, Certain Animal Embryos, Semen, and Zoological Animals
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 importation of animals and
poultry, animal and poultry products, certain animal embryos, semen,
and zoological animals.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
August 29, 2017.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0048.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0048, 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-2017-
0048 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 importation of
animals and poultry, animal and poultry products, certain animal
embryos, and zoological animals, contact Dr. Bettina Helm, Senior Staff
Veterinarian, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737;
(301) 851-3300. For copies of more detailed information on the
information collection, contact
[[Page 29824]]
Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301)
851-2483.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Importation of Animals and Poultry, Animal and Poultry
Products, Certain Animal Embryos, Semen, and Zoological Animals.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0040.
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
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is authorized, among
other things, to prohibit or restrict the importation of animals,
animal products, and other articles into the United States to prevent
the introduction of animal diseases and pests. Disease prevention is
the most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population
and for enhancing APHIS' ability to compete in the world market of
animal and animal product trade.
Among other things, APHIS' Veterinary Services is responsible for
preventing the introduction of foreign or certain other communicable
animal diseases into the United States and for rapidly identifying,
containing, eradicating, or otherwise mitigating such diseases when
feasible. In connection with this mission, APHIS collects information
from individuals, businesses, and farms that are involved with
importation of animals or poultry, animal or poultry products, or
animal germplasm (semen, ooycysts, and embryos, including eggs for
hatching) into the United States, as well as from foreign countries and
States to support these imports. Some of the information collection
activities include agreements, permits, application and space
reservation requests, inspections, registers, declarations of
importation, requests for hearings, daily logs, additional
requirements, application for permits, export health certificates,
letters, written notices, daily record of horse activities, written
requests, opportunities to present views, reporting, applications for
approval of facilities, certifications, arrival notices, on-hold
shipment notifications, reports, affidavits, animal identification,
written plans, checklists, specimen submissions, emergency action
notifications, refusal of entry and order to dispose of fish, premises
information, recordkeeping, and application of seals.
In addition, APHIS opens U.S. markets to animal commodities by
receiving and evaluating information collection activities, such as
requests for recognition of the animal health status of a region,
applications for recognition of the animal health status of a region,
applications for recognition of a region as historically free of a
disease, requests for additional information about the region, appeal
classification of animal health status, and written recommendation
implementation from foreign animal health authorities seeking to engage
in the regionalization process.
The information collection requirements above are currently
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB control
numbers 0579-0040 (Importation of Animals and Poultry, Animal and
Poultry Products, Certain Animal Embryos, Semen, and Zoological
Animals), 0579-0165 (Importation of Horses, Ruminants, Swine, and Dogs;
Inspection and Treatment for Screwworm), 0579-0224 (Tuberculosis
Testing of Imported Cattle from Mexico), 0579-0301 (Spring Viremia of
Carp; Import Restrictions on Certain Live Fish, Fertilized Eggs, and
Gametes), and 0579-0425 (Cattle Fever Tick; Importation Requirements
for Ruminants from Mexico). After OMB approves this combined
information collection package (0579-0040), APHIS will retire OMB
control numbers 0579-0165, 0579-0224, 0579-0301, and 0579-0425.
We are asking 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 0.57 hours per response.
Respondents: Foreign animal health authorities; U.S. importers;
foreign exporters; veterinarians and animal health technicians in other
countries; State animal health authorities; shippers, owners and
operators of foreign processing plants and farms; USDA-approved zoos,
laboratories, and feedlots; private quarantine facilities; and other
entities involved (directly or indirectly) in the importation of
animals and poultry, animal and poultry products, zoological animals,
and animal germplasm.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 8,412.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 65.
Estimated annual number of responses: 545,020.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 313,843 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 27th day of June 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-13782 Filed 6-29-17; 8:45 am]
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