[Federal Register: September 16, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 179)]
[Notices]
[Page 54197-54200]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16se03-21]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 54197]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
September 10, 2003.
The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13. Comments
regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy
of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Pamela-- Beverly-- OIRA_
Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this
notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling
(202) 720-8681.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: Permit for Movement of Restricted Animals.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0051.
Summary of Collection: Title 21, U.S.C. authorizes sections 111,
114, 114a, 114-1, 115, 120, 121, 125, 126, 134a, 134c, 134f, and 134g
of the 21 U.S.C. These authorities permit the Secretary to prevent,
control and eliminate domestic animal diseases, as well as to take
actions to prevent and to manage exotic animal diseases. Disease
prevention is the most effective method of maintaining a healthy animal
population and for enhancing the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) ability to compete in the world market of animals and
animal product trade. When farm animals become sick or have been
exposed to a disease, it is important that they be removed promptly
from their farms. When transporting animals across state lines, the
owner completes VS Form 1-27, ``Permit for Movement of Restricted
Animals''.
Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect the owner's
name, address, the animals' point of origin and destination, the number
of animals being moved, the purpose of the movement, and various pieces
of animal identification data so that each animal can be identified.
Meat inspector to report the slaughter of the animals to veterinary
services also uses VS Form 1-27. Without the information, APHIS would
be unable to effectively monitor and control the movement of sick
animals, a situation that could seriously compromise the health of the
U.S. livestock population.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 4,000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 996.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: Poultry Imports and Export.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0141.
Summary of Collection: Title 21 U.S.C. authorizes sections 111,
114, 114a, 115, 120, 121, 125, 126, 134a, 134c, 134f, and 134g of 21
U.S.C. These authorities permit the Secretary to prevent, control and
eliminate domestic diseases such as brucellosis, as well as to take
actions to prevent and to manage exotic diseases such as exotic
Newcastle disease (END) and other foreign diseases. Disease prevention
is the most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal
population and enhancing the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) ability to compete in exporting animals and animal products.
The regulations under which disease prevention activities are contained
are in Title 9, Chapter 1, Subchapter D, and Parts 91 through 99 of the
Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of these regulations is to
allow poultry meat that originates in the United States to be shipped,
for processing purposes, to a region where exotic Newcastle disease
exists, and then returned to the United States. The process entails the
use of four information collection activities in the form of a
certificate of origin, serial numbers, records that must be maintained,
and cooperative service agreements that must be signed.
Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to
ensure that imported poultry carcasses pose a negligible risk of
introducing END into the United States.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 4.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeepking; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 30.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: Tuberculosis, TB in Cattle, Bison, and Goats.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0146.
Summary of Collection: Title 21, U.S.C. authorizes sections 111,
114, 114a, 114-1, 115, 120, 121, 125, 126, 134a, 134c, 134f, and 134g
of the 21 U.S.C. These authroities permit the Secretary to prevent,
control and eliminate domestic animal diseases, such as tuberculosis
and brucellosis, as well as to take actions to prevent and to manage
exotic animal diseases. Disease prevention is the most effective method
of maintaining a healthy animal population and for enhancing the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ability to compete in the
world market of animals and animal
[[Page 54198]]
product trade. APHIS participates in the Cooperative State-Federal
Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program, which is a national program to
eliminate bovine tuberculosis from the United States. Part 77 of Title
9, Code of Federal Regulations, provides for the assignment of
tuberculosis risk classifications for States, for the creation of
tuberculosis risk status zone within the same State, and for conducting
of tests before regulated animals are permitted to move interstate. The
zone system enhances the ability of States to move healthy,
tuberculosis-free cattle, bison, goats, and captive cervids interstate
as well as internationally. The zoning, testing and movement activities
will require the use of several information collection activities.
Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect the following:
(1) Submission of a formal request that a zone within a given State is
given a different tuberculosis status than the rest of the State, (2)
an epidemiological review of reports of all testing for all zones
within the State within 30 days of testing, (3) the submission of an
annual report to APHIS in order to quality for renewal of accredited
free State or zone status, (4) the completion of a certificate of
tuberculin test that must accompany certain regulated animals that are
moved interstate, (5) the retention, for 2 years, of any certificates
documenting the movement of regulated animals into and out of zones;
and (6) the creation of a tuberculosis herd management plan as a tool
for eradicating the disease within a State or zone. Without the
information, APHIS would not be able to operate an effective
tuberculosis surveillance, containment, and eradication program.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms;
State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 210.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeepking; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 636.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: Phytosanitary Certificates for Imported Fruits and
Vegetables.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0184.
Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture
is responsible for preventing plant diseases or insect pests from
entering the United States, preventing the spread of pests not widely
distributed in the United States, and eradicating those imported pests
when eradication is feasible. The Plant Quarantine Act and the Federal
Plant Pest Act authorize the Department to carry out this mission. The
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published a final
rule that will require all fruits and vegetables entering the United
States from foreign regions to be accompanied by a phytosanitary
certificate. The use of phytosanitary certificates is the approach that
regulatory officials around the world are increasingly relying on to
help reduce the introduction and spread of plant pests.
Needs and Use of the Information: APHIS will use the phytosanitary
certificate to determine the pest condition of the shipment at the time
it was inspected in its country of origin. APHIS will also collect
information to determine the intensity of the inspection that is
performed when the shipment arrives in the United States. Without this
information, APHIS would need to inspect each and every shipment very
thoroughly to ensure that no pests were accompanying the shipment.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 4,000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 25,000.
Forest Service
Title: Airplane Pilot Qualifications and Approval Record,
Helicopter Pilot Qualifications and Approval Record, Airplane Data
Record, and Helicopter.
OMB Control Number: 0596-0015.
Summary of Collection: The Forest Service (FS) is the largest owner
and operator of aircraft in the federal government outside of the
Department of Defense. To conduct the Forest Service land management
mission FS uses 44 owned aircraft with 315 aircraft on loan to 18
States for fire suppression activities. The majority of FS flying is in
support of wildland fire suppression. In addition to the agency-owned
aircraft, the FS contracts with approximately 400 vendors for aviation
services used in resource protection and administrative projects.
Contractor aircraft and pilots are used to place water and chemical
retardants on fires, provide aerial delivery of firefighters to fires,
perform reconnaissance, resource surveys, search for lost personnel,
and fire detection. Contracts for such services established rigorous
qualification requirements for pilots and specific condition/equipment/
performance requirements for aircraft. The authority is granted under
the Federal Aviation Administration Regulations in Title 14
(Aeronautics and Space) of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Needs and Use of the Information: FS will collect information using
FS forms to document the basis for approval of contract pilot and
aircraft for use in specific FS aviation missions. The information
collected from contract pilots in face-to-face meetings (such as name,
age, pilot's license number, number of hours flown in type of aircraft,
etc.) is based on the length and type of contract but is usually done
on a reoccurring annual basis. Without the information supplied on
these forms, FS contracting officers and pilot/aircraft inspectors
cannot determine if pilots and aircraft meet the detailed
qualification, and condition requirements essential to safe efficient
accomplishment of FS specified flying missions and which are included
in contract specifications.
Description of respondents: Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 1,030.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 258.
Forest Service
Title: Application for Permit Non-Federal Commercial Use of Roads
by Order.
OMB Control Number: 0596-0016.
Summary of Collection: The Forest Service (FS) transportation
system includes approximately 380,000 miles of roads. These roads are
grouped into five maintenance levels. Level one includes roads which
are closed and maintained only to protect the environment. Level of
maintenance increase to level five which is maintained for safe
passenger car use. The roads usually provide the only access to
commercial products including timber and minerals found on both Federal
and private lands within and adjacent to National Forests. Annual
maintenance not performed becomes a backlog that creates a financial
burden for the FS. To remedy the backlog and pay for needed maintenance
the FS requires commercial users to apply and pay for a permit, to use
the FS Road System. Maintenance resulting from commercial use is
accomplished through collection of funds or requiring the commercial
users to perform the maintenance. The vehicle for this is the Road Use
Permit. The authority for the Road Use Permit process comes from 36 CFR
212.5, 36 CFR 212.9 and 36 CFR 261.54. Section 212.9 authorizes the FS
to develop a road system with private in holders that is mutually
beneficial to both parties.
[[Page 54199]]
Need and Use of the Information: Persons wishing to haul commercial
will use form FS 7700-40. The form provides identifying information
about the applicant such as the name; address; telephone number;
description of mileage of roads; purpose of use; use schedule; and
plans for future use. FS will use the information to prepare the
applicant's permit to identify the road maintenance that is the direct
result of the applicant's traffic, to calculate any applicable
collections for recovery of past Federal investments in roads and
assure that the requirements are met. Without the Road Use Permit, the
backlog of maintenance would increase and the FS would have great
difficulty providing the transportation system necessary to meet its
mission.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit;
Individuals or households; State, Local or Tribal Government; Not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 2000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 500.
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Title: Notice of Funds Availability Inviting Applications for the
Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Improvements Grant Program.
OMB Control Number: 0570-0044.
Summary of Collection: The establishing of the Renewable Energy
Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program under Title IX,
Section 9006 requires the Secretary of Agriculture to create a program
to make direct loans, loan guarantees, grants to farmers, ranchers and
rural small business to purchase renewable energy systems and make
energy efficiency improvements. The program is designed to help
farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses reduce energy cost and
consumption, develop new income streams and help meet the nation's
critical energy needs. Mandatory funding beginning in fiscal year (FY)
2003 is provided to the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS)
annually for 5 years; however, RBS has decided to execute the grant
program only for FY 2003.
Need and Use of the Information: RBS will use the information to
determine applicant/grantee eligibility, project feasibility and to
ensure that grantees operate on a sound basis and use grant funds for
authorized purposes.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 133.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Quarterly.
Total Burden Hours: 6,251.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: 7 CFR Part 1738, Rural Broadband Access.
OMB Control Number: 0572-NEW
Summary of Collection: Adding Title VI, Rural Broadband Access,
amended The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (RE Act), to provide
loans and loan guarantees to fund the cost of construction,
improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment for the
provision of broadband service in eligible rural communities in States
and territories of the United States. The regulation prescribes the
types of loans available, facilities financed and eligible applicants,
as well as minimum credit support requirements considered for a loan.
In addition, Title VI of the RE Act requires that Rural Utilities
Service (RUS) make or guarantee a loan only if there is reasonable
assurance that the loan together with all outstanding loans and
obligations of the borrower will be repaid in full within the time
agreed.
Need and Use of the Information: RUS will collect information to
determine whether an applicant's eligibility to borrow from RUS under
the terms of the RE Act and that the applicant complies with statutory,
regulatory and administrative eligibility requirements for loan
assistance. RUS will use the information to determine that the
Government's security for loans made are reasonably adequate and that
the loans will be repaid within the time agreed.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 300.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 28,475.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR 1980-D, Rural Housing Loans.
OMB Control Number: 0575-0078.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is a credit
agency for rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The purpose of the Guaranteed Rural Housing (GRH) program is to assist
low and moderate-income individuals and families in acquiring or
constructing a single-family residence in a rural area with loans made
by private lenders. Eligibility for this program includes low to
moderate-income families or persons whose income does not exceed 115%
of the median income for the area. The information requested by RHS
includes borrower financial information such as household income,
assets and liabilities, and monthly expenses.
Need and Use of the Information: All information collected is vital
for RHS to determine if borrowers qualify for all the assistance for
which they are eligible. Information requested by lenders is required
to ensure lenders are eligible to participate in the GRH program and
are in compliance with OMB Circular A-129. If the information were
collected less frequently or not at all, the agency could not
effectively monitor lenders and assess the program.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 37,456.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly; On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 120,442.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR 1940-G, Environmental Program.
OMB Control Number: 0575-0094. Summary of Collection: The National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies prior to the
approval of proposed actions to consider the potential environmental
impacts of these actions. Consequently, for the agencies to comply with
NEPA, it is necessary to have information on the types of environmental
resources on site or in the vicinity that might impact the proposed
action. Also, information is required on the nature of the project
selected by the applicant.
Need and Use of the Information: The agency will collect
environmental data using form RD 1940-20, Request for Environmental
Information. Having all activities and environmental information on the
proposed project site will enable the Agency official to determine the
magnitude of the potential environmental impacts and whether the
project is controversial for environmental reasons. The agency failure
to collect environmental information would result in a violation of
NEPA. Thus, the agency would have no basis to support a decision
regarding the need for an environmental impact statement.
Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households;
Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local
or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 3,915.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 21,812.
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Title: Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey.
[[Page 54200]]
OMB Control Number: 0535-0234.
Summary of Collection: The Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey (FRIS)
has provided detailed data on water management practices and water uses
in American agriculture for the past two decades. The 2003 FRIS will
gather data describing the irrigation activities of U.S. farm
operations. Some of these activities are of national concern, such as
the use of chemigation, fertigation and water-conserving practices of
irrigators. The FRIS is an integral part of the 2002 Census of
Agriculture and is conducted under the authority of the Census of
Agriculture Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-113).
Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information from
the FRIS on acres irrigated by land use category, acres and yields of
irrigated and non-irrigated crops, quantity of water applied and method
of application to selected crops, acres irrigated and quantity of water
used by sources, acres irrigated by type of water distribution systems,
and number of irrigation wells and pumps. The primary purpose of FRIS
is to provide detailed data relating to on-farm irrigation activities
for use in preparing a wide variety of water-related local programs,
economic models, legislative initiatives, market analyses, and
feasibility studies. The absence of FRIS would certainly affect
irrigation policy decision.
Description of Respondents: Farms.
Number of Respondents: 25,000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one-time).
Total Burden Hours: 15,250.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-23528 Filed 9-15-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M