[Federal Register: March 30, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 61)]
[Notices]
[Page 16516-16517]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30mr04-36]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 04-017-1]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection
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 in support of regulations for tuberculosis eradication under
which owners of dairy cattle in El Paso, Texas, can receive payments
for their animals and other property and the cessation of operations.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June
1, 2004.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies)
[[Page 16517]]
to Docket No. 04-017-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD,
APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 04-017-1.
E-mail: Address your comment to
regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Your comment must be contained in the body
of your message; do not send attached files. Please include your name
and address in your message and ``Docket No. 04-017-1'' on the subject
line.
Agency Web site: Go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/cominst.html
for a form you can use to
submit an e-mail comment through the APHIS Web site.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for locating this
docket and submitting comments.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this
docket in our reading room. The reading room 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) 690-2817 before coming.
Other Information: You may view APHIS documents published in the
Federal Register and related information, including the names of groups
and individuals who have commented on APHIS dockets, on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the tuberculosis
eradication regulations and payments to owners of dairy cattle in El
Paso, Texas, contact Dr. Terry Beals, Senior Staff Veterinarian,
Eradication and Surveillance Team, National Center for Animal Health
Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231;
(301) 734-5467. For copies of more detailed information on the
information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS'
Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 734-7477.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Tuberculosis Payments to Owners of Dairy Cattle in El Paso,
Texas.
OMB Number: 0579-0193.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is
responsible for, among other things, preventing the interstate spread
of pests and diseases of livestock within the United States and for
conducting eradication programs. In connection with this mission,
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) participates
in the Cooperative State-Federal Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication
Program, which is a national program to eliminate bovine tuberculosis
from the United States.
Federal regulations implementing this program are contained in 9
CFR part 77. Additionally, the regulations in 9 CFR part 50 provide for
the payment of indemnity to owners of certain animals destroyed because
of tuberculosis, in order to encourage destruction of animals that are
infected with, or at significant risk of being infected with, the
disease. In part 50, payments are also authorized to owners of dairy
cattle in El Paso, Texas, for their animals and other property, the
cessation of operations, and relocation of a dairy plant's equipment.
The payment program for owners in El Paso, TX, requires the use of
a number of information collection activities, including an agreement
to cease operations, the use of metal eartags, movement permits,
salvage reports, salvage and disposal affidavits, and payment claim
forms.
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
information collection, 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 information collection 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 reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average 1.483 hours per response.
Respondents: Owners of dairy operations in the El Paso, TX, area;
owner/operators of livestock markets and slaughtering plants in the El
Paso, TX, area; cattle purchasers and selling agents; State animal
health authorities; and accredited veterinarians.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 95.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 6.210526.
Estimated annual number of responses: 590.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 875 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 25th day of March 2004.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 04-7010 Filed 3-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P