[Federal Register: April 15, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 73)]
[Notices]
[Page 19971-19972]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15ap04-29]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 04-027-1]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
[[Page 19972]]
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 to gather data on West Nile virus.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June
14, 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) to Docket
No. 04-027-1, 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. 04-027-1.
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. 04-027-1'' 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.
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 regarding the West
Nile virus surveillance project, contact Dr. Tim Cordes, Senior Staff
Veterinarian, Certification and Control Team, NCAHP, VS, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-3279. 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: West Nile Virus Surveillance Project.
OMB Number: 0579-0162.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates the importation and interstate
movement of animals and animal products, and conducts various other
activities to protect the health of our Nation's livestock and poultry.
Disease surveillance plays an important role in protecting the health
of the U.S. livestock and poultry populations.
One such surveillance program gathers information concerning
outbreaks of West Nile virus (WNV) in the United States. WNV, although
not considered to be a national epidemic, has potential to cause
economic harm to the U.S. equine industry due to possible trade
restrictions that could be imposed by other countries. The goal of the
WNV surveillance project is to collect data from equine owners and to
analyze this data to explain equine or premises risk factors for WNV
infection.
Gathering this data entails the use of two information collection
activities in the form of an owner/operator agreement to participate in
the survey and a WNV data collection form.
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 this information collection
activity. These comments will help us:
(1) Evaluate whether the information collection is necessary for
the proper performance of our agency's functions, 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 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 reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average 1.125 hours per response.
Respondents: Equine owners.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 420.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 2.
Estimated annual number of responses: 840.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 945 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 9th day of April, 2004.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 04-8561 Filed 4-14-04; 8:45 am]
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