[Federal Register: August 17, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 159)]
[Notices]
[Page 47480-47481]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17au06-16]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0103]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection; Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment
request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
October 16, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov
and, in the lower ``Search Regulations and Federal
Actions'' box, select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service''
from the agency drop-down menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket
ID column, select APHIS-2006-0103 to submit or view public comments and
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for
accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after
the close of the comment period, is available through the site's ``User
Tips'' link.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-
2006-0103, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-
03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state
that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0103.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the
Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey, contact Mr. Billy Newton, Interim
National Survey Coordinator, Emergency and Domestic Programs Staff,
PPQ, 4700 River Road, Unit 137, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8717.
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: Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.
OMB Number: 0579-0010.
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, either independently or in
cooperation with States, to carry out operations or measures to detect,
eradicate, suppress, control, prevent, or retard the spread of plant
pests and noxious weeds that are new to or not widely distributed
within the United States. This authority has been delegated to the
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
As part of this mission, the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)
program, APHIS, has joined forces with the States and other agencies to
create a program called the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey
(CAPS). The CAPS program collects and manages data on plant pests,
noxious weeds, and biological control agents, which may be used to
control plant pests or noxious weeds.
This program allows the States and PPQ to conduct surveys to detect
and measure the presence of exotic plant pests and noxious weeds and to
enter survey data into a national computer-based system known as the
National Agricultural Plant Information System (NAPIS). This, in turn,
allows APHIS to obtain a more comprehensive picture of plant pest and
noxious weed conditions in the United States as well as detect, in
collaboration with the National Plant Diagnostic Network and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service (CSREES), population trends in plant pests or noxious
weeds that could indicate an agricultural bioterrorism act.
The information generated by this program is used by States to
predict potential plant pest and noxious weed situations in the United
States and by Federal interests (e.g., PPQ and CSREES) to promptly
detect and respond to the occurrence of new plant pests or noxious
weeds and to provide documentation on plant pests and noxious weeds to
facilitate and record the location of those incursions that could
directly hinder the export of U.S. farm commodities. The system also
provides data management support for PPQ programs such as imported fire
and gypsy moth.
The CAPS program entails the use of several information collection
activities, including a cooperative agreement and a Specimens for
Determination Form (PPQ Form 391).
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 0.1092 hours response.
Respondents: State cooperators participating in the Cooperative
Agricultural Pest Survey.
Estimated annual number of respondents : 155.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 235.
Estimated annual number of responses: 36,352.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,969 hours. (Due to
[[Page 47481]]
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 10th day of August 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-13575 Filed 8-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P