[Federal Register: September 27, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 187)]
[Notices]
[Page 54890-54891]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27se07-26]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0091]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection; Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation of Animals
and Animal Products
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 associated with regulations for the importation of animals
and animal products and byproducts to protect against the introduction
of bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United States.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
November 26, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov,
select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service'' from the agency
drop-down menu, then click ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select
APHIS-2007-0091 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
[[Page 54891]]
comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0091,
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-2007-0091.
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: Additional information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on regulations for the
importation of animals and animal products and byproducts to prevent
the introduction of bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United
States, contact Dr. Freeda Isaac, Assistant Director of Imports,
National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit
39, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-6479. 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: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Importation of Animals and
Animal Products.
OMB Number: 0579-0234.
Type of Request: 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
U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates the importation of animals and
animal products into the United States to guard against the
introduction of animal diseases. The regulations in 9 CFR parts 93, 94,
95, and 96 (referred to below as the regulations) govern the
importation of certain animals, birds, poultry, meat, other animal
products and byproducts, hay, and straw into the United States in order
to prevent the introduction of various animal diseases, including
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a chronic degenerative disease
affecting the central nervous system of cattle.
With some exceptions, APHIS' regulations prohibit or restrict the
importation of live ruminants and certain ruminant products and
byproducts from the following three categories of regions with regard
to BSE: (1) Those regions in which BSE is known to exist; (2) those
regions that present an undue risk of introducing BSE into the United
States because their import requirements are less restrictive than
those that would be acceptable for import into the United States and/or
because the regions have inadequate surveillance; and (3) those regions
that present a minimal risk of introducing BSE into the United States
via live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts.
To help ensure that BSE is not introduced into the United States,
the regulations allow, under specified conditions, the importation of
certain live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts. These
requirements necessitate the use of several information collection
activities, including certification statements for the importation of
ruminants and ruminant products, permits for animals destined for
immediate slaughter or for movement to designated feedlots; the placing
of seals on certain conveyances, the identification of individuals
authorized to break the seals, and agreements entered into by
slaughtering establishments or feedlots with APHIS; identification of
animals; a certificate of processing from the government of the
exporting region regarding the source of all raw material of animal
origin in the imported products; and an APHIS Veterinary Services'
veterinary import permit.
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 1.349469965 hours response.
Respondents: U.S. importers; foreign exporters of animals and
animal products and byproducts; full-time, salaried veterinary
officials of exporting regions; herd owners; feedlot and slaughter
facility personnel; APHIS accredited and State veterinary authorities.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 9,800.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 17.32653061.
Estimated annual number of responses: 169,800.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 229,140 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 21st day of September 2007 .
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-19090 Filed 9-26-07; 8:45 am]
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