[Federal Register: December 19, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 245)]
[Notices]
[Page 77591-77592]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19de08-43]
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Notices
Federal Register
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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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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0135]
Notice of Request for Revision and Extension of Approval of an
Information Collection; Animal Welfare
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Revision and 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 approval of a revision and extension of an
information collection associated with Animal Welfare Act regulations
for the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of certain
animals by dealers, research facilities, exhibitors, carriers, and
intermediate handlers.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
February 17, 2009.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://
www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0135 to submit or view comments and
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0135, 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-2008-0135.
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 the Animal Welfare
Act regulations, contact Dr. Barbara Kohn, Senior Staff Veterinarian,
Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301)
734-7833. For copies of more detailed information on the information
collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection
Coordinator, at (301) 851-2908.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Animal Welfare.
OMB Number: 0579-0036.
Type of Request: Revision and extension of approval of an
information collection.
Abstract: Under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA or Act) (7 U.S.C. 2131
et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to promulgate
standards and other requirements governing the humane handling,
housing, care, treatment, and transportation of certain animals by
dealers, research facilities, exhibitors, carriers, and intermediate
handlers. The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the authority for
enforcement of the AWA to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS).
The regulations in 9 CFR parts 1 through 3 were promulgated under
the AWA to ensure the humane handling, care, treatment, and
transportation of regulated animals under the Act. The regulations in 9
CFR part 2 require documentation of specified information by dealers,
research institutions, exhibitors, carriers (including foreign air
carriers), and intermediate handlers. The regulations in 9 CFR part 2
also require that facilities that use animals for regulated purposes
obtain a license or register with the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). Before being issued a USDA license, individuals are required to
undergo prelicense inspections; once licensed, a licensee must
periodically renew the license.
To help ensure compliance with the AWA regulations, APHIS performs
unannounced inspections of regulated facilities. A significant
component of the inspection process is review of records that must be
established and maintained by regulated facilities. The information
contained in these records is used by APHIS inspectors to ensure that
dealers, research facilities, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and
carriers comply with the Act and regulations.
Facilities must make and maintain records that contain official
identification for all dogs and cats and certification of those animals
received from pounds, shelters, and private individuals. These records
are used to ensure that stolen pets are not used for regulated
activities. Dealers, exhibitors, and research facilities that acquire
animals from nonlicensed persons are required to have the owners of the
animals sign a certification statement verifying the owner's exemption
from licensing under the Act. Records must also be maintained for
animals other than dogs and cats when the animals are used for purposes
regulated under the Act.
Research facilities must also make and maintain additional records
for animals covered under the Act that are used for teaching, testing,
and experimentation. This information is used by APHIS personnel to
review the research facility's animal care and use program.
APHIS needs the reporting and recordkeeping requirements contained
in 9 CFR part 2 to enforce the Act and regulations. APHIS also uses the
collected information to provide a mandatory annual report of animal
welfare activities to Congress.
We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve
our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3
years.
This notice includes a description of the information collection
requirements currently approved by OMB under numbers 0579-0036 (Animal
Welfare), 0579-0247 (Transportation of Animals on Foreign Air Carriers
[part 2 requirements]), and 0579-0254 (Inspection, Licensing, and
Procurement of Animals). After OMB approves and
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combines the burden for the three collections under a single collection
(number 0579-0036), the Department will retire numbers 0579-0247 and
0579-0254.
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
collection of information, 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 0.9737631 hours per response.
Respondents: Dealers, research facilities, exhibitors, carriers,
and intermediate handlers; persons exempt from licensing under the AWA.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 7,402.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 13.145906.
Estimated annual number of responses: 97,306.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 94,753 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 15th day of December 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-30213 Filed 12-18-08; 8:45 am]
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