Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Foreign Quarantine Notices, 44553-44554 [05-15288]

Download as PDF 44553 Notices Federal Register Vol. 70, No. 148 Wednesday, August 3, 2005 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. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. 05–052–1] Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Foreign Quarantine Notices Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment request. AGENCY: 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 to prevent the introduction or spread of foreign plant pests within the United States. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before October 3, 2005. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods: • EDOCKET: Go to https:// www.epa.gov/feddocket to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once you have entered EDOCKET, click on the ‘‘View Open APHIS Dockets’’ link to locate this document. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 05–052–1, 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. 05–052–1. Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this VerDate jul<14>2003 15:22 Aug 02, 2005 Jkt 205001 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 on the Internet at https:// www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/ webrepor.html. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding foreign quarantine regulations, contact Ms. Linda Toran, Management Analyst, Regulatory Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 141, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 734–5307. 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: Foreign Quarantine Notices. OMB Number: 0579–0049. Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information collection. Abstract: As authorized by the Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701– 7772), the Secretary of Agriculture may prohibit or restrict the importation, entry, exportation, or movement in interstate commerce of any plant, plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed, means of conveyance, or other article if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent a plant pest or noxious weed from being introduced into or disseminated within the United States. This authority has been delegated to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Regulations governing the importation of plants, fruits, vegetables, roots, bulbs, seeds, unmanufactured wood articles, and other plant products are contained in 7 CFR part 319, ‘‘Foreign Quarantine Notices.’’ Implementing the regulations described above is necessary in order to prevent injurious plant pests and noxious weeds from entering the United States, a situation that could produce serious consequences for U.S. agriculture. In administering the PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 regulations, we collect information from persons both within and outside the United States who are involved in growing, packing, handling, transporting, and importing articles regulated under part 319. For example, many plants or plant products may not be imported until the person wishing to import them receives a permit from us. The person wishing to import these items must first fill out a permit application. We consider the permit application process extremely important, since the information on the application enables us to determine whether the items for import represent a potential pest threat to U.S. agriculture. Under certain circumstances, we also require importers to supply us with other types of information. We require, for example, that containers used to import various plants or plant products be marked in a certain way so that our inspectors can accurately identify them and match them to their accompanying documentation. We require that certain shipments be accompanied by a phytosanitary inspection certificate, which is a document completed by plant health officials in the originating country that attests to the condition of the shipment with respect to plant pests at the time it was inspected prior to its export to the United States. We use this important information as a guide in determining the intensity of the inspection we must conduct when the shipment arrives in the United States. This and other information we collect is vital to helping us ensure that imported plants and plant products do not harbor plant pests or noxious weeds that, if introduced into the United States, could cause millions of dollars in damage to U.S. agriculture. We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of this information collection activity 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; E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM 03AUN1 44554 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 148 / Wednesday, August 3, 2005 / Notices (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 0.3341847 hours per response. Respondents: U.S. importers of fruits and vegetables, foreign plant protection authorities, individuals involved in growing, packing, handling, transporting, and exporting plants and plant products. Estimated annual number of respondents: 90,781. Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 2.9583062. Estimated annual number of responses: 268,558. Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 89,748 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 28th day of July 2005. Elizabeth E. Gaston, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 05–15288 Filed 8–2–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. 03–110–2] Saltcedar; Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to the control of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.). The environmental assessment VerDate jul<14>2003 15:22 Aug 02, 2005 Jkt 205001 considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release of a nonindigenous leaf beetle, Diorhabda elongata, into the environment to reduce the severity of saltcedar infestations. The environmental assessment provides a basis for our conclusion that the release into the environment of the biological control agent will not present a risk of introducing plant pests into the United States or disseminating plant pests within the United States and will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Based on its findings of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact are available for public inspection 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. You may view APHIS documents published in the Federal Register and related information on the Internet at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/ webrepor.html. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. William Kauffman, Western Region Program Manager, PPQ, APHIS, 2150 Centre Avenue Building B, Fort Collins, CO 80526–8117; (970) 494–7565. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background On December 19, 2003, we published in the Federal Register (68 FR 70755– 70756, Docket No. 03–110–1) a notice advising the public that a draft environmental assessment had been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) relative to the release of a nonindigenous leaf beetle, Diorhabda elongata, into the environment to reduce the severity of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) infestations, a major weed pest of watercourses and riparian habitats. We solicited comments on the draft environmental assessment for 30 days, ending January 20, 2004. We received 37 comments by that date. The comments were from researchers, State plant organizations, individuals, and industry groups. Of the comments received, 13 were supportive and 1 was a request for an extension of the PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 comment period. The remaining 23 commenters raised issues concerning water usage, endangered and protected species considerations, additional saltcedar eradication options, and projected results. We have taken the issues raised by the 23 commenters into consideration in formulating our final environmental assessment. The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact may be viewed on the Internet at https:// www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/es/ sltcedr.html. You may request paper copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact when requesting copies. The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact are also available for review in our reading room (information on the location and hours of the reading room is listed under the heading ADDRESSES at the beginning of this notice). The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, (2) as amended (43 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), (3) USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372). Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of July 2005 . Elizabeth E. Gaston, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 05–15287 Filed 8–2–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food Safety and Inspection Service [Docket No. 05–027N] Public Meeting on Advances in PreHarvest Reduction of Salmonella in Poultry Food Safety and Inspection Service. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing that it will hold a public meeting on Advances in Pre-Harvest Reduction of Salmonella in Poultry on August 25 and August 26, 2005, in Athens, GA. The E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM 03AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44553-44554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15288]


========================================================================
Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 148 / Wednesday, August 3, 2005 / 
Notices

[[Page 44553]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 05-052-1]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Foreign Quarantine Notices

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 in support of regulations to prevent the introduction or 
spread of foreign plant pests within the United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 3, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     EDOCKET: Go to https://www.epa.gov/feddocket to submit or 
view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the 
official public docket, and to access those documents in the public 
docket that are available electronically. Once you have entered 
EDOCKET, click on the ``View Open APHIS Dockets'' link to locate this 
document.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies 
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 05-052-1, 
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. 05-052-1.
    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 on the Internet at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding foreign 
quarantine regulations, contact Ms. Linda Toran, Management Analyst, 
Regulatory Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 141, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-5307. 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: Foreign Quarantine Notices.
    OMB Number: 0579-0049.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: As authorized by the Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 
7701-7772), the Secretary of Agriculture may prohibit or restrict the 
importation, entry, exportation, or movement in interstate commerce of 
any plant, plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed, 
means of conveyance, or other article if the Secretary determines that 
the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent a plant pest or 
noxious weed from being introduced into or disseminated within the 
United States. This authority has been delegated to the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service. Regulations governing the importation 
of plants, fruits, vegetables, roots, bulbs, seeds, unmanufactured wood 
articles, and other plant products are contained in 7 CFR part 319, 
``Foreign Quarantine Notices.''
    Implementing the regulations described above is necessary in order 
to prevent injurious plant pests and noxious weeds from entering the 
United States, a situation that could produce serious consequences for 
U.S. agriculture. In administering the regulations, we collect 
information from persons both within and outside the United States who 
are involved in growing, packing, handling, transporting, and importing 
articles regulated under part 319.
    For example, many plants or plant products may not be imported 
until the person wishing to import them receives a permit from us. The 
person wishing to import these items must first fill out a permit 
application. We consider the permit application process extremely 
important, since the information on the application enables us to 
determine whether the items for import represent a potential pest 
threat to U.S. agriculture.
    Under certain circumstances, we also require importers to supply us 
with other types of information. We require, for example, that 
containers used to import various plants or plant products be marked in 
a certain way so that our inspectors can accurately identify them and 
match them to their accompanying documentation.
    We require that certain shipments be accompanied by a phytosanitary 
inspection certificate, which is a document completed by plant health 
officials in the originating country that attests to the condition of 
the shipment with respect to plant pests at the time it was inspected 
prior to its export to the United States. We use this important 
information as a guide in determining the intensity of the inspection 
we must conduct when the shipment arrives in the United States.
    This and other information we collect is vital to helping us ensure 
that imported plants and plant products do not harbor plant pests or 
noxious weeds that, if introduced into the United States, could cause 
millions of dollars in damage to U.S. agriculture.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity 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;

[[Page 44554]]

    (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 0.3341847 hours per response.
    Respondents: U.S. importers of fruits and vegetables, foreign plant 
protection authorities, individuals involved in growing, packing, 
handling, transporting, and exporting plants and plant products.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 90,781.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 2.9583062.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 268,558.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 89,748 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 28th day of July 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 05-15288 Filed 8-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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