Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; Peer Reviewer's Certification Regarding Conflict of Interest, 20067-20068 [E6-5880]
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20067
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 71, No. 75
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
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. APHIS–2006–0043]
Notice of Request for Approval of an
Information Collection; Peer
Reviewer’s Certification Regarding
Conflict of Interest
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: New 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 approval of a new information
collection activity related to peer review
of scientific information disseminated to
the public by the Agency.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before June 19,
2006.
You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://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–2006–0043 to submit or
view public comments and to view
supporting and related materials
available electronically. After the close
of the comment period, the docket can
be viewed using the ‘‘Advanced Search’’
function in Regulations.gov.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Please send four copies of your
comment (an original and three copies)
to Docket No. APHIS–2006–0043,
Regulatory Analysis and Development,
PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700
River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD
20737–1238. Please state that your
cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
ADDRESSES:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:09 Apr 18, 2006
Jkt 208001
comment refers to Docket No. APHIS–
2006–0043.
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
https://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information on APHIS’ peer review
process or the peer reviewer’s
certification regarding conflict of
interest, contact Dr. Natalie Roberts,
APHIS Peer Review Officer, Planning,
Evaluation, and Monitoring, PPD,
APHIS, Station 3C–03.27, 4700 River
Road Unit 120, Riverdale, MD 20737–
1238; phone (301) 734–8937 or e-mail
natalie.a.roberts@aphis.usda.gov. 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: APHIS Peer Reviewer’s
Certification Regarding Conflict of
Interest.
OMB Number: 0579–XXXX.
Type of Request: Approval of a new
information collection.
Abstract: The Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is
responsible for protecting and
promoting U.S. agricultural health,
administering the Animal Welfare Act,
and carrying out wildlife damage
management activities. In carrying out
its mission, APHIS collects, generates,
and disseminates a wide variety of
scientific information.
Some of the information APHIS
disseminates is ‘‘influential’’—that is, it
has a clear and substantial impact on
important public policies or important
private sector decisions. A very small
portion of APHIS’ scientific information
takes the form of ‘‘highly influential
scientific assessments,’’ which have a
potential impact of more than $500
million in any year, or are novel,
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
controversial, precedent-setting, or of
significant interagency interest.
In order to ensure the objectivity and
highest level of quality of such scientific
information, APHIS arranges for these
documents to be peer reviewed in
accordance with the Office of
Management and Budget’s (OMB’s)
‘‘Final Information Quality Bulletin for
Peer Review,’’ which was published in
the Federal Register on January 14,
2005, and is available on the Web at
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/
2005/011405_peer.pdf.
To ensure the effectiveness and
integrity of the peer review process,
APHIS pays careful attention to
potential conflicts of interest when
selecting peer reviewers. APHIS has
developed a standard letter to
prospective peer reviewers, which,
among other things, asks them to
consider whether they may have a
conflict of interest related to review of
a specific scientific document and, if
not, asks them to sign a form certifying
that they have no conflicting interests.
We are asking OMB to approve our
use of this information collection
activity for 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 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 0.25
hours per response.
Respondents: Peer reviewers for
agency scientific documents.
Estimated annual number of
respondents: 50.
E:\FR\FM\19APN1.SGM
19APN1
20068
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 75 / Wednesday, April 19, 2006 / Notices
Estimated annual number of
responses per respondent: 1.
Estimated annual number of
responses: 50.
Estimated total annual burden on
respondents: 12.5 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 13th day of
April 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6–5880 Filed 4–18–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2006–0015]
Availability of an Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact for Field Release of
Genetically Engineered Pink Bollworm
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We are advising the public
that an environmental assessment has
been prepared for a proposed field trial
of pink bollworm genetically engineered
to express green fluorescence as a
marker. The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) proposes to
use this marked strain to assess the
effectiveness of lower doses of radiation
to create sterile insects for its pink
bollworm sterile insect program. This
program, using sterile insect technique,
has been conducted by APHIS, with
State and grower cooperation, since
1968. Data gained from this field
experiment will be used to improve the
current program. APHIS has completed
an environmental assessment and has
concluded that this field test will not
have a significant impact on the quality
of the human environment. Based on its
finding of no significant impact, APHIS
has determined that an Environmental
Impact Statement need not be prepared
for this field test.
DATES: Effective Date: April 19, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may read the
environmental assessment (EA), the
finding of no significant impact
(FONSI), and any comments that we
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:09 Apr 18, 2006
Jkt 208001
received on Docket No. APHIS–2006–
0015 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. The EA, FONSI, and responses
to comments are also available on the
Internet at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/
brs/aphisdocs/05_09801r_ea.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Robyn Rose, Biotechnology Regulatory
Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit
147, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301)
734–0489. To obtain copies of the EA,
FONSI, and response to comments,
contact Ms. Ingrid Berlanger at (301)
734–4885; e-mail:
ingrid.e.berlanger@aphis.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
regulations in 7 CFR part 340,
‘‘Introduction of Organisms and
Products Altered or Produced Through
Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant
Pests or Which There Is Reason to
Believe Are Plant Pests,’’ regulate,
among other things, the introduction
(importation, interstate movement, or
release into the environment) of
organisms and products altered or
produced through genetic engineering
that are plant pests or that there is
reason to believe are plant pests. Such
genetically engineered organisms and
products are considered ‘‘regulated
articles.’’ A permit must be obtained or
a notification acknowledged before a
regulated article may be introduced. The
regulations set forth the permit
application requirements and the
notification procedures for the
importation, interstate movement, or
release into the environment of a
regulated article.
On April 8, 2005, the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
received a permit application (APHIS
No. 05–098–01r) from APHIS’ Plant
Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Center
for Plant Health Science and
Technology (CPHST) Decision Support
and Pest Management Systems
Laboratory in Phoenix, AZ, for a field
trial using the pink bollworm (PBW),
Pectinophora gossypiella (Lepidoptera:
Gelechiidae), that has been genetically
engineered to express an enhanced
green fluorescent protein (EGFP)
derived from the jellyfish Aequora
victoria. A piggyBac transposable
element derived from the plant pest
cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) was
used to transform the subject PBW, and
expression of the EGFP is controlled
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
through use of a Bombyx mori
cytoplasmic actin promoter.
The subject transgenic PBW is
considered a regulated article under the
regulations in 7 CFR part 340 because
the recipient organism is a plant pest.
The proposed field test will evaluate the
feasability of using F1 sterility systems
in a sterile insect program, which is
designed to depress PBW populations.
The transgenic PBW will be reared in
the Phoenix PBW genetic rearing facility
and treated with radiation levels
suitable to induce F1 sterility. The
irradiated insects will be released into
no more than four 3-acre field sites of
cotton that are adjacent to cotton
expressing the Bt toxin, which is toxic
to PBW. This release is part of CPHST’s
PBW sterile insect program. Information
resulting from this research will be used
in support of APHIS’ efforts to eradicate
the PBW in the United States.
Additional information on the PBW
eradication plan for the United States
may be found at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pdmp/cotton/
pinkbollworm/eradication/
eradication.pdf. An environmental
assessment (EA) prepared for the
Southwest Pink Bollworm Eradication
Program may be found at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/es/
pdf%20files/swpbwea.pdf.
On February 13, 2006 APHIS
published a notice 1 in the Federal
Register (70 FR 7503–7504, Docket No.
APHIS–2006–0015) announcing the
availability of an EA for the proposed
field trial. During the 30-day comment
period, APHIS received two comments.
One comment was from an individual
and the other was from a government
research scientist. One comment
generally objected to the field release.
The commenter made several
unsupported, sweeping statements
suggesting that the trial is poorly
designed and will result in ‘‘health
problems.’’ APHIS finds no basis for
these statements and disagrees with the
comment. Additionally, the commenter
suggests that APHIS should be required
to get ‘‘sign off of the neighbors.’’ APHIS
has carefully evaluated the design of the
field trial and has determined that it
will not result in the establishment of
the regulated article outside of the field
test. Additionally, APHIS has informed
the public of the proposed field test and
requested comment on the EA. APHIS is
confident that this field test will not
1 To view the notice, EA, and the comments we
received, go to https://www.regulations.gov, click on
the ‘‘Advanced Search’’ tab, and select ‘‘Docket
Search.’’ In the Docket ID field, enter APHIS–2006–
0015, then click on ‘‘Submit.’’ Clicking on the
Docket ID link in the search results page will
produce a list of all documents in the docket.
E:\FR\FM\19APN1.SGM
19APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20067-20068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5880]
========================================================================
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. 71, No. 75 / Wednesday, April 19, 2006 /
Notices
[[Page 20067]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0043]
Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; Peer
Reviewer's Certification Regarding Conflict of Interest
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: New 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 approval of a new information collection activity
related to peer review of scientific information disseminated to the
public by the Agency.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June
19, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://
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-2006-0043 to submit or view public comments and
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
After the close of the comment period, the docket can be viewed using
the ``Advanced Search'' function in Regulations.gov.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-
2006-0043, 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-2006-0043.
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 https://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on APHIS' peer review
process or the peer reviewer's certification regarding conflict of
interest, contact Dr. Natalie Roberts, APHIS Peer Review Officer,
Planning, Evaluation, and Monitoring, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C-03.27,
4700 River Road Unit 120, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238; phone (301) 734-
8937 or e-mail natalie.a.roberts@aphis.usda.gov. 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: APHIS Peer Reviewer's Certification Regarding Conflict of
Interest.
OMB Number: 0579-XXXX.
Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is
responsible for protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health,
administering the Animal Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage
management activities. In carrying out its mission, APHIS collects,
generates, and disseminates a wide variety of scientific information.
Some of the information APHIS disseminates is ``influential''--that
is, it has a clear and substantial impact on important public policies
or important private sector decisions. A very small portion of APHIS'
scientific information takes the form of ``highly influential
scientific assessments,'' which have a potential impact of more than
$500 million in any year, or are novel, controversial, precedent-
setting, or of significant interagency interest.
In order to ensure the objectivity and highest level of quality of
such scientific information, APHIS arranges for these documents to be
peer reviewed in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget's
(OMB's) ``Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review,'' which
was published in the Federal Register on January 14, 2005, and is
available on the Web at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/2005/
011405_peer.pdf.
To ensure the effectiveness and integrity of the peer review
process, APHIS pays careful attention to potential conflicts of
interest when selecting peer reviewers. APHIS has developed a standard
letter to prospective peer reviewers, which, among other things, asks
them to consider whether they may have a conflict of interest related
to review of a specific scientific document and, if not, asks them to
sign a form certifying that they have no conflicting interests.
We are asking OMB to approve our use of this information collection
activity for 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
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 0.25 hours per response.
Respondents: Peer reviewers for agency scientific documents.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 50.
[[Page 20068]]
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
Estimated annual number of responses: 50.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 12.5 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 13th day of April 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-5880 Filed 4-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
