Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Food Stamp Program Regulations, Part 275-Quality Control, 13737-13738 [E7-5333]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 56 / Friday, March 23, 2007 / Notices
comments submitted in support of the
conclusions drawn in the EA and seven
comments opposed to the conclusions
drawn in the EA. APHIS’ responses to
these comments can be found in an
attachment to the finding of no
significant impact (FONSI).
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Determination
Based on APHIS’ analysis of field,
greenhouse, and laboratory data
submitted by Syngenta, references
provided in the petition, other relevant
information described in the EA, and
comments provided by the public,
APHIS has determined that MIR604 will
not pose a plant pest risk for the
following reasons: (1) Gene
introgression from MIR604 corn into
wild relatives in the United States and
its territories is extremely unlikely and
is not likely to increase the weediness
potential of any resulting progeny nor
adversely affect genetic diversity of
related plants any more than would
introgression from traditional corn
hybrids; (2) it exhibits no characteristics
that would cause it to be weedier than
the non-genetically engineered parent
corn line or other cultivated corn; (3) it
does not pose a risk to non-target
organisms, including beneficial
organisms and threatened or endangered
species, because the insecticidal activity
of the mCry3A protein is limited to
target pest species, namely corn
rootworm; (4) it does not pose a threat
to biodiversity as it does not exhibit
traits that increase its weediness and its
unconfined cultivation should not lead
to increased weediness of other
cultivated corn, it exhibits no changes
in disease susceptibility, and it is
unlikely to harm non-target organisms
common to the agricultural ecosystem
or threatened or endangered species
recognized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service; (5) compared to current corn
pest and weed management practices,
cultivation of MIR604 corn should not
impact standard agricultural practices in
corn cultivation and controlling
volunteer corn, including those for
organic farmers; and (6) disease
susceptibility and compositional
profiles of MIR604 corn are similar to
those of its parent variety and other corn
cultivars grown in the United States,
therefore no direct or indirect plant pest
effects on raw or processed plant
commodities are expected.
National Environmental Policy Act
To provide the public with
documentation of APHIS’ review and
analysis of any potential environmental
impacts associated with the
determination of nonregulated status for
MIR604, an EA was prepared. The EA
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was prepared in accordance with (1)
The National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.), (2) 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). Based on that EA, APHIS has
reached a FONSI with regard to the
determination that Syngenta corn line
MIR604 and lines developed from it are
no longer regulated articles under its
regulations in 7 CFR part 340. Copies of
the EA and FONSI are available as
indicated in the ADDRESSES and FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT sections
of this notice.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701–7772 and 7781–
7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and
371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of
March 2007.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7–5345 Filed 3–22–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Food Stamp
Program Regulations, Part 275—
Quality Control
Food and Nutrition Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, this notice
invites the general public and other
public agencies to comment on the
proposed information collection for
Food Stamp Program Regulations, Part
275—Quality Control. Specifically, this
is the burden associated with the
collection of information for the
sampling plan, the arbitration process,
and the good cause process. This
proposed collection is a revision of a
collection currently approved under
OMB No. 0584–0303.
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted on or before May 22, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on:
(a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
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13737
of the burden of the proposed collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Send comments and requests for
copies of this information collection to:
Daniel Wilusz, Chief, Quality Control
Branch, Program Accountability
Division, Food and Nutrition Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101
Park Center Drive, Room 822,
Alexandria, VA 22302. You may FAX
comments on this notice to (703) 305–
0928. You may also download an
electronic version of this notice at
https://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/rules/
Regulations/default.htm and comment
via e-mail at
Daniel.Wilusz@fns.usda.gov.
All responses to this notice will be
included in the request for OMB
approval.
All comments will also become a
matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
should be directed to Daniel Wilusz at
(703) 305–2460.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Food Stamp Program
Regulations, Part 275—Quality Control.
OMB Number: 0584–0303.
Expiration Date: August 31, 2007.
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved collection of
information.
Abstract: There are three components
of the Quality Control (QC) system that
are covered in this proposed
information collection. They are: (1) The
sampling plan; (2) the arbitration
process; and (3) the good cause process.
Each State is required to develop a
sampling plan that demonstrates the
integrity of its case selection
procedures. The QC system is designed
to measure each State agency’s payment
error rate based on a statistically valid
sample of food stamp cases. A State
agency’s payment error rate represents
the proportion of cases that were
reported through a QC review as being
ineligible, overissued and underissued
food stamp benefits.
The QC system contains procedures
for resolving differences in review
findings between State agencies and
FNS. This is referred to as the
arbitration process. The QC system also
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 56 / Friday, March 23, 2007 / Notices
contains procedures that provide relief
for State agencies from all or a part of
a QC liability when a State agency can
demonstrate that a part or all of an
excessive error rate was due to an
unusual event that had an
uncontrollable impact on the State
agency’s payment error rate. This is
referred to as the good cause process.
The approved burden for the QC
system includes the burden for the QC
sampling plan, the arbitration process,
and the good cause process. The annual
reporting burden associated with the QC
sampling plan remains at 265 hours. We
estimate the annual reporting burdens
associated with arbitration and good
cause processes to total 350 hours and
160 hours respectively. The decrease in
the proposed burden from the currently
approved 1643 to 350 hours for the
arbitration process is due to a redetermination in the number of State
agencies estimated to respond from 53
to 14 and to the estimated number of
responses per State agency from 3.1 to
2.5. These decreases are a result of State
agencies more frequently agreeing with
FNS’ findings. The proposed annual
reporting burden for the good cause
process is unchanged from the currently
approved burden of 160 hours.
The proposed annual recordkeeping
burden associated with the QC sampling
plan is 1.25 hours per year. The
proposed annual recordkeeping burdens
associated with arbitration and good
cause processes are estimated to total
.83 and .0236 hours respectively. The
recordkeeping burden for the arbitration
process decreased from 3.89 hours to .83
hours due to a re-determination in the
estimated number of affected State
agencies from 53 to 14 and the
estimated number of responses per State
decreased from 3.1 to 2.5. The
recordkeeping burden for the good
cause process decreased from 1.25 to
.0236 hours due to a re-determination in
the estimated number of affected State
agencies from 53 to 1 per year. The total
annual burden for the QC system, as
proposed by this notice, decreased from
2074 to 777 hours.
Quality Control System Reporting
Burden Associated With the Sampling
Plan, Arbitration, and Good Cause
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
1. Sampling Plan
Affected Public: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
53.
Estimated Number of Responses Per
Respondent: 1.
Estimated Time Per Response: 5
hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 265.
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2. Arbitration Process
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Affected Public: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
14.
Estimated Number of Responses Per
Respondent: 2.5.
Estimated Time Per Response: 10
hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 350.
Foreign Agricultural Service
3. Good Cause Process
Affected Public: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.
Estimated Number of Responses: 1.
Estimated Time Per Response: 160
hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 160.
Quality Control System Recordkeeping
Burden Associated With the Sampling
Plan, Arbitration, and Good Cause
1. Sampling Plan
Estimated Number of Recordkeepers:
53.
Estimated Number of Records Per
Respondent: 1.
Estimated Staff Hours Per
Recordkeeping: .0236.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 1.25.
2. Arbitration Process
Estimated Number of Recordkeepers:
14.
Estimated Number of Records Per
Respondent: 2.5
Estimated Staff Hours Per
Recordkeeping: .0236
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: .83
3. Good Cause Process
Estimated Number of Recordkeepers:
1.
Estimated Number of Records: 1.
Estimated Staff Hours Per
Recordkeeping: .0236.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: .0236.
The Combined Quality Control
System Burden (includes the burdens
associated with the Sampling Plan,
Arbitration and Good Cause): 777 hours.
Dated: March 16, 2007.
George A. Braley,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition
Service.
[FR Doc. E7–5333 Filed 3–22–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
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WTO Agricultural Safeguard Trigger
Levels
Foreign Agricultural Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice of product coverage and
trigger levels for safeguard measures
provides for in the World Trade
Organization (WTO) Agreement on
Agriculture.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice lists the updated
quantity trigger levels for products,
which may be subject to additional
import duties under the safeguard
provisions of the WTO Agreement on
Agriculture. This notice also includes
the relevant period applicable for the
trigger levels on each of the listed
products.
DATES: Effective Date: March 23, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lana Bennett, Import and Trade Support
Programs Division, Foreign Agricultural
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Stop 1047, 1400 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20250–1047,
telephone at (202) 720–0638, or e-mail
itspd@fas.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 5
of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture
provides that additional import duties
may be imposed on imports of products
subject to tariffication as a result of the
Uruguay Round if certain conditions are
met. The agreement permits additional
duties to be charged if the price of an
individual shipment of imported
products falls below the average price
for similar goods imported during the
years 1986–88 by a specified percentage.
It also permits additional duties to be
imposed if the volume of imports of an
article exceeds the average of the most
recent 3 years for which data are
available by 5, 10, or 25 percent,
depending on the article. These
additional duties may not be imposed
on quantities for which minimum or
current access commitments were made
during the Uruguay Round negotiations,
and only one type of safeguard, price or
quantity, may be applied at any given
time to an article. Section 405 of the
Uruguay Round Agreements Act
requires that the President cause to be
published in the Federal Register
information regarding the price and
quantity safeguards, including the
quantity trigger levels, which must be
updated annually based upon import
levels during the most recent 3 years.
The President delegated this duty to the
Secretary of Agriculture in Presidential
Proclamation No. 6763, dated December
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 56 (Friday, March 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13737-13738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5333]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Food Stamp Program Regulations, Part 275--Quality
Control
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment
on the proposed information collection for Food Stamp Program
Regulations, Part 275--Quality Control. Specifically, this is the
burden associated with the collection of information for the sampling
plan, the arbitration process, and the good cause process. This
proposed collection is a revision of a collection currently approved
under OMB No. 0584-0303.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 22, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who
are to respond, including use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms
of information technology.
Send comments and requests for copies of this information
collection to: Daniel Wilusz, Chief, Quality Control Branch, Program
Accountability Division, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 822, Alexandria, VA 22302.
You may FAX comments on this notice to (703) 305-0928. You may also
download an electronic version of this notice at https://
www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/rules/Regulations/default.htm and comment via e-
mail at Daniel.Wilusz@fns.usda.gov.
All responses to this notice will be included in the request for
OMB approval.
All comments will also become a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection should be directed to Daniel
Wilusz at (703) 305-2460.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Food Stamp Program Regulations, Part 275--Quality Control.
OMB Number: 0584-0303.
Expiration Date: August 31, 2007.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection of
information.
Abstract: There are three components of the Quality Control (QC)
system that are covered in this proposed information collection. They
are: (1) The sampling plan; (2) the arbitration process; and (3) the
good cause process. Each State is required to develop a sampling plan
that demonstrates the integrity of its case selection procedures. The
QC system is designed to measure each State agency's payment error rate
based on a statistically valid sample of food stamp cases. A State
agency's payment error rate represents the proportion of cases that
were reported through a QC review as being ineligible, overissued and
underissued food stamp benefits.
The QC system contains procedures for resolving differences in
review findings between State agencies and FNS. This is referred to as
the arbitration process. The QC system also
[[Page 13738]]
contains procedures that provide relief for State agencies from all or
a part of a QC liability when a State agency can demonstrate that a
part or all of an excessive error rate was due to an unusual event that
had an uncontrollable impact on the State agency's payment error rate.
This is referred to as the good cause process.
The approved burden for the QC system includes the burden for the
QC sampling plan, the arbitration process, and the good cause process.
The annual reporting burden associated with the QC sampling plan
remains at 265 hours. We estimate the annual reporting burdens
associated with arbitration and good cause processes to total 350 hours
and 160 hours respectively. The decrease in the proposed burden from
the currently approved 1643 to 350 hours for the arbitration process is
due to a re-determination in the number of State agencies estimated to
respond from 53 to 14 and to the estimated number of responses per
State agency from 3.1 to 2.5. These decreases are a result of State
agencies more frequently agreeing with FNS' findings. The proposed
annual reporting burden for the good cause process is unchanged from
the currently approved burden of 160 hours.
The proposed annual recordkeeping burden associated with the QC
sampling plan is 1.25 hours per year. The proposed annual recordkeeping
burdens associated with arbitration and good cause processes are
estimated to total .83 and .0236 hours respectively. The recordkeeping
burden for the arbitration process decreased from 3.89 hours to .83
hours due to a re-determination in the estimated number of affected
State agencies from 53 to 14 and the estimated number of responses per
State decreased from 3.1 to 2.5. The recordkeeping burden for the good
cause process decreased from 1.25 to .0236 hours due to a re-
determination in the estimated number of affected State agencies from
53 to 1 per year. The total annual burden for the QC system, as
proposed by this notice, decreased from 2074 to 777 hours.
Quality Control System Reporting Burden Associated With the Sampling
Plan, Arbitration, and Good Cause
1. Sampling Plan
Affected Public: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
Estimated Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Time Per Response: 5 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 265.
2. Arbitration Process
Affected Public: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 14.
Estimated Number of Responses Per Respondent: 2.5.
Estimated Time Per Response: 10 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 350.
3. Good Cause Process
Affected Public: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.
Estimated Number of Responses: 1.
Estimated Time Per Response: 160 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 160.
Quality Control System Recordkeeping Burden Associated With the
Sampling Plan, Arbitration, and Good Cause
1. Sampling Plan
Estimated Number of Recordkeepers: 53.
Estimated Number of Records Per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Staff Hours Per Recordkeeping: .0236.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1.25.
2. Arbitration Process
Estimated Number of Recordkeepers: 14.
Estimated Number of Records Per Respondent: 2.5
Estimated Staff Hours Per Recordkeeping: .0236
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: .83
3. Good Cause Process
Estimated Number of Recordkeepers: 1.
Estimated Number of Records: 1.
Estimated Staff Hours Per Recordkeeping: .0236.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: .0236.
The Combined Quality Control System Burden (includes the burdens
associated with the Sampling Plan, Arbitration and Good Cause): 777
hours.
Dated: March 16, 2007.
George A. Braley,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. E7-5333 Filed 3-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
