Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Environmental Monitoring Form, 11751-11752 [2011-4767]
Download as PDF
11751
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 76, No. 42
Thursday, March 3, 2011
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–2010–0118]
Notice of Request for Extension of
Approval of an Information Collection;
Environmental Monitoring Form
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Extension of approval of an
information collection; comment
request.
AGENCY:
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
environmental monitoring.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before May 2,
2011.
SUMMARY:
You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/
component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS–
2010–0118 to submit or view comments
and to view supporting and related
materials available electronically.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Please send one copy of your comment
to Docket No. APHIS–2010–0118,
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–
2010–0118.
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
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
ADDRESSES:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:47 Mar 02, 2011
Jkt 223001
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 environmental
monitoring, contact Dr. Robert Baca,
Team Leader, Environmental
Compliance, Emergency and Domestic
Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road
Unit 150, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236;
(301) 734–7592. 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: Environmental Monitoring
Form.
OMB Number: 0579–0117.
Type of Request: Extension of
approval of an information collection.
Abstract: The mission of the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) of the United States
Department of Agriculture is to provide
leadership in ensuring the health and
care of animals and plants, to improve
agricultural productivity and
competitiveness, and to contribute to
the national economy and the public
health.
APHIS is committed to accomplishing
its mission in a manner that promotes
and protects the integrity of the
environment. This includes APHIS’
compliance with all applicable
environmental statutes.
Primary among these statutes is the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the
regulations of the Council on
Environmental Quality implementing
the procedural provisions of NEPA (40
CFR parts 1500–1508), USDA
regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR
part 1b), and APHIS’ NEPA
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part
372). APHIS engages in environmental
monitoring for certain activities that we
conduct to control or eradicate certain
pests and diseases. We monitor those
activities that have the greatest potential
for harm to the human environment to
ensure that the mitigation measures
developed to avoid that harm are
enforced and effective. In many cases,
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
monitoring is required where APHIS
programs are conducted close to
habitats of endangered and threatened
species. This monitoring is developed in
coordination with the U.S. Department
of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife
Service, in compliance with the
Endangered Species Act (50 U.S.C.
17.11 and 17.12).
APHIS field personnel and State
cooperators jointly use APHIS Form
2060, Environmental Monitoring Form,
to collect information concerning the
effects of pesticide use in these sensitive
areas. The goal of environmental
monitoring is to track the potential
impact that APHIS activities may have
on the environment and to use this
knowledge in making any necessary
adjustments in future program actions.
We are asking the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to
approve our use of APHIS Form 2060
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 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 0.5
hours per response.
Respondents: Growers, appliers of
pesticides, State department of
agriculture personnel.
Estimated annual number of
respondents: 150.
Estimated annual number of
responses per respondent: 20.
Estimated annual number of
responses: 3,000.
Estimated total annual burden on
respondents: 1,500 hours. (Due to
E:\FR\FM\03MRN1.SGM
03MRN1
11752
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2011 / Notices
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 25th day of
February 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–4767 Filed 3–2–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS–2009–0020]
Australia’s Meat Safety Enhancement
Program; Notice of Affirmation of
Equivalence Decision
Food Safety and Inspection
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of affirmation of
equivalence decision.
AGENCY:
The Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) is affirming its
1999 decision that Australia’s Meat
Safety Enhancement Program (MSEP),
an alternative to the conventional meat
inspection system also maintained by
the Australian Government food
regulatory authority [Australia
Quarantine and Inspection Service
(AQIS)], is equivalent to the FSIS
domestic meat inspection system. MSEP
has been renamed the Australian Export
Meat Inspection System (AEMIS), but
the system itself will remain the same
as that determined to be equivalent by
FSIS in 1999 when FSIS announced that
slaughter inspection in MSEP
establishments meets all requirements
of U.S. law for the import of product to
the United States, and provides the
same level of public health protection as
U.S. domestic slaughter inspection. In
this notice, MSEP is used for events that
occurred under that name, MSEP/
AEMIS for unchanging features of the
program, and AEMIS for current and
projected activities. In January 2011,
Australia informed FSIS that AEMIS
will be progressively implemented in all
Australian beef, sheep, and goat
establishments eligible to export to the
United States.
DATES: The Agency must receive
comments by April 4, 2011.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites comments on
this notice. Comments may be
submitted by either of the following
methods:
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:47 Mar 02, 2011
Jkt 223001
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: This
Web site provides the ability to type
short comments directly into the
comment field on this Web page or
attach a file for lengthier comments. Go
to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow
the online instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
• Mail, including floppy disks or CD–
ROMs, and hand- or courier-delivered
items: Send to Docket Clerk, USDA,
FSIS, Room 2–2127 George Washington
Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue,
Mailstop 5272, Beltsville, MD 20705–
5272.
Instructions: All items submitted by
mail or electronic mail must include the
Agency name and docket number FSIS–
2009–0020. Comments received in
response to this docket will be made
available for public inspection and
posted without change, including any
personal information, to https://
www.regulations.gov.
Docket: All comments submitted in
response to this notice, as well as
research and background information
used by FSIS in developing this
document, will be available for public
inspection in the FSIS Docket Room at
the address listed above between 8 a.m.
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information contact Dr. Ronald
K. Jones, Assistant Administrator, Office
of International Affairs, Food Safety and
Inspection Service, USDA, Room 3143–
S, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250–0070; telephone
(202) 720–3473, fax (202) 690–3856, email Ronald.Jones@fsis.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Federal Meat Inspection Act
(FMIA) stipulates that no carcasses,
parts of carcasses, meat, or meat food
products shall be imported into the
United States unless the livestock from
which they were produced was
slaughtered and processed in
accordance with all provisions and
regulations applicable to such articles in
commerce within the United States (21
U.S.C. 620). These provisions and
regulations include standards for safety,
wholesomeness, and labeling accuracy.
Foreign countries wanting to export
meat to the United States must apply to
FSIS, following procedures set out in
§ 327.2 of Title 9 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR). To be found eligible,
a foreign country’s national government
must operate an inspection system with
legal authority for the inspection
system. Its implementing regulations
and other implementing documentation
must be equivalent to those of the
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
United States. Specifically, the national
meat inspection system must impose
equivalent requirements with respect to:
(1) Ante-mortem and post-mortem
inspection; (2) official controls by the
national government over plant
construction, facilities, and equipment;
(3) direct and continuous supervision of
slaughter activities and product
preparation; (4) separation of
establishments certified to export from
those not certified; (5) maintenance of a
single standard of inspection and
sanitation throughout certified
establishments; (6) requirements for
sanitation at establishments certified to
export and for sanitary handling of
product; and (7) official controls over
condemned product.
In order to achieve equivalence
recognition, a foreign country must
submit its inspection system to an
evaluation by FSIS consisting of a
document review and an on-site review.
The document review is an evaluation
of the laws, regulations, and other
implementing documentation used by
the country to enact its inspection
program. The foreign country provides a
self-assessment of its national meat or
poultry inspection system, organized by
six components: Government oversight,
statutory authority and food safety
regulations, sanitation, Hazard Analysis
and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
systems, chemical residue testing
programs, and microbiological testing
programs. FSIS evaluates the
information submitted in these selfassessment documents and conducts an
on-site review to verify all aspects of the
country’s inspection program, including
laboratories and the foreign
government’s oversight of the individual
establishments within the country. This
comprehensive process is described
fully on the FSIS Web site at https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/
Regulations_&_Policies/
equivalence_process/index.asp.
If FSIS determines that a foreign
country’s inspection system is
equivalent, the Agency is required to
conduct a rulemaking to list the country
in the meat inspection regulations, at 9
CFR 327.2, as eligible to export meat
and meat products to the United States.
Once the rulemaking is final, the foreign
country certifies appropriate
establishments as having met required
standards for export. This certification
ensures that both establishments
producing meat for export to the United
States and the products of those
establishments comply with
requirements that are equivalent to
those of the FMIA and the regulations
that are promulgated under this
statutory authority. To verify that
E:\FR\FM\03MRN1.SGM
03MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 42 (Thursday, March 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11751-11752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4767]
========================================================================
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. 76, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2011 /
Notices
[[Page 11751]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0118]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection; Environmental Monitoring Form
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 associated with environmental monitoring.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May
2, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2010-0118 to submit or view comments and
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0118, 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-2010-0118.
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 environmental
monitoring, contact Dr. Robert Baca, Team Leader, Environmental
Compliance, Emergency and Domestic Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 150, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-7592. 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: Environmental Monitoring Form.
OMB Number: 0579-0117.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: The mission of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture is to
provide leadership in ensuring the health and care of animals and
plants, to improve agricultural productivity and competitiveness, and
to contribute to the national economy and the public health.
APHIS is committed to accomplishing its mission in a manner that
promotes and protects the integrity of the environment. This includes
APHIS' compliance with all applicable environmental statutes.
Primary among these statutes is the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the regulations of the Council on
Environmental Quality implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA
(40 CFR parts 1500-1508), USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR
part 1b), and APHIS' NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
APHIS engages in environmental monitoring for certain activities that
we conduct to control or eradicate certain pests and diseases. We
monitor those activities that have the greatest potential for harm to
the human environment to ensure that the mitigation measures developed
to avoid that harm are enforced and effective. In many cases,
monitoring is required where APHIS programs are conducted close to
habitats of endangered and threatened species. This monitoring is
developed in coordination with the U.S. Department of the Interior,
Fish and Wildlife Service, in compliance with the Endangered Species
Act (50 U.S.C. 17.11 and 17.12).
APHIS field personnel and State cooperators jointly use APHIS Form
2060, Environmental Monitoring Form, to collect information concerning
the effects of pesticide use in these sensitive areas. The goal of
environmental monitoring is to track the potential impact that APHIS
activities may have on the environment and to use this knowledge in
making any necessary adjustments in future program actions.
We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve
our use of APHIS Form 2060 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
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 0.5 hours per response.
Respondents: Growers, appliers of pesticides, State department of
agriculture personnel.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 150.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 20.
Estimated annual number of responses: 3,000.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,500 hours. (Due to
[[Page 11752]]
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 25th day of February 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-4767 Filed 3-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P