Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; User Fee Regulations, 50991-50992 [2011-20883]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
50991
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 76, No. 159
Wednesday, August 17, 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–2011–0083]
Notice of Request for Extension of
Approval of an Information Collection;
User Fee Regulations
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
the collection of user fees.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before October 17,
2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-00830001.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2011–0083, Regulatory Analysis
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station
3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.
Supporting documents and any
comments we receive on this docket
may be viewed at https://
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0083 or
in our reading room, which 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.
Emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:13 Aug 16, 2011
Jkt 223001
For
information on user fees, contact Ms.
Kris Caraher, User Fees Section Head,
Financial Management Division,
MRPBS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit
55, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734–
5743. 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: User Fee Regulations.
OMB Number: 0579–0094.
Type of Request: Extension of
approval of an information collection.
Abstract: Section 2509 of the Food,
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade
Act of 1990, as amended, authorizes the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) to collect user fees for
agricultural quarantine and inspection
(AQI) services, for providing for the
inspection and certification of plants
and plant products offered for export or
transiting the United States, and for
providing veterinary diagnostic services
and services related to the importation
and exportation of animals and animal
products.
Although certain AQI functions, but
not the laws or regulations upon which
they are premised, were transferred
from APHIS to the Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) bureau of the
Department of Homeland Security in
2002, APHIS remains responsible for the
regulations related to AQI activities,
including the user fee regulations.
APHIS also remains responsible for
administration of the user fee programs.
Neither APHIS nor CBP receives an
appropriation to fund these activities;
instead, user fees are calculated and
assessed to ensure full cost recovery of
each user fee program. If the
information was not collected, the
agencies would not be able to perform
the services since the fees collected are
necessary to fund the work.
Requesters of services usually are
repeat customers, and, in many cases,
request that we bill them for our
services. Also, the 1996 Debt Collection
Improvement Act requires that agencies
collect tax identification numbers (TINs)
from all persons doing business with the
Government for purposes of collecting
delinquent debts. Without a TIN, service
cannot be provided on a credit basis.
The requests for services are in
writing, by telephone, or in person. The
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
information contained in each request
identifies the specific service requested
and the time in which the requester
wishes the service to be performed. This
information is necessary in order for the
animal import centers and port offices
to schedule the work and to calculate
the fees due.
APHIS is responsible for ensuring that
the fees collected are correct and that
they are remitted in full and in a timely
manner. To ensure this, the party
(ticketing agents for transportation
companies) responsible for collecting
and remitting fees must allow APHIS
personnel to verify the accuracy of the
fees collected and remitted, and
otherwise determine compliance with
the statute and regulations. We also
require that whoever is responsible for
making fee payments advise us of the
name, address, and telephone number of
a responsible officer who is authorized
to verify fee calculations, collections,
and remittances.
This information collection is
necessary for APHIS to effectively
collect fees, ensure remittances in a
timely manner, and determine proper
credit for payment of international air
passenger, aircraft clearance,
commercial truck, commercial railroad
car, commercial vessel, phytosanitary
certificate, import/export, and
veterinary diagnostic user fees.
We have reviewed the paperwork
requirements of the user fee programs
and have made every possible effort to
streamline our processes and minimize
the impact on the public. Whenever
possible, we use existing billing/
collection methods to minimize the cost
to the Agency.
We are asking the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to
approve our use of these information
collection activities 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;
E:\FR\FM\17AUN1.SGM
17AUN1
50992
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 159 / Wednesday, August 17, 2011 / Notices
(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
0.0541 hours per response.
Respondents: Arriving international
passengers, owners and operators of
arriving international means of
conveyance, importers/exporters who
wish to import or export plants and
plant products, and importers/exporters
who wish to import or export animals
and animal products.
Estimated annual number of
respondents: 51,957.
Estimated annual number of
responses per respondent: 5.69.
Estimated annual number of
responses: 295,881.
Estimated total annual burden on
respondents: 15,997 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 10th day of
August 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–20883 Filed 8–16–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2011–0078]
Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk
Analysis for the Importation of
Shredded Lettuce From Egypt
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
Emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that we have prepared a pest risk
analysis that evaluates the risks
associated with the importation into the
continental United States of fresh
shredded lettuce from Egypt. Based on
this analysis, we believe that the
application of one or more designated
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:13 Aug 16, 2011
Jkt 223001
phytosanitary measures will be
sufficient to mitigate the risks of
introducing or disseminating plant pests
or noxious weeds via the importation of
fresh shredded lettuce from Egypt. We
are making the pest risk analysis
available to the public for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before October 17,
2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!documentDetail;D=APHIS–2011–
0078–0001.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2011–0078, Regulatory Analysis
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station
3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.
Supporting documents and any
comments we receive on this docket
may be viewed at https://
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS–2011–0078 or
in our reading room, which 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Marc Phillips, Import Specialist, RCC,
RPM, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road
Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301)
734–4394.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under the regulations in ‘‘Subpart—
Fruits and Vegetables’’ (7 CFR 319.56–
1 through 319.56–51, referred to below
as the regulations), the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
prohibits or restricts the importation of
fruits and vegetables into the United
States from certain parts of the world to
prevent plant pests from being
introduced into and spread within the
United States.
Section 319.56–4 contains a
performance-based process for
approving the importation of
commodities that, based on the findings
of a pest risk analysis, can be safely
imported subject to one or more of the
designated phytosanitary measures
listed in paragraph (b) of that section.
APHIS received a request from the
Government of Egypt to allow the
importation of fresh shredded lettuce
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(Lactuca sativa L.) from Egypt into the
continental United States. Currently,
fresh shredded lettuce is not authorized
for entry from Egypt. We have
completed a pest risk analysis for the
purpose of evaluating the pest risks
associated with the importation of fresh
shredded lettuce into the continental
United States. The analysis consists of
a pest list identifying pests of
quarantine significance that are present
in Egypt and could follow the pathway
of importation into the United States
and a risk management document
identifying phytosanitary measures that
could be applied to the commodity to
mitigate the pest risk.
We have concluded that fresh
shredded lettuce can be safely imported
into the continental United States from
Egypt using one or more of the five
designated phytosanitary measures
listed in § 319.56–4(b). The measures we
selected are:
• Fresh shredded lettuce may be
imported into the continental United
States in commercial consignments
only.
• Each consignment of shredded
lettuce leaves must be accompanied by
a phytosanitary certificate issued by the
national plant protection organization of
Egypt with an additional declaration
stating the following: ‘‘Shredded lettuce
leaves in this consignment were
inspected and found free from
quarantine pests.’’
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 319.56–4(c), we are announcing the
availability of our pest risk analysis for
public review and comment. The pest
risk analysis may be viewed on the
Regulations.gov Web site or in our
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for
a link to Regulations.gov and
information on the location and hours of
the reading room). You may request
paper copies of the pest risk analysis by
calling or writing to the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of
the pest risk analysis you wish to review
when requesting copies.
After reviewing any comments we
receive, we will announce our decision
regarding the import status of fresh
shredded lettuce from Egypt in a
subsequent notice. If the overall
conclusions of the analysis and the
Administrator’s determination of risk
remain unchanged following our
consideration of the comments, then we
will begin issuing permits for the
importation of fresh shredded lettuce
from Egypt into the continental United
States subject to the requirements
specified in the risk management
documents.
E:\FR\FM\17AUN1.SGM
17AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 17, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50991-50992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20883]
========================================================================
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. 159 / Wednesday, August 17, 2011 /
Notices
[[Page 50991]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2011-0083]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection; User Fee Regulations
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 the collection of user fees.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
October 17, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0083-0001.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2011-0083, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD,
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may
be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-
0083 or in our reading room, which 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on user fees, contact
Ms. Kris Caraher, User Fees Section Head, Financial Management
Division, MRPBS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 55, Riverdale, MD 20737;
(301) 734-5743. 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: User Fee Regulations.
OMB Number: 0579-0094.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: Section 2509 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and
Trade Act of 1990, as amended, authorizes the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) to collect user fees for agricultural
quarantine and inspection (AQI) services, for providing for the
inspection and certification of plants and plant products offered for
export or transiting the United States, and for providing veterinary
diagnostic services and services related to the importation and
exportation of animals and animal products.
Although certain AQI functions, but not the laws or regulations
upon which they are premised, were transferred from APHIS to the
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bureau of the Department of
Homeland Security in 2002, APHIS remains responsible for the
regulations related to AQI activities, including the user fee
regulations. APHIS also remains responsible for administration of the
user fee programs.
Neither APHIS nor CBP receives an appropriation to fund these
activities; instead, user fees are calculated and assessed to ensure
full cost recovery of each user fee program. If the information was not
collected, the agencies would not be able to perform the services since
the fees collected are necessary to fund the work.
Requesters of services usually are repeat customers, and, in many
cases, request that we bill them for our services. Also, the 1996 Debt
Collection Improvement Act requires that agencies collect tax
identification numbers (TINs) from all persons doing business with the
Government for purposes of collecting delinquent debts. Without a TIN,
service cannot be provided on a credit basis.
The requests for services are in writing, by telephone, or in
person. The information contained in each request identifies the
specific service requested and the time in which the requester wishes
the service to be performed. This information is necessary in order for
the animal import centers and port offices to schedule the work and to
calculate the fees due.
APHIS is responsible for ensuring that the fees collected are
correct and that they are remitted in full and in a timely manner. To
ensure this, the party (ticketing agents for transportation companies)
responsible for collecting and remitting fees must allow APHIS
personnel to verify the accuracy of the fees collected and remitted,
and otherwise determine compliance with the statute and regulations. We
also require that whoever is responsible for making fee payments advise
us of the name, address, and telephone number of a responsible officer
who is authorized to verify fee calculations, collections, and
remittances.
This information collection is necessary for APHIS to effectively
collect fees, ensure remittances in a timely manner, and determine
proper credit for payment of international air passenger, aircraft
clearance, commercial truck, commercial railroad car, commercial
vessel, phytosanitary certificate, import/export, and veterinary
diagnostic user fees.
We have reviewed the paperwork requirements of the user fee
programs and have made every possible effort to streamline our
processes and minimize the impact on the public. Whenever possible, we
use existing billing/collection methods to minimize the cost to the
Agency.
We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve
our use of these information collection activities 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;
[[Page 50992]]
(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 0.0541 hours per response.
Respondents: Arriving international passengers, owners and
operators of arriving international means of conveyance, importers/
exporters who wish to import or export plants and plant products, and
importers/exporters who wish to import or export animals and animal
products.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 51,957.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 5.69.
Estimated annual number of responses: 295,881.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 15,997 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 10th day of August 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-20883 Filed 8-16-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
