Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Importation of Tomatoes From Certain Central American Countries, 67701 [2015-27965]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 212 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 67701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27965]



[[Page 67701]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0081]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Importation of Tomatoes From Certain Central 
American Countries

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision to and extension of approval of an information 
collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with the regulations for the 
importation of tomatoes from certain Central American countries.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
January 4, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0081.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2015-0081, 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-2015-
0081 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) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the importation of 
tomatoes from certain Central American countries, contact Mr. Juan 
(Tony) Rom[aacute]n, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, RCC, IRM, 
PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 
851-2242. For copies of more detailed information on the information 
collection, contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (301) 851-2727.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Importation of Tomatoes From Certain Central American 
Countries.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0286.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to restrict the importation, 
entry, or interstate movement of plants, plant products, and other 
articles to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United 
States or their dissemination within the United States. Regulations 
authorized by the PPA concerning the importation of fruits and 
vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world are 
contained in ``Subpart-Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56-1 through 
319.56-73).
    Under these regulations, pink or red tomatoes from Costa Rica, El 
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama are subject to 
certain conditions before entering the United States to prevent the 
introduction of plant pests into the United States. The regulations 
require information collection activities, including phytosanitary 
certificates with an additional declaration statement, production site 
and packinghouse inspection records, monitoring and auditing of the 
trapping program, trapping records, and labeling of boxes.
    When comparing the regulations to the information collection 
activities that were previously approved, we found that we did not 
account for pre-harvest inspections, production site registration and 
recertification, and export certifications. Additionally, the number of 
respondents has decreased by 10, but the number of responses from each 
respondent has increased. By adding these activities and responses to 
this information collection, the overall estimates of burden have 
increased.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities, as described, 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 0.19 hours per response.
    Respondents: Importers and growers of tomatoes and the national 
plant protection organizations of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, 
Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 54.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 112.4.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 6,072.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,160 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 October 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27965 Filed 11-2-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P