Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations, 3542-3544 [2022-01260]

Agencies

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 15 (Monday, January 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3542-3544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01260]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-22-22BY; Docket No. CDC-2022-0008]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the 
utility of government information, invites the general public and other 
federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or 
continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed 
information collection project titled Importation Regulations (42 CFR 
71 subpart F), which specifies the requirements for importing animals 
or animal products that are regulated by CDC into the United States.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before March 25, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2022-
0008 by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road 
NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to Regulations.gov.
    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; phone: 404-639-7570; Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 
information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires 
federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new 
proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed 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 the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed 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;
    4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses; and
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

    Importation Regulations (42 CFR 71 Subpart F)--New--National Center 
for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    This is a request for a new information collection to consolidate 
forms and information collections related to the importation of 
animals, animal products, and human remains into one information 
collection. This information collection was previously part of three 
separate, OMB-approved information collections: (1) 0920-1034 (expires 
3/31/2022), (2) 0920-0263 (expires 9/30/2023), and (3) 0920-0199 
(expires 8/31/2024). CDC is requesting a three-year OMB clearance for 
this new, combined information collection.
    Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) (42 U.S.C. 264)

[[Page 3543]]

authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make and 
enforce regulations necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission 
or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the 
United States. The Statute, and the existing regulations governing 
foreign quarantine activities (42 CFR 71), authorize quarantine 
officers and other personnel to inspect and undertake necessary control 
measures with respect to conveyances, persons, and shipments of animals 
and etiologic agents in order to protect the public's health.
    CDC regulations govern the importation of animals and animal 
products capable of causing human disease. Animals that are regulated 
by CDC are dogs, cats, turtles, snakes, lizards, non-human primates 
(NHP), civets, African rodents, and bats. CDC controls the importation 
of these animals to ensure that these animals, or animal products, 
being imported into the United States meet CDC regulations. CDC does 
this through a permitting process for certain animals.
    On June 16, 2021 CDC published a Federal Register Notice informing 
the public about a temporary suspension of dogs entering the United 
States from high-risk rabies countries. The canine rabies virus variant 
(CRVV) was declared eliminated in the United States in 2007. The 
importation of just one dog infected with CRVV risks re-introduction of 
the virus into the United States resulting in a potential public health 
risk with consequent monetary cost and potential loss of human and 
animal life. Since 2015 there have been four known rabid dogs imported 
into the United States.
    During the suspension period, CDC will issue permits for importers 
with dogs who have been in a high-risk CRVV country within the last six 
months and do not have a current, valid U.S.-issued rabies vaccination 
certificate. Only importers who are permanently relocating to the 
United States, are a US government employee traveling on official 
orders, are an owner of a service dog that is trained to assist them 
with a disability, are an individual importing dogs for science, 
education, exhibition, or law enforcement purposes, or people who 
traveled with their dog before July 31, 2021 are eligible to apply for 
a permit. Dogs from CRVV-free or low risk countries and dogs with valid 
U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificates that are microchipped, 
healthy, and at least six months of age do not require a permit. The 
current permit application to import a dog is under collection 0920-
1034. When a dog or cat arrives at an airport and is sick or dead, 
importers are required to notify CDC. There is no form for this 
notification.
    Other animals that require a permit, and are included in this 
information collection are NHPs, which can carry of number of diseases 
that can cause severe infections in people. NHPs may not be imported as 
pets and may only be imported for bona fide scientific, educational, or 
exhibition purposes, as defined in the regulations. Forms for the 
importation of NHPs are currently under information collection 0920-
0263. These forms will move into this new information collection to 
consolidate all forms related to the importation of animals or animal 
products into one collection.
    A new form to request a permit to import a regulated animal that is 
neither a dog nor an NHP (e.g., turtles, African rodents, civets) is 
included in this information collection. It also incorporates the 
addition of bats, which is currently approved under OMB control number 
0920-0199.
    Regarding human remains, the Division of Global Migration and 
Quarantine (DGMQ) works with the Division of Select Agents and Toxins 
(DSAT) on the importation for human remains. DGMQ requests death 
certificates from those wishing to import remains and then determines 
if the importer will need a permit, which is issued by DSAT and will 
remain in 0920-0199.
    Lastly, people importing animal products must make a statement or 
provide documentation demonstrating that the animal product is not 
infectious.
    CDC requests approval for an estimated 60,215 annual burden hours. 
There are no costs to respondents other than their time to participate.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
      Type of respondents           Form name        Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)         hours
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Dog Importers (42 CFR           Dog Permit                60,000               1           60/60          60,000
 71.51(c)(2), (d)).              Application
                                 Form.
NHP Importers (42 CFR 71.53)..  NHP Shipment                 120               1           15/60              30
                                 Arrival
                                 Notification
                                 Form.
First Time NHP Importer (42     NHP Importer                  15               1          120/60              30
 CFR 71.53).                     Form.
Regulated Animal Importer (42   Other animal                   2               1           30/60               1
 CFR 71).                        import form.
Dog and Cat Importers (42 CFR   Record of                     43               1           60/60              43
 71.51(b)(3)).                   sickness or
                                 death.
Human Remains Importers (42     Provide death                 50               1           15/60              13
 CFR 71.55, 42 CFR 71.32).       certificate.
Importer of animal products     Statement or                 391               1           15/60              98
 (42 CFR 71.32).                 documentation
                                 of non-
                                 infectiousness.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............          60,215
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[[Page 3544]]

Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2022-01260 Filed 1-21-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P