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.

Notices Federal Register

11751 

Vol. 76, No. 42 

Thursday, March 3, 2011 

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 

http://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 

http://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 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
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 

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of affirmation of 

equivalence decision. 

SUMMARY: 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: 

• 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 http://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 http:// 

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 

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 http:// 

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 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES