Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 89 / Monday, May 8, 2000 / Notices 26563

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval. All comments will

become a matter of public record.

Dated: May 1, 2000.

Robert C. Keeney,

Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable

Programs.

[FR Doc. 00–11417 Filed 5–5–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request—Food Stamp

Program Identification Card

Requirements

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice invites the general public and

other public agencies to comment on

proposed information collections. This

notice announces the intent of the Food

and Nutrition Service (FNS) to continue

requiring State agencies to issue a Food

Stamp Program (FSP) identification (ID)

card to each certified household in the

Food Stamp Program.

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before July 7, 2000, to

be assured consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Barbara

Hallman, Chief, State Administration

Branch, Food and Nutrition Service,

USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive,

Alexandria, Virginia, 22302.

Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) 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; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to 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.

All comments will be summarized

and included in the request for Office of

Management and Budget approval of the

information collection. All comments

will become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Daniel Wilusz, (703) 305–2391.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Food Stamp Program

Identification Card Requirements.

OMB Number: 0584–0124.

Form Number: None.

Expiration Date: October 31, 2000.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved collection with a

reduction in burden hours.

Abstract: FSP ID cards are used

during recertification and for the

issuance of benefits. Specifically, the ID

cards will be used by:

• Issuance agents to identify

households for monthly issuance;

• Retailers to identify household

when benefits are used; and

• Households to provide as proof of

eligibility and when being issued

monthly allotments.

The issuance of FSP ID cards by State

agencies is authorized by section 7 of

the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (the Act) (7

U.S.C. 2016). Section 11 of the Act (7

U.S.C. 2020) further specifies that these

are to be photographic (photo) ID cards

in both large project areas and in those

areas identified by the Department as

needing photo ID cards to reduce the

number of unauthorized issuances.

FSP regulations at 7 CFR 274. 10(a)

require that State agencies issue a FSP

ID card to each household certified to

participate in the FSP. The household

must present its ID card as proof of

eligibility to receive and use benefits. In

addition, 7 CFR 274.10(b) requires State

agencies to issue photo ID cards in

project areas or portions thereof with

more than 100,000 participants, and in

smaller areas that have been identified

by the Department’s Inspector General

as needing photo IDs to decrease the

number of unauthorized issuances.

Project areas where all issuance of

benefits are through either direct mail or

an electronic benefit transfer system

(EBT) are exempt from the photo ID

requirement.

FSP regulations require that the photo

ID card be a controlled document with

a serial number protected by lamination.

The fact that it is a controlled document

with a serial number ensures integrity in

the issuance of new cards. Because the

issuance agent is required by 7 CFR

274.10(c)(2)(i) to annotate this serial

number on the authorization or issuance

document, the State agency can identify

the household that received a particular

issuance during the reconciliation

process. In addition, the photograph is

required because it clearly identifies the

bearer of the card to the issuance agent

or retailer. Lastly, the lamination of the

photo ID makes it more difficult to forge

or alter the card. The Department

believes that all of these features are

essential to ensure the integrity of the

FSP ID process and the FSP in general.

Estimated Burden

We are reducing the estimated burden

from 61,480 hours to 20,629 hours to

reflect declining FSP participation as

well as the growing number of States

currently using EBT to issue benefits.

Total issuance has decreased over 19

percent from fiscal year 1997 to fiscal

year 1999. As a result, fewer ID cards

(both regular and photo) need to be

issued. In addition, the growth of EBT

also lowers the burden by reducing the

number of photo ID cards. Photo ID

cards are not required in an EBT

environment since there are no coupons

for households to pick up from issuance

agents. EBT has increased from 15

percent of total issuance in fiscal year

1996 to about 71 percent of total

issuance in January 2000.

Affected Public: State and local

government, and food stamp

households.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

338,535.

Number of Responses per

Respondent: 12.

Total Number of Annual Responses:

4,062,420.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.005

hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden:

20,629 hours.

Dated: April 28, 2000.

Samuel Chambers, Jr.,

Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.

[FR Doc. 00–11416 Filed 5–5–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–30–U

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 00–016N]

Notice of Public Meeting: Revised

Action Plan for the Control of Listeria

monocytogenes for the Prevention of

the Foodborne Illness Listeriosis

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting;

request for comment.

SUMMARY: The Food Safety and

Inspection Service (FSIS) will hold a

public meeting to discuss and receive

public comment regarding Listeria

monocytogenes (Lm). The purpose of the

meeting is to discuss the initiatives the

Agency took after its February 1999