[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 905-906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-89]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 05-085-1]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Requirements for Recognizing the Animal Health Status of 
Foreign Regions

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: 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 an extension of approval of an information 
collection associated with requirements for recognizing the animal 
health status of foreign regions.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
7, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the ``Search for Open Regulations'' box, 
select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service'' from the agency 
drop-down menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, 
select APHIS-2005-0115 to submit or view public comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. After the 
close of the comment period, the docket can be viewed using the 
``Advanced Search'' function in Regulations.gov.
    <bullet> Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies 
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 05-085-1, 
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. 05-085-1.
    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

[[Page 906]]

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 regulations for 
recognizing the animal health status of foreign regions, contact Dr. 
Gary Colgrove, Director, National Center for Import and Export, VS, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-
4356. For copies of more detailed information on the information 
collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (301) 734-7477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Requirements for Recognizing the Animal Health Status of 
Foreign Regions.
    OMB Number: 0579-0219.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture is responsible for, among other 
things, protecting the health of our Nation's livestock and poultry 
populations by preventing the introduction and spread of serious 
diseases and pests of livestock and poultry and for eradicating such 
diseases and pests from the United States when feasible.
    The regulations in 9 CFR part 92, Importation of Animals and Animal 
Products: Procedures for Requesting Recognition of Regions, set out the 
process by which a foreign government may request recognition of the 
animal health status of a region or approval to export animals or 
animal products to the United States based on the risk associated with 
animals or animal products from that region. Each request must include 
information about the region, including information on the veterinary 
services organization of the region; the extent to which movement of 
animals and animal products is controlled from regions of higher risk, 
and the level of biosecurity for such movements; livestock demographics 
and marketing practices in the region; diagnostic laboratory 
capabilities in the region; and the region's policies and 
infrastructure for animal disease control. Specifically, in Sec.  92.2, 
we require regions that have been granted status under the regulations 
to provide information, or allow us to access information, to confirm 
the regions' animal health status when we request it. The types of 
information collected will vary based on the information required to 
adequately assess a region's animal health status.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity 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 
information collection, 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 information collection 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 40 hours per response.
    Respondents: Veterinary authorities in regions that have been 
granted a particular animal health status for a specified animal 
disease.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 3.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 3.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 120 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 29th day of December, 2005.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 06-89 Filed 1-5-06; 8:45 am]
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