Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 71 / Friday, April 13, 2007 / Notices 18621 

information collection associated with 

regulations for the interstate movement 

of horses that have tested positive for 

equine infectious anemia. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before June 12, 

2007. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, select 

‘‘Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service’’ from the agency drop-down 

menu, then click ‘‘Submit.’’ In the 

Docket ID column, select APHIS–2007–

0036 to submit or view public 

comments and to view supporting and 

related materials available 

electronically. Information on using 

Regulations.gov, including instructions 

for accessing documents, submitting 

comments, and viewing the docket after 

the close of the comment period, is 

available through the site’s ‘‘User Tips’’

link. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Please send four copies of your 

comment (an original and three copies) 

to Docket No. APHIS–2007–0036, 

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–

2007–0036. 

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 an information 

collection associated with regulations 

for the interstate movement of equine 

that have tested positive for equine 

infectious anemia, contact Dr. Tim 

Cordes, Senior Staff Veterinarian, 

Aquaculture, Swine, Equine, and 

Poultry Programs, NCAHP, VS, APHIS, 

4700 River Road Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 

20737; (301) 734–3279. 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: Communicable Diseases in 

Horses. 

OMB Number: 0579–0127. 

Type of Request: Extension of 

approval of an information collection. 

Abstract: Under the authority of the 

Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 

8301 et seq.), the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

regulates the importation and interstate 

movement of animals and animal 

products, and conducts various other 

activities to protect the health of our 

Nation’s livestock and poultry. 

Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is an 

infectious and potentially fatal viral 

disease of equines. There is no vaccine 

or treatment for the disease. It is often 

difficult to differentiate from other 

fever-producing diseases, including 

anthrax, influenza, and equine 

encephalitis. 

The regulations in 9 CFR 75.4 govern 

the interstate movement of equines that 

have tested positive to an official test for 

EIA (EIA reactors) and provide for the 

approval of laboratories, diagnostic 

facilities, and research facilities. The 

regulations require the use of an official 

EIA test, a certificate for the interstate 

movement of an EIA reactor, and proper 

identification of the reactor, as well as 

recordkeeping by accredited and State 

veterinarians; laboratory, diagnostic, 

and research facility personnel; and 

stockyard personnel. 

We are asking the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) to 

approve our use of these information 

collection activities for an additional 3 

years. 

The purpose of this notice is to solicit 

comments from the public (as well as 

affected agencies) concerning this 

information collection activity. These 

comments will help us: 

(1) Evaluate whether the information 

collection is necessary for the proper 

performance of our agency’s functions, 

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 

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 

0.0882261 hours per response. 

Respondents: Accredited and State 

veterinarians; laboratory, diagnostic, 

and research facility personnel; 

stockyard personnel; and owners and 

shippers of horses. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 10,302. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 191.8076. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 1,976,002. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 174,335 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 9th day of 

April 2007. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–7042 Filed 4–12–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2006–0181] 

Notice of Request for Extension of 

Approval of an Information Collection; 

Commercial Transportation of Equines 

for Slaughter 

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 

regulations for the commercial 

transportation of equines to slaughtering 

facilities. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before June 12, 

2007. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, select 

‘‘Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service’’ from the agency drop-down 

menu, then click ‘‘Submit.’’ In the 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
18622 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 71 / Friday, April 13, 2007 / Notices 

Docket ID column, select APHIS–2006–

0181 to submit or view public 

comments and to view supporting and 

related materials available 

electronically. Information on using 

Regulations.gov, including instructions 

for accessing documents, submitting 

comments, and viewing the docket after 

the close of the comment period, is 

available through the site’s ‘‘User Tips’’

link. 

Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Please send four copies of your 

comment (an original and three copies) 

to Docket No. APHIS–2006–0181, 

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–

2006–0181. 

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 regarding an information 

collection associated with regulations 

for the commercial transportation of 

equines to slaughtering facilities, 

contact Dr. Tim Cordes, Senior Staff 

Veterinarian, Aquaculture, Swine, 

Equine, and Poultry Programs, NCAHP, 

VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 46, 

Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734–3279. 

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: Commercial Transportation of 

Equines for Slaughter. 

OMB Number: 0579–0160. 

Type of Request: Extension of 

approval of an information collection. 

Abstract: Under the Federal 

Agriculture Improvement and Reform 

Act of 1996 (‘‘the Farm Bill’’), Congress 

gave responsibility to the Secretary of 

Agriculture to regulate the commercial 

transportation within the United States 

of equines for slaughter. Sections 901–

905 of the Farm Bill (7 U.S.C. 1901 note) 

authorized the Secretary to issue 

guidelines for the regulation of 

commercial transportation of equines 

for slaughter by persons regularly 

engaged in that activity within the 

United States. As a result of that 

authority, the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, established regulations in 9 

CFR part 88, ‘‘Commercial 

Transportation of Equines for 

Slaughter.’’

The minimum standards cover, 

among other things, the food, water, and 

rest provided to such equines. The 

regulations require the owner/shipper of 

the equines to take certain actions in 

loading and transporting the equines 

and to certify that the commercial 

transportation meets certain 

requirements. Our regulations prohibit 

the commercial transportation to 

slaughter facilities of equines 

considered to be unfit for travel, the use 

of electric prods on such animals in 

commercial transportation to slaughter, 

and the use of double-deck trailers for 

commercial transportation of equines to 

slaughtering facilities. 

These regulations require the use of 

two information collection activities: (1) 

The preparation of an owner-shipper 

certificate for each equine transported to 

slaughter and (2) the collection of 

business information from any 

individual or other entity found to be 

transporting horses to a slaughtering 

facility. 

We are asking the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) to 

approve our use of these information 

collection activities 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 

0.0523661 hours per response. 

Respondents: Owners and shippers of 

slaughter horses. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents : 200. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 401.5. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 80,300. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 4,205 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 9th day of 

April 2007. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–7044 Filed 4–12–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Farm Service Agency 

Notice of Availability of the Draft 

Programmatic Environmental 

Assessment for the 2005 Hurricane 

Tree Assistance Program 

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

availability of the Draft Programmatic 

Environmental Assessment (PEA) for 

the implementation of the 2005 

Hurricane Tree Assistance Program 

(TAP), authorized by the Emergency 

Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act. 

The draft PEA assesses the potential 

environmental impacts of alternatives to 

be considered in the administration of 

this hurricane program. The draft PEA 

also provides a means for the public to 

voice any concerns they may have about 

the program, and any ideas for 

improving it. This Notice of Availability 

informs the public of the availability of 

the applicable draft PEA and solicits 

public comment. 

DATES: FSA invites comments on the 

draft PEA. Comments should be 

submitted by close of business on April 

30, 2007, to ensure consideration. 

Comments submitted after this date will 

be considered to the extent possible. 

ADDRESSES: Comments on and requests 

for copies of the draft PEA should be 

submitted to Matthew T. Ponish, 

National Environmental Compliance 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES