[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 198 (Tuesday, October 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53283-53284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27098]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 97-092-1]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection

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 in support of the Imported Fire Ant regulations.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 15, 1997 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the accuracy of burden estimate, 
ways to minimize the burden (such as through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology), or any 
other aspect of this collection of information to: Docket No. 97-092-1, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, suite 3C03, 4700 River 
Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please send an original and 
three copies, and state that your comments refer to Docket 97-092-1. 
Comments received may be inspected at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 
14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. 
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing 
to inspect comments are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to 
facilitate entry into the comment reading room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For information regarding the Imported Fire 
Ant regulations, contact Mr. Michael Stefan, Operations Officer, 
Domestic and Emergency Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 134, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, (301) 734-8247. For copies of more detailed 
information on the information collection, contact Ms. Cheryl Jenkins, 
Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 734-5360.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Imported Fire Ant.

[[Page 53284]]

    OMB Number: 0579-0102.
    Expiration Date of Approval: April 30, 1998.
    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 preventing the 
interstate spread of injurious plant pests, such as the imported fire 
ant, from infested areas of the United States to noninfested areas. 
Implementing this mission often requires the use of domestic 
quarantines to restrict the interstate movement of articles that could 
carry the plant pest.
    Restricting the interstate movement of regulated articles from an 
infested area to a noninfested area is crucial to our mission of 
preventing the interstate spread of the imported fire ant.
    Nursery owners who elect to enter our Imported Fire Ant-Free 
Nursery Program visually inspect their premises for the presence of 
imported fire ants, record the results in a notebook or logsheet, and 
also record any treatments they perform if fire ants are discovered.
    State plant protection officials collect this information by 
interviewing the nursery owner, reviewing the owner's inspection and 
treatment records, and inspecting the nursery site. The information 
obtained is used for issuing the various certificates, permits, and 
other documents that enable the nursery owner to move regulated items 
(such as potted nursery plants, sod, or other products) across State 
lines to markets outside the areas quarantined because of imported fire 
ant.
    Without this information collection, we would be unable to collect 
the information we need to effectively implement our imported fire ant 
quarantine.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
the continued use of this information collection activity.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
We need this outside input to help us:
    (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 our 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; 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 .3561 hours per response.
    Respondents: U.S. nursery owners, shippers, and State and county 
plant health protection authorities.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,704.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 3.4038.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 9,204.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,278 hours. (Due to 
rounding, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the average 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 7th day of October 1997.
Craig A. Reed,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 97-27098 Filed 10-10-97; 8:45 am]
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