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 

### 27277

Vol. 79, No. 92

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service** 

**[Docket No. APHIS–2013–0097]**

**Notice of Availability of a Draft Framework for Implementing the**  **United States-Canada Foreign Animal Disease Zoning Arrangement** 

**AGENCY :**  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

**ACTION :**  Notice of availability and request for comments.

**SUMMARY :**  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is making available for public comment a draft framework for implementing and maintaining a foreign animal disease zoning arrangement between the United States and Canada. The draft framework provides an operational plan for the two countries to recognize each other’s decisions to control a highly contagious foreign animal disease outbreak through zoning. The draft framework also establishes a structure for maintaining the arrangement over time and strategiesfor engaging governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders in any actions taken under the arrangement, including planning and preparedness. This zoning arrangement will facilitate continued trade between disease-free areas of the United States and Canada while safeguarding animal health in both countries.

**DATES :**  We will consider all comments that we receive on or before July 14,

2014.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!document Detail;D=APHIS-2013-0097-0001.

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2013–0097, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.

Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http://www. regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=
APHIS-2013-0097 or in our reading room, which 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) 799–7039 before coming.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Dr. Kelly Rhodes, Regionalization Evaluation Services, National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, USDA, 4700 River Road, Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; kelly.rhodes@ aphis.usda.gov; (301) 851–3315.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Background

In October 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) jointly agreed to establish a foreign animal disease (FAD) zoning arrangement under the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council. The arrangement lays out the basic parameters by which the two countries intend to recognize each other’s decisions to control highly contagious FAD outbreaks through zoning, that is, determining and specifying a particular area in a portion of the country wherein a quarantine should be established to control a contagious FAD outbreak. The arrangement is based on reciprocal evaluations of veterinary infrastructure and emergency response capacity which concluded that each country can effectively use zoning to control an FAD outbreak. This notice makes available for public comment a draft framework that provides guidance for the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and CFIA to implement and maintain the zoning arrangement.

The United States and Canada both have response plans for highly contagious FAD outbreaks in place that are based on internationally accepted zoning principles. The plans call for establishing an area of control that consists of a central infected zone surrounded by one or more additional zones. The infected zone is the focus of disease eradication efforts, while the entire area of control is subject to surveillance for the disease agent and movement restrictions on animals and other commodities that could transmit the agent. The affected country may choose to modify or redefine the boundaries of an area of control during the course of an outbreak following procedures outlined in the draft framework.

The territory outside of an area of control is considered free of the disease. The claim to freedom is largely substantiated by demonstrating, through epidemiological investigation, movement tracing, and surveillance that the outbreak is contained within the area of control. The affected country may also choose to increase active or passive surveillance for the disease agent in the disease-free zone.

Under the draft framework, each country would notify the other of a confirmed FAD detection in domestic livestock within its territory while in the process of establishing an area of control. The unaffected (partner) country may initially restrict the importation of commodities that could transmit the disease from the affected country. The extent of the restrictions would depend on the disease, the magnitude of the outbreak, and other epidemiological factors.

The affected country would apply to the partner country for recognition of an established area of control, following procedures outlined in the draft framework. Once this recognition occurs, trade between disease-free zones could resume as normal, with few restrictions. The partner country may impose additional import restrictions if the disease is detected outside of an area of control during the response period.

The draft framework outlines procedures for a representative of the partner country to embed in and monitor the progress of the outbreak response. It also contains contingencies to address the rare instances when a widespread, multi-focal, or rapidly progressing outbreak may temporarily overwhelm the resources of the affected country and negatively impact its ability to contain the disease agent through zoning.

The draft framework further establishes a Federal-level governance structure designed to preserve the concept and intent of the zoning


### 27278 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 92 / Tuesday, May 13, 2014 / Notices

arrangement and promote the engagement and active participation of stakeholders in its implementation. It also outlines a strategy for APHIS and CFIA to work with other Federal, State, provincial, and non-governmental stakeholders to develop the means necessary to facilitate zoning recognition during an outbreak and minimize cross-border trade disruptions.

The draft framework may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (see **ADDRESSES** above for a link to Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may request paper copies of the document by calling or writing to the person listed under **FOR**

**FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT**. Please refer to the title of this document when requesting copies.

APHIS will consider all comments we receive on the FAD zoning arrangement draft framework. Comments on the framework that address disease risk, import restrictions, establishment of areas of control, operational procedures, and communications with affected stakeholders would be particularly useful as we continue to develop the framework.

Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of May 2014. Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 2014–10998 Filed 5–12–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–34–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Forest Service**

**Information Collection; Pesticide-Use Proposal** 

**AGENCY :**  Forest Service, USDA.

**ACTION :**  Notice; request for comment.

**SUMMARY :**  In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the new information collection, Pesticide-Use Proposal.

**DATES :**  Comments must be received in writing on or before July 14, 2014 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

**ADDRESSES :**  Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to Stephen A. Covell, Mail Stop 1110, USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250. Comments also may be submitted by email to scovell@fs.fed.us.

Comments submitted in response to this notice may be made available to the public through relevant Web sites and upon request. For this reason, please do not include in your comments information of a confidential nature, such as sensitive personal information or proprietary information. If you send an email comment, your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. Please note that responses to this public comment request containing any routine notice about the confidentiality of the communication will be treated as public comments that may be made available to the public notwithstanding the inclusion of the routine notice.

The public may inspect the draft supporting statement and/or comments received at 201 14th Street SW., Washington, DC 20250 during normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 703–605–5342 to facilitate entry to the building. The public may request an electronic copy of the draft supporting statement and/or any comments received be sent via return email. Requests should be emailed to scovell@fs.fed.us.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Mr. Stephen A. Covell, State and Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection, telephone 703–605–5342, email scovell@fs.fed.us. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339 twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Title: Pesticide-Use Proposal. OMB Number: 0596–NEW. Type of Request: New. Abstract: USDA Forest Service (FS) has Federal land stewardship responsibilities for approximately 193 million acres. FS land management responsibilities require use of integrated pest management, which in certain circumstances includes use of pesticides. FS currently uses form FS– 2100–2, Pesticide-Use Proposal (PUP) internally to collect and review pesticide-applications intended to control pests of grasslands and forests under its administrative responsibility (under FSM 2150, and FSH 2109.14). FS anticipates requests from outside entities for application of pesticides upon FS-administered lands within rights-of-way easements, permitted lands, and under similar circumstances. The FS proposes to use the PUP form to collect pesticide project information from those outside entities to facilitate authorization of selected activities. Completion of the PUP form includes identification of pests to be controlled, pesticide to be applied, and other regulatory compliance information such as use of certified applicators. Because diverse pesticide-use projects are designed for local conditions, it is appropriate for the PUP form to be used to ensure that essential details are uniformly assembled for review. Proposals will be evaluated by FS pesticide use coordinators and other administrative personnel to safeguard human health and ecological protection consistent with FS land use management programs. Form and instructions will be posted on a FS Web site for ready public availability.

Affected Public: Individuals and Households, Businesses and Organizations, and State, Local or Tribal Governments responsible for vegetation management along rights-of-way across lands administered by the Forest
Service.

Estimate of Burden per response: 12 hours.

Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 36.

Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 50.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 600 hours.

Comment is Invited: Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

All comments received in response to this notice, including names and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request toward Office of Management and Budget approval.

Dated: May 7, 2014. James Hubbard, Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry.

[FR Doc. 2014–10938 Filed 5–12–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3411–15–P**