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

65652

Vol. 62, No. 240

Monday, December 15, 1997

Joint Board for the Enrollment of

Actuaries

Advisory Committee on Actuarial

Examinations; Meeting

Notice is hereby given that the

Advisory Committee on Actuarial

Examinations will meet in Conference

Room 118 of the Aerospace Building,

L’Enfant Plaza, 901 D Street, SW,

Washington, DC, on Thursday and

Friday, January 8 and 9, 1998, from 8:30

a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

The purpose of this meeting is to

discuss topics and questions which may

be recommended for inclusion on future

Joint Board examinations in actuarial

mathematics and methodology referred

to in Title 29 U.S. Code, section

1242(a)(1)(B) and to review the

November 1997 Joint Board examination

in order to make recommendations

relative thereto, including the minimum

acceptable pass score. In addition, a

number of issues will be discussed

relative to the future Joint Board

examinations including, but not limited

to, the structure of the exams, the

possibility of open book exams, the

elimination of commutation functions,

and varying point values of questions.

A determination has been made as

required by section 10(d) of the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–

463) that the portions of the meeting

dealing with the discussion of questions

which may appear on future Joint Board

examinations and review of the

November 1997 Joint Board examination

fall within the exceptions to the open

meeting requirement set forth in Title 5

U.S. Code, section 552(c)(9)(B), and that

public interest requires that such

portions be closed to public

participation.

The portion of the meeting dealing

with the discussion of the structure of

future exams, open book exams,

commutation functions, and varying

point values of questions will

commence at 1:30 p.m. on January 8 and

will continue for as long as necessary to

complete the discussion, but not beyond

3:00 p.m. This portion of the meeting

will be open to the public as space is

available. Time permitting, after the

close of this discussion by Committee

members, interested persons may make

statements germane to this subject.

Persons wishing to make oral statements

are requested to notify the Committee

Management Officer in writing prior to

the meeting in order to aid in

scheduling the time available, and

should submit the written text, or, at a

minimum, an outline of comments they

propose to make orally. Such comments

will be limited to ten minutes in length.

Any interested person also may file a

written statement for consideration by

the Joint Board and Committee by

sending it to the Committee

Management Officer. Persons planning

to attend the public session must also

notify the Committee Management

Officer in writing to obtain building

entry. Notifications should be faxed to

(202) 401–6657 no later than December

30, 1997, Attention: Robert I. Brauer,

Joint Board for the Enrollment of

Actuaries, c/o Department of Treasury,

Internal Revenue Service (C:AP:P), 1111

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,

DC 20224.

Dated: December 8, 1997.

Robert I. Brauer,

Advisory Committee Management Officer,

Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries.

[FR Doc. 97–32672 Filed 12–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4830–01–U

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

[Docket No. 97–111–1]

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.

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

Foreign Animal Disease Surveillance

Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by February 13, 1998 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.

97–111–1, 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 97–111–1.

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 Foreign

Animal Disease Program, contact Dr.

Mark Teachman, Senior Staff

Veterinarian, Emergency Programs, VS,

APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 41,

Riverdale, MD 20737–1231, (301) 734–

8908. For copies of more detailed

information on the information

collection, contact Ms. Cheryl Groves,

Information Collection Coordinator, at

(301) 734–5086.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Field Epidemiology Data

System.

OMB Number: 0579–0071.

Expiration Date of Approval: August

31, 1998.

Type of Request: Extension of

approval of an information collection.

Abstract: The United States

Department of Agriculture (USDA) is

responsible for preventing foreign

diseases of livestock or poultry from

entering the United States, for

conducting a surveillance program for

the early detection of such foreign

animal diseases, and for eradicating

such foreign animal diseases if they are

detected.

Through our Foreign Animal Disease

Surveillance Program, the Emergency

Programs division of Veterinary

Services, Animal and Plant Health
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 240 / Monday, December 15, 1997 / Notices 65653

Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA,

compiles essential epidemiologic and

diagnostic data that are used to define

foreign animal diseases and their risk

factors. When a potential foreign animal

disease incident is reported, APHIS

dispatches a foreign animal disease

veterinary diagnostician to the site to

conduct an investigation.

The diagnostician obtains vital

epidemiologic data by conducting field

investigations and by interviewing the

owner or manager of the premises being

investigated.

These important data include such

items as the number of sick or dead

animals on the premises, the results of

necropsy examinations, vaccination

information on the animals in the flock

or herd, the level of biosecurity

practiced at the site, whether any

animals were recently moved out of the

herd or flock, whether any new animals

were recently introduced into the herd

or flock, and detailed geographic data

concerning premises location.

The diagnostician records this

information on VS Form 12–27.

Information from this form is then

entered into our Field Epidemiology

Data System (FEDS).

VS Form 12–27 is used for both task

force emergency disease investigations

and all suspect foreign animal disease

investigations. After laboratory

confirmation of a specific foreign animal

disease, the information collected on the

form ensures prompt attention and

follow-up by a disease eradication

specialist.

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 .5

hours per response.

Respondents: Owners and operators

of livestock and poultry producing

operations, State personnel who assist

with information collection.

Estimated number of respondents:

260.

Estimated annual number of

responses per respondent: 1.615.

Estimated annual number of

responses: 420.

Estimated total annual burden on

respondents: 210 hours.

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

December 1997.

Craig A. Reed,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 97–32660 Filed 12–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

[Docket No. 97–112–1]

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.

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

Swine Health Protection Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by February 13, 1998 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.

97–112–1, 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 97–112–1.

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 Swine Health

Protection Program, contact Dr. Arnold

Taft, Senior Staff Veterinarian, National

Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS,

4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD

20737–1231, (301) 734–4916. For copies

of more detailed information on the

information collection, contact Ms.

Cheryl Groves, Information Collection

Coordinator, at (301) 734–5086.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Swine Health Protection.

OMB Number: 0579–0065.

Expiration Date of Approval: July 31,

1998.

Type of Request: Extension of

approval of an information collection.

Abstract: The United States

Department of Agriculture is

responsible for preventing the spread of

contagious, infectious, or communicable

diseases of livestock or poultry from one

State to another, and for eradicating

such diseases from the United States

when feasible.

The Swine Health Protection Act

prohibits the feeding of garbage to swine

unless the garbage has been treated to

kill disease organisms. Untreated

garbage is one of the primary media

through which numerous infections and

communicable diseases are transmitted

to swine. The garbage must be treated at

a facility holding a valid permit to treat

the garbage. The garbage must be treated

in accordance with regulations

promulgated by the Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

APHIS requires certain information in

order to license (issue a permit to) a

facility to operate and in order to

monitor the facility for compliance with

the regulations.

Information collection activities

include the submission of an

application for a license to operate a

garbage treatment facility, the recording

of the destination and date of removal

of all food waste or garbage from the

treatment facility, and the submission of

food waste reports.

With this information we are able to

carefully monitor garbage treatment

facilities to ensure that they are

adhering to our requirements.

The information provided by these

information gathering activities is