Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2013 / Notices 13301 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0109] 

Notice of Request for Extension of 

Approval of an Information Collection; 

Spring Viremia of Carp; Import 

Restrictions on Certain Live Fish, 

Fertilized Eggs, and Gametes 

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 

the regulations for the importation of 

live fish, fertilized eggs, and gametes to 

prevent the introduction of spring 

viremia of carp into the United States. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before April 29, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0109- 

0001. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2012–0109, 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-2012-0109 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: For 

information on the regulations for the 

importation of live fish, fertilized eggs, 

and gametes, contact Dr. Christa 

Speekmann, Import/Export SpecialistAquatic Animals, National Center for 

Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 

River Road, Unit 39, Riverdale MD 

20737; (301) 851–3365. For copies of 

more detailed information on the 

information collection, contact Mrs. 

Celeste Sickles, APHIS’ Information 

Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851– 

2908. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Spring Viremia of Carp; Import 

Restrictions on Certain Live Fish, 

Fertilized Eggs, and Gametes. 

OMB Number: 0579–0301. 

Type of Request: Extension of 

approval of an information collection. 

Abstract: Under 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 is authorized, among 

other things, to prohibit or restrict the 

importation and interstate movement of 

animals and animal products to prevent 

the introduction into and dissemination 

within the United States of livestock 

diseases and pests. To carry out this 

mission, APHIS regulates the 

importation of animals and animal 

products into the United States. These 

regulations are contained in title 9, parts 

92 through 98, of the Code of Federal 

Regulations. Sections 93.900 through 

93.906 contain requirements to prevent 

the introduction of spring viremia of 

carp (SVC) into the United States. SVC 

is a disease of certain species of finfish 

that is caused by an eponymous 

rhabdovirus. The disease is considered 

extremely contagious, and there are 

currently no U.S.-approved vaccines or 

treatments for the virus. 

In accordance with the regulations, 

APHIS restricts the importation of live 

fish, fertilized eggs, and gametes of SVCsusceptible species and the importation 

of diagnostic specimens or research 

materials containing viable SVC virus. 

The regulations involve information 

collection activities, including an 

Application for Import or in Transit 

Permit (Animals, Animal Semen, 

Animal Embryos, Birds, Poultry, or 

Hatching Eggs) (VS Form 17–129), 

Application for Permit to: Import or 

Transport Controlled Material or 

Organisms or Vectors (VS Form 16–3), 

Refusal of Entry and Order to Dispose of 

Fish (VS Form 17–136), and Declaration 

of Importation (Animals, Animal 

Semen, Animal Embryos, Birds, Poultry, 

or Hatching Eggs) (VS Form 17–29). In 

addition to the listed forms, additional 

information collection activities include 

a health certificate, cleaning and 

disinfection certificate, and 72-hour 

notification to APHIS before arrival of a 

shipment in the United States. Lastly, 

recordkeeping is also required. 

Since the last extension of approval 

for these information collection 

activities, APHIS has refined the 

number of respondents and number of 

responses collected, resulting in a 

decrease of the estimated annual 

number of respondents from 462 to 76. 

In addition, APHIS has also improved 

estimates of the time necessary for 

completion of these activities, as well as 

the number of recordkeepers, which was 

adjusted from 12,010 to 1,072. The 

estimated total annual burden hours has 

now decreased from 2,018.21 hours to 

1,016 hours. 

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 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 

0.189164029 hours per response. 

Respondents: Brokers, personnel at 

aquatic pathogen detection laboratories, 

salaried veterinary officers of the 

national government of the exporting 

region or designated certifying officials, 

and importers of SVC-susceptible live 

fish, fertilized eggs, and gametes. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 76. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 70.67. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 5,371. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 1,016 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. 


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13302 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 39 / Wednesday, February 27, 2013 / Notices 

1To view the notice, petition, draft EA, the PPRA, 

and the comments we received, go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS– 

2012–0024. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of 

February 2013. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–04496 Filed 2–26–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0024] 

Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.; 

Determination of Nonregulated Status 

of Corn Genetically Engineered for 

Insect Resistance 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public of 

our determination that a corn line 

developed by the Syngenta 

Biotechnology, Inc., designated as event 

SYN–05307–1, which has been 

genetically engineered for resistance to 

corn rootworm, an insect pest of corn, 

is no longer considered a regulated 

article under our regulations governing 

the introduction of certain genetically 

engineered organisms. Our 

determination is based on our 

evaluation of data submitted by 

Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc., in its 

petition for a determination of 

nonregulated status, our analysis of 

available scientific data, and comments 

received from the public in response to 

our previous notice announcing the 

availability of the petition for 

nonregulated status and its associated 

environmental assessment and plant 

pest risk assessment. This notice also 

announces the availability of our 

written determination and finding of no 

significant impact. 

DATES: Effective Date: February 27, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may read the 

documents referenced in this notice and 

the comments we received 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) 799–7039 before 

coming. Those documents are also 

available on the Internet at http:// 

www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/ 

not_reg.html and are posted with the 

previous notice and the comments we 

received on the Regulations.gov Web 

site at http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!docketDetail;D=APHIS–2012–0024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

John Turner, Director, Environmental 

Risk Analysis Programs, Biotechnology 

Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River 

Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737– 

1236; (301) 851–3954, email: 

john.t.turner@aphis.usda.gov. To obtain 

copies of the documents referenced in 

this notice, contact Ms. Cindy Eck at 

(301) 851–3892, email: 

cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The regulations in 7 CFR part 340, 

‘‘Introduction of Organisms and 

Products Altered or Produced Through 

Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant 

Pests or Which There Is Reason to 

Believe Are Plant Pests,’’ regulate, 

among other things, the introduction 

(importation, interstate movement, or 

release into the environment) of 

organisms and products altered or 

produced through genetic engineering 

that are plant pests or that there is 

reason to believe are plant pests. Such 

genetically engineered organisms and 

products are considered ‘‘regulated 

articles.’’ 

The regulations in § 340.6(a) provide 

that any person may submit a petition 

to the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) seeking a 

determination that an article should not 

be regulated under 7 CFR part 340. 

Paragraphs (b) and (c) of § 340.6 

describe the form that a petition for a 

determination of nonregulated status 

must take and the information that must 

be included in the petition. 

APHIS received a petition (APHIS 

Petition Number 10–336–01p) from 

Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc., 

(Syngenta) of Research Triangle Park, 

NC, seeking a determination of 

nonregulated status of corn (Zea mays 

L.) designated as event SYN–05307–1, 

which has been genetically engineered 

for resistance to corn rootworm, an 

insect pest of corn. The petition states 

that this corn is unlikely to pose a plant 

pest risk and, therefore, should not be 

a regulated article under APHIS’ 

regulations in 7 CFR part 340. 

In a notice 1 published in the Federal 

Register on July 13, 2012 (77 FR 41366– 

41367, Docket No. APHIS–2012–0024), 

APHIS announced the availability of the 

Syngenta petition, a plant pest risk 

assessment (PPRA), and a draft 

environmental assessment (EA) for 

public comment. APHIS solicited 

comments on the petition, whether the 

subject corn is likely to pose a plant pest 

risk, the draft EA, and the PPRA for 60 

days ending on September 11, 2012. 

APHIS received 86 comments during 

the comment period, with 14 

commenters expressing support of the 

EA’s preferred alternative to make a 

determination of nonregulated status 

and the remaining 72 commenters 

expressing opposition. One of the 

comments opposing a determination of 

nonregulated status included submitted 

electronic attachments that consisted of 

many signed letters containing identical 

material (4,601 letters). Issues raised 

during the comment period included 

adequacy of the EA, effects on nontarget 

organisms, and potential effects on 

human and animal health. APHIS has 

addressed the issues raised during the 

comment period and has provided 

responses to these comments as an 

attachment to the finding of no 

significant impact. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

To provide the public with 

documentation of APHIS’ review and 

analysis of any potential environmental 

impacts associated with the 

determination of nonregulated status of 

Syngenta’s corn event SYN–05307–1, an 

EA has been prepared. The EA was 

prepared in accordance with: (1) The 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.), (2) regulations of the 

Council on Environmental Quality for 

implementing the procedural provisions 

of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), (3) 

USDA regulations implementing NEPA 

(7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA 

Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 

372). Based on our EA, the response to 

public comments, and other pertinent 

scientific data, APHIS has reached a 

finding of no significant impact with 

regard to the preferred alternative 

identified in the EA. 

Determination 

Based on APHIS’ analysis of field and 

laboratory data submitted by Syngenta, 

references provided in the petition, 

peer-reviewed publications, information 

analyzed in the EA, the PPRA, 

comments provided by the public, and 

information provided in APHIS’ 

response to those public comments, 

APHIS has determined that Syngenta’s 

corn event SYN–05307–1 is unlikely to 

pose a plant pest risk and therefore is no 

longer subject to our regulations 

governing the introduction of certain 

genetically engineered organisms. 


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