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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 104 (Friday, May 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31078-31079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12549]

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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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.

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 104 / Friday, May 30, 2014 / 
Notices

[[Page 31078]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2014-0037]

Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Karnal Bunt; Importation of Wheat and Related Articles

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 associated with the regulations for the importation of wheat 
and related articles from regions affected with Karnal bunt.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before July 
29, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0037.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2014-0037, 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-2014-
0037 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 wheat and related articles from regions affected 
with Karnal bunt, contact Mr. William Aley, Senior Regulatory Policy 
Specialist, PPIP, RPM, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, 
Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-2130. 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: Karnal Bunt; Importation of Wheat and Related Articles.
    OMB Number: 0579-0240.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), 
the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized, among other things, to 
prohibit or restrict the importation, entry, or interstate movement of 
plants, plant products, biological control organism, noxious weeds, 
means of conveyances, and other articles to prevent the introduction of 
plant pests or noxious weeds into the United States or their 
dissemination within the United States. This authority has been 
delegated to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
    Karnal bunt is a fungal disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum), durum 
wheat (Triticum durum), and triticale (Triticum aestivum X Secale 
cereale), a hybrid of wheat and rye. Karnal bunt is caused by the smut 
fungus Tilletia indica (Mitra) Mundkhur and is spread by spores, 
primarily through movement of infected seed. Karnal bunt is found in 
Afghanistan, India, Iraq, Pakistan, and portions of Mexico and the 
United States.
    To prevent the introduction and spread of various wheat diseases, 
including Karnal bunt, APHIS' regulations in ``Subpart--Wheat 
Diseases'' (7 CFR 319.59-1 through 319.59-4) prohibit the importation 
of wheat seed, plants, straw, and other products into the United States 
from regions affected with Karnal bunt.
    The regulations require that certain regulated articles imported 
from Karnal bunt-free areas within regions regulated for Karnal bunt be 
accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate that must be completed by an 
official of the national plant protection organization of the region of 
origin. The certificate must include a declaration stating that the 
regulated articles originated in areas where Karnal bunt is not known 
to occur, as attested to either by survey results or by testing for 
bunted kernels or spores.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity 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 1.2 hours per response.
    Respondents: U.S. importers/exporters of wheat and the national 
plant protection organization of the region of origin.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 500.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 500.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 600 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

[[Page 31079]]

for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public 
record.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 23rd day of May 2014.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-12549 Filed 5-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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