[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16804-16805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6900]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2012-0004]


Notice of Request for Revision of a Current Information 
Collection (Petitions for Rulemaking)

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a 
revision and extension of a currently approved information collection 
regarding petitions for rulemaking. FSIS is revising this information 
collection to increase the estimate of total burden hours. The Agency 
also is requesting an extension of the OMB approval for this 
information collection, which will expire on July 31, 2012.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before May 21, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
notice. Comments may be submitted by either of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the 
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this 
Web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, and hand- or 
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Docket Clerk, Patriots 
Plaza 3, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 8-163A, Mailstop 3782, 
Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2012-0004. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, go 
to the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 8 a.m. and 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact John O'Connell, Paperwork 
Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 6065, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250; (202) 720-0345.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Petitions for Rulemaking.
    OMB Control Number: 0583-0136.
    Type of Request: Revision of an approved information collection.
    Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the 
functions of the Secretary (7 CFR 2.18, 2.53) as specified in the 
Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), the 
Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.), and 
the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). FSIS 
protects the public by verifying that meat, poultry, and egg products 
are safe, wholesome, not adulterated, and correctly labeled.
    The Administrative Procedure Act requires that Federal agencies 
give interested persons the right to petition for issuance, amendment, 
or repeal of a rule (5 U.S.C. 553(e)).
    FSIS has regulations to govern the submission to the Agency of 
petitions for rulemaking (9 CFR Part 392). These regulations are 
designed to encourage the filing of well-supported petitions that 
contain information that the Agency needs to evaluate a requested 
rulemaking in a timely manner. FSIS uses the information associated 
with petitions to assess the merits of a requested action and to 
determine whether to issue, amend, or repeal regulations in response to 
a petition.
    FSIS is requesting a revision of an approved information collection 
addressing paperwork requirements regarding the petitions submitted to 
the Agency. FSIS is increasing its estimate of the number of petitions 
for rulemaking that will be submitted to the Agency, and hence also the 
total number of burden hours, based on a review of the number of 
petitions submitted to FSIS in the last few years.
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it takes respondents an 
average of 40 hours per year to complete and to submit a petition.
    Respondents: Official establishments, official plants, firms, trade 
associations, and public interest groups.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 10.
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses Per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 400 hours.
    Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained 
from John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety 
and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence SW., Room 6065, South 
Building, Washington, DC 20250; (202)720-0345.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques, or other forms of 
information technology. Comments may be sent both to FSIS, at the 
addresses provided above, and to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20253.
    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.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination 
in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, 
national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, 
sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited 
bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, 
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's Target Center at 
(202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY).
    To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office 
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TTY). 
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Additional Public Notification

    FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page 
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal 
Register Notices/index.asp.
    FSIS will also make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide 
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal 
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information 
that could affect or would be of interest to constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is

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communicated via Listserv, a free electronic mail subscription service 
for industry, trade groups, consumer interest groups, health 
professionals, and other individuals who have asked to be included. The 
Update is also available on the FSIS Web page. In addition, FSIS offers 
an electronic mail subscription service which provides automatic and 
customized access to selected food safety news and information. This 
service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Email_Subscription/. Options range from recalls to export information 
to regulations, directives and notices. Customers can add or delete 
subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password protect their 
accounts.

    Done at Washington, DC, on March 19, 2012.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-6900 Filed 3-21-12; 8:45 am]
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