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

73621 

Vol. 89, No. 176 

Wednesday, September 11, 2024 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2024–0055] 

Notice of Request for Extension of 

Approval of an Information Collection; 

Self-Certification Medical Statement 

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 permitting applicants to 

self-certify certain medical statements 

when applying for positions with the 

Federal Government. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before November 

12, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 

2024–0055 in the Search field. Select 

the Documents tab, then select the 

Comment button in the list of 

documents. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2024–0055, 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 regulations.gov or in 

our reading room, which is located in 

Room 1620 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 related to 

the use of a self-certification medical 

statement, contact Mr. Jason Grams, 

Branch Chief, Human Resources Policy, 

Human Resources Division, MRPBS, 

APHIS, 250 Marquette Plaza, Suite 410, 

Minneapolis, MN 55401; (612) 336– 

3292; email: jason.c.grams@usda.gov. 

For information on the information 

collection process, contact Mr. Joseph 

Moxey, APHIS’ Paperwork Reduction 

Act Coordinator; (301) 851–2533; email: 

joseph.moxey@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Self-Certification Medical 

Statement. 

OMB Control Number: 0579–0196. 

Type of Request: Extension of 

approval of an information collection. 

Abstract: Marketing and Regulatory 

Programs (MRP) of the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture facilitate the domestic 

and international marketing of U.S. 

agricultural products and protect the 

health of domestic animal and plant 

resources. Resource management and 

administrative services, including 

human resources management, for MRP 

agencies are provided by the MRP 

Business Services (MRPBS) unit of the 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS). 

MRP agencies are authorized by 5 

CFR part 339 and 29 CFR part 1630 to 

obtain medical information from 

applicants and employees for positions 

that have approved medical standards 

due to duties that are arduous or 

hazardous, or require a certain level of 

health status or fitness. These agencies 

have positions with duties that extend 

beyond sedentary and require specific 

medical standards and/or physical 

requirements to be performed 

successfully and safely. The medical 

qualifications standards for 

appointment to the covered positions 

listed in the MRP Medical Examination 

Requirements Charts are justified on the 

basis that the duties are arduous or 

hazardous and require a certain level of 

health status and fitness, and the nature 

of the positions involves a high degree 

of responsibility towards the public. 

This information collection is 

necessary for making a preliminary 

determination regarding a candidate’s 

physical fitness and ability to perform 

the duties of a covered position. MRP 

uses the Self-Certification Medical 

Statement for positions requiring 

verification of fitness and ability for 

duty. Applicants may also submit a 

request for waiver of standards and 

requirements. Inability to collect this 

information would adversely affect the 

MRP agencies’ ability to make 

employment decisions and 

determinations regarding an applicant’s 

physical fitness to safely and efficiently 

perform assigned duties. 

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 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 0.176 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: Private citizens. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 175. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 1. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 176. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 31 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 


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73622 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 176 / Wednesday, September 11, 2024 / Notices 

for OMB approval. All comments will 

also become a matter of public record. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 5th day of 

September 2024. 

Michael Watson, 

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–20544 Filed 9–10–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

[Docket No. FSIS–2024–0018] 

Notice of Request To Renew an 

Approved Information Collection: 

Accredited Laboratories 

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS), U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA). 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) regulations, FSIS is announcing 

its intention to renew an approved 

information collection regarding 

accredited laboratories. There are no 

changes to the existing information 

collection. The approval for this 

information collection will expire on 

February 28, 2025. 

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

November 12, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested 

persons to submit comments on this 

Federal Register notice. Comments may 

be submitted by one of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: This 

website provides commenters the ability 

to type short comments directly into the 

comment field on the web page or to 

attach a file for lengthier comments. Go 

to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow 

the on-line instructions at that site for 

submitting comments. 

• Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Food Safety 

and Inspection Service, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 

3758, Washington, DC 20250–3700. 

• Hand- or courier-delivered 

submittals: Deliver to 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Jamie L. 

Whitten Building, Room 350–E, 

Washington, DC 20250–3700. 

Instructions: All items submitted by 

mail or electronic mail must include the 

Agency name and docket number FSIS– 

2024–0018. Comments received in 

response to this docket will be made 

available for public inspection and 

posted without change, including any 

personal information, to https://

www.regulations.gov. 

Docket: For access to background 

documents or comments received, call 

202–720–5046 to schedule a time to 

visit the FSIS Docket Room at 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–3700. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina 

Kouba, Office of Policy and Program 

Development, Food Safety and 

Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 

3758, South Building, Washington, DC 

20250–3700; 202–720–5046. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Accredited Laboratories. 

OMB Number: 0583–0158. 

Type of Request: Renewal 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.). These statutes 

mandate that FSIS protect the public by 

verifying that meat, poultry, and egg 

products are safe, wholesome, and 

properly labeled. 

To ensure compliance with the FMIA, 

PPIA, EPIA and FSIS’ implementing 

regulations, FSIS periodically collects 

samples of meat, poultry, and egg 

products and sends them to FSIS 

laboratories for analysis. These tests are 

conducted to determine the content of 

food chemistry components and the 

presence of pathogens, violative 

concentrations of veterinary drugs, or 

other chemical residues to verify 

whether establishments meet regulatory 

requirements. In addition, 

establishments collect samples for 

analysis at other laboratories, including 

accredited non-Federal laboratories. 

FSIS accredits non-Federal analytical 

laboratories under its Accredited 

Laboratory Program (ALP) (see 9 CFR 

part 439). The ALP monitors each nonFederal laboratory currently accredited 

under the program to ensure that these 

laboratories are operating at a level of 

quality that produces reliable results 

that can be used to support decisions in 

establishments’ food safety systems. 

FSIS is requesting renewal of an 

approved information collection 

regarding the ALP. There are no changes 

to the existing information collection. 

The approval for this information 

collection will expire on February 28, 

2025. 

Any non-Federal laboratory that is 

applying for the FSIS’ ALP regarding the 

testing of meat, poultry, or egg products, 

needs to complete FSIS Form 10,110–2, 

Application for FSIS Accredited 

Laboratory Program (see 9 CFR part 

439). State or private laboratories only 

submit the application once for entry 

into the program. FSIS uses the 

information collected by the form to 

help assess the laboratory applying for 

admission to the FSIS Accredited 

Laboratory program. 

FSIS has made the following 

estimates based upon an information 

collection assessment: 

Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates 

that it will take respondents an average 

of 0.5 hours per year to complete a 

laboratory form. 

Respondents: Laboratories. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 2. 

Estimated Number of Annual 

Responses per Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 1 hour. 

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. 

Copies of this information collection 

assessment can be obtained from Gina 

Kouba, Office of Policy and Program 

Development, Food Safety and 

Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 

3758, South Building, Washington, DC 

20250–3700; 202–720–5046. 

Comments are invited on: (a) whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of FSIS’ functions, including whether 

the information will have practical 

utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS’ estimate 

of the burden of the proposed collection 

of information, including the validity of 

the method 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 to both FSIS, at the addresses 

provided above, and the Desk Officer for 

Agriculture, Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB), 

Washington, DC 20253. 

Additional Public Notification 

Public awareness of all segments of 

rulemaking and policy development is 

important. Consequently, FSIS will 

announce this Federal Register 

publication on-line through the FSIS 

web page located at: https://

www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register. 


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