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

25813

Vol. 63, No. 90

Monday, May 11, 1998

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

[Docket No. 98–031–1]

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

regulations to protect endangered

species of terrestrial plants.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 10, 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.

98–031–1, 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 No. 98–031–

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 CONTACT: For

information regarding the importation

or exportation of endangered species of

terrestrial plants, contact Mr. Michael

Lidsky, CITES Program Coordinator,

Operational Support, PPQ, APHIS, 4700

River Road Unit 146, Riverdale, MD

20737–1236, (301) 734–5762. For copies

of more detailed information on the

information collection, contact Ms.

Cheryl Groves, APHIS’ Information

Collection Coordinator, at (301) 734–

5086.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Endangered Species Regulation

and Forfeiture Procedures.

OMB Number: 0579–0076.

Expiration Date of Approval: August

31, 1998.

Type of Request: Extension of

approval of an information collection.

Abstract: Under the Endangered

Species Act of 1973, as amended (16

U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the United States

Department of Agriculture (USDA) is

responsible for protecting endangered

species of terrestrial plants by regulating

the individuals or entities who are

engaged in the business of importing,

exporting, or reexporting these plants.

To carry out this mission, the Animal

and Plant Health Inspection Service

(APHIS), USDA, administers regulations

at 7 CFR part 355. In accordance with

these regulations, any individual,

nursery, or other entity wishing to

engage in the business of importing,

exporting, or reexporting terrestrial

plants listed in the Convention on

International Trade in Endangered

Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES)

regulations at 50 CFR 17.12 or 23.23

must obtain a general permit (PPQ Form

622). This includes importers, exporters,

or reexporters who sell, barter, collect,

or otherwise exchange or acquire

terrestrial plants as a livelihood or

enterprise engaged in for gain or profit.

This does not include persons engaged

in business merely as carriers or

customhouse brokers.

To obtain a general permit, these

individuals or entities must complete an

application (PPQ 621) and submit it to

APHIS for approval. When a permit has

been issued, the plants covered by the

permit may be imported into the United

States provided they are accompanied

by documentation required by the

regulations and provided all other

conditions of the regulations are met.

Effectively regulating entities who are

engaged in the business of importing,

exporting, or reexporting endangered

species requires the use of this

application process, as well as the use

of other information collection

activities, such as notifying APHIS of

the arrival or impending exportation of

endangered species, marking containers

used for the importation and

exportation of plants, and creating and

maintaining records of importation,

exportation, and reexportation.

The information provided by these

information gathering activities is

critical to our ability to carry out the

responsibilities assigned to us by The

Endangered Species Act. These

responsibilities include the careful

monitoring of importation, exportation,

and reexportation activities involving

endangered species of plants, as well as

investigating possible violations of the

Endangered Species Act.

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

.1977 hours per response.

Respondents: U.S. importers and

exporters of endangered species.

Estimated annual number of

respondents: 1,400.

Estimated annual number of

responses per respondent: 11.51.

Estimated annual number of

responses: 16,115.
25814 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 90 / Monday, May 11, 1998 / Notices

Estimated total annual burden on

respondents: 3,186 hours. (Due to

rounding, the total annual burden hours

may not equal the product of the annual

number of responses multiplied by the

average 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.

Done in Washington, DC, this 5th day of

May 1998.

Charles P. Schwalbe,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 98–12397 Filed 5–8–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Notice of Request for Extension and

Revision of a Currently Approved

Information Collection

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the Commodity Credit

Corporation’s (CCC) intention to request

an extension for and revision to a

currently approved information

collection in support of the CCC

Supplier Credit Guarantee Program

(SCGP), a variant of the Export Credit

Guarantee Program (GSM–102), based

on reestimates.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 10, 1998 to be assured

of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact L. T. McElvain, Director,

Commodity Credit Corporation

Operations Division, Foreign

Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, AgBox 1035, Washington,

DC 20250–1035, telephone (202) 720–

6211.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: CCC/Supplier Credit Guarantee

Program (SCGP).

OMB Number: 0551–0037.

Expiration Date of Approval:

September 30, 1998.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: The primary objective of the

SCGP is to expand U.S. agricultural

exports by making available export

credit guarantees to encourage U.S.

private sector financing of foreign

purchases of U.S. agricultural

commodities on credit terms.

Furthermore, the SCGP is designed to

assist exporters of U.S. agricultural

commodities who wish to provide

relatively short term (up to 180 days)

credits to their importers evidenced by

promissory notes executed by such

importers. The CCC currently offers the

SCGP for exports to at least 8 countries

and 6 country regions, with more than

1,000 exporters currently eligible to

participate. Under 7 CFR Part 1493,

exporters are required to submit the

following: (1) Information about the

exporter for program participation, (2)

export sales information in connection

with applying for a payment guarantee,

(3) information regarding the actual

export of the commodity, (evidence of

export report), (4) notice of default and

claims for loss, and (5) other documents,

if applicable, including notice

assignment of the right to receive

proceeds under the export credit

guarantee. In addition, each exporter

and exporter’s assignee (U.S. financial

institution) must maintain records on all

information submitted to CCC and in

connection with sales made under the

SCGP. The information collected is used

by CCC to manage, plan, evaluate and

account for Government resources. The

reports and records are required to

ensure the proper and judicious use of

public funds.

Estimate of Burden: The public

reporting burden for these collections is

estimated to average 3.37 hours per

response.

Respondents: U.S. Exporters of U.S.

agricultural commodities, U.S. banks or

other financial institutions, producer

associations, U.S. export trade

associations, and U.S. Government

agencies.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 50

annum.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 25 per annum.

Estimated Total Annual Burden of

Respondents: 674 hours.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Valerie Countiss,

the Agency Information Collection

Coordinator, at (202) 720–6713.

Requests for comments: Send

comments regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’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

on those who are to respond, including

through the use of automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

Comments may be sent to L.T.

McElvain, Director, Commodity Credit

Corporation Operations Division,

Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, AgBox 1035,

Washington, DC 20250–1035.

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.

Signed at Washington, DC. April 30, 1998.

Lon Hatamiya,

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service

and Vice President, Commodity Credit

Corporation.

[FR Doc. 98–12414 Filed 5–8–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–05–M

COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION

Sunshine Act Meeting

TIME AND DATE: 2:00p.m., May 11, 1998.

PLACE: Room 104–A, Jamie Whitten

Building, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

STATUS: Open.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED:

1. Approval of the Minutes of the

Special Open Meeting of November 3,

1997.

2. Memorandum re: Update of

Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)-

Owned Inventory.

3. Memorandum re: Commodity

Credit Corporation’s (CCC’s) Financial

Condition Report.

4. Resolution re: Termination of

Obsolete CCC Board Dockets.

5. Docket CZ–157, Revision 6, re:

Policy and Procedure Governing the

Submission of Dockets to the Board of

Directors, CCC, and the Handling of

Dockets Considered by the Board.

6. Docket A–POL–98–007, re:

Commodity Credit Corporation Claims

Policy.

7. Settlement Actions Report.

8. Docket P–COM–98–004, re:

Delegation of Responsibility for

Commodity Credit Corporation’s

Domestic Commodity Programs.

9. Docket P–COM–98–005, re:

Delegation of Responsibility for the

Commodity Credit Corporation’s Export

Credit Guarantee Programs, Export

Credit Sales Programs, Export Bonus

Programs and Other Similar Programs

Commodity Credit Corporation.

10. Docket P–COM–006, re: Policies

Regarding the Management of