Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 79 / Wednesday, April 24, 2013 / Notices 24153 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marlene Betts at the above address, by 

telephone at (202) 720–9915, or by 

email at marlene.betts@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Softwood Lumber Research, 

Promotion, Consumer Education and 

Industry Information Order. 

OMB Number: 0581–0264. 

Expiration Date of Approval: 

November 30, 2013. 

Type of Request: Extension and 

revision of a currently approved 

information collection. 

Abstract: The Order was created in 

2011 to help strengthen the position of 

softwood lumber in the marketplace, 

maintain and expand markets for 

softwood lumber, and develop new uses 

for softwood lumber within the United 

States. Softwood lumber is used in 

products like flooring, siding and 

framing. The Order is authorized under 

the Commodity Promotion, Research, 

and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act) 

(7 U.S.C. 7411–7425). 

The program is administered by the 

Softwood Lumber Board (Board) 

appointed by the Secretary of 

Agriculture and financed by a 

mandatory assessment on domestic 

manufacturers and importers. The 

assessment rate is $0.35 per thousand 

board feet of softwood lumber shipped 

within or imported to the United States. 

Entities that domestically manufacture 

and ship or import less than 15 million 

board feet per fiscal year are exempt 

from the payment of assessments. 

Additionally, assessed entities do not 

pay assessments on the first 15 million 

board feet of softwood lumber shipped 

domestically or imported during the 

year. Exports from the United States are 

also exempt from assessments. 

The information collection 

requirements in the request are essential 

to carry out the intent of the Order. The 

objective in carrying out this 

responsibility includes assuring the 

following: (1) Funds are collected and 

properly accounted for; (2) expenditures 

of all funds are for the purposes 

authorized by the 1996 Act and Order; 

and (3) the Board’s administration of the 

programs conforms to USDA policy. 

The Order’s provisions have been 

carefully reviewed, and every effort has 

been made to minimize any unnecessary 

recordkeeping costs or requirements. 

The forms covered under this 

collection require the minimum 

information necessary to effectively 

carry out the requirements of the 

program, and their use is necessary to 

fulfill the intent of the Order. Such 

information can be supplied without 

data processing equipment or outside 

technical expertise. In addition, there 

are no additional training requirements 

for individuals filling out reports and 

remitting assessments to the Board. The 

forms are simple, easy to understand, 

and place as small a burden as possible 

on the person required to file the 

information. 

Collecting information quarterly 

coincides with normal industry 

business practices. The timing and 

frequency of collecting information are 

intended to meet the needs of the 

industry while minimizing the amount 

of work necessary to fill out the required 

reports. The requirement to keep 

records for two years beyond the fiscal 

period of their applicability is 

consistent with normal industry 

practices. In addition, the information to 

be included on these forms is not 

available from other sources because 

such information relates specifically to 

individual domestic manufacturers and 

importers who are subject to the 

provisions of the Order. Therefore, there 

is no practical method for collecting the 

required information without the use of 

these forms. 

AMS is committed to complying with 

the E-Government Act, which requires 

Government agencies in general to 

provide the public the option of 

submitting information or transacting 

business electronically to the maximum 

extent possible. 

Estimate of Burden: Public 

recordkeeping burden for this collection 

of information is estimated to average 

0.416 hour per response. 

Respondents: Domestic manufacturers 

and importers, whether subject to the 

Order or not. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

1,478. 

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 

4,495. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 3.04. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 1,871. 

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (3) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (4) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, including 

the use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

All responses to this document will 

be summarized and included in the 

request for OMB approval. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35. 

Dated: April 18, 2013. 

Rex A. Barnes, 

Acting Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2013–09727 Filed 4–23–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0112] 

Notice of Emergency Approval of an 

Information Collection; National 

Animal Health Monitoring System; 

Equine Herpesvirus 

Myeloencephalopathy Study 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Emergency approval of an 

information collection; comment 

request. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces that the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service has 

requested and received emergency 

approval of an information collection 

for a National Animal Health 

Monitoring System Equine Herpesvirus 

Myeloencephalopathy Study to support 

the equine industry in the United States. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before June 24, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0112- 

0001. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2012–0112, 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-2012-0112 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., 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
24154 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 79 / Wednesday, April 24, 2013 / Notices 

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 Equine Herpesvirus 

Myeloencephalopathy Study, contact 

Mr. Chris Quatrano, Industry Analyst, 

Centers for Epidemiology and Animal 

Health, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre 

Avenue, Building B MS 2E6, Fort 

Collins, CO 80526; (970) 494–7207. 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: National Animal Health 

Monitoring System; Equine Herpesvirus 

Myeloencephalopathy Study. 

OMB Number: 0579–0399. 

Type of Request: Continuation of an 

emergency 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 (USDA) is authorized, 

among other things, to protect the health 

of U.S. livestock and poultry 

populations by preventing the 

introduction and interstate spread of 

serious diseases and pests of livestock 

and for eradicating such diseases from 

the United States when feasible. In 

connection with this mission, APHIS 

operates the National Animal Health 

Monitoring System (NAHMS), which 

collects nationally representative, 

statistically valid, and scientifically 

sound data on the prevalence and 

economic importance of livestock 

diseases and associated risk factors. 

NAHMS’ epidemiologic investigations 

are a collaborative industry and 

government initiative to help determine 

the most effective means of preventing 

and controlling livestock disease 

outbreaks. APHIS is the only agency 

responsible for collecting data on 

livestock health. Participation in any 

NAHMS study is voluntary, and all data 

are confidential. 

APHIS is conducting an Equine 

Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy 

(EHM) Study as part of an ongoing 

series of NAHMS studies on the U.S. 

livestock population. The purpose of 

this study is to collect information using 

questionnaires, during equine 

herpesvirus (EHV–1) outbreaks, to 

identify risk factors for EHM. EHM is 

the neurologic form of EHV–1 in horses. 

Infection with EHV–1 can result in 

respiratory disease, abortion in mares, 

neonatal foal death, and neurologic 

disease. The virus can spread in many 

ways, such as through direct horse-tohorse contact, through the air in equine 

environments, and by contact with 

contaminated equipment, clothing, and 

hands. EHM is endemic to the United 

States, and outbreaks are usually 

handled by affected States. However, 

APHIS becomes involved in cases that 

involve multiple States or the interstate 

movement of horses. 

Due to recent outbreaks of EHV–1 in 

the United States, APHIS has initiated 

the study earlier than expected. State 

animal health officials are currently 

administering questionnaires, in person 

or by telephone, to horse owners and 

trainers of horses infected with EHV–1 

that include cases of EHM and horses 

that are not affected to serve as case 

controls. The information collected is 

being used to understand the risk factors 

for EHM, make recommendations for 

disease control, and to allow us to 

provide guidance on the best ways to 

avoid future outbreaks based on a 

thorough analysis and interpretation of 

the data. 

The Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) has approved our use of these 

information collection activities on an 

emergency basis. We plan to request 

continuation of that approval for 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 

0.79226 hours per response. 

Respondents: Horse owners and/or 

trainers and State animal health 

officials. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 626. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 1.57. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 982. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 778 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. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of 

April 2013. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–09736 Filed 4–23–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0105] 

Notice of Availability of a National 

Animal Health Laboratory Network 

Reorganization Concept Paper 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of availability and 

request for comments. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service is making available a 

concept paper that describes a revised 

structure for the National Animal Health 

Laboratory Network (NAHLN) for public 

review and comment. The NAHLN is a 

nationally coordinated network and 

partnership of Federal, State, and 

university-associated animal health 

laboratories working to protect animal 

and public health and the nation’s food 

supply by providing diagnostic testing 

aimed at detecting biological threats to 

the nation’s food animals. The concept 

paper we are making available for 

comment presents a structure we 

believe will give the NAHLN increased 

capacity and flexibility to detect and 

respond to emerging and zoonotic 

diseases. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before June 24, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0105- 

0001. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES