[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 64 (Monday, April 6, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15431-15432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7626]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0019]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Peer Reviewer's Certification Regarding Conflict of 
Interest

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 related to peer review of scientific information 
disseminated to the public by the Agency.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 
5, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0019 to submit or view comments and 
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
    <bullet> Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0019, Regulatory Analysis and 
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to 
Docket No. APHIS-2009-0019.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this 
docket in our reading room. The reading room 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) 690-2817 before coming.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its 
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on APHIS' peer review 
process or the peer reviewer's certification regarding conflict of 
interest, contact Dr. Natalie Roberts, APHIS Peer Review Officer, 
Planning Evaluation and Monitoring, PPD, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
120, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8937. 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: APHIS Peer Reviewer's Certification Regarding Conflict of 
Interest.
    OMB Number: 0579-0304.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 
protects and promotes U.S. agricultural health, administers the Animal 
Welfare Act, and carries out wildlife damage management activities. In 
carrying out its mission, APHIS collects, generates, and disseminates a 
wide variety of scientific information.
    Some of the information APHIS disseminates is ``influential''--that 
is, it has a clear and substantial impact on important public policies 
or important private sector decisions. A very small portion of APHIS' 
scientific information takes the form of ``highly influential 
scientific assessments,'' which have a potential impact of more than 
$500

[[Page 15432]]

million in any year, or are novel, controversial, precedent-setting, or 
of significant interagency interest.
    In order to ensure the objectivity and highest level of quality of 
such scientific information, APHIS arranges for these documents to be 
peer reviewed in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget's 
(OMB's) ``Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review,'' which 
is available on the Web at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/2005/011405_peer.pdf.
    To ensure the effectiveness and integrity of the peer review 
process, APHIS pays careful attention to potential conflicts of 
interest when selecting peer reviewers. APHIS has developed a standard 
letter to prospective peer reviewers, which, among other things, asks 
them to consider whether they may have a conflict of interest related 
to review of a specific scientific document and, if no, asks them to 
sign a form certifying that they have no conflicting interests.
    We are asking 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 0.25 hours per response.
    Respondents: Peer reviewers for agency scientific documents.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 50.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 50.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 12.5 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 31st day of March 2009.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E9-7626 Filed 4-3-09; 8:45 am]
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