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

40444 

Vol. 86, No. 142 

Wednesday, July 28, 2021 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Research Service 

Notice of Intent To Renew a Currently 

Approved Information Collection 

AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act and Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) 

regulations, this notice announces the 

intention of the Agricultural Research 

Service (ARS) to seek approval to collect 

information in support of research and 

related activities. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received on or September 27, 2021 to be 

assured of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Address all comments 

concerning this notice to Jill Lake, ARS 

Webmaster, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, 

Beltsville, Maryland 20705. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill 

Lake, ARS Webmaster, jill.lake@

usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Web Forms for Research Data, 

Models, Materials, and Publications as 

well as Study and Event Registration. 

Type of Request: Extension and 

Revision of a Currently Approved 

Information Collection. 

OMB Number: 0518–0032. 

Expiration Date: February 28, 2022. 

Abstract: Sections 1703 and 1705 of 

the Government Paperwork Elimination 

Act (GPEA), (Pub. L. 105–277) Title 

XVII, require agencies by October 21, 

2003, to provide the public with the 

option of electronic submission of 

information. To advance GPEA goals, 

online forms are needed to allow the 

public to request from ARS research 

data, models, materials, and 

publications and to register for scientific 

studies and events. For the convenience 

of the public, the forms itemize the 

information needed to provide a timely 

response. Information from forms will 

be used by ARS only for the purposes 

identified. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 3 minutes per 

response (range: 1–5 minutes). 

Respondents: Agricultural 

researchers; students; teachers; 

businesspeople; members of service 

organizations; community groups; other 

Federal, State, and local government 

agencies; and the general public. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

11,600. This is an increase of 2,850 from 

the 8,750 estimated respondents in the 

previous Approved Information 

Collection due to an annual increase in 

actual respondents since the 2018 

estimate, as well as 10 more software 

models available for download. As of 

July 2021, 157 software models were 

available for download through the ARS 

website https://www.ars.usda.gov/ 

research/software/. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 580 hours. 

Copies of forms used in this 

information collection can be obtained 

from Jill Lake, ARS Webmaster, 

jill.lake@usda.gov. 

The information collection extension 

requested by ARS is for a period of 3 

years. 

Comments are invited on (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 use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

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. 

Simon Y. Liu, 

Acting Administrator, ARS. 

[FR Doc. 2021–16055 Filed 7–27–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–03–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2015–0058] 

Withdrawal of an Environmental 

Assessment and Finding of No 

Significant Impact for High 

Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Control 

in Commercial Poultry Operations—A 

National Approach 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that we are withdrawing a final 

environmental assessment and finding 

of no significant impact that the Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service 

prepared under the National 

Environmental Policy Act relative to a 

national approach for the control of 

highly pathogenic avian influenza 

outbreaks within the United States. We 

are withdrawing the final environmental 

assessment and the associated finding of 

no significant impact pending further 

evaluation. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Lori Miller, PE, Senior Staff Officer and 

Environmental Engineer, APHIS 

Veterinary Services, 4700 River Road, 

Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 

851–3512. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Highly 

pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is an 

infectious and often fatal disease of 

poultry. In December 2014, two mixedorigin H5 viruses of HPAI were 

discovered in the United States. These 

viruses were subsequently detected in 

both migratory waterfowl and domestic 

poultry and affected domestic poultry 

production within the United States. 

On February 9, 2016, the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

published a notice in the Federal 

Register (81 FR 6828, Docket No. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 142 / Wednesday, July 28, 2021 / Notices 40445 

1To view the notice and supporting documents, 

go to www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS–2015– 

0058 in the Search field. 

2USDA APHIS, High Pathogenicity Avian 

Influenza Control in Commercial Poultry 

Operations—A National Approach (Dec. 2015) on 

p.7. 

3 Id. 

APHIS–2015–0058) 1 announcing the 

availability of a December 2015 final 

environmental assessment (EA), entitled 

‘‘High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza 

Control in Commercial Poultry 

Operations—A National Approach,’’ 

(2015 HPAI EA) and a finding of no 

significant impact (FONSI) relative to a 

national approach for the control of 

HPAI outbreaks within the United 

States. The 2015 HPAI EA 

recommended, and the FONSI selected, 

an alternative in which APHIS used its 

centralized management of carcass 

disposal activities to ensure consistency 

in responses to HPAI outbreaks 

throughout the United States. Under 

this alternative, APHIS provided 

information and other support to State 

and local authorities to help them 

determine which depopulation, 

disposal, and cleaning and disinfection 

methods were most appropriate for the 

situation. 

According to the 2015 HPAI EA, 

‘‘[g]iven the magnitude of the HPAI 

poultry incidents during spring 2015, 

APHIS want[ed] to ensure adequate 

preparation for subsequent incidents in 

poultry.’’ 2 Therefore, the 2015 HPAI EA 

was prepared ‘‘to address the potential 

impacts of continuing to provide 

assistance with establishing and 

enforcing HPAI quarantines and 

conducting bird flu control activities as 

outbreaks occur across the nation.’’ 3

In the intervening years since APHIS 

issued the 2015 HPAI EA and FONSI, 

circumstances have changed. First, the 

2014/2015 HPAI outbreak ended in 

approximately August 2016 and there 

has not been an HPAI outbreak of that 

scale or magnitude in the United States 

since that time. Second, avian influenza 

outbreaks involving HPAI that have 

occurred in the United States in the 

interim have been more localized. In 

one instance, APHIS elected to prepare 

a site-specific EA and FONSI. Third, 

APHIS issued the Record of Decision for 

the Carcass Management During a Mass 

Animal Health Emergency Final 

Programmatic Environmental Impact 

Statement (PEIS) on March 17, 2016, 

after finalizing the 2015 HPAI EA and 

FONSI. The PEIS provides an analysis 

of the environmental effects associated 

with various carcass management 

options during a mass animal health 

emergency. An HPAI outbreak 

necessitating the depopulation of flocks 

and the subsequent disposal of large 

amounts of poultry carcasses could 

qualify as an animal health emergency 

and as such, the analysis in the PEIS is 

relevant and addresses some of the same 

issues addressed in the 2015 HPAI EA 

and FONSI. Finally, fourth, APHIS 

reviewed its 2015 HPAI EA and FONSI. 

Through its review of the 2015 HPAI EA 

and FONSI, APHIS acknowledges that 

the documents could benefit from more 

extensive analysis. Additionally, 

because there is no current HPAI 

outbreak, the 2015 HPAI EA and FONSI 

serve no function at present. 

Withdrawal of the 2015 HPAI EA and 

FONSI will not hamper APHIS’ ability 

to respond to an outbreak in the future. 

Based on the analysis above, pending 

further evaluation, we are withdrawing 

the December 2015 final EA and the 

FONSI associated with the notice 

published on February 9, 2016. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 22nd day of 

July 2021. 

Michael Watson, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–16049 Filed 7–27–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2021–0036] 

Notice of Request for Revision to and 

Extension of Approval of an 

Information Collection; Specimen 

Submission 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Revision to and 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 a revision to and extension of 

approval of an information collection 

associated with livestock disease 

surveillance programs. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before September 

27, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 

2021–0036 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–2021–0036, 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 regarding livestock disease 

surveillance programs, contact Ms. Lori 

Swiderski, Program Coordinator, 

Director’s Office, National Veterinary 

Services Laboratories, Diagnostics and 

Biologics, VS, APHIS, 1920 Dayton 

Ave., Ames, IA 50010; (515) 337–7405. 

For more information on the 

information collection reporting 

process, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, 

APHIS’ Paperwork Reduction Act 

Coordinator, at (301) 851–2483. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Specimen Submission. 

OMB Control Number: 0579–0090. 

Type of Request: Revision to and 

extension of approval of an information 

collection. 

Abstract: The Animal Health 

Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.) 

provides the Secretary of Agriculture 

broad authority to prohibit or restrict, 

through orders and regulations, the 

importation or entry and interstate 

movement of any animal, article, or 

means of conveyance if the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

determines that the prohibition or 

restriction is necessary to prevent the 

introduction or spread of any pest or 

disease of livestock within the United 

States. 

Disease prevention is the most 

effective method for maintaining a 

healthy animal population and for 

enhancing the United States’ ability to 

globally compete in the trade of animals 

and animal products. However, animal 

disease prevention cannot be 

accomplished without the existence of 

an effective disease surveillance 

program, which is conducted by the 

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary 

Services (VS). 

VS forms, which are critical to VS’ 

mission, are routinely used whenever 

specimens (such as blood, milk, tissue, 

or urine) from any animal (such as 


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