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 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
40446 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 142 / Wednesday, July 28, 2021 / Notices 

cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, and 

poultry) are submitted to the National 

Veterinary Services Laboratories for 

disease testing. If the information within 

these forms was not collected or 

collected less frequently, APHIS would 

not have the critical information 

necessary to effectively operate a 

disease surveillance program and 

identify the animals and herds from 

which the specimens were taken, 

allowing effective disease prevention 

and eradication. 

The animal disease surveillance 

program is based on information 

submitted on the specimen submission 

form and continuation sheet, or similar 

document, and the Parasite Submission 

form submitted for the Cattle Fever Tick 

Eradication Program and the National 

Tick Surveillance Program to identify 

the individuals submitting tick samples 

and the animal sources of those 

samples. 

We are asking the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) to 

approve our use of these information 

collection activities, as described, 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. APHIS needs 

this outside input to help accomplish 

the following: 

(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 (such as through the use 

of appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques, e.g., permitting 

electronic submission of responses). 

Estimate of burden: The public 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 0.319 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: State veterinarians and 

other State personnel who are qualified 

and authorized to collect and submit 

specimens for laboratory analysis, 

accredited veterinarians, private 

veterinarians, animal health 

technicians, herd owners, private 

laboratories, and research institutions. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 1,871. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 17. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 32,546. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 10,390 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 22nd day of 

July 2021. 

Michael Watson, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–16033 Filed 7–27–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2021–0035] 

Notice of Request for Revision to and 

Extension of Approval of an 

Information Collection; Virus-SerumToxin Act and Regulations 

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 the Virus-Serum-Toxin 

Act and regulations. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before September 

27, 2021. You may submit comments by 

either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 

2021–0035 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–2021–0035, 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 Virus-Serum-Toxin 

Act regulations, contact Ms. Bonnie 

Coyle, Section Leader, Program 

Information Management and Security, 

Center for Veterinary Biologics, 

Director’s Office, VS, APHIS, 1920 

Dayton Ave, P.O. Box 844, Ames, IA 

50010; (515) 337–6561; email: 

bonnie.m.coyle@usda.gov. For 

information on the information 

collection reporting process, contact Mr. 

Joseph Moxey, APHIS’ Paperwork 

Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 

851–2483; joseph.moxey@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Virus-Serum-Toxin Act and 

Regulations. 

OMB Control Number: 0579–0013. 

Type of Request: Revision to and 

extension of approval of an information 

collection. 

Abstract: Under the Virus-SerumToxin Act (21 U.S.C. 151–159), the 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS) is authorized to 

promulgate regulations designed to 

prevent the importation, preparation, 

sale, or shipment of harmful veterinary 

biological products. These regulations 

are contained in 9 CFR parts 102 

through 124. 

Veterinary biological products 

include viruses, serums, toxins, and 

analogous products of natural or 

synthetic origin such as vaccines, 

antitoxins, or the immunizing 

components of microorganisms 

intended for the diagnosis, treatment, or 

prevention of diseases in domestic 

animals. 

APHIS issues licenses to qualified 

establishments that produce veterinary 

biological products and issues permits 

to importers seeking to import such 

products into the United States. APHIS 

also enforces regulations concerning 

production, packaging, labeling, and 

shipping of these products, and sets 

standards for the testing of these 

products. These regulations ensure that 

veterinary biological products used in 

the United States are not worthless, 

contaminated, dangerous, or harmful. 

To help ensure that veterinary 

biological products used in the United 

States are pure, safe, potent, and 

effective, APHIS requires certain 

information collection activities, 

including, among other things, 


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