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

30590

Vol. 61, No. 117

Monday, June 17, 1996

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

[Docket No. 96–032–1]

Notice of Request for Extension of a

Currently Approved Information

Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed 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 a currently

approved information collection in

support of regulations under the Animal

Welfare Act governing the humane

handling, care, treatment, and

transportation of certain animals by

dealers, research institutions, exhibitors,

carriers, and intermediate handlers.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by August 16, 1996 to be

assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding

the accuracy of burden estimate, ways to

minimize the burden (such as the use of

automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology),

or any other aspect of this collection of

information to: Docket No. 96–032–1,

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 96–032–1. 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: For

information on the regulations and

standards governing the humane

handling, care, treatment, and

transportation of certain animals by

dealers, research institutions, exhibitors,

carriers, and intermediate handlers,

contact Dr. Debra Beasley, Senior

Animal Care Staff Officer, Regulatory

Enforcement and Animal Care, APHIS,

4700 River Road, Unit 84, Riverdale,

MD 20737–1234, (301) 734–7833; or email: DBeasley@aphis.usda.gov. For

copies of the proposed collection of

information, contact Ms. Cheryl Jenkins,

Aphis’ Information Collection

Coordinator, at (301) 734–5360.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Animal Welfare.

OMB Number: 0579–0036.

Expiration Date of Approval: October

31, 1996.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: Regulations and standards

have been promulgated under the

Animal Welfare Act (the Act) to

promote and ensure the humane care

and treatment of regulated animals

under the Act. Title 9, parts 1 through

3, of the Code of Federal Regulations

(CFR) contain regulations and standards

for the care and handling of certain

animals covered under the Act. The

regulations in 9 CFR part 2 require

documentation of specified information

concerning the humane handling, care,

treatment, and transportation of certain

animals by dealers, research

institutions, exhibitors, carriers, and

intermediate handlers. The regulations

also require that facilities that use

animals for regulated purposes obtain a

license or register with the U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Act is enforced by the Animal

and Plant Health Inspection Service

(APHIS), USDA, which performs

unannounced inspections of regulated

facilities. A significant component of

the inspection process is review of

mandatory records that must be

established and maintained by regulated

facilities. The information contained in

these records is used by APHIS

inspectors to ensure that dealers,

research facilities, exhibitors,

intermediate handlers, carriers, pounds,

and shelters comply with the Act and

regulations.

Facilities must make and maintain

records that contain official

identification for all dogs and cats, and

certification of those animals received

from pounds, shelters, and private

individuals. These records are used to

prevent the intentional use of stolen

pets for regulated activities. Records

must also be maintained for animals

other than dogs and cats when the

animals are used for purposes regulated

under the Act.

Research facilities must also make

and maintain additional records for

animals covered under the Act that are

used for teaching, testing, and

experimentation. This information is

used by APHIS personnel to review the

research facility’s animal care and use

program concerning animal activities

regulated under the Act.

The reporting and recordkeeping

requirements contained in 9 CFR part 2

are necessary to enforce regulations

intended to ensure the humane care and

treatment of covered animals. The

collected information is also used by

APHIS to provide a mandatory annual

Animal Welfare Enforcement report to

Congress.

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: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average 1.167 hours per

response.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 117 / Monday, June 17, 1996 / Notices 30591

Respondents: Research facilities, ‘‘A’’

and ‘‘B’’ dealers, exhibitors, carriers,

intermediate handlers, pounds, and

shelters.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

8,564.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 10.152.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 86,945 hours.

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for Office of Management and Budget

approval of the information collection.

Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of

June 1996.

Terry L. Medley,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 96–15280 Filed 6–14–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Submission For OMB Review;

Comment Request

DOC has submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

clearance the following proposal for

collection of information under the

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction

Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

Agency: Bureau of the Census.

Title: Current Retail Sales and

Inventory Survey.

Form Number(s): B–101(97), 102(97),

103(97), 111(97), 112(97), 113(97),

114(97).

Agency Approval Number: 0607–

0717.

Type of Request: Revision of a

currently approved collection.

Burden: 30,693 hours.

Number of Respondents: 11,060.

Avg Hours Per Response: 14 minutes.

Needs and Uses: The Current Retail

Sales and Inventory Survey provides

estimates of monthly sales and end–of–

month merchandise inventories for

retail stores in the United States by

selected kinds of business. Sales and

inventory data provide a current

statistical picture of the retail portion of

consumer activity. Monthly estimates of

changes in sales and the value and

levels of inventory are used by

government and non–government

analysts in gauging economic trends and

formulating economic policy. The

current sampling methodology for this

survey uses both fixed and rotating

panels. Larger companies report

monthly in the fixed panel. Most small

and medium sized companies report

every three months and are asked to

report data for the two most recent

months. The current design is

susceptible to large revisions in

preliminary–to–final estimates due to

imbalances in the rotating panels and

differential response bias between

current and previous month data. We

will implement a totally fixed panel

design for the next sample revision

starting in early 1997 in order to

minimize these revisions. The sample

redesign will also permit more accurate

identification of unusual responses and

will facilitate reconciling differences

with other Census Bureau surveys. We

plan to gauge and monitor the effects of

the sample redesign on an ongoing

basis.

Affected Public: Businesses or other

for–profit institutions.

Frequency: Monthly.

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.

OMB Desk Officer: Jerry Coffey, (202)

395–7314.

Copies of the above information

collection proposal can be obtained by

calling or writing Dan Haigler, Acting

DOC Forms Clearance Officer, (202)

482–3272, Department of Commerce,

room 5312, 14th and Constitution

Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

Written comments and

recommendations for the proposed

information collection should be sent

within 30 days of publication of this

notice to Jerry Coffey, OMB Desk

Officer, room 10201, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: June 6, 1996.

Dan Haigler,

Acting Departmental Forms Clearance

Officer, Office of Management and

Organization.

[FR Doc. 96–15241 Filed 6–14–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–07–F

Submission For OMB Review;

Comment Request

DOC has submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

clearance the following proposal for

collection of information under the

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction

Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

Agency: Bureau of the Census.

Title: Monthly Wholesale Trade

Survey.

Form Number(s): B–310.

Agency Approval Number: 0607–

0190.

Type of Request: Revision of a

currently approved collection.

Burden: 4,614 hours.

Number of Respondents:3,298.

Avg Hours Per Response: 7 minutes.

Needs and Uses: The Bureau of the

Census conducts the Monthly

Wholesale Trade Survey to obtain sales

and inventory data from a sample of

merchant wholesalers. From the data we

gather, we produce statistics on

wholesale sales, end–of–month

inventories, methods of inventory

valuation, and stock/sales ratios. The

Bureau of Economic Analysis uses these

statistics in its calculations of the gross

domestic product (GDP) and to improve

the reliability of inventory adjustments

applied in the quarterly GDP estimates.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses

these statistics as input to its Producer

Price Indexes and in developing

productivity measurements. Other

government agencies and businesses use

these statistics for planning and

development and to gauge the current

trends of the economy. Current data on

wholesale trade also enable us to make

comparisons with the five–year

wholesale census data. The current

sampling methodology for this survey

uses both fixed and rotating panels.

Larger companies report monthly in the

fixed panel. Most small and medium

sized companies report every three

months and are asked to report data for

the two most recent months. The

current design is susceptible to large

revisions in preliminary–to–final

estimates due to imbalances in the

rotating panels and differential response

bias between current and previous

month data. We will implement a totally

fixed panel design for the next sample

revision starting in early 1997 in order

to minimize these revisions. The sample

redesign will also permit more accurate

identification of unusual responses and

will facilitate reconciling differences

with other Census Bureau surveys. We

plan to gauge and monitor the effects of

the sample redesign on an ongoing

basis.

Affected Public: Businesses or other

for–profit institutions, Federal

Government, State, local or tribal

government.

Frequency: Monthly.

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.

OMB Desk Officer: Jerry Coffey, (202)

395–7314.

Copies of the above information

collection proposal can be obtained by

calling or writing Dan Haigler, Acting

DOC Forms Clearance Officer, (202)

482–3272, Department of Commerce,

room 5312, 14th and Constitution

Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

Written comments and

recommendations for the proposed

information collection should be sent

within 30 days of publication of this

notice to Jerry Coffey, OMB Desk

Officer, room 10201, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.