Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 147 / Wednesday, July 30, 2008 / Notices 44215 

product, biological control organism, 

noxious weed, means of conveyance, or 

other article if the Secretary determines 

that the prohibition or restriction is 

necessary to prevent a plant pest or 

noxious weed from being introduced 

into or disseminated within the United 

States. This authority has been 

delegated to the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS), 

which administers regulations to 

implement the PPA. Regulations 

governing the importation of gypsy 

moth host material into the United 

States from Canada are contained in 7 

CFR 319.77 through 319.77–5. 

These regulations are intended to 

prevent the introduction of gypsy moth 

into noninfested areas of the United 

States by placing certain inspection and 

documentation requirements on gypsy 

moth host material (i.e., regulated 

articles) imported from Canada. These 

regulated articles are: Trees without 

roots (e.g., Christmas trees), trees with 

roots, shrubs with roots and persistent 

woody stems, logs and pulpwood with 

back attached, outdoor household 

articles, and mobile homes and their 

associated equipment. Under the 

regulations, phytosanitary certificates, 

certificates of origin, or signed 

homeowner statements will be required 

for some of these regulated articles, 

depending on their place of origin in 

Canada and their destination in the 

United States. These requirements 

necessitate the use of information 

collection activities. 

We are asking the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) to 

approve our use of these information 

collection activities 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 

0.03632 hours per response. 

Respondents: Canadian plant health 

authorities; growers, exporters, shippers 

of Christmas trees, shrubs, logs, 

pulpwood, and other articles from gypsy 

moth-infested Provinces in Canada; 

private individuals entering the United 

States with mobile homes or outdoor 

household articles. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 147. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 15.1700. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 2,230. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 81 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 24th day of 

July 2008. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–17467 Filed 7–29–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2008–0069] 

Notice of Request for Extension of 

Approval of an Information Collection; 

Health Certificates for Export of Live 

Crustaceans, Finfish, Mollusks, and 

Related Products 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: 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 an extension of approval of an 

information collection associated with 

health certificates for the export of live 

crustaceans, finfish, mollusks, and 

related products. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before September 

29, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ 

component/ 

main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS–

2008–0069 to submit or view comments 

and to view supporting and related 

materials available electronically. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Please send two copies of your comment 

to Docket No. APHIS–2008–0069, 

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–

2008–0069. 

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 health certificates for the 

export of live crustaceans, finfish, 

mollusks, and related products, contact 

Dr. Peter Merrill, Staff Veterinarian, 

Technical Trade Services Team, NCIE, 

VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 40, 

Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734–0649; 

or Dr. Gary Egrie, Staff Veterinarian, 

Aquaculture, Swine, Equine & Poultry 

Programs, NCAHP, VS, APHIS, 4700 

River Road Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 

20737; (301) 734–0695. 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: Health Certificates for Export of 

Live Crustaceans, Finfish, Mollusks, and 

Related Products. 

OMB Number: 0579–0278. 

Type of Request: Extension of 

approval of an information collection. 

Abstract: The export of agricultural 

commodities, including animals and 

animal products, is a major business in 

the United States and contributes to a 

favorable balance of trade. To facilitate 

the export of U.S. animals and animal 

products, the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

maintains information regarding the 

import health requirements of other 

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44216 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 147 / Wednesday, July 30, 2008 / Notices 

countries for animals and animal 

products exported from the United 

States. 

Many countries that import animals 

or animal products from the United 

States require a certification that the 

United States is free of certain diseases. 

These countries may also require the 

certification statement to contain 

additional declarations regarding the 

U.S. animals or products being 

exported. 

The regulations governing the export 

of animals and products from the 

United States are contained in 9 CFR 

part 91, subchapter D, ‘‘Exportation and 

Importation of Animals (Including 

Poultry) and Animal Products,’’ and 

apply to farm-raised aquatic animals 

and products, as well as other livestock 

and products. These regulations are 

authorized by the Animal Health 

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

The National Marine Fisheries Service 

(NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, and the Fish 

and Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S. 

Department of the Interior, as well as 

APHIS, have legal authorities and 

responsibilities related to aquatic 

animal health in the United States. All 

three agencies have, therefore, entered 

into a memorandum of understanding 

delineating their respective 

responsibilities in the issuance of health 

certificates for the export of live aquatic 

animals and animal products. 

As a result of these shared 

responsibilities, three health certificates 

were developed that bear the logo of all 

three agencies. The certificates can be 

used by all three agencies for export 

health certifications for live crustaceans, 

finfish, mollusks, and their related 

products from the United States. In 

order for the agencies to complete these 

certificates, exporters must provide the 

names of the species being exported 

from the United States, their age and 

weight, if applicable, whether they are 

cultured stock or wild stock, their place 

of origin, their country of destination, 

and the date and method of transport. 

The certificates are completed by an 

accredited inspector (in the case of FWS 

or NMFS) or accredited veterinarian (in 

the case of APHIS) and must be signed 

by either the accredited inspector or 

accredited veterinarian who inspects the 

animals or products prior to their 

departure from the United States, as 

well as the appropriate Federal official 

(from either APHIS, FWS, or NMFS) 

who certifies the health status of the 

shipment being exported. 

By endorsing the health certificates, 

these officials are certifying that (1) the 

aquatic animals or products in the 

consignment have been produced in a 

country, zone, or aquaculture 

establishment that has been subjected 

either to a health surveillance scheme 

recommended by the World 

Organization for Animal Health (OIE), 

or one recommended by the American 

Fisheries Society/Fish Health Section’s 

Standard Procedures for Aquatic 

Animal Health Inspections (also known 

as the ‘‘Blue Book’’); and (2) the 

country, zone, or aquaculture 

establishment is officially recognized as 

being free from all of the pathogens 

causing the diseases identified on the 

specific health certificate being 

endorsed. (Each of the three health 

certificates lists a variety of diseases, 

depending on whether the certificate is 

for crustaceans, finfish, or mollusks.) 

We are asking the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) to 

approve our use of these information 

collection activities for an additional 3 

years. 

The purpose of this notice is to solicit 

comments from the public (as well as 

affected agencies) concerning this 

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 

information collection, 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 

information collection 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 0.5 

hours per response. 

Respondents: Accredited inspectors 

or accredited veterinarians who 

complete the health certificates and 

producers who provide information for 

the health certificates to the accredited 

inspectors or accredited veterinarians. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 40. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 5. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 200. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 100 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 24th day of 

July 2008. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–17474 Filed 7–29–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2008–0065] 

Notice of Decision To Issue Permits for 

the Importation of Dragon Fruit From 

Vietnam Into the Continental United 

States 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public of 

our decision to begin issuing permits for 

the importation into the continental 

United States of dragon fruit from 

Vietnam. Based on the findings of a pest 

risk analysis, which we made available 

to the public for review and comment 

through a previous notice, we believe 

that the application of one or more 

designated phytosanitary measures will 

be sufficient to mitigate the risks of 

introducing or disseminating plant pests 

or noxious weeds via the importation of 

dragon fruit from Vietnam. 

DATES: Effective Date: July 30, 2008. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Alex Belano, Import Specialist, 

Commodity Import Analysis and 

Operation Staff, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 

River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 

20737–1231; (301) 734–5333. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Under the regulations in ‘‘SubpartFruits and Vegetables’’ (7 CFR 319.56 

through 319.56–47, referred to below as 

the regulations), the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

prohibits or restricts the importation of 

fruits and vegetables into the United 

States from certain parts of the world to 

prevent plant pests from being 

introduced into and spread within the 

United States. 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES