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###### Department of Agriculture

###### Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

          - [Docket No. APHIS-2017-0092]

# 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 revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the category of plants for planting that are not authorized for importation pending pest risk analysis.

# DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before December 29, 2017.

# ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
      -  Federal eRulemaking Portal:                          Go to                          http://www.regulations.gov/​#!docketDetail;​D=​APHIS-2017-0092. 
      -  Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:                          Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2017-0092 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                         *http://www.regulations.gov/​#!docketDetail;​D=​APHIS-2017-0092*                         or in our reading room, which 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 202-799-7039 before coming.                    

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information on the importation of plants for planting not authorized for importation pending pest risk analysis, contact Dr. Indira Singh, Botanist, Plants for Planting Policy, IRM, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-2020. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

*Title:*                     Importation of Plants for Planting; Establishing a Category for Plants for Planting Not Authorized for Importation Pending Pest Risk Analysis.                

*OMB Control Number:*                     0579-0380.                

*Type of Request:*                     Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection.                

*Abstract:*                     Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701*et seq.*), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to take such actions as may be necessary to prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests and noxious weeds within the United States. The Secretary has delegated this authority to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).                

The regulations contained in “Subpart-Plants for Planting” (7 CFR 319.37 through 319.37-14) prohibit or restrict, among other things, the importation of living plants, plant parts, and seeds for propagation. These regulations are intended to ensure that imported plants for planting do not serve as a host for plant pests, such as insects or pathogens, which can cause damage to U.S. agricultural and environmental resources.

In accordance with § 319.37-2a, the importation of certain taxa of plants for planting poses a risk of introducing quarantine pests into the United States. Therefore, the importation of these taxa is not authorized pending the completion of a pest risk analysis, except as provided in the regulations. Requests to remove a taxa from the category of plants for planting whose importation is not authorized pending the completion of a pest risk analysis must be made in accordance with § 319.5. These requests contains information collection activities that include information about the requesting party, the commodity proposed for importation into the United States, shipping information, a description of the pests and diseases associated with the commodity, current practices for risk mitigation or management, and any additional information listed in § 319.5 that may be necessary for APHIS to complete a pest risk analysis.

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. 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 burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 3.13 hours per response.                

*Respondents:*                     National plant protection organizations of exporting countries and importers of plants for planting into the United States.                

*Estimated annual number of respondents:*                     16.                

*Estimated annual number of responses per respondent:*                     1.                

*Estimated annual number of responses:*                     16.                

*Estimated total annual burden on respondents:*                     50 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 25th day of October 2017.

Michael C. Gregoire,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 2017-23540 Filed 10-27-17; 8:45 am]

 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P