[Federal Register: October 23, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 205)]
[Notices]
[Page 60634-60635]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23oc03-17]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 03-089-1]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment
request.
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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 in support of the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
December 22, 2003.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket
No. 03-089-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station
3C71, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state
that your comment refers to Docket No. 03-089-1. If you use e-mail, address your comment to regulations@aphis.usda.gov <mailto:regulations@aphis.usda.gov>. Your comment must
be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files.
Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No.
03-089-1'' on the subject line.
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.
APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html <http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the
Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey, contact Ms. Coanne O'Hern,
National Survey Coordinator, Pest Detection and Management Programs,
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 137, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301)
734-4387. For copies of more detailed information on the information
collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection
Coordinator, at (301) 734-7477.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.
OMB Number: 0579-0010.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-7772), the
Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for preventing the introduction
and interstate spread of plant pests and noxious weeds that are new to
or not widely distributed within the United States.
To this end, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant
Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program, has joined forces with the
States and other agencies to create a program called the Cooperative
Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS). The CAPS program collects and manages
[[Page 60635]]
data on plant pests, weeds, and biological control agents, which may be
used to control plant pests or noxious weeds.
This program allows the States and PPQ to conduct surveys to detect
and measure the presence of exotic plant pests and weeds and to enter
survey data into a national computer-based system known as the National
Agricultural Plant Information System (NAPIS). This, in turn, allows
APHIS to obtain a more comprehensive picture of pest conditions in the
United States as well as detect, in collaboration with the National
Plant Diagnostic Network and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES),
population trends that could indicate an agricultural bioterrorism act.
The information generated by this program is used by States to
predict potential pest situations in the United States and by Federal
interests (e.g., PPQ and CSREES) to promptly detect and respond to the
occurrence of new exotic pests and to provide documentation on plant
pests to facilitate and record the location of those pest incursions
that could directly hinder the export of U.S. farm commodities. The
system also provides data management support for PPQ pest programs such
as imported fire and gypsy moth.
The CAPS program entails the use of several information collection
activities, including a cooperative agreement and a Specimens for
Determination Form (PPQ Form 391).
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
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 0.1091824 hours per response.
Respondents: State cooperators participating in the Cooperative
Agricultural Pest Survey.
Estimated annual number of respondents : 103.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 352.932.
Estimated annual number of responses: 36,352.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,969 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 17th day of October, 2003.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-26786 Filed 10-22-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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