[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 236 (Monday, December 10, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69642-69643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23881]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2007 /
Notices
[[Page 69642]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0137]
Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection;
Phytophthora Ramorum Surveys and Data Collection Form
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: 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 approval of new information collection activities
associated with a program to prevent the spread of Phytophthora ramorum
to noninfested areas of the United States.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
February 8, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov, select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service'' from the agency drop-down menu, then click ``Submit.'' In the
Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0137 to submit or view public
comments and to view supporting and related materials available
electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including
instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing
the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through
the site's ``User Tips'' link.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-
2007-0137, 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-2007-0137.
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 the Phytophthora
ramorum program, contact Mr. Jonathan Jones, National Phytophthora
ramorum Program Manager, Pest Detection and Management Programs, PPQ,
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 160, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8247.
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: Phytophthora ramorum Surveys and Data Collection Form.
OMB Number: 0579-xxxx.
Type of Request: Approval of an information collection.
Abstract: As authorized by the Plant Protection Act (PPA) (7 U.S.C.
7701 et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture may prohibit or restrict
the importation, entry, exportation, or movement in interstate commerce
of any plant, plant 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 conducts various
regulatory programs under the PPA.
One such program concerns a plant disease known as sudden oak death
(SOD), ramorum leaf blight or ramorum dieback, which is caused by the
pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. Beginning in 1995, oak and tanoak plants
in coastal counties of California were found to be dying from this
disease. Since then, other types of plants also have been found to be
infected or associated with this disease, and the pathogen has been
confirmed in additional areas.
APHIS continues to define the extent of the pathogen's distribution
in the United States and to limit its artificial spread beyond infected
areas through quarantine and regulations and a public education
program. As part of these efforts, APHIS has developed questionnaires
for property owners or managers at sites where infected plants are
found and where we are surveying for the presence of possible infected
plants. The questionnaires are intended to gather information that will
help determine the possible sources of infection. APHIS has also
developed a data collection form that will be used to record
information about locations found to have infected plants. This data
will assist the Agency in determining how the pathogen is spreading.
We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve
our use of these information collection activities for 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 0.25 hours per response.
[[Page 69643]]
Respondents: Property owners or managers at sites where infected
plants are found.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 166.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 18.
Estimated annual number of responses: 2,922.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 733 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 4th day of December 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-23881 Filed 12-7-07; 8:45 am]
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