02-1340. Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

New 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 initiate a new information collection activity for self-certification medical statements.

DATES:

We will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked, delivered, or e-mailed by March 19, 2002.

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. 01-113-1, 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. 01-113-1. If you use e-mail, address your comment to [e-mail]. 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. 01-113-1” 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 [phone] 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information on self-certification medical statements, contact Ms. Linda Lane, Personnel Management Specialist, Human Resources Division, MRPBS, room 1724, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250; [phone]. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Self-Certification Medical Statement.

OMB Number: 0579-XXXX.

Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.

Abstract: The Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and protect the health of domestic animal and plant resources. The MRP agencies are the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). Resource management and administrative services, including human resource management, for the three MRP agencies are provided by the MRP Business Services unit of APHIS, which is the lead agency in providing administrative support for MRP.

In accordance with 5 CFR part 339, Federal agencies are authorized to obtain medical information from applicants for and employees in positions that have approved medical standards. Medical standards may be established for positions for which the duties are arduous or hazardous or require a certain level of health status or fitness.

Certain positions in MRP agencies have medical standards. An example of such a position is the agricultural commodity grader position in AMS. Each year, AMS hires a number of agricultural commodity graders. These employees work under dusty conditions, around moving machinery and slippery surfaces, and in areas with high noise levels. They have direct contact with meat and dairy products, fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, and poultry products intended for human consumption or cotton and tobacco products intended for human use. Medical standards have also been established for positions in APHIS that involve contact with wild animals.

The MRP agencies require a self-certification statement from applicants for these positions regarding their fitness for the positions. The MRP agencies need this information to determine whether the applicants can perform the duties of the positions. Inability to collect this information would adversely affect the MRP agencies' ability to recruit and hire qualified individuals and carry out their missions.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of this information collection activity.

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 0.1666 hours per response.

Respondents: Applicants to MRP positions with approved medical standards.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 300.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.

Estimated annual number of responses: 300.

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 14th day of January 2002.

W. Ron DeHaven,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.