01-27934. Notice of Request for Reinstatement of an Information Collection

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Reinstatement 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 a reinstatement of an information collection in support of the Foreign Animal Disease Surveillance Program.

DATES:

We invite you to comment on this docket. We will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked by January 7, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Please send four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket No. 01-076-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Suite 3C03, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 01-076-1.

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 regarding the Foreign Animal Disease Surveillance Program, contact Dr. Aida Boghossian, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Emergency Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737; [phone]. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Foreign Animal Disease/Emerging Disease Investigation (FAD/EDI) Database.

OMB Number: 0579-0071.

Type of Request: Reinstatement of an information collection.

Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible for administering regulations intended to prevent foreign diseases of livestock or poultry from being introduced into the United States, for conducting a surveillance program for the early detection of such foreign animal diseases, and for eradicating such foreign animal diseases if they are detected.

Through our Foreign Animal Disease Surveillance Program, the Emergency Programs division of Veterinary Services, APHIS, compiles essential epidemiological and diagnostic data that are used to define foreign animal diseases and their risk factors. When a potential foreign animal disease incident is reported, APHIS dispatches a foreign animal disease veterinary diagnostician to the site to conduct an investigation.

The diagnostician obtains vital epidemiologic data by conducting field investigations, including sample collection, and by interviewing the owner or manager of the premises being investigated.

These important data include such items as the number of sick or dead animals on the premises, the results of necropsy examinations, vaccination information on the animals in the flock or herd, the level of biosecurity practices at the site, whether any animals were recently moved out of the herd or flock, whether any new animals were recently introduced into the herd or flock, and detailed geographic data concerning premises location.

The diagnostician records this information on VS Form 12-27. Information from this form is then entered into our Foreign Animal Disease/Emerging Disease Investigation database.

VS Form 12-27 is used for both task force emergency disease investigations and all suspect foreign animal disease investigations. After laboratory confirmation of a specific foreign animal disease, the information collected on the form ensures prompt attention and followup by a disease eradication specialist.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of this information collective activity for 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 proposed 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 1 hour per response.

Respondents: Owners and operators of livestock and poultry producing operations, State personnel who assist with information collection.

Estimated number of respondents: 535.

Estimated number of responses per respondent: 2.

Estimated annual number of responses: 1,070.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,070 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 1st day of November 2001.

W. Ron DeHaven,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.