E6-18737. Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Untreated Oranges, Tangerines, and Grapefruit From Mexico Transiting the United States to Foreign Countries

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

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 an extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for untreated oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit from Mexico transiting the United States to foreign countries.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before January 8, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://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-2006-0163 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-2006-0163, 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-2006-0163.

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 [phone] 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 regarding regulations for untreated oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit from Mexico transiting the United States to foreign countries, contact Mr. Dave Hanken, Senior Staff Officer, Quarantine Policy, Analysis, and Support, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 60, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; [phone]. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Untreated Oranges, Tangerines, and Grapefruit from Mexico Transiting the United States to Foreign Countries.

OMB Number: 0579-0303.

Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information collection.

Abstract: As authorized by the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) (PPA), 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 administers regulations to implement the PPA.

The plant quarantine safeguard regulations in 7 CFR part 352 allow certain products or articles that are classified as prohibited or restricted products or articles under other regulations in title 7 to be moved through the United States under certain conditions. Such articles include fruits and vegetables that are moved into the United States for: (1) A temporary stay where unloading or landing is not intended, (2) unloading or landing for transshipment and exportation, (3) unloading or landing for transportation and exportation, or (4) unloading and entry at a port other than the port of first arrival.

The regulations in § 352.30 address the movement of untreated oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit from Mexico into or through the United States in transit to foreign countries. These regulations require the trucking industry and shippers to obtain permits from APHIS that allow the untreated fruit to transit the United States.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of this information collection activity 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 reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.5 hours per response.

Respondents: Trucking industry; shippers.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 400.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.

Estimated annual number of responses: 400.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 200 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 2006.

W. Ron DeHaven,

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.