2015-06721. Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Importation of Peppers From Certain Central American Countries

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Revision to and 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 a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for the importation of peppers from certain Central American countries.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 26, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/​#!docketDetail;​D=​APHIS-2015-0019.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2015-0019, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.

Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/​#!docketDetail;​D=​APHIS-2015-0019 or in our reading room, which 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information on the importation of peppers from certain Central American countries, contact Mr. Juan (Tony) Roman, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, RCC, RPM, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737; [phone]. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Importation of Peppers From Certain Central American Countries.

OMB Control Number: 0579-0274.

Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection.

Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to restrict the importation, entry, or interstate movement of plants, plant products, and other articles to prevent the introduction of plant pests, including fruit flies, into the United States or their dissemination within the United States. Regulations authorized by the PPA concerning the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world are contained in “Subpart—Fruits and Vegetables” (7 CFR 319.56-1 through 319.56-71).

In accordance with § 319.56-40, peppers from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama are subject to certain conditions before entering the United States to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States. The regulations require the use of information collection activities, including inspections by national plant protection organization (NPPO) officials of the country of export; a bilateral workplan; production site registration; fruit fly trapping, monitoring, quality control program, and recordkeeping; box labeling; and a phytosanitary certificate.

When comparing the regulations to the information collection activities that were previously approved, we found that production site registration and the quality control program were omitted from the previous collection. By adding these activities to this information collection, the estimated annual number of responses per respondent has increased from 3,226.65 to 21,947. We also found that we overestimated the burden hours for recordkeeping. In addition, the estimated annual number of respondents has decreased from 245 to 36. As a result of these factors, the estimated total annual burden on respondents decreased from 2,999 hours to 1,929 hours.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities, as described, 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 0.00244 hours per response.

Respondents: Importers, NPPOs, growers, and shippers of peppers in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 36.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 21,947.

Estimated annual number of responses: 790,092.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,929 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 18th day of March 2015.

Kevin Shea,

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.