02-8059. Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection

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 in support of the Application for Inspection and Certification of Animal Byproducts.

DATES:

We will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked, delivered, or e-mailed by June 3, 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. 02-020-1, 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. 02-020-1. 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. 02-020-1” 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 the Application for Inspection and Certification of Animal Byproducts, contact Dr. Joyce Bowling, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Technical Trade Services, National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 40, 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: Application for Inspection and Certification of Animal Byproducts.

OMB Number: 0579-0008.

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

Abstract: U.S. exporters who wish to export certain animal byproducts to other countries must, in some instances, furnish the importing country with certificates that have been issued or endorsed by Veterinary Services (VS) of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. VS Form 16-24, Application for Inspection and Certification of Animal Byproducts, is one such certificate. The form also serves as a written agreement under which the exporter pays for services we render in connection with documenting the certification statements required by the importing country.

The exporter provides VS with the information requested on VS Form 16-24, including a detailed description of the processing techniques that are used to make the product eligible to enter the importing country. VS uses this information to monitor and certify the processing techniques. After monitoring the processing technique, VS issues or endorses the certificate attesting to the class and quality of the products and that the products have been processed according to the conditions and requirements of the importing country.

Without this certification, the importing country would not accept the product, and the exporter would be unable to conduct business with that country. The use of VS Form 16-24 has no impact on animal disease prevention or eradication activities in the United States. The form was developed to meet the importation requirements of other countries.

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 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 1.5 hours per response.

Respondents: U.S. exporters of animal byproducts.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 20.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.

Estimated annual number of responses: 20.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 30 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 28th day of March 2002.

W. Ron DeHaven,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.