2010-14657. Notice of Revision and Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Citrus Canker; Interstate Movement of Regulated Nursery Stock and Fruit from Quarantined Areas

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Revision 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 revise an information collection associated with regulations for the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock and fruit from quarantined areas to prevent the spread of citrus canker and to request an extension of approval of the information collection.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before August 16, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to (http://www.regulations.gov/​fdmspublic/​component/​main?​main=​DocketDetail&​d=​APHIS-2010-0063) to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0063, 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-2010-0063.

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 on regulations for the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock and fruit from quarantined areas to prevent the spread of citrus canker, contact Ms. Lynn Evans-Goldner, National Program Manager, Emergency and Domestic Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 160, 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: Citrus Canker; Interstate Movement of Regulated Nursery Stock and Fruit from Quarantined Areas.

OMB Number: 0579-0317.

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

Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, either independently or in cooperation with States, to carry out operations or measures to detect, eradicate, suppress, control, prevent, or retard the spread of plant pests, such as citrus canker, that are new to or not widely distributed within the United States.

Citrus canker is a plant disease that affects plant and plant parts, including fresh fruit of citrus and citrus relatives (family Rutaceae). Citrus canker can cause defoliation and other serious damage to the leaves and twigs of susceptible plants. It can also cause lesions on the fruit of infected plants and cause infected fruit to drop from the trees before reaching maturity. The aggressive A (Asiatic) strain of citrus canker can infect susceptible plants rapidly and lead to extensive economic losses in commercial citrus-producing areas.

APHIS regulations to prevent the interstate spread of citrus canker are contained in “Subpart—Citrus Canker” (7 CFR 301.75-1 through 301.75-14). The regulations restrict the interstate movement of regulated articles from and through areas quarantined because of citrus canker and provide, among other things, conditions under which regulated nursery stock and fruit may be moved interstate. The interstate movement of regulated nursery stock and fruit from quarantined areas involves information collection activities, including cooperative agreements, certificates, and limited permits.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3 years.

This information collection includes information collection requirements currently approved by OMB control numbers 0579-0317, “Citrus Canker; Interstate Movement of Regulated Nursery Stock from Quarantined Areas,” and 0579-0325, “Citrus Canker; Movement of Fruit from Quarantined Areas.” After OMB approves and combines the burden for both collections under a single collection (0579-0317), “Citrus Canker; Interstate Movement of Regulated Nursery Stock and Fruit from Quarantined Areas,” the Department will retire number 0579-0325.

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 0.0019836 hours per response.

Respondents: Citrus growers; packinghouses.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 450.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 498.5288.

Estimated annual number of responses: 224,338.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 445 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 14^th day of June 2010.

Kevin Shea,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.