03-18780. 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 animal disease surveillance programs.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before September 22, 2003.

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. 03-071-1, 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. 03-071-1. 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. 03-071-1” 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 regarding the use of Veterinary Services (VS) Form 10-4, contact Ms. Connie J. Osmundson, Financial Analyst, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, VS, APHIS, USDA, 1800 Dayton Road, Ames, IA 50010; [phone]. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Specimen Submission.

OMB Number: 0579-0090.

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

Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for, among other things, preventing the interstate spread of animal diseases and for eradicating such diseases from the United States when feasible.

Disease prevention is the most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and enhancing international trade of animals and animal products. The Veterinary Services (VS) program of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is responsible for carrying out this disease prevention mission.

Disease prevention is accomplished with an effective disease surveillance program, which is conducted by VS. The VS Form 10-4 and its supplemental sheet (VS Form 10-4A) are critical components of our disease surveillance mission. They are routinely used whenever specimens (such as blood, milk, tissue, or urine) from any animal (including cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, and poultry) are submitted to our National Veterinary Services Laboratories for disease testing.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities 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 0.25 hours per response.

Respondents: State veterinary officials, accredited veterinarians, animal health technicians and other personnel who are qualified to collect and submit specimens for laboratory analysis, and herd owners.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 12,000.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 3.

Estimated annual number of responses: 36,000.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 9,000 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 17th day of July 2003.

Peter Fernandez,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.