2018-20449. Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Importation of Fresh Peppers From Peru Into the Continental United States and the Territories

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 the regulations for the importation of fresh peppers from Peru into the continental United States and the Territories.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before November 19, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/​#!docketDetail;​D=​APHIS-2018-0058.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2018-0058, 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-2018-0058 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 fresh peppers from Peru into the continental United States and the Territories, contact Ms. Claudia Ferguson, Senior Regulatory Policy Coordinator, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737; [phone]. For more detailed information on the information collection, contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Importation of Fresh Peppers From Peru Into the Continental United States and the Territories.

OMB Control Number: 0579-0434.

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 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 319.56-83).

The regulations in § 319.56-73 allow the importation of fresh peppers into the continental United States and the Territories from Peru. As a condition of entry, the peppers have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that includes requirements for operational workplans, quality control programs, fruit fly trapping, pre-harvest production site inspections, production site and packinghouse registration, emergency action notifications, notices of arrival for imports, and packinghouse procedures designed to exclude quarantine pests. The peppers are also required to be imported in commercial consignments and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of Peru with an additional declaration stating that the consignment was produced in accordance with the systems approach outlined in the regulations. These actions allow for the importation of fresh peppers from Peru while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of plant pests into the United States and the Territories.

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 burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response.

Respondents: Exporters, importers, and the NPPO of Peru.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 15.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 16.

Estimated annual number of responses: 249.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 294 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 14th day of September 2018.

Kevin Shea,

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.