2013-23309. Notice of 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:

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 associated with the regulations for the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock and fruit from quarantined areas to prevent the spread of citrus canker.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before November 25, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/​#!documentDetail;​D=​APHIS-2013-0075-0001.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2013-0075, 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-2013-0075 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 regulations for the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock and fruit from citrus canker quarantined areas, contact Ms. Lynn Evans-Goldner, National Policy Manager, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 60, 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: 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, 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 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 301.75-17). 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.

Since the last approval, we have adjusted the number of respondents due to an increase in shipping requests for citrus from Florida, and as a result, the estimated total annual burden on respondents has increased to 1,943 hours.

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 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 0.2 hours per response.

Respondents: Citrus growers and packinghouses.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 371.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 26.

Estimated annual number of responses: 9,642.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,943 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 19th day of September 2013.

Michael C. Gregoire,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.