2020-05014. Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey

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 Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 11, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/​#!docketDetail;​D=​APHIS-2020-0012.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2020-0012, 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-2020-0012 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 Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey, contact Mr. John Bowers, National Policy Manager for Pest Detection, Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737; [phone]. For additional information about the information collection process, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0579-0010.

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

Abstract: Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized, either independently or in cooperation with the States, to carry out operations or measures to detect, eradicate, suppress, control, prevent, or retard the spread of plant pests and noxious weeds that are new to or not widely distributed within the United States. This authority has been delegated to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

To carry out this mission, APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program has joined forces with the States and other agencies to create a program called the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS). The CAPS program coordinates efforts through cooperative agreements with the States and other agencies to collect and manage data on plant pests, noxious weeds, and biological control agents, which may be used to control plant pests or noxious weeds.

This program allows the States and PPQ to conduct surveillance activities to detect and measure the presence of exotic plant pests and weeds and to input surveillance data into a uniform national system. Among other things, this allows APHIS to obtain a more comprehensive picture of plant pest conditions in the United States.

The CAPS program involves certain information collection activities, such as cooperative agreements with associated workplans and various financial and disclosure forms, pest detection surveys with data entry, and a form for determination of specimens.

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 burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.24 hours per response.

Respondents: State cooperators participating in CAPS.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 54.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 271.

Estimated annual number of responses: 14,634.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,573 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 6th day of March 2020.

Kevin Shea,

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.