SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Standardizing Phytosanitary Treatment Regulations: Approval of Cold Treatment and Irradiation Facilities; Cold Treatment Schedules; and Establishment of Fumigation and Cold Treatment Compliance Agreements.

OMB Control Number: 0579-0450.

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

Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for preventing plant diseases or insect pests from entering the United States, preventing the spread of pests and noxious weeds not widely distributed into the United States, and eradicating those imported pests when eradication is feasible. The Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) authorizes the Department to carry out this mission. Under the PPA, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is authorized, among other things, to regulate the importation of plants, plant products, and other articles to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States.

The phytosanitary treatment regulations contained in 7 CFR part 305 (referred to below as the regulations) set out the general requirements for performing treatments and certifying or approving treatment facilities for fruits, vegetables, and other articles to prevent the introduction or dissemination of plant pests or noxious weeds into or throughout the United States.

The phytosanitary treatment regulations establish generic criteria that would allow for the approval of new cold treatment and irradiation facilities; cold treatment schedules; and establishment of fumigation and cold treatment compliance agreements. These criteria also require additional information collection activities. For instance, APHIS requires the establishment of compliance agreements for those entities that operate fumigation facilities. Also, APHIS requires harmonized language concerning State compliance with facility establishment and parameters for the movement of consignments from the port of entry or points of origin in the United States to the treatment facility in the irradiation treatment regulations language in the cold treatment regulations.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the 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 0.51 hours per response.

Respondents: National plant protection organizations, facility operators, importers, and State governments.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 118.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 3.

Estimated annual number of responses: 398.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 203 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.

85 FR 74665