[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 114 (Friday, June 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35896-35897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12737]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 114 / Friday, June 12, 2020 /
Notices
[[Page 35896]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0040]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection; Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, All Subtypes, and
Newcastle Disease; Additional Restrictions
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment
request.
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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 to prevent the introduction
of highly pathogenic avian influenza, all subtypes, and Newcastle
disease into the United States through the importation of birds,
poultry, and unprocessed bird and poultry products.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
August 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-2020-0040.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2020-0040, 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-
0040 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 (202) 799-7039 before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the regulations to
prevent the introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza and
Newcastle disease, contact Dr. Bettina Helm, Senior Staff Veterinary
Medical Officer, Live Animal Imports, Strategy and Policy, VS, APHIS,
4700 River Road, Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-3300. For
information on the information collection process, contact Mr. Joseph
Moxey, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, All Subtypes, and
Newcastle Disease; Additional Restrictions.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0245.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et
seq.), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the
United States Department of Agriculture is authorized, among other
things, to prohibit or restrict the importation and interstate movement
of animals and animal products to prevent the introduction into and
dissemination within the United States of livestock diseases and pests.
To carry out this mission, APHIS regulates the importation of animals
and animal products into the United States. The regulations for the
importation of animals and animal products are contained in 9 CFR parts
92 through 98.
The regulations in parts 93, 94, and 95 govern the importation of
specified animals and animal products and byproducts to prevent the
introduction of various animal diseases, including highly pathogenic
avian influenza (HPAI), all subtypes, and Newcastle disease.
HPAI, as defined in Sec. 94.0, is an infectious and fatal disease
of poultry. HPAI can strike poultry quickly without any warning signs
of infection and, once established, can spread rapidly from flock to
flock. HPAI viruses can be spread by manure, equipment, vehicles, egg
flats, crates, and people whose clothing or shoes have come in contact
with the viruses. In addition, HPAI viruses can remain viable at
moderate temperatures for long periods in the environment and can
survive indefinitely in frozen material. One gram of contaminated
manure can contain enough virus to infect 1 million poultry.
Newcastle disease is a contagious disease of birds and poultry
caused by a paramyxovirus. Newcastle disease, as defined in Sec. 94.0,
is one of most infectious diseases of poultry in the world. A death
rate of almost 100 percent can occur in unvaccinated poultry flocks.
Newcastle disease can also infect and cause death even in vaccinated
birds and poultry.
APHIS' regulations prohibit or restrict the importation of
unprocessed bird and poultry products and byproducts from regions that
have reported the presence of HPAI or Newcastle disease, and contain
permit and quarantine requirements for U.S. origin pet birds and
performing or theatrical birds and poultry returning to the United
States. In addition, there are also restrictions concerning importation
of live poultry and birds that have been vaccinated for certain types
of avian influenza or that have moved through or originate from regions
where HPAI or Newcastle disease is considered to exist. These
regulations require the use of a number of information collection
activities, including various APHIS forms, application of seals,
agreements, notarized declarations or affirmations, notification of
signs of disease in a recently imported bird, cooperative service
agreements, and recordkeeping by processing establishments.
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;
[[Page 35897]]
(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 0.55 hours per response.
Respondents: Foreign federal government officials, owners of U.S.-
origin pet birds and performing or theatrical birds or poultry
returning to the United States, and U.S. importers of bird and poultry
carcasses, parts, products and byproducts (bird blood, bird tissues,
etc.) of birds and poultry and eggs (other than hatching eggs) from
certain regions.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 973.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 3.81.
Estimated annual number of responses: 3,707.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 2,041 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 8th day of June 2020.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-12737 Filed 6-11-20; 8:45 am]
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