SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Domestic Quarantine Regulations.

OMB Control Number: 0579-0088.

Type of Request: Revision to and 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 to prohibit or restrict the importation, entry, or movement in interstate commerce of any plant, plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed, article, or means of conveyance, if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the introduction or the dissemination of a plant pest into the United States.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') regulations in 7 CFR part 301, “Domestic Quarantine Notices,” are necessary to regulate the movement of certain articles from infested areas to noninfested areas to prevent the spread of plant pests. These measures help prevent the pests from spreading from quarantined areas to noninfested areas of the United States.

Administering these regulations requires APHIS to collect information from a variety of individuals who are involved in growing, packing, handling, and transporting plants and plant products. The information serves as supporting documentation required for the issuance of forms and documents that authorize the movement of regulated plants and plant products and is vital to help prevent the spread of injurious plant pests within the United States. Collecting this information requires APHIS to use a number of forms and documents, including permits and certificates; applications; compliance and cooperative agreements; workplans and petitions; requests for inspection; labeling, notices, and reports; emergency action notifications and reports of violation; warnings, cancellations, and appeals; and recordkeeping.

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 0.28 hours per response.

Respondents: State, Local, and Tribal government agricultural representatives, agricultural business representatives, and private citizens.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 8,821.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 108.

Estimated annual number of responses: 948,507.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 261,393 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.