SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Citrus Canker, Citrus Greening, and Asian Citrus Psyllid; Quarantine and Interstate Movement Regulations.

OMB Control Number: 0579-0363.

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

Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) authorizes the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 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 and diseases that are new to or not widely distributed within the United States. Under the Act, the Secretary may also issue regulations requiring plants and plant products moved in interstate commerce to be subject to remedial measures determined necessary to prevent the spread of the pest or disease, or requiring the objects to be accompanied by a permit issued by the Secretary prior to movement. The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) administers the regulations to implement the PPA.

Citrus canker is a plant disease that is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri that affects plants and plant parts of citrus and citrus relatives of the Rutaceae family. 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. Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing, is considered to be one of the most serious citrus diseases in the world. Citrus greening is a bacterial disease that attacks the vascular system of host plants. This bacterial pathogen can be transmitted by grafting and, under laboratory conditions, by parasitic plants. The pathogen can also be transmitted by two insect vectors, one of which is Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). ACP can also cause economic damage to citrus in groves and nurseries by direct feeding. Both adults and nymphs feed on young foliage, depleting the sap and causing galling or curling of leaves. High populations feeding on a citrus shoot can kill the growing tip.

Under the regulations in “Subpart M-Citrus Canker” (7 CFR 301.75-1 through 301.75-17) and “Subpart N-Citrus Greening and Asian Citrus Psyllid” (7 CFR 301.76 through 301.76-11), APHIS restricts the interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas to control the artificial spread of citrus canker and citrus greening and its vector, ACP, to noninfested areas of the United States. The regulations contain requirements that involve information collection activities, including labeling; recordkeeping; and appealing the cancellation of a certificate, permit, or compliance agreement.

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. APHIS has amended this information collection by removing PPQ Form 519 (Compliance Agreement), PPQ Form 530 (Limited Permit), PPQ Form 540 (Federal Certificate) and PPQ Form 523 (Emergency Action Notification) and moving these activities to a new PPQ Permit information collection. In addition, the total annual respondents has decreased.

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 0.398 hours per response.

Respondents: Commercial nurseries/operations in U.S. States or U.S. Territories quarantined for citrus canker, citrus greening, or ACP.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 593.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 16,609.

Estimated annual number of responses: 9,849,138.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 325,201 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.