[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 165 (Monday, August 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48386-48387]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18599]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0043]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Special Need Requests Under the Plant Protection Act

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 intention of the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) to request an extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with the regulations to allow States 
to impose prohibitions or restrictions on specific articles in addition 
to those required by APHIS to help protect against the introduction and 
establishment of plant pests.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 29, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2021-0043 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2021-0043, 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 regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located 
in Room 1620 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 special need 
requests under the Plant Protection Act, contact Dr. Clarissa Maroon-
Lango, Director, Biocontrol, and Forest, Wood and Rangeland Pests 
(BFWRP) and Emergency Domestic Programs (EDP), PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 52, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-2328. For more detailed 
information on the information collection reporting process, contact 
Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS' Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 
851-2483; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Special Need Requests Under the Plant Protection Act.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0291.
    Type of request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Protection Act (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to restrict the importation, 
entry, or interstate movement of plants, plant products, and other 
articles to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United 
States or their dissemination within the United States. This authority 
has been delegated to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers 
regulations to implement the PPA. Regulations governing the interstate 
movement of plants, plant products, and other articles are contained in 
7 CFR part 301, ``Domestic Quarantine Notices.'' The regulations in 
``Subpart A--Preemption and Special Need Requests'' allow States or 
political subdivisions of States to request approval from APHIS to 
impose prohibitions or restrictions on the movement in interstate 
commerce of specific articles that pose a plant health risk that are in 
addition to the prohibitions and restrictions imposed by APHIS. This 
process requires information collection activities, including a pest 
data detection survey with a pest risk analysis showing that a pest is 
not present in a State, or if already present, the current distribution 
in the State, and that the pest would harm or injure the environment 
and/or agricultural resources of the State or political subdivision.
    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

[[Page 48387]]

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 160 hours per response.
    Respondents: State governments.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 160 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 24th day of August 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-18599 Filed 8-27-21; 8:45 am]
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