[Federal Register: November 24, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 226)]
[Notices]               
[Page 65869]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24no03-18]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 03-103-1]

 
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection

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 in support of the regulations for the importation of pork 
and pork products and live swine from the Mexican States of Baja 
California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa.

DATES: We will consider all comments we receive on or before January 
23, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery 
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send 
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket 
No. 03-103-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 
3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state 
that your comment refers to Docket No. 03-103-1. If you use e-mail, address your comment to regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Your comment must 
be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. 
Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No. 
03-103-1'' on the subject line.
    You may read any comments that we receive on this docket in our 
reading room. The reading room 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) 690-2817 before coming.
    APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related 
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who 
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the regulations 
regarding the importation of pork and pork products and live swine from 
the Mexican States of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, 
and Sinaloa, contact Dr. Hatim Gubara, Senior Staff Veterinarian, 
Regionalization Evaluation Services Staff, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 38, Riverdale MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-4356. For copies of more 
detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. 
Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 
734-7477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Classical Swine Fever; Importation of Pork and Pork Products 
and Live Swine from the Mexican States of Baja California, Baja 
California Sur, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa.
    OMB Number: 0579-0230.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301-
8317), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, regulates the importation of animals and animals 
products into the United States to prevent the introduction of animal 
diseases, such as classical swine fever (CSF), into the United States.
    The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 allow the importation of pork and 
products and live swine from the Mexican States of Baja California, 
Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa under conditions designed 
to ensure that the pork and pork products and live swine will not 
transmit CSF. This disease is not present in those States but exists in 
other parts of Mexico. The conditions for importation require, among 
other things, certification from a full-time salaried veterinary 
officer of the Government of Mexico that the pork or pork products or 
live swine originated in a CSF-free region and have not been commingled 
with swine or pork or pork products from CSF-affected regions.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity 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 
information collection, 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 information collection 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 reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response.
    Respondents: Federal animal health authorities in Mexico.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 5.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 10.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 50.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 50 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 18th day of November, 2003.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-29235 Filed 11-21-03; 8:45 am]

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