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.

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 provisions of the Animal Welfare Act regulations related to the humane transportation of animals in commerce.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before September 7, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 04-055-1, 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. 04-055-1.
• 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. 04-055-1” on the subject line.
• Agency Web Site: Go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/cominst.html for a form you can use to submit an e-mail comment through the APHIS Web site.

Reading Room. 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.

Other Information: You may view APHIS documents published in the Federal Register and related information, including the names of groups and individuals who have commented on APHIS dockets, on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information on the Animal Welfare Act regulations for the humane transportation of animals in commerce by foreign air carriers, contact Dr. Jerry DePoyster, Senior Veterinary Medical Officer, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737-1234; (301) 734-7586. 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: Transportation of Animals on Foreign Air Carriers.

OMB Number: 0579-0247.

Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information collection.

Abstract: The regulations contained in 9 CFR chapter I, subchapter A, part 3, provide standards for the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation, by regulated entities, of animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA, 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.). The regulations in part 3 are divided into six subparts, each of which contains facility and operating standards, animal health and husbandry standards, and transportation standards for a specific category of animals and consist of the following: Subpart A—dogs and cats; subpart B—guinea pigs and hamsters; subpart C—rabbits; subpart D—nonhuman primates; subpart E—marine mammals; and subpart F—warmblooded animals other than dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, nonhuman primates, and marine mammals. Transportation standards for dogs and cats are contained in §§ 3.13 through 3.19; for guinea pigs and hamsters, in §§ 3.35 through 3.41; for rabbits, in §§ 3.60 through 3.66; for nonhuman primates, in §§ 3.86 through 3.92; for marine mammals, in §§ 3.112 through 3.118; and for all other warmblooded animals, in §§ 3.136 through 3.142.

Foreign air carriers, as well as domestic carriers, transporting animals covered under the AWA to or from any point within the United States, its territories, possessions, or the District of Columbia must comply with the transportation standards and are required to register as a carrier with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and keep and maintain records pertaining to animal transport. These records may include a copy of the consignor's written guarantee of payment for transportation for C.O.D. shipments, a shipping document, an animal health certificate executed and issued by a licensed veterinarian, and, if needed, an acclimation statement indicating that the animal being transported can withstand temperatures colder or warmer than the minimums or maximums specified in the regulations. In addition, depending on the species, the standards may require that instructions for the administration of drugs, medication, other special care, food, and water, as well as other shipping documents, be attached to the outside of the animal's primary enclosure.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities for foreign air carriers 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 0.162037 hours per response.

Respondents: Foreign air carriers transporting animals covered under the Animal Welfare Act.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 20.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 54.

Estimated annual number of responses: 1,080.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 175 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.