Notice of Request for Revision and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Animal Welfare

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Revision and 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 a revision and extension of approval of an information collection associated with Animal Welfare Act regulations for the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of certain animals by dealers, research facilities, exhibitors, carriers, and intermediate handlers.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before November 24, 2008.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0104 to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0104, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0104.

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: Additional information about APHIS and its programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information on the Animal Welfare Act regulations, contact Dr. Barbara Kohn, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-7833. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2908.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Animal Welfare.

OMB Number: 0579-0093.

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

Abstract: The regulations in 9 CFR parts 1 through 3 were promulgated under the Animal Welfare Act (the Act) (7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) to ensure the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals covered under the Act. The Act and regulations are enforced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The regulations in 9 CFR part 3, subparts A, D, and E, cover dogs and cats, nonhuman primates, and marine mammals, respectively. Subparts B and C cover rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Subpart F of 9 CFR part 3 covers warmblooded animals other than dogs, cats, nonhuman primates, marine mammals, rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Regulated facilities are required to keep certain records and provide specific information regarding health and feeding, housing, space, transportation, exercise, perimeter fencing, marine mammal interactive programs, and programs of veterinary care. We review this information to evaluate program compliance.

This notice includes information collection requirements currently approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under control numbers 0579-0092, “Animal Welfare; Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, and Rabbits” (transportation in commerce), and 0579-0093, “Animal Welfare.” These information collections do not mandate the use of any official Government form. After OMB approves and combines the burden for both collections under a single collection (0579-0093), the Department will retire number 0579-0092.

We are asking 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 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 reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.302547 hours per response.

Respondents: Dealers, exhibitors, research facilities, carriers, and intermediate handlers.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 11,687.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 13.477881.

Estimated annual number of responses: 157,516.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 47,656 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.