[Federal Register: December 14, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 240)]
[Notices]
[Page 71112-71113]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14de07-20]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket Number: AMS-ST-07-0149; ST08-01]
Request for an Extension and Revision to a Currently Approved
Information Collection
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing
Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of
Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the
currently approved information collection for Recordkeeping
Requirements for Certified Applicators of Federally Restricted Use
Pesticides (7 CFR part 110).
DATES: Comments received by February 12, 2008 will be considered.
Additional Information or Comments: Contact Bonnie Poli, Pesticide
Records Branch, Science and Technology, Agricultural Marketing Service,
Suite 203, 8609 Sudley Road, Manassas, Virginia 20110-4582, Telephone
(703) 330-7826, Fax (703) 330-6110.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Recordkeeping Requirements for Certified Applicators of
Federally Restricted Use Pesticides (7 CFR part 110)
OMB Number: 0581-0164.
Expiration Date of Approval: May 30, 2008.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: Section 1491 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and
Trade Act of 1990, (Pub. L. 101-624; 7 U.S.C. 136i-1) (Act), directs
and authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to require that certified
pesticide applicators maintain records of applications of federally
restricted use pesticides for a period of two years.
The Act also (1) requires that the pesticide records be made
available to Federal or State officials, and to licensed health care
professionals who need the records in order to treat an
[[Page 71113]]
individual who may have been exposed to restricted use pesticides; (2)
requires that the Secretary of Agriculture enforce the recordkeeping
and access requirements of the Act and promulgate regulations to
administer the Act; and (3) establishes civil penalties for violations
of the Act. A certified applicator is an individual who is certified by
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a State under cooperative
agreement with EPA to use or supervise the use of restricted use
pesticides.
The Secretary of Agriculture delegated his responsibilities under
the Act to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which promulgated
regulations to administer the Act at 7 CFR part 110 (regulations). In
order to enforce these regulations, AMS must collect information
through personal inspections of the application records of certified
applicators of restricted use pesticides.
The information collected by AMS is used only by authorized
representatives of AMS (AMS' Science and Technology national staff,
other designated Federal employees and designated State supervisors and
their staffs) who are delegated authority to access the records
pursuant to subsection (b) of the Act. The collected information is
used to administer the Federal Pesticide Recordkeeping program. AMS is
the primary user of this information. The secondary user of the
information is each designated State agency which has a cooperative
agreement with AMS.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated as follows:
(a) Approximately 307,151 certified private applicators
(recordkeepers) apply restricted use pesticides. It is estimated that
certified private applicators average 1.31 hours per recordkeeper for a
total of 402,368 annual burden hours. This is a 247,708 increase in
burden hours from the previous collection request due to an increase in
the number of restricted use pesticide applications being made by
certified private applicators. The new data indicates that certified
private applicators make an average of 16 restricted use pesticide
applications per year. Of the 307,151 certified private applicators,
approximately 3,600 are selected annually for recordkeeping
inspections. It is estimated that a private applicator that is subject
to a pesticide record inspection has an annual burden of .330 hours,
which contributes to a total annual burden of 1,195 hours.
(b) There are approximately 281,428 certified commercial
applicators nationally who are required to provide copies of restricted
use pesticide application records to their clients. It is estimated
that certified commercial applicators have a total annual burden of
1,386,877 hours.
(c) It is estimated that State agency personnel who work through
cooperative agreements with AMS to inspect certified private
applicator's records have a total annual burden of 7,274 hours. This is
a decrease of 1,702 burden hours from the previous collection request
due to fewer states participating in cooperative agreements with AMS.
Respondents: Certified private and commercial applicators, State
governments or employees, and Federal agencies or employees.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 592,233--The total number of
respondents includes certified commercial applicators, certified
private applicators (recordkeepers) and designated State agency
personnel utilized to inspect certified private applicator's records.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: The estimated number
of responses per respondent is as follows:
(a) It is estimated that certified private applicators
(recordkeepers), record on an average 16 restricted use pesticide
application records annually.
(b) It is estimated that certified commercial applicators provide
616 copies of restricted use pesticide records to their clients
annually.
(c) State agency personnel, who work under cooperative agreements
with AMS to conduct restricted use pesticide records inspections, have
approximately 3,591 responses annually.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,797,714. This
revision in the Total Annual Burden on Respondents increases the
current burden by 116,917 hours due to the increase in the number of
restricted use pesticides applications that the private applicators are
making annually. Although there are fewer states participating in the
cooperative program, the total annual burden did increase.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms
of information technology. Comments should be sent to Bonnie Poli,
Pesticide Records Branch, Science and Technology, Agricultural
Marketing Service, Suite 203, 8609 Sudley Road, Manassas, Virginia
20110-4582. All comments received will be available for public
inspection during regular business hours at the same address.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: December 10, 2007.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E7-24202 Filed 12-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P