Asian Longhorned Beetle-LPA SS

Supporting Statement

OMB Clearance 0579-00XX

Asian Longhorned Beetle

Justification October 2006

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection.

In accordance with 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq., the Secretary of Agriculture has the ability to prohibit or restrict the importation, exportation and the interstate movement of plants, plant products, certain biological control organisms, noxious weeds, and plant pests.

Plant health regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Agriculture under this authority specifically address control programs for Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB), as well as other pests of concern.

The ALB Cooperative Eradication Program (CEP) has been operating since 1996, working to eradicate this destructive pest from the United States. Once an area is regulated for ALB, a minimum of 2 years of negative survey data (no signs of the beetle presence) must be recorded for the location to be eligible for deregulation. After four years of negative results in an outbreak area, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will declare that the area free of ALB.

Over the years the program has made steady progress in its eradication efforts, and due to this, the public’s general consensus is that the ALB is no longer a problem or threat. The public’s continued support is crucial to the ALB CEP’s mission of eradicating this invasive pest.

In order to ensure that the beetle is indeed no longer present in a particular area, APHIS relies on the public to report any surveys they conduct for the pest in their local area. This reporting, which is done through a simple online survey, covers both sightings and nonsightings. Surveys performed by members of the general public, nature organizations, school groups, garden clubs, and others help APHIS develop a history of beetle’s presence and activity in a particular area and supplements the work done by the program’s surveyors.

If any member of the public reports seeing signs of the beetle, APHIS takes the appropriate steps to determine if the beetle is indeed present in an area and to what extent. In turn, if there are no signs of ALB found through a large area, as determined by hundreds of volunteer surveyors of searchers, APHIS can continue to work towards deregulating the particular zones.

Any information collected as part of this program would be used by APHIS to pinpoint regulated areas that have been searched for signs of the beetle. If any respondents provide information that indicates signs of an ALB infestation, surveyors from the ALB cooperative eradication program will conduct an inspection of the area to determine if the pest is indeed present in the area and implement measures to stop the beetle’s spread.

Implementing this program will entail the voluntary completion of an online survey to determine if there is any presence of the beetle in a particular location. APHIS is asking OMB to approve, for 3 years, the use of these information collection activities in connection with APHIS’ efforts to ensure the eradication of the ALB in regulated areas.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

The voluntary online survey will collect the following information from each respondent: If the person reporting does not locate any beetles, the survey asks only for the location searched and the school the person attends. A name, phone number, and address will be optional. For positive sightings, the name of the person reporting the finding, a way to contact them, the exact address/location of the sighting, and details on where the tree is located are needed. The information will be compiled by APHIS’ Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) ALB office in Chicago, IL.

Most of the responses will be collected electronically. For respondents who do not have access to this technology, a phone can be used to collect their information. Any information collected as part of this program would be used by APHIS to pinpoint regulated areas that have been searched for signs of the beetle. If any respondents provide information that indicates signs of an ALB infestation, surveyors from the ALB cooperative eradication program will conduct an inspection of the area to determine if the pest is indeed present in the area and implement measures to stop the beetle’s spread.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other surveys of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

The survey will be located on the APHIS web site at http://beetlebusters.aphis.usda.gov. The survey, which is completely voluntary, asks for only basic information and can be filled out online.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in item 2 above.

The information that APHIS collects is not available from any other source. APHIS is the only Federal agency responsible for detecting and controlling the outbreak of plant pests and diseases.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (Item 5 of OMB 83-1), describe any methods used to minimize burden.

The information APHIS is collecting in connection with this program is the minimum needed to determine if the Asian longhorned beetle is still present in areas that are about to be deregulated or have been deregulated. Burden is minimized by the fact that this is a completely volunteer program, and the public doesn’t have to fill the survey out if they don’t want to. Burden is further reduced by the fact that the survey is online and asks for only the most basic information, including name, phone number, date, street address, zip code, location of the surveyed tree on the property, and whether or not the respondent saw any Asian longhorned beetles.

6. Describe the consequences to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

Collecting this information less frequently or failing to collect it could lead to the deregulation of areas where the beetle is still present, thus leading to a large scale outbreak.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

This information collection is conducted in a manner consistent with the guidelines established in 5 CFR 1320.5.

8. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting form, and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed or reported. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency’s notice, soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB.

During 2006, APHIS consulted with individuals concerning the ALB program, outreach activities, and information collections including:

Joe McCarthy, Illinois

City of Chicago Forestry

3200 South Dedzie

Chicago, IL 60623

312-747-2098

Carl P Schultze, New Jersey

New Jersey Department of Agriculture

Director, Division of Plant Industry

P.O. Box 330

Trenton, NJ 08625-0330

609-292-5441

Robert Mungari, New York

State of New York

Department of Agriculture and Markets

10 B Airline Drive

Albany, New York 12235

518-457-2771

The Agency’s notice of information collection activity was announced in the Federal Register on May 26, 2006, pages 30370-30371. One comment was received concerning the compromise of APHIS’ current data collection procedures. The program provided an explanation as to how it derived a service-learning curriculum for students reporting information for this collection. A copy of the comment, APHIS’ response, and the Federal Register notice are attached.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

Respondents may receive certificates of appreciation or small giveaway items, such as pens, pencils, and stickers, with the Beetle Busters logo for their participation.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

No additional assurances of confidentiality are provided with this information collection. However, the confidentiality of this information is protected under 5 U.S.C. 522a.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior or attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature asked of the respondents.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated.

The estimate of the total annual cost of burden to the respondents (415 hours x $10.00) is $4,150. See APHIS Form 71 for burden estimate.

13. Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information (do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14).

There is zero annual cost burden associated with capital and start-up costs, operation and maintenance expenditures, and purchase of services.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government. Provide a description of the method used to estimate cost and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

The annualized cost to the Federal Government is estimated at $16,203.64. (See APHIS Form 79).

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-1.

This is a new collection of information.

16. For collections of information whose results are planned to be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.

APHIS has no plans to publish information it collects in connection with this program.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

There are no forms associated with this information collection.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in the "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act”.

APHIS certifies compliance with all provisions of the Act.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

There are no statistical methods associated with the information collection activities used in this program.