Ss 0117

Supporting Statement

Environmental Monitoring Form

0579-0117

JUSTIFICATION January 2008

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

The mission of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is to provide leadership in ensuring the health and care of animals and plants, to improve agricultural productivity and competitiveness, and to contribute to the national economy and the public health.

APHIS is committed to accomplishing its mission in a manner that promotes and protects the integrity of the environment. This includes APHIS’ compliance with all applicable environmental statutes.

Primary among these statutes is the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality that implement the procedural aspects of NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508). APHIS’ regulations require APHIS to implement environmental monitoring for certain activities conducted for pests and diseases, control, and eradication programs.

Activities for which APHIS conducts monitoring are those that have the greatest potential for harm to the human environment (such as pesticide use), and for which mitigations have been developed to avoid that harm. APHIS conducts monitoring to ensure that the mitigations are enforced, and that mitigations are effective.

In many cases, monitoring is required where pesticides are used close to habitats of endangered and threatened species. APHIS’ monitoring is developed in coordination with the United States Department of the Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service, in compliance wit the Endangered Species Act (50 CFR 17.11 and 17.12).

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

APHIS Form 2060 – Environmental Monitoring Form

APHIS uses the Environmental Monitoring Form to collect information concerning the effects of pesticide use in sensitive habitats. APHIS field personnel, with the assistance of personnel from the State departments of agriculture, as well as private foundations, obtain information on-site at the time the samples are collected. This information is vital for interpreting the laboratory tests APHIS conducts on its collected samples. If a given sample was not accompanied by this form, APHIS would have no way of knowing from which site the sample was taken. APHIS can assess the effects of pesticide use at a given site and determine what, if any, corrective action should be taken to mitigate the effects of the pesticide.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms 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.

APHIS Form 2060 is posted as a PDF file in the PPQ Manual under Imported Fire Ant. The website is: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/manuals/online_manuals.html.

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

APHIS is the only Agency responsible for monitoring the effects of pesticide use in sensitive habitats. The information APHIS is collecting is its only source for the information and is not being collected through other forms or reports.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

APHIS has no small entities involved with this information collection.

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.

If the collections were conducted less frequently, APHIS would not be able to accurately measure the enforcement of the program and still meet the provisions of the Act.

7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information collection guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.

No special circumstances exist that would require this collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information collection guidelines 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.

In 2007, APHIS held productive consultations with the following individuals concerning the information collection activities associated with its program for the Environmental Monitoring Form:

Joel Pietch

Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation

10201 W. Markham

Suite 100

Little Rock, AR 72205

(501) 223-2763, extension 117

Joan Mahoney

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

Department of Plant Industries

10B Airline Drive

Albany, NY 12235

(1-800) 554-4501

Barry Smith

Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation

P.O. Box 5089

Abilene, TX 79608

(325) 672-2800, extension 3161

On Tuesday, September 25, 2007, pages 54417 - 54418, APHIS published in the Federal Register, a 60-day notice seeking public comments on its plans to request a 3-year renewal of this collection of information. No comments from the public were received.

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

This information collection activity involves no payments or gifts to respondents.

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

No additional assurance of confidentiality is provided with this information collection. However, the confidentiality of information is protected under 5 U.S.C.552a.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and others that are 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.

This information collection activity asks no questions of a personal or sensitive nature.

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.

• Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens in Item 13 of OMB Form 83-I.

See APHIS Form 71 for burden estimates.

• Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.

The cost to the public is determined by multiplying the total number of burden hours times the wage per hour rate. $17.45 X 1,500 hours = $26,175.

$17.45 is the hourly rate was derived from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2003 Report – National Compensation Survey: Occupation Wages in the United States, August 2006. See http:www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/sp/ncbl0832.pdf.

13. Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information (do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14). The cost estimates should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start-up cost component annualized over its expected useful life; and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component.

There is zero annual cost burden associated with capital and start-up, operation and maintenance, and purchase of services in connection with this program.

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 estimated cost for the Federal Government is $50,161.56. (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.

There are no changes in the burden. This is a renewal of a previous program.

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

APHIS has no plans to publish or tabulate this information.

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.

If forms were to be discarded because of an outdated OMB expiration date, but otherwise usable, higher printing costs would be incurred by the Federal Government. Therefore, APHIS is seeking approval to not display the OMB expiration date on its forms.

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

APHIS is able to certify compliance with all the provisions under the Act.