Ss 0104

Supporting Statement

Gypsy Moth Identification Worksheet

OMB Number 0579-0104

A. Justification June 2008

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

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for preventing the entry of plant diseases or insect pests from entering into the United States, preventing the spread of plant pests and noxious weeds not widely distributed in the United States, and eradicating those imported pests when eradication is feasible.

Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-7772), the Secretary of Agriculture, either independently or in cooperation with the States, is authorized to carry out operations or measures to detect, eradicate, suppress, control, prevent, or retard the spread of plant pests new to the United States or not widely distributed throughout the United States.

Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), a program within USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is responsible for implementing the intent of this Act, and does so through the enforcement of its Domestic Quarantine Regulations contained in Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 301.

The Gypsy Moth (GM) regulations (7CFR 301.45 through 301.45-12, referred to below as the regulations) restrict the intersate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas to prevent the artificial spread of the GM to noninfested areas of the United States.

PPQ engages in detection surveys to monitor the presence of the European GM and the Asian GM.

The European GM is one of the most destructive pests of fruit, and ornamental trees as well as hardwood forests. First introduced into the United States in Medford, Massachusetts in 1869, this moth has gradually spread to infest the entire northeastern portion of the country,

Heavily infested areas are inundated with actively crawling larvae, which cover trees, fences, vehicles, and houses during their search for food. Entire areas may be stripped of all foliage, often resulting in heavy damage to trees.

This damage can have long-lasting effects, depriving wildlife of food and shelter, and severely limiting the recreational value of forested areas.

The Asian GM is an exotic strain of GM that is closely related to the European variety already established in the United States. While the Asian GM has been introduced into the United States on two different occasions, it is currently not established in this country.

Due to significant behavioral differences, this strain is considered to pose an even greater threat to trees and forested areas.

Unlike the flightless European GM adult, Asian GM female adults are capable of strong directed flight between mating and egg and deposition, significantly increasing their ability to spread and become widely established within a short period of time.

In addition to this risk, Asian GM larvae feed on a much wider variety of hosts, allowing them to exploit more areas and cause more damage than the European GM.

In order to determine the presence and extent of a European GM or an Asian GM infestation, APHIS sets traps in high risk areas to collect specimens. Once an infestation is identified, control and eradication work (usually involving State cooperation) is initiated to eliminate the moths.

Since the European GM and the Asian GM are strains of the same species, they cannot be visually distinguished from each other. APHIS’ Gypsy Moth Identification Worksheet, (GMIW) and the information collected on it, it needed to clearly identify and track specific specimens that are sent to the Otis Methods Development Center (OMDC) for identification tests based on DNA analysis.

Based on the DNA tests conducted at OMDC, APHIS can evaluate the true pest risk and take appropriate action.

Checking the GM traps and recording information on the GMIW are information collection activities that are vital to our ability to monitor, detect, and eradicate GM infestations.

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.

PPQ Form 305

APHIS personnel, with assistance from State Department of Agriculture personnel, check traps for the presence of GM. If a moth or other suspicious insect is found in the trap, it is sent to APHIS laboratories at the OMDC so that it can be correctly identified.

The individual submitting the moth for analysis (whether a PPQ employee or State employee) completes the Insect Collection Worksheet, which accompanies the insect to the laboratory. The worksheet enables both Federal and State regulatory officials to identify and track specific specimens through the DNA identification tests that APHIS conducts.

If a specimen was submitted without the accompanying worksheet, laboratory personnel would have no way of knowing who submitted the specimen or where it was collected. (The specimen would be meaningless)

Information on the worksheet includes the name of the submitter, the submitter’s agency, the date collected, the trap number, the trap’s location (including the nearest port of entry), the number of specimens in the trap, and the date the specimen was sent to the laboratory.

Surveys for the European GM are conducted throughout all areas not known to be infested with the European gypsy moth. Surveys for the Asian GM are conducted at sites that APHIS considers to be high risk for an Asian GM incursion, including international seaports as well as the two known area of previous incursions (the Pacific Northwest ports and waterways in Oregon and Washington), and the Carolina coastal area between Wilmington, North Carolina and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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.

PPQ Form 305 - Due to the low usage of this form (240 annually), it will not be automated at this time.

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.

The information APHIS collects is exclusive to its mission of protecting the United States from incursion by exotic agricultural pests and is not available from any other source.

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

The information APHIS collects in connection with its GM survey activities has no impact on small businesses or other small entities.

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 APHIS did not collect this information or collected it less frequently, APHIS’ ability to protect the U.S. from GM would be severely compromised.

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

This information collection is conducted in a manner consistent with the guidelines established in 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 data 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 2008, APHIS held productive consultations with the following individuals.

Miguel Canala-Echeverria

General Manager

Association De Exportadores De Chile (ASOEX)

Cruz del Sur 133, Piso 2

Las Condes, Santiago, Chile

Telephone: 56 2206-6604

Orlando Morales Valencia

Chief, Plant Protection Department

Servicio Agricolay Ganadero (SAG)

Av. Bulness 140

Santiago, Chile

Telephone: 56 2696-8500

Moises Merida

Commercial Attache’

Embassy of Guatemala

2220 R. St., NW

Washington, DC 20008

Telephone: (202) 332-7390

Fax: (202) 332-7397

On, Tuesday, January 29, 2008, pages 5156 - 5157, 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 decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than reenumeration of contractors or grantees.

This information collection activity involves no payments (other than appropriate, program-related 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 hour 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. $23.31 X 41 = $955.71

$23.31 is the hourly rate derived from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics June 2005 Report-National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, August 2006. See http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/sp/ncb10832.pdf.

13. Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information, (do no include the cost of any hour burden shown in item 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 costs, maintenance costs, 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 expenses that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

See APHIS Form 79 for annualized cost to the Federal Government is $276,730.71.

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 hours.

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

APHIS has no plans to tabulate or publish the information APHIS collects.

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

If the form was 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 the form.

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 in the Act.