February 2008
Supporting Statement
South American Cactus Moth;
Quarantine and Regulations
Docket No. APHIS-2006-0153
OMB No. 0579-XXXX
A. Justification
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), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is responsible for preventing plant diseases or insect pests from entering the United States, preventing the spread of 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 is authorized to prohibit or restrict the importation, entry, or movement of plants and plant pests to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States or their dissemination within the United States.
APHIS is amending the domestic quarantine regulations to establish regulations to restrict the interstate movement of South American cactus moth host material, including nursery stock and plant parts for consumption, from infested areas of the United States. This action is intended to help prevent the artificial spread of South American cactus moth into noninfested areas of the United States.
APHIS is also amending the domestic quarantine notices in
7 CFR, Part 301 by adding a new subpart, “South American Cactus Moth” (§§ 301.55 through 301.55-9, referred to below as the regulations). The regulations will provide for the designation of quarantined areas and will restrict the interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas into or through nonquarantined areas.
The South American cactus moth (Cactoblastic cactorum)is a grayish-brown moth with a wingspan of 22 to 35 millimeters (approximately 0.86 to 1.4 inches)that is indigenous to Argentina, southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is a serious quarantine pest of Opuntia spp.,and an occasional pest of Nopalea spp.,Cylindropuntia spp., and Consolea spp., four closely related genera of the family Cactaceae. After an incubation period following mating, the female South American cactus moth deposits an egg stock resembling a cactus spine on the host plant. The egg stick, which consists of 70 to 90 eggs, hatches in 25 to 30 days and the larvae bore into the cactus pad to feed, eventually hollowing it out and killing the plant. Within a short period of time, the South American cactus moth can destroy whole stands of cactus.
APHIS is asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the use of these information collection activities, associated with its efforts to prevent the artificial spread of South American cactus moth into noninfested areas of the United States.
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.
Certificate (PPQ Form 540) – This is a certificate used for domestic movement of treated articles relating to quarantines. The form is issued by State Plant Health Regulatory officials and plant health directors and any other official approved by the Secretary.
Certificates are issued for regulated articles when an inspector or other person authorized to issue certificates finds that the articles have met the conditions of the regulations and may be safely moved interstate without further restrictions.
Compliance Agreement (PPQ Form 519) – Compliance agreements are provided for the convenience of persons who are involved in the growing, handling, or moving of regulated articles from quarantined areas. A person may enter into a compliance agreement when an inspector has determined that the person requesting the compliance agreement has been made aware of the requirements and the person has agreed to comply with the requirements of the regulations and the provisions of the compliance agreements.
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 540 is a pressure sensitive form and is also accountable by a unique serial number so the form is not practical for automation at this time.
PPQ Form 519 is posted at: www.aphis.usda.gov/library/forms/pdf/ppq519.pdf and is downloadable.
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 to prevent the introduction of plant pests and plant diseases into the United States, and to prevent the spread of diseases within the United States. The information 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 is the minimum needed to protect the United States from the introduction of plant pests and plant diseases.
APHIS has determined that there will not be a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 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 if this information was collected less frequently, APHIS could not provide an effective domestic quarantine program to prevent the artificial spread of the South American cactus moth within the United States.
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.
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.
The following individuals were consulted during 2007:
Lin Schmale
Senior Dir., of Government Relations
Society of American Florists
1601 Duke Street
Alexandra, VA 22314
(703) 838-5232
Dorthea Zadig
Program Supervisor
Plant Health & Pest Prevention
California Department of Food and Agriculture
1220 N. St., Rm A-316
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 654-0317
Craig Regelbrugge
American Nursery and Land Scape Association
1250, I street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 789-2900
APHIS’ proposed rule (Docket No. APHIS-2006-0153) will describe its information gathering requirements, and also provide a 60-day comment period. During this time, interested members of the public will have the opportunity to provide APHIS with their input concerning the usefulness, legitimacy, and merit of the information collection activities APHIS is proposing.
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 or gifts to respondents.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality is provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in stature, 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 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.
10 burden hours X $15.00 estimate of annual cost = $150
The hourly rate is derived from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics June 2003 Report – National Compensation Survey; Occupational Wages in the United States, July 2002. See http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/sp/ncb10539.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 to the Federal Government is $111.61.
(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-I.
This is a new program.
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 collected.
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 the 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 in the act.
B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.
Statistical methods are not used in this information collection.
File Type | application/msword |
File Title | Supporting Statement |
Author | lctoran |
Last Modified By | kastratchko |
File Modified | 2008-02-11 |
File Created | 2006-10-17 |