2013 Ss

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

OMB NUMBER 0579-0010

Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey

JUSTIFICATION October 2013

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, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is responsible for preventing exotic plant pests and noxious weeds from entering the United States; preventing the spread of pests not widely distributed in the United States; and eradicating those imported exotic pests when eradication is feasible. The Plant Protection Act authorizes the Department to carry out this mission.

Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 – et seq), 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 or noxious weeds.

Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) along with the States and other agencies collects and manages data on plant pests, weeds, and biological control agents through the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program.

This program allows the States and PPQ to conduct surveillance activities to detect and measure the presence of exotic plant pests and weeds, and to input surveillance data into a national computer-based system known as the National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS). This allows APHIS to obtain a more comprehensive picture of pest conditions in the United States, as well as detecting, in collaboration with the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN); and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), population trends that could indicate an agricultural bio-terrorism act.

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

APHIS uses the following information activities to detect and measure the presence of exotic plant pests and weeds to input surveillance data into a national computer-based system.

Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (State): During the course of their surveillance activities, State Cooperators gather a significant amount of information concerning insect pests, noxious weeds, and plant diseases. This information may be stored by each State in its own database system, but it is also sent electronically by each State to one central location - APHIS NAPIS, located at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Every State has access to this national database of pest surveillance information.

This information is not only collected when an adverse event occurs; it is also collected on a regular basis as a means of preventing the occurrence of adverse events. Surveillance activities are conducted visually, with the aid of insect traps and other methods that are appropriate to a specific situation.

Specimens for Determination (PPQ 391) (State): This form accompanies the pest to the identifier when further identification is needed. It contains important information such as the location and date the pest was acquired, the circumstances under which acquisition occurred, and the name and address of the individual who made the acquisition.

Budget Information Non-Construction Program (State): Form SF 424A (cleared under 4040-0006): This form is designed so that an application can be made for funds from one or more grant programs. For some programs, grantor agencies may require budgets to be separately shown by functions or activity. For other programs, grantor agencies may require a breakdown by function or activity.

Grant Performance Report (State): Form SF 424B (cleared 4040-0007) : This form is an application to award an agency funds for Federal assistance for a project, and ensures that proper planning, management, and completion of the project will be made as described in the application.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (State): Form SF LLL (cleared under 4040-0013): The filing of this form is required for each payment or agreement to any lobbying entity for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of Congress, or any

employee who is a member of Congress in connection with a covered Federal action.

Cooperative Agreement (State): This is an agreement between PPQ and the States in which the States agree to participate in the surveillance activities, and to carry out these activities according to mutually agreed upon procedures.

Application Form for Federal Assistance (State): Form SF 424 (cleared under

4040-0004): This is a standard form used by applicants as a required face sheet for pre-applications and applications submitted for Federal assistance. It will be used by Federal agencies to obtain applicant certification for States which have established a review and comment procedure in response to Executive Order 12372; have selected the program to be included in their process, and have been given an opportunity to review the applicant’s submission.

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.

CAPS data is sent electronically by each State to NAPIS, the database for the program. The other forms in this program do not readily lend themselves to electronic transfer. The Cooperative Agreement requires an original signature, and the PPQ Form 391 (Specimens for Determination) must physically accompany the plant pest or pathogen being sent for identification. This form will be downloadable at

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/library/forms/pdf/PPQ_Form_391.pdf. Collection of data, prior to entry into NAPIS, may be done using Global Positioning Systems using Personal Digital Assistants and by using special software for easy entry of pest information in the field. Some units will be able to directly upload into NAPIS.

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 against the incursion and spread of harmful plant pests or noxious weeds, and is not available from any other source. Surveillance data collected in collaboration with the Forest Service is done with entry of their data into the NAPIS system. Collaboration with the NPDN was developed so that data and other information could be shared using the NAPIS system.

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.

This information collection activity is critical to APHIS’ mission of preventing destructive plant pests and noxious weeds from entering and spreading within the United States. Exotic plant pests are capable of causing millions of dollars in damage to United States agriculture.

If this information was not collected, it would impact APHIS’ ability to timely assist farmers, State personnel, and others involved in agriculture and protection of the

environment, in order to plan pest control measures, detect new outbreaks, and to

determine the threat posed by migratory pests. It would also impact APHIS’ ability to anticipate, detect, and respond to new exotic pest incursions. With early detection, control and eradication measures will cost much less.

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.

• requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any docu­ment;

• requiring respondents to retain re­cords, other than health, medical, governm­ent contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;

• in connection with a statisti­cal sur­vey, that is not de­signed to produce valid and reli­able results that can be general­ized to the uni­verse of study;

• requiring the use of a statis­tical data classi­fication that has not been re­vie­wed and approved by OMB;

• that includes a pledge of confiden­tiali­ty that is not supported by au­thority estab­lished in statute or regu­la­tion, that is not sup­ported by dis­closure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unneces­sarily impedes shar­ing of data with other agencies for com­patible confiden­tial use; or

• requiring respondents to submit propri­etary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demon­strate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentiality to the extent permit­ted by law.

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 2013, APHIS held productive consultations with the following individuals concerning information collection activities associated with its CAPS program:

Piera Siegert,

State Entomologist

Division of Plant Industry
New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food
State Lab Building
29 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03301

Phone: (603) 271-2561

Julie C. Van Meter

Program Manager/State Entomologist

Bureau of Plant Industry
Nebraska Department of Agriculture
PO Box 94756
Lincoln, NE 68509-4756

Phone: (402) 471-6847

Joe Collins

Senior Nursery Inspector- Office of the State Entomologist

Department of Entomology

University of Kentucky College of Agriculture
S-225 Agricultural Science Center North,

Lexington, KY 40546-0091

Phone: (859) 257-5838

On Monday, June 24, 2013, pages 37778-37779, 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. During that time, APHIS received one comment from an interested member of the public. This comment did not deal with information collection issues. The author did not agree with the information given and felt that these issues should not be collected every year by the Federal Government, but instead by each State at a lower cost.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gist 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 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. Any and all information obtained in this collection shall not be disclosed except in accordance with 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. These estimates were developed using historical data and discussions with State personnel.

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

Total cost to respondents is $134,179.47. This was computed by multiplying their average hourly wage ($38.13) by the total number of hours (3,519) needed to complete the work. See APHIS Form 71 for hour burden estimates.

$38.13 x 3,519 = $134,179.47

$38.13 is the hourly rate derived from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2012 Report - Occupational Employment and Wages in the United States. See http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ocwage.pdf

APHIS arrived at these estimates through discussions with State Cooperators participating in the CAPS program and data entry into NAPIS.

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 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 of any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

The estimated cost for the Federal Government is $97,340. (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.
ICR Summary of Burden:
	Requested	Program Change Due to New Statute	Program Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Agency Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA	Previously Approved
Annual Number of Responses	14,634	0	54	0	0	14,580
Annual Time Burden (Hr)	3,519	0	54	0	0	3,465
Annual Cost Burden ($)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Since the previous renewal, there is a program change increase of 54 responses (from 14,580 in the last submission to 14,634 in this renewal) and 54 burden hours (from 3,465 to 3,519) because the SF LLL was previously covered under collection 4040-0013, but now each agency has to account for this burden. The number of respondents did not change.

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

APHIS summarizes the data collected and publishes some of this data on the World Wide Web at the Web site www.ceris.purdue.edu/napis. Examples of published information are pest population maps, pest surveillance methodology, and narratives that summarize State and national data for many plant pests and weeds.

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.

APHIS has no plans to seek approval for not displaying 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 in the Act.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

Statistical methods are not employed in this information collection activity.