[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11186]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: May 10, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
[Announcement 415]
Program To Conduct Health Consultations and Public Health
Assessment Activities
Introduction
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 1994 funds for a
cooperative agreement program for public health agencies to build
capacity to conduct health consultations. This program is also intended
to provide public health agencies with the capacity to conduct
activities, in cooperation with ATSDR, during ATSDR's preparation of
public health assessments at sites listed on the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System
(CERCLIS) and other sites or facilities within their jurisdictional
boundary where a hazardous substance has been released into the
environment.
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the
health promotion and disease prevention objectives of ``Healthy People
2000,'' a PHS-led national activity to reduce morbidity and mortality
and improve the quality of life. This announcement is related to the
priority area of Environmental Health. (For ordering a copy of
``Healthy People 2000,'' see the section Where to Obtain Additional
Information.)
Authority
This program is authorized under sections 104(i) (4), (6) and (15)
of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments
and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986 [42 U.S.C. 9604(i) (4), (6) and
(15)], and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as
amended (Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984) [42 U.S.C. 6939a
(b) and (c)].
Smoke-Free Workplace
The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant recipients
to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all
tobacco products. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect
and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.
Eligible Applicants
Assistance is limited to official health departments of States or
their bona fide agents or instrumentalities which have fifteen or less
sites listed or proposed for listing on the National Priorities List
(NPL). This includes the District of Columbia, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Federated States
of Micronesia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and federally recognized
Indian tribal governments.
Availability of Funds
Approximately $178,000 will be available in FY 1994 to fund an
estimated 3 awards. It is expected that the average new award will be
$60,000, ranging from $40,000 to $80,000. It is expected that the
awards will begin on or about September 29, 1994, and will be made for
a 12-month budget period with a 3-year project period. Funding
estimates may vary and are subject to change.
Continuation awards within the project period will be made on the
basis of satisfactory progress and the availability of funds.
Purpose
The purpose of this program is for public health agencies to build
capacity, in coordination with ATSDR, to conduct health related
activities under CERCLA and RCRA. This includes conducting health
consultations, providing public health advice and information, and
coordinating public health activities during ATSDR's preparation of
public health assessments at sites listed on the CERCLIS and other
sites or facilities within their jurisdictional boundary where a
hazardous substance has been released into the environment. This
program is directed to public health agencies which have a limited
number (15 or less) of proposed or listed sites on the NPL, but have a
considerable need to build capacity to address health issues related to
hazardous substance releases into the environment within their
jurisdictional boundary.
ATSDR currently has a cooperative agreement program which provides
funding to support public health assessment activities in twenty-two
States. Historically, this program has targeted those States with the
greatest number of NPL sites. Because of the number of CERCLIS sites
and operational RCRA facilities, there are a number of States which
have a clearly demonstrated need to develop a program to address
environmental health issues related to hazardous substances. These
States have not qualified for funding under the existing program,
however, because of the low number of NPL sites within their
jurisdictional boundary. This program will enable ATSDR to address this
need by providing financial assistance specifically to States with
fewer NPL sites but who need to build capacity to address environmental
health issues.
Program Requirements
The recipient and ATSDR activities are listed below:
A. Recipient Activities
1. Health Consultations
Conduct health consultations and provide public health advice and
information in response to a question or request for information on
specific public health issues that occur as a result of actual or
potential human exposure to a hazardous substance. Participate in the
Health Activities Recommendation Panel (HARP) review of health
consultations.
2. Public Health Assessment Activities
Conduct public health evaluation of sites listed on CERCLIS and
other sites or facilities within their jurisdictional boundary where a
hazardous substance has been released into the environment. These
activities may include:
(1) Site evaluations.
(2) Community outreach and interaction activities.
(3) Exposure investigations to further characterize the extent of
human exposure for improving public health decision making.
(4) Participating in the HARP review of public health assessments
of sites within recipient's jurisdiction.
B. ATSDR Activities
1. Health Consultations
Assist recipient in conducting health consultations in providing
public health advice and information in response to a question or
request for information on specific public health issues that occur as
a result of actual or potential human exposure to a hazardous
substance.
2. Public Health Assessment Activities
Assist recipient during public health evaluation of sites listed on
CERCLIS and other sites or facilities within their jurisdictional
boundary where a hazardous substance has been released into the
environment.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be reviewed and evaluated according to the
following criteria:
A. Proposed Program--50%
Applicant's ability to address the following:
1. Ability to respond to specific public health issues that occur
as a result of actual or potential human exposure to a hazardous
substance. (20%)
2. Method described to evaluate and analyze toxicological,
community, and environmental health data; community outreach and
interaction; and exposure investigations. (20%)
3. Description of HARP participation and involvement in public
health meetings and with communities in response to concern about a
particular site's impact on public health. (10%)
B. Program Personnel--30%
The extent to which the proposal has described or provided
biographical data on the:
1. Appropriate qualifications, experience, leadership ability, and
percentage of time principal investigator (or project director) will
commit to the project;
2. Appropriate qualifications, experience, and description of how
staff will be utilized in relation to the activities to be performed to
accomplish the work and their percentage of time to be spent on the
project;
3. If contractors are proposed, recipient will adhere to ``Third
Party Agreements'' under ``Other Requirements'' of this announcement.
Additionally, the following must be provided: name of contractor,
method of selection, period of performance, detailed budget and
justification (budget not scored).
C. Capability--20%
Description of the applicant's capability to carry out the proposed
project and suitability of facilities and equipment available or to be
purchased for the project.
D. Human Subjects--(Not Scored)
If the application involves the use of human subjects, the extent
to which the applicant discusses all of the issues relevant to
protection of the subjects and assesses whether or not subjects are
adequately protected.
E. Program Budget--(Not Scored)
The extent to which the budget relates directly to project
activities, is clearly justified, and is consistent with intended use
of funds.
Continuation awards within the project period will be made on the
basis of the following criteria:
1. Satisfactory progress has been made in meeting project
objectives;
2. Objectives for the new budget period are realistic, specific,
and measurable;
3. Proposed changes in described long-term objectives, methods of
operation, need for cooperative agreement support, and/or evaluation
procedures will lead to achievement of project objectives; and
4. The budget request is clearly justified and consistent with the
intended use of cooperative agreement funds.
Executive Order 12372 Review
Applications are subject to the Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs as governed by Executive Order (E.O.) 12372. E.O. 12372 sets
up a system for State and local government review of proposed Federal
assistance applications. Applicants should contact their State Single
Point of Contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert them to the
prospective applications and to receive any necessary instructions on
the State process. For proposed projects serving more than one State,
the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC for each affected State. A
current list of SPOCs is included in the application kit. If SPOCs have
any State process recommendations on applications submitted to CDC,
they should forward them to Henry S. Cassell, III, Grants Management
Officer, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry
Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30305, no later than 60 days after the
application deadline date. The granting agency does not guarantee to
``accommodate or explain'' State process recommendations it receives
after that date.
Indian tribes are strongly encouraged to request tribal government
review of the proposed application. If tribal governments have any
tribal process recommendations on applications submitted to CDC, they
should forward them to Henry S. Cassell, III, Grants Management
Officer, Grants Management Branch, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Mailstop E-13,
Atlanta, Georgia 30305. This should be done no later than 60 days after
the application deadline date. The granting agency does not guarantee
to ``accommodate or explain'' for tribal process recommendations it
receives after that date.
Public Health System Reporting Requirements
This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting
Requirements.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.202.
Other Requirements
A. Protection of Human Subjects
If the proposed project involves research on human subjects, the
applicant must comply with Department of Health and Human Services
Regulations, 45 CFR Part 46, regarding the protection of human
subjects. Assurance must be provided to demonstrate that the project
will be subject to initial and continuing review by an appropriate
institutional review committee. In addition to other applicable
committees, Indian Health Service (IHS) institutional review committees
also must review the project if any component of IHS will be involved
or will support the research. If any Native American community is
involved, its tribal government must also approve that portion of the
project applicable to it. The applicant will be responsible for
providing assurance in accordance with the appropriate guidelines and
form provided in the application kit.
B. Cost Recovery
CERCLA, as amended by SARA, provides for the recovery of costs
incurred for response actions at each Superfund site from potentially
responsible parties. The recipient would agree to maintain an
accounting system that will keep an accurate, complete, and current
accounting of all financial transactions on a site-specific basis,
i.e., individual time, travel, and associated cost including indirect
cost, as appropriate for the site. The recipient would also maintain
documentation that describes the site-specific response actions taken
with respect to the site, e.g., contracts, work assignments, progress
reports, and other documents that describe the work performed at a
site. The recipient will retain the documents and records to support
these financial transactions and documentation of work performed, for
possible use in a cost recovery case, for a minimum of ten years after
submission of a final financial status report, unless there is
litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the
specific site, then the records will be maintained until resolution of
all issues on the specific site.
C. Third Party Agreements
Project activities which are approved for contracting pursuant to
the prior approval provisions shall be formalized in a written
agreement that clearly establishes the relationship between the
recipient and the third party. The written agreement shall, at a
minimum:
1. State or incorporate by reference all applicable requirements
imposed on the contractors under the terms of the grant and/or
cooperative agreement, including requirements concerning technical
review (ATSDR selected reviewers), ownership of data, and the
arrangement for copyright when publications, data, or other
copyrightable works are developed under or in the course of work under
a PHS grant-supported project or activity.
2. State that any copyrighted or copyrightable works shall be
subject to a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to the
government to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use them, and to
authorize others to do so for Federal government purposes.
3. State that whenever any work subject to this copyright policy
may be developed in the course of a grant by a contractor under a
grant, the written agreement (contract) must require the contractor to
comply with these requirements and can in no way diminish the
government's right in that work.
4. State the activities to be performed, the time schedule for
those activities, the policies and procedures to be followed in
carrying out the agreement, and the maximum amount of money for which
the grantee may become liable to the third party under the agreement.
The written agreement required shall not relieve the recipient of
any part of its responsibility or accountability to PHS under the
cooperative agreement. The agreement shall, therefore, retain
sufficient rights and control to the recipient to enable it to fulfill
this responsibility and accountability.
D. Disclosure
Recipient is required to provide proof by way of citation to State
code or regulation or other State pronouncement given the authority of
law, that medical information obtained pursuant to the agreement,
pertaining to an individual, and therefore considered confidential,
will be protected from disclosure when the consent of the individual to
release identifying information is not obtained.
Application Submission and Deadline
The original and two copies of application PHS Form 5161-1 should
be submitted to Henry S. Cassell, III, Grants Management Officer,
Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE.,
room 300, Mailstop E-13, Atlanta, Georgia 30305, on or before July 15,
1994. (By formal agreement, the CDC Procurement and Grants Office will
act for and on behalf of ATSDR on this matter.)
1. Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting the
deadline if they are either:
(a) Received on or before the deadline date, or (b) Sent on or
before the deadline date and received in time for submission to the
objective review group. (Applicants must request a legibly dated U.S.
Postal Service postmark or obtain a legibly dated receipt from a
commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal Service. Private metered
postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing.)
2. Late Applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria
in 1.(a) or 1.(b) above are considered late applications. Late
applications will not be considered in the current competition and will
be returned to the applicant.
Where to Obtain Additional Information
A complete program description, information on application
procedures, an application package, and business management assistance
may be obtained from Maggie Slay, Grants Management Specialist, Grants
Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., room 300,
Mailstop E-13, Atlanta, Georgia 30305, telephone (404) 842-6797.
Programmatic technical assistance may be obtained from Edward
Skowronski, Program Manager, Division of Health Assessment and
Consultation, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1600
Clifton Road, NE., Mailstop E-57, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone
(404) 639-6360.
Please Refer to Announcement Number 415 When Requesting Information and
Submitting an Application
Potential applicants may obtain a copy of ``Healthy People 2000''
(Full Report, Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or ``Healthy People 2000''
(Summary Report, Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) referenced in the
Introduction through the Superintendent of Documents, Government
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, telephone (202) 783-3238.
Dated: May 5, 1994.
Claire V. Broome,
Acting Deputy Administrator, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry.
[FR Doc. 94-11186 Filed 5-9-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-70-P