[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-28882]


[Federal Register: December 28, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry


Privacy Act of 1974; Annual Publication of Systems of Records

AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, HHS.

ACTION: Publication of minor change to notice of system of records.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget 
Circular No. A-130, Appendix I, ``Federal Agency Responsibilities for 
Maintaining Records About Individuals,'' the Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is publishing the table of 
contents and two minor changes to its notice of system of records.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ATSDR has completed the annual review of its 
system of records and is publishing below the table of contents and the 
minor changes which affect the public's right or need to know: a 
clarification of the purpose, and retention and disposal categories of 
the system.

1. Table of Contents

    The following system notice currently maintained by ATSDR was 
published in the Federal Register, 53 FR 30720, August 15, 1988:

09-19-0001  Records of Persons Exposed or Potentially Exposed to 
Toxic or Hazardous Substances, HHS/ATSDR/DHS.

    2. System 09-19-0001 is amended to reflect a clarification of the 
purpose and retention and disposal sections of the system:
09-19-0001
Records of Persons Exposed or Potentially Exposed to Toxic or Hazardous 
Substances, HHS/ATSDR/DHS.

    Minor alterations have been made to this system notice. The 
following categories are revised in their entirety:
* * * * *
    Records in this system are used to carry out the legislated 
environmental public health mandates of the Agency for Toxic Substances 
and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Specifically this information is used to: 
(1) Identify the public health threat caused by exposure to toxic and 
hazardous substances utilizing health outcome studies, epidemiologic 
studies, and other health effects studies; and (2) establish and 
maintain national registries of persons exposed to toxic substances and 
persons with serious diseases and illnesses associated or potentially 
associated with exposure to toxic substances. Registries will have the 
additional purposes of tracking exposed individuals, keeping them 
informed of health effects of exposure, preventive measures and 
possible breakthroughs in treatment, along with serving as a 
centralized location for research data on these exposed individuals.
    Records may be disclosed to the National Center for Environmental 
Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for laboratory 
analysis of samples and for collaborative efforts (i.e., providing 
staff, performing statistical analysis, etc.) in coordinating 
investigations.
    Records (i.e., name, Social Security number, date of birth) may be 
disclosed to the National Center for Health Statistics to obtain a 
determination of vital status. Death certificates with the cause of 
death will then be obtained from Federal, State, or local agencies to 
enable ATSDR (1) to determine whether excess mortality is occurring 
among individuals exposed to toxic or hazardous substances, and (2) to 
notify similarly exposed persons. Records may also be disclosed to the 
Social Security Administration for additional sources of locating 
information.
* * * * *
    A Comprehensive Records Control Schedule has been approved for 
ATSDR which designates the procedures which allow the system managers 
to retain records for their designated life. Registry records will be 
actively maintained as long as funding is provided for by legislation. 
Contractors will retain the records only as long as necessary to 
complete data collection and verify ATSDR's receipt of the data in 
usable form. Record copy of study reports is maintained in the agency 
from two to three years in accordance with retention schedules. Source 
documents for computer tapes or disks are disposed of when no longer 
needed in the study as specified by the records control schedule.
    Records may be transferred to a Federal Records Center for storage 
when no longer needed for evaluation or analysis. Disposal methods 
include the paper recycling process, burning or shredding hard copy 
records, and erasing computer tapes and disks.
* * * * *
    Dated: November 17, 1994.
Claire V. Broome,
Deputy Administrator, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 94-28882 Filed 12-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-70-P