[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 2 (Monday, January 5, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 210-211] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-107] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Office of Environment, Safety and Health; Continuation of Solicitation for Epidemiology and Other Health Studies Financial Assistance Program (Notice 98-01) AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Annual notice of continuation of potential availability of grants and cooperative agreements. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Office of Health Studies within the Office of Environment, Safety and Health of the Department of Energy (DOE) announces its continuing interest in receiving applications or pre-applications for grants and cooperative agreements for occupational and environmental health studies of DOE employees and DOE contractors, as well as related DOE international health programs, concerning nuclear weapons research, development, production, use, storage, and dismantling. DATES: Deadlines for applications or pre-applications will be contained in separate notices of Availability to be published at a later time in the Federal Register that will address specific program areas to be funded by the Office of Health Studies in fiscal year 1998. All applications accepted under these subsequent notices must be received by the Office of Health Studies on or before September 30, 1998. ADDRESSES: After the issuance of a Notice of Availability, applicants may obtain additional information from Dr. [[Page 211]] Paul Seligman, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Health Studies (EH-6), U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290; facsimile: 301-903-3445; telephone: 301-903-5926. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The policies and procedures governing the purpose and scope, program areas, eligibility, application requirements, evaluation criteria, and selection procedures for the Office of Health Studies Financial Assistance Program, were published in the Federal Register (60 FR 5838) on January 31, 1995, and codified at 10 CFR part 602. Proposed research applications and pre-applications must comply with the requirements set forth in part 602. The three offices within the Office of Health Studies (the Office of International Health Programs, the Office of Occupational Medicine and Medical Surveillance, and the Office of Epidemiologic Studies) promote studies to identify and assess the health risks associated with occupational or environmental exposures to ionizing radiation or toxic chemicals in the following populations: employees of DOE and DOE contractors (particularly those at high risk for exposure to ionizing radiation or toxic chemicals), residents of communities near DOE facilities, and populations throughout the world at high risk for exposure to ionizing radiation or toxic chemicals resulting from accidental exposures or proximity to nuclear or other energy-related facilities. Access to and use of information for conducting studies under this notice will comply with the Privacy Act of 1974 and DOE policies 60 FR 33510 regarding existing systems of records published June 28, 1995. For fiscal year 1998, the Office of Health Studies estimates that approximately $500,000 will be available for grants or cooperative agreements from the Office of International Health Programs. The number of awards made will depend on the number of applications received for which the results of competitive merit review are favorable. The Office of Occupational Medicine and Medical Surveillance and the Office of Epidemiologic Studies do not anticipate having funds available to support either cooperative agreements or grants during fiscal year 1998 for epidemiologic studies of the DOE workforce or communities near DOE facilities. Pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding between DOE and the Department of Health and Human Services, published March 7, 1991 (56 FR 9701) and extended through fiscal year 2000, additional funds for occupational health studies may be available through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). See 62 FR 24657, published May 6, 1997, or contact Mr. Larry Elliott, Chief, Health-Related Energy Research Branch, NIOSH, Mail Stop R-44, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226; telephone: 513-841-4400; fax: 513-841-4470; or e- mail: [email protected]; or Dr. Roy M. Fleming, Associate Director for Grants, CDC, NIOSH, 1600 Clifton Road, N.E., Building 1, Room 3053, Mail Stop: D-30, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; telephone: 404-639-3343; fax: 404-639-2196; or e-mail: [email protected]. Information on NIOSH grants is also available through the Internet. The NIOSH homepage address is: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html. Once on the homepage, take the following steps to find information on grant funding opportunities: (1) Scroll down to, and click on, Funding Opportunities/Extramural Programs; (2) click again on Current Funding Opportunities; (3) click on Research Grants; (4) scroll down to Past Funding Opportunities; and (5) click on Announcement No. 740. This is a general announcement that is reissued annually. The National Center for Environmental Health of CDC funds radiation-related research in the community setting, including dose reconstruction studies, and anticipates making available additional funding in fiscal year 1998 for research grants. For current information, contact Mr. Paul Renard, Radiation Studies Branch, NCEH, 4770 Buford Highway, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30341; telephone: 404-488-7040. DOE is under no obligation to pay for any cost associated with the preparation or submission of any application. DOE reserves the right to fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or none of the applications submitted in response to this notice. Results of studies carried out as grants or cooperative agreements with the Office of Health Studies will be made available to DOE workers, to the public, and to managers responsible for protecting worker health and safety. Data will be made available through DOE's Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource. Issued in Washington, DC, on December 22, 1997. Paul J. Seligman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Studies. [FR Doc. 98-107 Filed 1-2-98; 8:45am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P