[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 10, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 60195]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-25906]



[[Page 60195]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Vessel Sanitation Program Operations Manual--2000

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the revision and implementation of the 
Vessel Sanitation Program Operations Manual--2000.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The revised Operations Manual will become effective on 
November 1, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Forney, Chief, Vessel Sanitation 
Program, Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services 
(EEHS), National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Mailstop F-16, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 
30333, telephone (770) 488-7333, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Background

    The Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is a cooperative activity 
between the cruise ship industry and the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The 
purpose and goals of VSP are to achieve and maintain a level of 
sanitation that will lower the risk for gastrointestinal disease 
outbreaks and assist the passenger cruise line industry in its effort 
to provide a healthy environment for passengers and crew.

Comments

    CDC announced their intention to revise the Vessel Sanitation 
Operations Manual, August 1989 in the Federal Register, Volume 62, 
Thursday, August 23, 1997, page 44475. A subsequent request to solicit 
topic-specific information for incorporation into a revised operations 
manual was published in the Federal Register on July 9, 1998 (63 FR 
37128). Input and public comments were requested and received from the 
cruise ship industry, private sanitation consultants, other Federal 
agencies, and other interested parties and were discussed in detail at 
a public meeting held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 14-16, 
1999.
    Based on comments received, VSP staff redrafted the manual and that 
revised draft was discussed at a public meeting held in Fort 
Lauderdale, Florida, on October 5-7, 1999. The current document 
incorporates the input and comments received from the cruise ship 
industry, private sanitation consultants, and other interested parties 
who attended both public meetings, and who submitted comments in 
writing.
    The final draft of the VSP Operations Manual--2000 was also 
presented to attendees at the VSP annual public meeting held in Ft. 
Lauderdale, Florida, on March 28, 2000. Major input to this document 
was also provided by the International Council of Cruise Lines, which 
represents the 17 largest passenger cruise lines that call on major 
ports in the United States and abroad.

Implementation and Transition for the VSP Operations Manual--2000

    The VSP Operations Manual--2000 will become effective on November 
1, 2000. At that time, VSP environmental health officers will begin 
using the new manual and inspection report when they conduct their 
routine operational inspections.
    For a period of one year, or two routine inspections, whichever 
comes first, VSP staff will document all deficiencies not in compliance 
with the 2000 manual; however, points will not be deducted for those 
new and more stringent provisions contained in the 2000 manual that 
were not in the 1989 manual. During the phase-in period, these 
deficiencies will only be ``starred'' so corrective actions can be made 
accordingly. For example, the new cold holding temperature for 
potentially hazardous foods is 5 deg.C (41 deg.F) and the old 
temperature is 7.5 deg.C (45 deg.F). Food found to be labeled between 
these temperatures during the first year, or two routine inspections, 
will be documented and ``starred'' on the inspection report without 
points being deducted.

Applicability

    The VSP Operations Manual--2000 will be applicable to all passenger 
cruise vessels with international itineraries calling on U.S. ports.

Availability

    Final copies of the VSP Operations Manual--2000 are available in 
pdf format on the VSP Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp or by 
contacting Dorothy Johnson, Program Management Assistant at the Vessel 
Sanitation Program, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mailstop F-16, 4770 Buford 
Highway, N.E., Atlanta GA 30341-3274, or by e-mailing her at 
[email protected]. Requests may also be sent to [email protected].

    Dated: October 3, 2000.
Thena M. Durham,
Director, Executive Secretariat, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 00-25906 Filed 10-6-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P