[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 237 (Friday, December 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77032-77033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31312]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control And Prevention

[60Day-01-07]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork reduction Act of 1995, the Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention is providing opportunity for public comment on proposed data 
collection projects. To request more information on the proposed 
projects or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, call the CDC Reports Clearance Officer on (404) 639-7090.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques for other 
forms of information technology. Send comments to Anne O'Connor, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.

Proposed Project

    National Exposure Registry--Extension--(OMB No. 0923-0006)

[[Page 77033]]

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Agency for Toxic Substances 
and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is mandated pursuant to the 1980 
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act 
(CERCLA) and its 1986 Amendments, the Superfund Amendments and Re-
authorization Act (SARA), to establish and maintain a national registry 
of persons who have been exposed to hazardous substances in the 
environment and a national registry of persons with illnesses or health 
problems resulting from such exposure. ATSDR created the National 
Exposure Registry (NER) as a result of this legislation in an effort to 
provide scientific information about potential adverse health effects 
people develop as a result of low-level, long-term exposure to 
hazardous substances.
    The National Exposure Registry is a program that collects, 
maintains, and analyzes information obtained from participants (called 
registrants) whose exposure to selected toxic substances at specific 
geographic areas in the United States was documented. Relevant health 
data and demographic information are also included in the NER database. 
The NER databases furnish the information needed to generate 
appropriate and valid hypothesis for future activities such as 
epidemiologic studies. The NER also serves as a mechanism for 
longitudinal health investigations that follow registrants over time to 
ascertain adverse health effects and latency periods.
    The NER is currently composed of four sub-registries of persons 
known to have been exposed to specific chemicals: 1,1,1,-
Trichloroethane (TCA), Trichloroethylene (TCE), 2,3,7,8-
tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin), and benzene. In 2001, the NER 
will establish a new asbestos subregistry.
    Participants in each subregistry are interviewed initially with a 
baseline questionnaire. An identical follow-up telephone questionnaire 
is administered to participants every three years until the criteria 
for terminating a specific subregistry have been met. The annual number 
of participants varies greatly from year to year. Two factors 
influencing the number of respondents per year are the number of 
subregistry updates that are scheduled and whether a new subregistry 
will be established. The addition of the new asbestos subregistry is 
expected to add approximately 6,000 persons to the NER. This increase 
is reflected in the following estimated burden table.
    The following table is annualized to reflect one new subregistry 
(asbestos) and five updates for the requested three-year extension of 
OMB No. 0923-0006. There is no cost to registrants.

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                                                                                      Average          Total
                                                     Number of     Responses per    burden per      annualized
                   Respondents                      respondents     respondent     response (in     burden  (in
                                                                                       hrs.)           hrs.)
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 One New Subregistry............................           2,000               1            0.50           1,000
Five updates....................................           4,927               1            0.42           2,069
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
      Total.....................................  ..............  ..............  ..............           3,069
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    Dated: December 1, 2000.
John Moore,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 00-31312 Filed 12-07-00; 8:45 am]
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