[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 46 (Thursday, March 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13979-13981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5679]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation (NSF) 
is inviting the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on 
this proposed continuing information collection. This is the second 
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal 
Register at 65 FR 81902 and no comments were received. NSF is 
forwarding the proposed submission to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this 
second notice.

DATES: Comments regarding these information collections are best 
assured of having their full effect if received by OMB on or before 
April 9, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding (a) whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
NSF, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) 
the accuracy of NSF's estimate of burden including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; or (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
National Science Foundation, 725-17th Street, NW., Room 10235, 
Washington, DC 20503, and to Teresa R. Pierce, Reports Clearance 
Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, 
Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send e-mail to [email protected]. Copies of 
the submission may be obtained by calling (703) 292-7555.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Teresa R. Pierce, NSF Reports 
Clearance Officer at (703) 292-7555 or send e-mail to [email protected].
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Medical Clearance Process for Deployment to 
the Polar Regions.
    OMB Control No.: 3145-NEW.
    Abstract:

A. Proposed Project

    All individuals who anticipate deploying to Antarctica and to 
certain regions of the Arctic under the auspices of the National 
Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs are required to take and 
pass a rigorous physical examination prior to deploying. The physical 
examination includes a medical history, medical examination, a dental 
examination and for those persons planning to winter over in Antarctica 
a psychological examination is also required. The requirement for this 
determination of physical status for Antarctic deployment is found in 
42 U.S.C. 1870 (Authority) and 45 CFR 675, unless otherwise noted. This 
part sets forth the procedures for medical screening to determine 
whether candidates for participation in the United States Antarctic 
Program (USAP) are physically qualified and psychologically adapted for 
assignment or travel to Antarctica. Medical screening examinations are 
necessary to determine the presence of any physical or psychological 
conditions that would threaten the health or safety of the candidate or 
other polar participants or that could not be effectively treated by 
the limited medical care capabilities at the Arctic and Antarctic 
stations.
    (b) Presidential Memorandum No. 6646 (February 5, 1982) (available 
from the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, room 
755, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230) sets forth the National 
Science Foundation's overall management responsibilities for the entire 
United States national program in Antarctica.
    (c) The Arctic Research and Policy Act, As Amended (Public Law 98-
373, July 31, 1984 amended as Public Law 101-609, November 16, 1990) 
(available from the National Science Foundation,

[[Page 13980]]

Office of Polar Programs, room 755, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 
22230) sets forth the National Science Foundation's responsibility as 
the lead agency responsible for implementing Arctic research policy.

B. Use of the Information

    1. Form NSF-1421, 1451, 1461, National Science Foundation--Medical 
Risks for NSF-Sponsored Personnel Traveling to Antarctica/Polar 
Regions--will be used to inform the polar participants of the risks 
associated with traveling to the polar regions where there are only 
limited medical care capabilities and facilities.
    2. Form NSF-1422, 1452, 1462, National Science Foundation--Polar 
Physical Examination--Medical History--Antarctica/Official Visitor/
Arctic, will be used by the individual to record the individual's 
family and personal medical histories. It is a five-page form that 
includes the individual's and the individual's emergency point-of-
contact's name, address, and telephone numbers. It contains the 
individual's email address, employment affiliation and dates and 
locations of current and previous polar deployments. It also includes a 
signed certification of the accuracy of the information and 
understandings of refusal to provide the information or providing false 
information. The agency's contractor's reviewing physician and medical 
staff complete the sections of the form that indicated when the 
documents were received and whether or not the participant is qualified 
for Antarctic deployment, in which season qualified to deploy and where 
disqualified the reasons.
    3. Form NSF-1423, 1453, 1463, Polar Physical Examination--
Antarctica/Official Visitor/Arctic, will be used by the individual's 
physician to document specific medical examination results and the 
overall status of the individual's health. It is a two-page form which 
also provides for the signatures of both the patient and the examining 
physician, as well as contact information about the examining 
physician. Finally, it contains the name, address and telephone number 
of the agency's contractor that collects and retains the information.
    4. Form NSF-1424, 1454, 1464, National Science Foundation--Medical 
Screening for Blood-Borne Pathogens/Consent for HIV Antibody Blood 
Test--Antarctica/Official Visitor/Arctic will be used to notify 
individuals of the requirement for Hepatitis B and C and HIV screening 
for winter over participants and to encourage summer season 
participants to voluntarily be tested.
    5. Form NSF-1425, 1455, 1465, Polar Dental Examination--Antarctica/
Official Visitor/Arctic, will be used by the examining dentist to 
document the status of the individual's dental health and to document 
when the individual was examined. It will also be used by the 
contractor's reviewing dentist to document whether or not the 
individual is dentally cleared to deploy to the polar regions.
    6. Form NSF-1426, 1456, 1466, National Science Foundation--Polar 
Physical Examination--Medical History Interval Screening--Antarctica/
Official Visitor/Arctic, will only be used by individuals who are under 
the age of 40 and who successfully took and passed a polar physical 
examination the previous season or not more than 24 months prior to 
current deployment date. It allows the otherwise healthy individual to 
update his or her medical data without having to take a physical 
examination every year as opposed to those over 40 years of age who 
must be examined annually.
    7. Form NSF-1427, 1467, National Science Foundation--Authorization 
for Treatment of Field-Team Member/Participant Under the Age of 18 
Years--will be used by the individual's parent or guardian to authorize 
medical treatment while the under age participant is deployed, if 
needed.
    8. Form NSF-1428, 1468, National Science Foundation--Request for 
Waiver of Medical Requirements--USAP/Arctic--Any individual who is 
determined to be not physically qualified for polar deployment may 
request an administrative waiver of the medical screening criteria. 
This allows the individual to request and receive an in-depth review of 
his or her disqualifying condition as it relates to him or her to 
determine the risk of deploying in spite of the disqualifying medical 
condition.
    9. Form NSF-1429, 1469, National Science Foundation--Employer 
Statement of Support--Antarctica/Arctic will allow the individual's 
employer to acknowledge that his or her employee has been found not 
physically qualified in accordance with polar medical screening 
criteria and to make a determination of acceptable risk in accordance 
with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It ensures that the employer 
understands that NSF has determined there is a risk to the individual 
of deploying and allows the employer to determine whether to support 
the request or provide a replacement.
    10. Other information requested: The polar medical screening 
packages also includes the NSF Privacy Notice, which is not numbered 
and the following documents added by the primary support contractor:
    --the Dear participant, Dear Doctor and Dear Dentist letters and a 
list of all medical laboratory tests required. This information is 
provided in response to participants' requests for more definitive 
information regarding the screening requirements. The NSF will instruct 
its contractors to include the Estimate of Burden Statement in the Dear 
Participant Letter.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to be approximately 11.4 hours annually per 
participant for the Antarctic and Arctic forms and 9.8 hours for the 
Official Visitor forms.
    Respondents: All individuals deploying to the Antarctic to 
Greenland and to other select areas of the Arctic that are under the 
auspices of the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs 
must complete these forms. There are approximately 3,120 submissions 
per year, with a small percentage (c.3%) under the age of 40 who are 
required to provide annual submissions but only take a complete 
physical examination every two years.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Form: 3,120.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The total annual 
burden in hours is 29,617.11, broken down by form:

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                                                     NSF form
                                   Annual burden     number--      Annual burden     NSF form      Annual burden
   NSF form number--Antarctica         hours         official          hours         number--          hours
                                                     visitors                         arctic
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1421............................        3,000.00            1451           20.00            1461          50.000
1422............................        1,500.00            1452           10.00            1462          25.000
1423............................       18,000.00            1453          180.00            1463         300.000
1424............................          270.00            1454            1.80            1464           4.500

[[Page 13981]]

 
1425............................        6,000.00            1455           40.00            1465         100.000
1426*...........................           37.50           *1456            0.50           *1466           0.625
1427**..........................            0.09  ..............  ..............          **1467           0.090
1428***.........................            25.0  ..............  ..............         ***1468            1.00
1429***.........................            50.0  ..............  ..............         ***1469            1.00
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    Total.......................       28,882.59  ..............          252.30  ..............         482.22
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*These forms are completed by under age 40 participants only and are completed every other year.
**This form is only completed by participants who are under age 18.
***For those individuals who request a waiver after being not physically qualified.

    Frequency of Responses: Individuals must complete the forms 
annually to be current within 12 months of their anticipated deployment 
dates. Depending on individual medical status some persons may require 
additional laboratory results to be current within two to six weeks of 
anticipated deployment.

Teresa R. Pierce,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-5679 Filed 3-7-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M