[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 227 (Monday, November 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59021-59022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29336]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-02-09]


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 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed 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 or 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

    Radiation Dose Reconstruction--NEW--The National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). On 
October 30, 2000, the Energy Employees Occupational Illness 
Compensation Program Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-398) was enacted. This 
Act established a federal compensation program for employees of the 
Department of Energy (DOE) or certain of its contractors, 
subcontractors and vendors, who have suffered cancers and other 
designated illnesses as a result of exposures sustained in the 
production and testing of nuclear weapons.
    Executive Order 13179 was issued on December 7, 2000; it delegated 
authorities assigned to ``the President'' under the Act to the 
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Energy, and Justice. 
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was delegated the 
responsibility of establishing methods for estimating radiation doses 
received by eligible claimants with cancer applying for compensation. 
NIOSH is to apply these methods to estimate the radiation doses of such 
individuals applying for compensation.
    In performance of its dose reconstruction responsibilities under 
the Act, NIOSH will interview claimants (or their survivors) 
individually and provide them with the opportunity, through a 
structured interview, to assist NIOSH in documenting the work history 
of the employee (characterizing the actual work tasks performed), 
identifying incidents that may have resulted in undocumented radiation 
exposures, characterizing radiologic protection and monitoring 
practices, and identifying co-workers and other witnesses as may be 
necessary to confirm undocumented information. In this process, NIOSH 
will use a computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) system, which 
will allow interviews to be conducted more efficiently and quickly than 
would be the case with a paper-based interview instrument.
    NIOSH will use the data collected in this process to complete an 
individual dose reconstruction that accounts as fully as possible for 
all possible radiation dose incurred by the employee in the line of 
duty for DOE nuclear weapons production programs. After dose 
reconstruction, NIOSH will also perform a brief final interview with 
the claimant, to explain the results and to allow the claimant to 
confirm or question the record NIOSH has compiled. This will also be 
the final opportunity for the claimant to supplement the dose 
reconstruction record.
    At the conclusion of the dose reconstruction process, the claimant 
will need to submit a form (OCAS-1) to confirm that all information 
available to the claimant has been provided. The form will notify the 
claimant that signing the form allows NIOSH to forward a dose 
reconstruction report to DOL and to the claimant, and closes the record 
on data used for the dose reconstruction. The dose reconstruction 
results will be supplied to the claimant and to the DOL, which will 
factor them into its determination whether the claimant is eligible for 
compensation under the Act.
    On October 31, 2001, the Office of Management and Budget approved 
DHHS' request for emergency Paperwork Reduction Act clearance, so that 
NIOSH could begin its dose reconstruction duties under the Act. That 
emergency clearance expires on April 30, 2002. This notice pertains to 
DHHS' request for normal Paperwork Reduction Act clearance to permit 
NIOSH to continue conducting dose reconstruction activities after April 
30, 2002. There is no cost to respondents.

[[Page 59022]]



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                                                                                  Average burden
                   Respondents                       Number of       Number of     per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents      responses       (in hrs)        (in hrs)
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Initial interview...............................          22,500               1               1          22,500
Conclusion form.................................          22,500               1            5/60           1,875
                                                                                                 ---------------
      Total.....................................  ..............  ..............  ..............          24,375
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    Dated: November 16, 2001.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 01-29336 Filed 11-23-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P