[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13747-13748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7148]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 58 / Tuesday, March 26, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 13747]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agriculture Research Service


Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Collect Information

AGENCY: Nutrient Data Lab (NDL), Beltsville Human Nutrition Research 
Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 
CFR (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the Nutrient 
Data Laboratory's intent to request approval for a new information 
collection from consumers of municipal and tap water supplies 
throughout the U.S. The study will provide data on the fluoride content 
of the U.S. water supply for development of a comprehensive database of 
the fluoride concentration of beverages and foods consumed in the U.S., 
to be released on USDA-NDL's website.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by the agency 30 days 
after date of publication in the Federal Register to be assured of 
consideration.

ADDRESSES: Address all public comments concerning this notice to Dr. 
Pamela Pehrsson, Nutrient Data Lab, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Room 309A Bldg. 005, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705, 301-
504-0716 (v) or 301-504-0713 (f). Submit electronic comments to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Pamela Pehrsson, Nutrient Data 
Lab, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 309A Buldg. 005, 10300 
Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705, 301-504-0716 (v) or 301-504-0713 
(f), [email protected] or Rena Cutrufelli, Nutrient Data Lab, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 208A Bldg. 005, 10300 Baltimore 
Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705, 301-504-0693 (v) or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Tap Water Sampling for the USDA 
Fluoride Database.
    OMB Number: Not yet assigned.
    Expiration Date: N/A.
    Type of Request: Approval for collection of water samples and 
supporting information from U.S. consumers in the who use water from 
the tap (including a municipal water supply, well water, etc.) for 
drinking and cooking.
    Abstract: NDL will develop a database of the fluoride content of 
public drinking water supplies and other beverages and foods in the 
U.S. The proposed work is a collaborative effort between investigators 
at the Nutrition Coordinating Center (NCC) at the University of 
Minnesota, and at the Nutrient Data Laboratory at the Agricultural 
Research Service, US Department of Agriculture (USDA-NDL). This 
research is designed as a national analytical survey of fluoride in 
chief contributors to the U.S. diet and based on preliminary work done 
at USDA-NDL and NCC. This national fluoride database will be released 
on USDA-NDL's website and will be adapted to support the NCC fluoride 
assessment methodology. These products will provide an important data 
resource for nutrition-related research, planning, and policy 
nationwide. Development of the fluoride database is underway and funded 
by The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), 
NIH.
    The fluoride content of the U.S. water supply is important in 
research of the dental health of children who may be at risk for dental 
caries (too little fluoride) or overexposure to fluoride, which results 
in permanent mottling of the teeth. Individuals of all ages are 
affected by the fluoride content of the water supply because water, in 
addition to being a highly consumed beverage by itself, is the base of 
many other high consumption beverages (e.g., carbonated beverages, 
teas, coffee, and processed fruit drinks). The level of fluoride 
supplementation and filtration practices for municipal water and for 
water-based beverages has not always been documented so the analytical 
results of previous studies may not be meaningful. In addition, 
previously determined data on the fluoride content of drinking water 
are local or regional and not the result of a statistically determined, 
nationally representative approach to sample collection. No seasonal 
(over time) variability assessment has been documented using national 
data.
    The fluoride of household tap water used for cooking and drinking 
is the core of this database and detailed documentation about the 
source and use of the water is critical in the validation the resulting 
data. The need for this type of information in developing a database 
usable to the dental research and service communities is pressing.
    The sampling approach and frame for this study were developed by 
statisticians at the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. 
All county samples were drawn using a minimum replacement probability 
proportional to size procedure (PMR). The county sizes were taken from 
2000 Census county population files given on the Census web site. Each 
sample contains 72 counties for use in picking up two water samples per 
county. Within each county, two participants, yielding a total of 144, 
will be recruited through a phone survey using a randomized listing of 
all county residents.
    Adult individuals, who are considered in a position of 
responsibility for the household and have agreed to participate will 
complete a questionnaire which focuses on their source of drinking/
cooking water and any treatment of the water. They will fill two 250 ml 
bottles with tap water from the kitchen faucet.
    The bottles and survey will be shipped in a prepaid, prelabeled 
package (provided to the consumer) to Virginia Polytechnic Institute 
and State University for analysis. The fluoride survey was modified and 
abbreviated from a test study of tap water to more effectively phrase 
the questions and eliminate questions which were not, in retrospect, 
providing useful information. All responses will be confidential. To 
ensure confidentiality, fluoride data attached to a consumer code to 
prevent identification of individuals will be reported only in table 
format. The data will not be used to assess the quality of a family's 
socioeconomic status or any other characteristic of that individual's 
home.

[[Page 13748]]

Individual consumers will be informed of these confidentiality 
assurances in the precollection letters. Participants will be awarded 
an incentive which will be an emergency or travel pack for their 
automobile (value estimated around $12) for each collection. The pack 
will not display a company endorsement, but will display a USDA logo. 
The choice of a similar product equal to or slightly higher in value 
will be offered as a choice for the second collection.
    Estimate of Burden: For the fluoride survey in this study, burden 
on the respondents will consist of completing the questionnaire along 
with collection of water samples in two bottles supplied by NDL. The 
total time for survey completion and water collection is estimated to 
take 30 minutes or less.
    Respondents: Randomly selected consumers in the U.S. public within 
statistically defined areas (Census-based).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 144 in total, each participating 
in the information and water collection twice over a 3-6 month period.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 144  x  30 minutes 
x  2 collections = 144 hours of time and effort across the U.S. 
contributed to this collection of tap water.
    Comments: 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 will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and the assumptions made; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information 
collection on the respondents, including the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technology. Comments should 
be sent to the address in the preamble. All responses to this notice 
will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: January 31, 2002.
Phyllis Johnson,
Director, Beltsville Area Research Center.
[FR Doc. 02-7148 Filed 3-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-03-P