[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 72 (Monday, April 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 18209]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9011]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Availability of Draft Technical Report of a Feasibility Study of 
the Health Consequences to the American Population of Nuclear Weapons 
Tests Conducted by the United States and Other Nations

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

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In 1998, the Congress requested that the Department of Health 
and Human Services (HHS) conduct an initial assessment of the 
feasibility and public health implications of a detailed study of the 
health impact on the American people of radioactive fallout from the 
testing of nuclear weapons. This request resulted in a joint project by 
scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and 
at the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
    This notice announces that a 2-volume Technical Report providing 
details on the scientific methods and conclusions of this feasibility 
project is now available for public comment. This project has, for the 
first time, estimated preliminary doses to representative persons in 
all counties of the contiguous United States for a set of important 
radionuclides produced as a result of nuclear weapons testing from 1951 
through 1962 by the United States and other nations. The work that has 
now been completed demonstrates that it is feasible to conduct a more 
detailed study of the health impact on the American population as a 
result of exposure to radioactive fallout from the testing of nuclear 
weapons in the United States and abroad.
    However, significant resources would be required to implement this 
project, and careful consideration should be given to public health 
priorities before embarking on this path. To assist in the process of 
deciding about future fallout-related work, this report contains five 
different options for consideration.

DATES: To be considered, comments on this draft Technical Report must 
be received August 13, 2002. Comments received after the close of the 
public comment period will be considered at the discretion of CDC on 
the basis of what is deemed to be in the best interest of the general 
public.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the draft Technical Report should be 
sent to the Radiation Studies Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards 
and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, Mail Stop E-39, 1600 Clifton Road, 
NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone (404) 498-1800, e-mail NTS and 
Global Fallout [email protected]. Written comments regarding the draft 
Technical Report should be sent to the same address. Because of its 
large size, CDC reserves the right to provide only one copy of the 
draft Technical Report free of charge to a requester. The document may 
also be accessed via the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/default.htm.
    Written comments submitted in response to this notice should bear 
the title of the report, ``A Feasibility Study of the Health 
Consequences to the American Population of Nuclear Weapons Tests 
Conducted by the United States and Other Nations.'' Because all public 
comments regarding this draft Technical Report will be available for 
inspection, no confidential business information or personal medical 
information should be submitted in response to this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Radiation Studies Branch, Division of 
Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for 
Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mail 
Stop E-39, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Before 1963, the United States and other 
countries tested more than 500 nuclear weapons in the atmosphere. Each 
of these tests inserted radioactive debris, commonly known as fallout, 
into the atmosphere. Depending on the size and type of weapon 
detonated, some of this fallout traveled great distances before 
depositing on the earth and exposing people to radiation. Any person 
living in the contiguous United States since 1951 has been exposed to 
radioactive fallout, and all organs and tissues of the body have 
received some radiation exposure. On the basis of the preliminary 
estimates of dose and risk developed in this feasibility study, fallout 
radiation appears to have the greatest impact on risks for thyroid 
tumors. Risks for leukemia would be lower. Risk for cancers of other 
organs or tissues could be assessed as well, but because of the smaller 
amount of information available about radiation-associated health 
effects and the lower doses to most organs, the uncertainties 
associated with these estimates would be extremely large.

    Dated: April 8, 2002.
Joseph R. Carter,
Associate Director for Management and Operations, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 02-9011 Filed 4-12-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P