[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52400-52401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22376]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[ATSDR-190]


Availability of the Draft Online Learning Program, Identifying 
Exposure Pathways, Public Comment Release

AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment on the 
draft online learning program, Identifying Exposure Pathways.

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SUMMARY: This program was developed to provide environmental and public 
health professionals information about the ATSDR public health 
assessment process through simulation and interactive learning using 
the Internet. The program provides learn-by-doing steps on how ATSDR's 
cooperative agreement partners (agents of ATSDR), ATSDR staff, and 
other environmental and public health professionals can identify how 
persons come into contact with hazardous and toxic substances. This 
program is an interactive simulation involving internal and external 
communications, site document review, mock site review, video clip 
review, community involvement activities, and completion of an exposure 
pathway table.
    ATSDR conducts public health assessments to evaluate whether people 
have come in contact with hazardous substances released into the 
environment and whether contact with the substances has affected the 
health of people exposed to those substances.
    The process used to conduct public health assessments includes 
gathering information from community members about how they might have 
come in contact with hazardous substances released into the environment 
and the concerns they have about the effect of the substances on their 
health. In addition to information gathered from community members, 
ATSDR also evaluates environmental data pertaining to the release, 
evaluates toxicologic and epidemiologic data relevant to exposures, and 
evaluates existing health outcome data if appropriate. Recommendations 
might be made to eliminate or reduce exposure to harmful levels of 
hazardous substances that have been released into the environment. The 
online learning program provides information on the basic concepts used 
by ATSDR staff and agents of ATSDR in conducting public health 
assessments, specifically how to identify pathways of exposure.
    This online learning program is intended to assist environmental 
public health professionals understand the basic steps and coordination 
necessary to identify exposure pathways. It is part of the exposure 
evaluation component of the public health assessment process. Because 
interaction with the public's environmental public health professionals 
is a critical component of the public health assessment process, ATSDR 
believes that public comments may help us improve the quality of the 
program. All comments received during the public comment period will be 
considered when making improvements to the program.
    Availability: The draft online program, Identifying Exposure 
Pathways, will be available to the public on or about August 29, 2003. 
The public comment period will begin on the date the program is first 
available on the ATSDR Web site. The close of the public comment period 
will be 60 days from the date of publication and will be indicated on 
the first page of the Web site. Comments received after the close of 
the public comment period will be considered at the discretion of ATSDR 
on the basis of what is deemed to be in the best interest of the 
general public.

ADDRESSES: Requests for more information about accessing the online 
learning program should be sent to the Chief, Program Evaluation, 
Records, and Information Services Branch; Agency for Toxic Substances 
and Disease Registry; 1600 Clifton Road, NE (MS E-56); Atlanta, GA 
30333. The online learning program can be accessed in the Education and 
Training section of the ATSDR Home page (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov).
    Comments may be submitted online through the ``Feedback'' section 
of the program, which is accessible through a link at the top of each 
page. You may also send written comments and supporting documents to 
the address provided in the previous paragraph. Comments should be 
received by the end of the comment period. All written comments and 
data submitted in response to this notice and the draft online learning 
program should bear the docket control number ATSDR-190.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Further information may be obtained by 
contacting Bob Kay, telephone (404) 498-0382, ATSDR, 1600 Clifton Road, 
NE (MS E-32), Atlanta, GA 30333, or calling, toll free, 1-888-42-ATSDR 
(1-888-422-8737). You may also reach Bob Kay through e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ATSDR is mandated to conduct public health 
assessments under Section 104(i) of the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) [42 U.S.C. 
9604(i)] and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) [42 
U.S.C. 6939a(c)].
    The general procedures for the conduct of public health assessments 
are included in the ATSDR Final Rule on Health Assessments and Health

[[Page 52401]]

Effects Studies of Hazardous Substances Releases and Facilities (55 FR 
5136, February 13, 1990, codified at 42 CFR Part 90).
    Areas emphasized in the online learning program include community 
involvement, exposure assessment, weight-of-evidence approaches to 
decision making, and developing public health action plans to address 
any public health hazards found during investigations.
    The online learning program may be used by individuals to learn 
more about the public health assessment process, by community groups 
during meetings, and by individuals and groups as a communication tool 
when discussing concerns with the public health assessment team 
assigned to a site in their community. The program may also be used by 
agents of ATSDR to introduce new staff to the concepts of the public 
health assessment process and as a tool to stimulate communications 
with community members.
    This notice announces the projected availability of the draft 
online learning program. The program has undergone extensive internal 
review. ATSDR encourages the public's participation and comment on the 
further development of this online learning program.

    Dated: August 27, 2003.
Georgi Jones,
Director, Office of Policy and External Affairs, Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 03-22376 Filed 9-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-70-P