[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 20, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2719-2720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1099]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4908-N-01]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection: American Healthy Homes 
Survey

AGENCY: Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement concerning an 
American Healthy Homes Survey in homes across the country will be 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting 
public comments on the subject proposal.

DATES: Comments Due Date: March 22, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB 
Control Number and should be sent to: Gail N. Ward, Reports Liaison 
Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, 
SW., Room P3206, Washington, DC 20410.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John H. Miller, (202) 755-1758 ext. 
106 (this is not a toll-free number), or [email protected], for 
copies of the proposed information collection instruments and other 
available documents electronically or on paper.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department is submitting the proposed 
information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended).
    This Notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to: 
(1) Evaluate 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; (2) 
Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; 
including through the use of appropriate automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Title of Proposal: American Healthy Homes Survey.
    OMB Control Number: To be assigned.
    Need for the Information and Proposed Use: Lead is a highly toxic 
heavy metal that adversely affects virtually every organ system in the 
body. Young children are particularly susceptible to its effects. Lead 
poisoning remains one of the top childhood environmental health 
problems today. The most current national survey (1998-2000), conducted 
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows that about 
434,000 young children are lead poisoned. The most common source of 
lead exposure for children today is lead paint in older housing and the 
contaminated dust and soil it generates. The National Survey of Lead 
and Allergens in Housing, conducted by HUD and the National Institute 
of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in 1998-2000, estimated that 
24 million homes had lead-based paint hazards at that time. New 
information is needed to identify the extent of progress toward 
achieving the goal of the President's Task Force on Environmental 
Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children of eliminating lead paint 
hazards in housing where children under six live.
    Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by episodes 
of airway inflammation and narrowing. It is generally accepted that 
asthma results from the interaction between genetic susceptibility and 
environmental exposures. Exposure to indoor allergy-producing 
substances (allergens) is believed to play an important role in the 
development and exacerbation of asthma. The HUD-NIEHS survey, above, 
found that most U.S. homes had, near the end of the last decade, 
detectable levels of dust mite allergen associated with allergic 
sensitization and asthma. New information is needed to characterize 
changes in the residential prevalence of allergens since the survey.
    Similarly, such airborne chemicals as carbon monoxide, airborne 
particulate matter, and such chemicals on surfaces as arsenic and 
pesticides, and such unintentional injury factors as conditions 
associated with falls, fires and poisons, are known to have adverse 
health or safety effects, but national residential prevalence estimates 
are unavailable, limiting the ability of HUD and other agencies to 
develop data-driven control strategies.
    This information will be used in revising policy and guidance to 
target the housing with the greatest needs for lead hazard evaluation 
and control.
    Results from this survey will provide current information needed 
for regulatory and policy decisions and enables an assessment of 
progress in making the U.S. housing stock safe.
    Agency Form Number: None.
    Members of Affected Public: Homeowners and rental housing tenants.
    Total Burden Estimate (First Year):

[[Page 2720]]



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                                                                   Frequency of      Hours per        Burden
                         Number of task                             respondents      responses       response
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Respondents.....................................................            2000               1             3.5
                                                                 -----------------
    Total Estimated Burden Hours................................  ..............  ..............            7000
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    Status of the Proposed Information Collection: New request.

    Dated: January 9, 2004.
David E. Jacobs,
Director, Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control.
[FR Doc. 04-1099 Filed 1-16-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-70-M