[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19477-19478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7386]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-05-0530]


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 404-371-5983 
and send comments to Seleda Perryman, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail 
to [email protected].
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information

[[Page 19478]]

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. Written comments should be received 
within 60 days of this notice.

Project Proposal

    EEOICPA Dose Reconstruction Interviews and Forms, OMB No. 0920-
0530--Extension--The National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Background and Brief Description

    On October 30, 2000, the Energy Employees Occupational Illness 
Compensation Program Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-398) was enacted. This 
Act established a federal compensation program for employees of the 
Department of Energy (DOE) and 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, issued on December 7, 2000, 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 applying the following methods to estimate the radiation doses 
of individuals applying for compensation.
    In performance of its dose reconstruction responsibilities, under 
the Act, NIOSH is interviewing claimants (or their survivors) 
individually and providing them with the opportunity to assist NIOSH in 
documenting the work history of the employee by characterizing the 
actual work tasks performed. In addition, NIOSH and the claimant 
identify incidents that may have resulted in undocumented radiation 
exposures, characterizing radiological protection and monitoring 
practices, and identify co-workers and other witnesses as may be 
necessary to confirm undocumented information. In this process, NIOSH 
uses a computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) system, which 
allows interviews to be conducted more efficiently and quickly as 
opposed to a paper-based interview instrument.
    NIOSH uses the data collected in this process to complete an 
individual dose reconstruction that accounts, as fully as possible, for 
the radiation dose incurred by the employee in the line of duty for DOE 
nuclear weapons production programs. After dose reconstruction, NIOSH 
also performs a brief final interview with the claimant to explain the 
results and to allow the claimant to confirm or question the records 
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 
submits a form to confirm that all the information available to the 
claimant has been provided. The form notifies 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. Signing this form does not indicate that the claimant 
agrees with the outcome of the dose reconstruction. The dose 
reconstruction results will be supplied to the claimant and to the DOL, 
the agency that will factor them into its determination of whether the 
claimant is eligible for compensation under the Act.
    There is no cost to respondents other than their time.

                                       Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                   Respondents                       Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial interview...............................           4,200               1               1           4,200
Conclusion form.................................           8,400               1            5/60             700
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............           4,900
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: April 6, 2005.
Betsey Dunaway,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 05-7386 Filed 4-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P