[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71534-71535]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-6668]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-06-0530]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 639-4766 or send an e-mail 
to [email protected]. Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of 
Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to (202) 395-6974. 
Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Dose Reconstruction Telephone Interviews under the Energy Employees 
Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA)--
Revision--The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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) or 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 was issued on December 7, 2000; it 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

[[Page 71535]]

establishing methods for estimating radiation doses received by 
eligible claimants with cancer applying for compensation. NIOSH is to 
apply these methods to estimate the radiation doses of such individuals 
applying for compensation. This process has been ongoing since 2001; 
the only changes to the package are a reduction in burden hours due to 
a moderately lower rate of claims submission than estimated by the 
Department of Labor and the ability of the claimant to fill out the 
OCAS 1 form electronically (September 2005).
    In performance of its dose reconstruction responsibilities under 
the Act, NIOSH will interview claimants (or their survivors) 
individually and provide them with the opportunity, through a 
structured interview, to assist NIOSH in documenting the work history 
of the employee (characterizing the actual work tasks performed), 
identifying incidents that may have resulted in undocumented radiation 
exposures, characterizing radiologic protection and monitoring 
practices, and identifying co-workers and other witnesses as may be 
necessary to confirm undocumented information. In this process, NIOSH 
will use a computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) system, which 
will allow interviews to be conducted more efficiently and quickly than 
would be the case with a paper-based interview instrument.
    NIOSH will use the data collected in this process to complete an 
individual dose reconstruction that estimates as fully as possible the 
radiation dose incurred by the employee in the line of duty for DOE 
nuclear weapons production programs. After dose reconstruction, NIOSH 
will also perform a brief final interview with the claimant to explain 
the results and to allow the claimant to confirm or question the 
records NIOSH 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 
will need to submit a form (OCAS-1) to confirm that all the information 
available to the claimant has been provided. The form will notify 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 
necessarily 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, which will factor them into its 
determination of whether the claimant is eligible for compensation 
under the Act.
    This notice pertains to CDC's request for Paperwork Reduction Act 
clearance to permit NIOSH to continue conducting dose reconstruction 
activities. The estimated total annualized burden hours are 4,900. 
There is no cost to respondents other than their time.

                                       Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                                 Average burden
                 Data collection types                         No. of        No. of responses  per response  (in
                                                            respondents       per respondent         hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial Interview......................................              4,200                  1                  1
Conclusion Form........................................              8,400                  1               5/60
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    Dated: November 18, 2005.
Betsey Dunaway,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
 [FR Doc. E5-6668 Filed 11-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P