[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 122 (Monday, June 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36388-36389]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10041]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2006-24931]


Medical Review Board Public Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), United 
States Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Medical Review Board (MRB) Public Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The MRB Public Meeting will provide the public an opportunity 
to observe and participate in MRB deliberations about the revision and 
development of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (FMCSR) medical 
standards, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA).

DATES: The MRB meeting will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on August 31, 
2006. A public listening session will be held from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Please 
note the preliminary agenda for this meeting in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this Notice for specific information.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-2230, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. The public must enter through the Southwest 
Visitor Entrance and comply with building security procedures, 
including provision of appropriate identification prior to escort to 
meeting room.
    You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Management System 
(DMS) Docket Number FMCSA-2006-24931 using any of the following 
methods:
     Web Site: http://dmses.dot.gov/submit. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and 
docket number for this Notice. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to http://dms.dot.gov including any personal 
information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading for further 
information.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time or Room PL-401 
on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The DMS is available 24 hours each day, 365 
days each year. If you want acknowledgment that we received your 
comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard 
or print the acknowledgement page that appears after submitting 
comments on-line.
    Privacy Act: Anyone may search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or of the person signing the comment, if 
submitted on behalf of an

[[Page 36389]]

association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the U.S. 
Department of Transportation's complete Privacy Act Statement in the 
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477; Apr. 11, 
2000). This information is also available at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mary D. Gunnels, Chief, Physical 
Qualifications Division, 202-366-4001, FMCSA, Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. 
Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.
    Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities: For 
information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities 
or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact Kaye Kirby at 
202-366-4001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following designations are made for each 
item: (A) is an ``action'' item; (I) is an ``information item''; and 
(D) is a ``discussion'' item.
    The preliminary agenda for the MRB meeting includes:

0800-0900                              Meeting Registration (includes
                                        request for oral testimony)
0900-1100                              (1) Call to Order and
                                        Introductions (A, I)
                                       (2) Statements of Conflict of
                                        Interest (A, I)
                                       (3) Written Comment to the Board
                                        (A, D)
                                       (4) Federal Reports (Diabetes,
                                        Schedule II Drugs, other medical
                                        topics pending) (A, D)
1100-1200                              (5) Public Comment (A, D)
1200-1300                              (6) 2006 Agenda, Research
                                        Questions, Other Issues (A, I,
                                        D)
1300                                   (7) Adjourn
1400-1700                              (8) Listening Session (A, D)
 

Background

    U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced on 
March 7, 2006, the five medical experts who will serve on FMCSA's new 
MRB. Section 4116 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU, Pub. L. 109-
59) requires the Secretary of Transportation with the advice of the MRB 
and a Chief Medical Examiner to ``establish, review, and revise medical 
standards for operators of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) that will 
ensure that the physical condition of operators is adequate to enable 
them to operate the vehicles safely.'' FMCSA is planning updates to the 
physical qualification regulations of CMV drivers, and the MRB will 
provide the necessary science-based guidance to establish realistic and 
responsible medical standards.
    The MRB will operate in accordance with FACA as announced in the 
Federal Register (70 FR 57642, October 3, 2005). The MRB will be 
charged initially with the review of all current FMCSR medical 
standards (49 CFR 391.41), as well as proposing new science-based 
standards and guidelines to ensure that drivers operating CMVs in 
interstate commerce, as defined in CFR 390.5, are physically qualified 
to do so.

Meeting Participation

    Attendance is open to the interested public, including medical 
examiners, motor carriers, drivers, and representatives of medical and 
scientific associations. The public can participate in a listening 
session which will be held from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at the same location. 
Written comments for the MRB meeting will also be accepted beginning on 
July 26, 2006 and continuing until September 15, 2006, and should 
include the docket number that is listed in the ADDRESSES section. 
During the MRB meeting (1100-1200), oral comments may be limited 
depending on how many persons wish to comment; and will be accepted on 
a first come, first serve basis as requestors register at the meeting. 
The comments must directly address relevant medical and scientific 
issues on the MRB meeting agenda. For more information, view the 
following Web site: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mrb.

    Issued on: June 19, 2006.
David H. Hugel,
Acting Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E6-10041 Filed 6-23-06; 8:45 am]
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