[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14896-14897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-6535]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2011-0017]


Multi-Agency Informational Meeting Concerning Compliance With the 
Federal Select Agent Program; Public Meeting

AGENCIES:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: This is to notify all interested parties, including 
individuals and entities possessing, using, or transferring federally 
listed biological agents and toxins, that a meeting will be held to 
provide specific regulatory guidance related to the Federal Select 
Agent Program established under the Public Health Security and 
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. The meeting is 
being organized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service, the Department of Health and Human 
Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the 
Department of Justice's Federal Bureau of Investigation. Issues to be 
discussed include entity registration, security risk assessments, 
biosafety requirements, and security measures.

DATES: The meeting will be held on May 10, 2011, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
Persons who wish to attend the meeting must register by April 12, 2011.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the USDA Agricultural Research 
Service, National Centers for Animal Health Disease Center, Building 
20, 1920 Dayton Avenue, Ames, IA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
APHIS: Ms. Sarah Kwiatkowski, Veterinary Program Assistant, APHIS 
Select Agent Program, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 2, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1236; (301) 734-5960.
CDC: Dr. Eduardo O'Neill, Training & Outreach Officer, Division of 
Select Agents and Toxins, CDC, 1600 Clifton Road MS A-46, Atlanta, GA 
30333; (404) 718-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title II of the Public Health Security and 
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, ``Enhancing 
Controls on Dangerous Biological Agents and Toxins'' (sections 201 
through 231), provides for the regulation of certain biological agents 
and toxins by the Department of Health and Human Services (subtitle A, 
sections 201-204) and the Department of Agriculture (subtitle B, 
sections 211-213), and

[[Page 14897]]

provides for interagency coordination between the two Departments 
regarding overlap agents and toxins (subtitle C, section 221). For the 
Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC) has been designated as the agency with 
primary responsibility for implementing the provisions of the Act; the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is the agency 
fulfilling that role for the Department of Agriculture. CDC and APHIS 
list select agents and toxins in 42 CFR 73.3 and in 7 CFR 331.3 and 9 
CFR 121.3, respectively. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) 
Criminal Justice Information Service conducts security risk assessments 
of all individuals and nongovernmental entities that request to 
possess, use, or transfer select agents and toxins.
    The meeting announced here is an opportunity for the regulated 
community (i.e., registered entity responsible officials, alternate 
responsible officials, and entity owners) and other interested 
individuals to obtain specific regulatory guidance and information on 
standards concerning biosafety and biosecurity issues related to the 
Federal Select Agent Program. CDC, APHIS, and FBI representatives will 
be present at the meeting to address questions and concerns. Entity 
registration, security risk assessments, biosafety requirements, and 
security measures are among the issues that will be discussed.
    All attendees must register in advance of the meeting. For those 
unable to attend in person, the meeting will be available at no cost as 
a Webcast for a limited number of registrants. There are two ways to 
register depending upon the U.S. citizenship status of the attendee:
     Citizens of the United States must complete a U.S. citizen 
registration form online at http://www.selectagents.gov and submit it 
to the CDC by April 12, 2011; or
     Non-citizens (including lawful permanent residents) must 
complete a non-citizen registration form online at http://www.selectagents.gov and submit it to the CDC prior to April 12, 2011. 
Registrants must also send copies of all required documentation (e.g., 
passport, visa, permanent resident card, etc.) to the CDC by the April 
12, 2011, deadline. A list of required documentation is provided on the 
Web site listed above. In addition, non-citizens will need to bring all 
personal documentation to the meeting.
    Travel directions to the National Centers for Animal Health Disease 
Center are available on the Internet at http://www.selectagents.gov. In 
addition to the documents listed above, Government-issued picture 
identification is required to gain access to the parking facilities and 
the building.
    If you require special accommodations, such as a sign language 
interpreter, please call or write one of the individuals listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of March 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-6535 Filed 3-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P