[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 195 (Friday, October 7, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 62312-62313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26071]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Part 331

9 CFR Part 121

[Docket No. APHIS-2011-0099]


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, Criminal 
Justice Information Services. Issues to be discussed include personnel 
reliability programs, pre-employment background screenings, 
occupational health programs, and BSL4 surety programs.

DATES: The meeting will be held on November 16, 2011, from 7:30 a.m. to 
5 p.m. Persons who wish to attend the meeting must register by October 
14, 2011.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at The Howard H. Baker, Jr. Center 
for Public Policy, 1640 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: APHIS: Ms. Cassie Armiger, Program 
Analyst, APHIS Select Agent Program, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 2, 
Riverdale, MD 20737; (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

[[Page 62313]]

of certain biological agents and toxins by the Department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS) (subtitle A, sections 201-204) and the Department 
of Agriculture (USDA) (subtitle B, sections 211-213), and provides for 
interagency coordination between the two Departments regarding overlap 
agents and toxins (subtitle C, section 221). For the HHS, 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 USDA. 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 Criminal Justice 
Information Service (CJIS) 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 CJIS representatives will 
be present at the meeting to address questions and concerns.
    Updates on the current status of the APHIS and CDC proposed rule, 
general components of a personnel reliability program, pre-employment 
background screening, occupational health programs, BSL4 surety 
programs, and future responsible official training will be discussed, 
including panel discussions, by representatives from the Department of 
Homeland Security, CJIS, APHIS, CDC, and National Institutes of Health.
    All attendees must register in advance. To register all persons 
must complete an online registration form at http://www.selectagents.gov and submit it by October 14, 2011. For those 
unable to attend in person, the workshop will be available over the 
Internet as a webcast.
    Parking is available at the University Center for a $5 fee. Hotel 
information is available on the Internet at http://www.selectagents.gov.
    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 3rd day of October 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-26071 Filed 10-6-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P