[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 238 (Monday, December 12, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77234-77235]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31770]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[CDC-2011-0014]


Availability of Draft Vieques Report: An Evaluation of 
Environmental, Biological, and Health Data From the Island of Vieques, 
Puerto Rico

AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Draft Vieques 
Report: An Evaluation of Environmental, Biological, and Health Data 
from the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico for review and comment. This 
report's principal focus is to review updated environmental data on 
Vieques air, water, soil, seafood, and locally grown foods. In 
addition, this report evaluates human biomonitoring and health outcome 
data. ATSDR is providing a public comment period for this draft report 
as a means to best serve public health and the residents of Vieques, 
Puerto Rico. The Draft Vieques Report is available in English and 
Spanish at www.regulations.gov in the docket identified by Docket ID 
No. CDC-2011-

[[Page 77235]]

0014 and www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/vieques/.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before January 11, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Requests for Compact Disc copies of the draft Vieques Report 
should be sent via email to: [email protected], or to Rolanda 
Morrison, ATSDR Records Center, Mailstop F-09, 4770 Buford Highway NE., 
Atlanta, GA 30341. Electronic access to this document is also available 
at the ATSDR Web site: www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/vieques/.
    Electronic comments may be sent via http://www.regulations.gov, 
docket control number CDC-2011-0014. Please follow the directions on 
the site to submit comments. Comments may also be sent to the attention 
of Rolanda Morrison, ATSDR Records Center, Mailstop F-09, 4770 Buford 
Highway NE., Atlanta, GA 30341, Send one copy of all comments and three 
copies of all supporting documents. Comments may also be submitted by 
email to [email protected]. Please ensure docket control number 
CDC-2011-0014 is included in the subject line of all written 
correspondence. Because all public comments regarding this draft report 
are available for public inspection, no confidential business 
information or other confidential information should be submitted in 
response to this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Division of Health Assessment and 
Consultation, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 
Mailstop F-59, 1600 Clifton Road NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 
Registry (ATSDR) is required by the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended 
by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA), to 
conduct public health assessments at all sites on, or proposed for 
inclusion on, the National Priorities List [42 U.S.C. 9604(i)(6)(A)], 
and the agency may also conduct public health assessments in response 
to requests from the public [42 U.S.C. 9604(i)(6)(B)]. In addition, the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may request the conduct of a 
public health assessment under RCRA [42 U.S.C. 6939a(b)].
    An ATSDR Public Health Assessment reviews available information 
about hazardous substances at a site and evaluates whether exposure to 
them might cause any harm to people. The ATSDR public health assessment 
includes an analysis and statement of the public health implications 
posed by the site under consideration. This analysis generally involves 
an evaluation of relevant environmental data, the potential for 
exposures to substances related to the site, available toxicologic, 
epidemiologic and health outcome data, and community concerns 
associated with a site where hazardous substances have been released. 
The public health assessment also identifies populations living or 
working on or near hazardous waste sites for which more extensive 
public health actions or studies are indicated.
    This notice announces the availability of the draft Vieques Report: 
An Evaluation of Environmental, Biological, and Health Data from the 
Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. ATSDR has worked to ensure that the 
analysis of Viequense environmental data is thorough; that it considers 
all readily available investigations and research, especially research 
completed since release of the 2001-2003 public health assessments.
    ATSDR encourages the public's participation and comment on the 
further development of this report.

    Dated: December 6, 2011.
Tom Sinks,
Deputy Director, National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for 
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 2011-31770 Filed 12-8-11; 11:15 am]
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