[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 41 (Thursday, March 1, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12576-12577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4898]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction; Meeting

AGENCY: Defense Threat Reduction Agency, DoD.

ACTION: Advisory Board Meeting Notice.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 
1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), the Sunshine in the Government 
Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), the Defense Threat Reduction 
Agency (DTRA), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announce the 
following advisory board meeting of the Veterans' Advisory Board on 
Dose Reconstruction (VBDR).

DATES: Friday, March 23, 2012, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. 
to 6 p.m. and Saturday, March 24, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The 
public is invited to attend. A public comment session is scheduled from 
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and from 9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. on 
Saturday.

ADDRESSES: Embassy Suites Riverwalk Hotel, E. Houston Street, San 
Antonio, TX 78205.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose 
Reconstruction Toll Free at 1-866-657-VBDR (8237). Additional 
information may be found at http://vbdr.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Purpose of Meeting: To obtain, review, and evaluate information 
related to the Board's mission to provide guidance and review of the 
dose reconstruction and claims compensation programs for veterans of 
U.S.-sponsored atmospheric nuclear weapons tests from 1945-1962; 
veterans of the 1945-1946 occupation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan; 
and veterans who were prisoners of war in those regions at the 
conclusion of World War II. In addition, the advisory board will assist 
the VA and DTRA in communicating with the veterans. The meeting will 
also include public presentations regarding dose reconstruction efforts 
related to the Fukushima incident in Japan and the McMurdo Station in 
Antarctica.
    Meeting Agenda: The meeting will open on Friday morning with a Call 
to Order from the Designated Federal Official. Dr. Charles Roadman, the 
VBDR Chairman will make opening remarks and will introduce the members 
of the Board. After introductions, the remainder of the morning will 
include the following briefings: ``Review of Atomic Veterans 
Epidemiology Study'' by Dr. John Boice; ``Review of Atomic Veterans 
Demographic Study'' by Dr. John Lathrop, ``Review of the Navy's PM-3A 
(McMurdo Sound Nuclear Reactor) Dose Reconstruction Effort'' by LCDR 
Greg Fairchild, USN; ``Review of the DoD Population of Interest Dose 
Reconstruction from the Fukushima incident in Japan'' by Dr. Gerald 
Falo, Dr. Steven Rademacher, and CDR James Cassata, USN, and an 
``Update on the Nuclear Test Personnel Review (NTPR) Dose 
Reconstruction Program'', by Dr. Paul Blake. The afternoon session will 
include additional briefings: ``Update on the VA Radiation Claims 
Compensation Program for Veterans'', by Mr. Brad Flohr, ``Presentation 
on the VA/DTRA/VBDR Atomic Veterans Communications Plan'' by Mr. Jim 
Benson, VA, Mr. Richard Cole, DTRA and Mr. Kenneth Groves and 
``Overview of the VA's Office of Public Health'' by Dr. Paul Ciminera. 
Next, the four active subcommittees established during the inaugural 
VBDR session will report on their activities since March 2011. These 
subcommittees consist of the following: Subcommittee on DTRA Dose 
Reconstruction Procedures; the Subcommittee on VA Claims Adjudication 
Procedures; the Subcommittee on Quality Management and VA Process 
Integration with DTRA Nuclear Test Personnel Review Program; and the 
Subcommittee on Communication and Outreach. The afternoon session also 
includes a one hour open public comment session. The remainder of the 
Friday afternoon meeting will be devoted to an overview discussion on 
the VBDR activities. The meeting will reconvene on Saturday morning 
with an introduction to the Special Session by the VBDR Chairman, Dr. 
Charles Roadman. The morning session includes an open public comment 
period and opportunities for discussion with VA and DTRA NTPR 
representatives. The Designated Federal Official will close the meeting 
at 12 p.m.
    Meeting Accessibility: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended, and 
41 CFR 102-3.140 through 102-3.165, and the availability of space, this 
meeting is open to the public. Seating is limited by the size of the 
meeting room. All persons must sign in legibly at the registration 
desk.
    Written Statements: Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-
3.140(c), interested persons may submit a written statement for 
consideration by the Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction. 
Written statements should be no longer than two type-written pages and 
must address the following: the issue, discussion, and recommended 
course of action for the VBDR. Supporting documentation may also be 
included as needed to establish the appropriate historical context and 
to provide any necessary background information.
    Individuals submitting a written statement may submit their 
statement to the Board at 801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 700, Arlington, 
VA 22203, at any time. However, if a written statement is not received 
at least 10 calendar days prior to the meeting, which is the subject of 
this notice, then it may not be provided to or considered by the 
Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction until its next open 
meeting.
    The Chairperson will review all timely submissions with the 
Designated Federal Officer, and ensure they are provided to members of 
the Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction before the meeting 
that is the subject of this notice. After reviewing the written 
comments, the Chairperson and the Designated Federal Officer may choose

[[Page 12577]]

to invite the submitter of the comments to orally present his or her 
statements during the Public Comment session of this meeting or at a 
future meeting.
    Public Comments: The March 23-24, 2012 meeting is open to the 
public. Two, approximately one-hour session will be reserved for public 
comments on issues related to the tasks of the Veterans' Advisory Board 
on Dose Reconstruction. Speaking time will be assigned on a first-come, 
first-served basis. The amount of time per speaker will be determined 
by the number of requests received, but is nominally five minutes each. 
All persons who wish to speak at the meeting must sign in legibly at 
the registration desk. Speakers who wish to expand on their oral 
statements are invited to submit a written statement to the Veterans' 
Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction at 801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 
700, Arlington, VA 22203.

    Dated: February 24, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternative OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of 
Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012-4898 Filed 2-29-12; 8:45 am]
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