[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14732-14733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05623]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket Number NIOSH-294]


World Trade Center Health Program; Request for Nominations of 
Scientific Peer Reviewers of Proposed Additions to the List of WTC-
Related Health Conditions

AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for scientific peer reviewers.

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SUMMARY: The CDC is soliciting nominations, including self-nominations, 
for scientific peer reviewers of proposed additions of conditions to 
the List of World Trade Center (WTC)-Related Health Conditions (List).
    Title I of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 
2010, Public Law 111-347 (Jan. 2, 2011), amended by Public Law 114-113 
(Dec. 18, 2015), added Title XXXIII to the Public Health Service Act 
(PHS Act), establishing the WTC Health Program within HHS (42 U.S.C. 
300mm to 300mm-61). When the Administrator proposes to add a condition 
to the List, he must publish the proposed rule in accordance with the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553). Additionally, as required 
by the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act 
in section 3312(a)(6)(F), prior to issuing a final rule to add a health 
condition to the List, the Administrator must provide for an 
independent peer review of the scientific and technical evidence that 
would be the basis for issuing such final rule.

Table of Contents:

     Dates:
     Addresses:
     For Further Information Contact:
     Supplementary Information:

DATES: Nominations must be submitted (postmarked or electronically 
received) by February 1, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit a nomination identified by NIOSH Docket 294, 
by any of the following methods.
     Electronic nominations, including attachments to 
[email protected].
     Regular, Express, or Overnight Mail: Written nominations 
may be submitted (one original and two copies) to the following address 
only: NIOSH Docket 294, c/o Kiana Harper, National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, Patriots Plaza 1, 95 E Street SW., Suite 9200, Washington, 
DC 20201. Telephone and facsimile submissions cannot be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Middendorf, Ph.D., Deputy 
Associate Director for Science, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE., MS: E-20, 
Atlanta, GA 30329; telephone (404)498-2500 (this is not a toll-free 
number); email [email protected].
    Instructions: Nominations of peer reviewers must be accompanied by:
     Name
     Occupation
     Employer
     Contact information including mailing address, email, and 
phone number
     Listing of scientific credentials including academic 
degrees and specialized training
     Area of competencies (e.g., medical, epidemiology, 
exposure assessment, industrial hygiene)
     Area of specialty (e.g., Cardiovascular, Integumentary, 
Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Urinary, Immune, Lymphatic, Muscular, 
Nervous, Reproductive, Respiratory, Skeletal) Publication list
     Other materials to support the nominee's ability to 
perform scientific peer review
     For third-party nominations, affirmation from the nominee 
that they are aware of and agree to the nomination
    A Curriculum vitae that includes all of the above information may 
alternatively be submitted.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and 
Compensation Reauthorization Act in section 3312(a)(6)(F) requires the 
Administrator to provide for an independent peer review of the 
scientific and technical evidence that would be the basis for issuing a 
final rule to add a health condition to the List prior to issuing the 
final rule. To assist in accomplishing independent peer review in a 
timely manner, the Administrator has determined that he will develop a 
standing pool of persons with the scientific, technical, and medical 
background to potentially serve in this role to provide their 
individual input to the Administrator based on the health condition in 
the proposed rule under consideration. The peer reviewers will not meet 
as a group, provide consensus advice or recommendations to the 
Administrator, or produce a collective work product(s). Therefore, the 
Administrator is requesting nominations of persons to serve as 
scientific peer reviewers.
    All persons who have the necessary minimum qualifications will be 
included in the standing pool of potential peer reviewers. These 
persons will be included in the standing pool of potential peer 
reviewers for 3 years unless they request in writing to be removed. 
After 3 years persons may be nominated again and will be required to 
update their information.
    The Administrator will select peer reviewers for any proposed rule 
by matching the nature of the proposed

[[Page 14733]]

addition to the List and the nominee's background and expertise, as 
well as any potential conflict of interest. In selecting peer 
reviewers, the WTC Program Administrator will consider individuals 
nominated in response to this Federal Register notice, as well as other 
qualified individuals.

    Dated: March 17, 2017.
John Howard,
Administrator, World Trade Center Health Program and Director, National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-05623 Filed 3-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-19-P