[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 87 (Monday, May 6, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19829-19830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09154]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0800]


Agency Information Collection Activity: Airborne Hazards and Open 
Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) Web-Accessible Self-Assessment/Questionnaire

AGENCY: Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed 
collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish 
notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of 
information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved 
collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the 
notice.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed collection 
of information should be received on or before July 5, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information 
through Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov 
or to Brian McCarthy, Office of Regulatory and Administrative Affairs 
(10B4), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20420 or email to [email protected]. Please refer 
to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0800'' in any correspondence. During the 
comment period, comments may be viewed online through FDMS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian McCarthy at (202) 615-9241.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA of 1995, Federal agencies must 
obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each 
collection of information they conduct or sponsor. This request for 
comment is being made pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.
    With respect to the following collection of information, VHA 
invites comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of VHA's functions, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy 
of VHA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on respondents, including through the use 
of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of 
information technology.
    Authority: Public Law 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521.
    Title: Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) Web-
accessible Self-Assessment/Questionnaire, VA Form 10-10066.
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0800.

[[Page 19830]]

    Type of Review: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved 
collection.
    Abstract: Public Law 112-260 Section 201, enacted by President 
Obama on 10 January 2013, required Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
to establish and maintain an ``Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit 
Registry (AHOBPR)'' no later than one year from enactment. VA launched 
the AHOBPR in June 2014. There is no sunset date identified in the law. 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may ``include any information in such 
registry that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines necessary to 
ascertain and monitor the health effects of the exposure of members of 
the Armed Forces to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open 
burn pits.'' Currently, VA plans to operate the AHOBPR indefinitely, 
and we request approval to continue administering the questionnaire.
    The Qarmat Ali (QA) program is a new request for a follow-up 
information collection for a subset of Veterans impacted by a specific 
airborne hazard. In the Spring and Summer of 2003, approximately 700 
U.S. Servicemembers may have been impacted by a specific airborne 
hazard while serving at a water injection plant in Qarmat Ali, Iraq. 
The Department of Defense (DoD) was unable to determine specific 
exposure levels near the water treatment facility. In 2010, in response 
to DoD's notification, the VA offered no-cost medical evaluations and 
encouraged the cohort to enroll in a new Qarmat Ali medical 
surveillance program within the Gulf War Registry. The QA cohort is 
also eligible to participate in the AHOBPR program due to their 
deployment to Iraq. As part of the planned 5-year periodic medical 
follow-up and surveillance program, self-reported information will be 
collected through the AHOBPR as outlined above. Information collected 
is voluntary and is used to provide outreach and quality health 
services to AHOBPR participants. Collected data contributes to VA's 
ability to understand the potential health effects of the exposure to 
burn pit emissions and other airborne hazards during deployment, such 
as particulate matter.
    Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) Self-
Assessment/Questionnaire:
    Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 33,333 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 40 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: Once.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 50,000.

    Subset of AHOBPR, Qarmat Ali Questionnaire:
    Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 114 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 10 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: Once.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 686.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Danny S. Green,
Interim VA Clearance Officer, Office of Quality, Performance and Risk 
(OQPR), Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2019-09154 Filed 5-3-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P