[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 9, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54150-54151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22079]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30-Day-20-0639]
Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information
collection request titled Energy Employees Occupational Illness
Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA) Special Exposure Cohort to
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. CDC
previously published a ``Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public
Comment and Recommendations'' notice on July 5, 2019 to obtain comments
from the public and affected agencies. CDC did not receive comments
related to the previous notice. This notice serves to allow an
additional 30 days for public and affected agency comments.
CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly
interested in comments that:
(a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected;
(d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including, through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of responses; and
(e) Assess information collection costs.
To request additional information on the proposed project or to
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call
(404) 639-7570 or send an email to [email protected]. Direct written comments
and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice to the
Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th
Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-5806. Provide
written comments within 30 days of notice publication.
Proposed Project
Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of
2000 (EEOICPA) Special Exposure Cohort (OMB Control No. 0920-0639, Exp.
10/31/2019)--Extension--National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
On October 30, 2000, the Energy Employees Occupational Illness
Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA), 42 U.S.C. 7384-7385 [1994,
supp. 2001] was enacted. The Act established a compensation program to
provide a lump sum payment of $150,000 and medical benefits as
compensation to covered employees suffering from designated illnesses
incurred as a result of their exposure to radiation, beryllium, or
silica while in the performance of duty for the Department of Energy
and certain of its vendors, contractors and subcontractors. This
legislation also provided for payment of compensation for certain
survivors of these covered employees. This program has been mandated to
be in effect until Congress ends the funding.
Among other duties, the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) was directed to establish and implement procedures for
considering petitions by
[[Page 54151]]
classes of nuclear weapons workers to be added to the ``Special
Exposure Cohort'' (the ``Cohort''). In brief, EEOICPA authorizes HHS to
designate such classes of employees for addition to the Cohort when
NIOSH lacks sufficient information to estimate with sufficient accuracy
the radiation doses of the employees, and if HHS also finds that the
health of members of the class may have been endangered by the
radiation dose the class potentially incurred. HHS must also obtain the
advice of the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (the
``Board'') in establishing such findings. On May 28, 2004, HHS issued a
rule that established procedures for adding such classes to the Cohort
(42 CFR part 83). The rule was amended on July 10, 2007.
The HHS rule authorizes a variety of respondents to submit
petitions. Petitioners are required to provide the information
specified in the rule to qualify their petitions for a complete
evaluation by HHS and the Board. HHS has developed two forms to assist
the petitioners in providing this required information efficiently and
completely. Form A is a one-page form to be used by EEOICPA claimants
for whom NIOSH has attempted to conduct dose reconstructions and has
determined that available information is not sufficient to complete the
dose reconstruction. Form B, accompanied by separate instructions, is
intended for all other petitioners. Forms A and B can be submitted
electronically as well as in hard copy. Respondent/petitioners should
be aware that HHS is not requiring respondents to use the forms.
Respondents can choose to submit petitions as letters or in other
formats, but petitions must meet the informational requirements stated
in the rule. NIOSH expects, however, that all petitioners for whom Form
A would be appropriate will actually use the form, since NIOSH will
provide it to them upon determining that their dose reconstruction
cannot be completed and encourage them to submit the petition. NIOSH
expects the large majority of petitioners for whom Form B would be
appropriate will also use the form, since it provides a simple,
organized format for addressing the informational requirements of a
petition.
NIOSH will use the information obtained through the petition for
the following purposes: (a) Identify the petitioner(s), obtain their
contact information, and establish that the petitioner(s) is qualified
and intends to petition HHS; (b) establish an initial definition of the
class of employees being proposed to be considered for addition to the
Cohort; (c) determine whether there is justification to require HHS to
evaluate whether or not to designate the proposed class as an addition
to the Cohort (such an evaluation involves potentially extensive data
collection, analysis, and related deliberations by NIOSH, the Board,
and HHS); and, (d) target an evaluation by HHS to examine relevant
potential limitations of radiation monitoring and/or dosimetry-relevant
records and to examine the potential for related radiation exposures
that might have endangered the health of members of the class.
Finally, under the rule, petitioners may contest the proposed
decision of the HHS Secretary to add or deny adding classes of
employees to the cohort by submitting evidence that the proposed
decision relies on a record of either factual or procedural errors in
the implementation of these procedures. NIOSH estimates that the
average time to prepare and submit such a challenge is 5 hours. Because
of the uniqueness of this submission, NIOSH is not providing a form.
The submission will typically be in the form of a letter to the
Secretary. There are no changes to the previously approved information
collection forms, submission procedures, or burden estimates.
There are no costs to respondents unless a respondent/petitioner
chooses to purchase the services of an expert in dose reconstruction,
an option provided for under the rule. The total estimated burden hours
are 41.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Number of Average burden
Type of respondents Form name Number of responses per per response
respondents respondent (in hrs)
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Petitioners........................... Form A:................. 2 1 3/60
42 CFR 83.9.............
Form B:................. 5 1 5
42 CFR 83.9.............
Petitioners using a submission format 42 CFR 83.9............. 1 1 6
other than Form B (as permitted by
rule).
Petitioners Appealing final HHS 42 CFR 83.18............ 2 1 5
decision (no specific form is
required).
Claimant authorizing a party to submit Authorization Form: 42 3 1 3/60
petition on his/her behalf. CFR 83.7.
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2019-22079 Filed 10-8-19; 8:45 am]
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