[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 213 (Monday, November 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59384-59385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24000]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30Day-20-19DO]
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 National Surveillance of Community Water
Systems and Corresponding Populations with the Recommended Fluoridation
Level 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 December
6, 2018 to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC
received two 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 agencie's 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
[[Page 59385]]
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
National Surveillance of Community Water Systems and Corresponding
Populations with the Recommended Fluoridation Level--Existing
Collection in use without an OMB Control Number--National Center for
Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Background and Brief Description
Dental caries is one of the most common chronic diseases throughout
the lifespan in the United States, and disproportionately affects
populations with low socioeconomic status, and racial and ethnic
minority populations. Dental caries can lead to infection and
diminished quality of life, and cause substantial societal cost due to
absence from school and work, as well as expensive treatments.
Naturally occurring fluoride is found in all surface and ground water
sources, but typically is lower than the recommended concentration
needed to prevent dental caries (tooth decay). Community water
fluoridation is the process of adjusting the fluoride concentration of
a community water system (CWS) to the level beneficial for prevention
of dental caries as recommended by the US Public Health Service (PHS).
CDC monitors CWS fluoride levels relative to the PHS recommended level
under the Public Health Service Act.
In 2000, CDC launched a Web-based data management tool--Water
Fluoridation Reporting Systems (WFRS) in collaboration with the
Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. States may
report their information to CDC using WFRS or via email. Respondents to
the information collection are state fluoridation managers or other
state government officials designated by the state dental director or
drinking water administrator. Respondents are asked to update
fluoridation status of, and counties and populations served by, each
CWS in their state annually. All 50 states respond to this portion of
the collection. Washington DC is not included in the data collection
because water is supplied by a CWS from Virginia and therefore the data
is collected by Virginia. Historically collected natural fluoride
concentrations are available in WFRS for all CWS; once collected, they
rarely change over time. Respondents also are asked to enter the high,
low, and average fluoride testing level data annually for each month
for their fluoride-adjusted CWS. Currently, two-thirds of the states
respond to this portion of the collection.
CDC analyzes and publishes results through interactive, public-
facing web pages: (1) Biennial surveillance reports documenting the
percentage of the population with fluoridated water at national, state,
and local levels; and (2) My Water's Fluoride, which publishes the
fluoridation status of individual CWS and some fluoride level data for
states which choose to display it.
CDC uses the information collection to (1) provide national
fluoridation surveillance reports; (2) assist states to manage their
fluoride level data and monitor and improve quality of community water
fluoridation programs; (3) measure national performance toward the
fluoridation Healthy People objective; (4) evaluate outcomes of CDC's
cooperative agreements with states; (5) facilitate creation of state-
specific reports for states' programmatic and policy use. The
information collection is also used to inform health care providers to
determine targeted delivery of preventive care, for example,
determining use of fluoride supplements for children living in
fluoride-deficient areas.
CDC's collection of CWS data is not duplicative of any other
federal collection, including the US Environmental Protection Agency's
(EPA) Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), as SDWIS receives
state reports of CWS fluoride levels that exceed 4 mg/L but not those
near the beneficial level of 0.7 mg/L recommended for dental caries
prevention by the PHS. Thus, CDC's system is required to assess the
degree to which the nation is reaching this PHS-recommended level. The
total estimated annualized burden hours are 2,783, including (1) 1,875
hours for the validation or update of CWS fluoridation status and
population served from 50 respondents, with estimated average burden
hours of 37.5 per respondent; and (2) 908 hours for the annual entry of
fluoride testing level data for fluoride-adjusted CWS conducted by 33
respondents with an estimated average burden of 27.5 hours per
respondent. WFRS is hosted and maintained by CDC and there are no
maintenance costs to respondents.
Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Number of Number of burden per
Type of respondents Form name respondents responses per response (in
respondent hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Official........................ Fluoridation status and 50 1 37.5
population.
State Official........................ Fluoride testing data... 33 1 27.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2019-24000 Filed 11-1-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P