[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]


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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
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                                                                                                      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
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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. 2019-24000 Filed 11-1-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P