31328 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 17, 2000 / Notices

is to demonstrate that adequately

funded community-based programs

which are designed and led by the

communities they serve can reduce

health disparities in infant mortality,

deficits in breast and cervical cancer

screening and management,

cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, HIV/

AIDS, and deficits in childhood and

adult immunizations. The communities

served by REACH 2010 include: African

American, American Indian, Hispanic

American, Asian American, and Pacific

Islander. Thirty-two communities were

funded in Phase I to construct

Community Action Plans (CAP). In

Phase II, 17 of those communities will

receive continued funding to implement

their CAP.

As part of the President’s Race

Initiative, it is imperative that REACH

2010 demonstrate success in reducing

health disparities among racial and

ethnic minority populations. Toward

that end, it is of critical importance that

CDC collect uniform survey data from

each of the 17 communities funded for

the Phase II REACH 2010 Demonstration

Program. The same survey will be

conducted in each community; it will

contain questions that are standard

public health performance measures for

each health priority area. Surveys will

be administered by either telephone or

household interview. These surveys will

be administered annually for four years

using a different sample from each

community.

The total annualized burden hours for

this project is 4080 hours.

Respondents Number of

respondents

Number of

responses/

respondent

Average

burden of

response

(in hours)

Total burden

(in hours)

Adults ages 18 and older who live in communities participating in the

REACH 2010 Program ................................................................................. 16,320 1 15/60 4080

Total ...................................................................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ 4080

Dated: May 11, 2000.

Nancy Cheal,

Acting Associate Director for Policy,

Planning, and Evaluation, Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention.

[FR Doc. 00–12344 Filed 5–16–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention

[30DAY–32–00]

Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork

Reduction Act Review

The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) publishes a list of

information collection requests under

review by the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) in compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

chapter 35). To request a copy of these

requests, call the CDC Reports Clearance

Officer at (404) 639–7090. Send written

comments to CDC, Desk Officer; Human

Resources and Housing Branch, New

Executive Office Building, Room 10235;

Washington, DC 20503. Written

comments should be received within 30

days of this notice.

Proposed Project

1. Emergency Epidemic

Investigations—(0920–0008)—

Extension—Epidemiology Program

Office (EPO)—One of the objectives of

CDC’s epidemic services is to provide

for the prevention and control of

epidemics and protect the population

from public health crises such as man

made or natural biological disasters and

chemical emergencies. This is carried

out, in part, by training investigators,

maintaining laboratory capabilities for

identifying potential problems,

collecting and analyzing data, and

recommending appropriate actions to

protect the public’s health. When state,

local, or foreign health authorities

request help in controlling an epidemic

or solving other health problems, CDC

dispatches skilled epidemiologists from

the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS)

to investigate and resolve the problem.

Resolving public health problems

rapidly ensures costs effective health

care and enhances health promotion

and disease prevention. Annually, the

EIS Program coordinates 400 Epidemic

Assistance Investigations (Epi-Aids) and

state-based field investigations.

Epidemics are prevented and controlled

by mobilizing and deploying CDC staff,

primarily EIS officers to respond rapidly

to disease outbreaks and disaster

situations. At the request of public

health officials—at the state, national, or

international level—CDC provides

assistance by participating in

epidemiologic field investigations. The

purpose of the Emergency Epidemic

Investigation surveillance is to collect

data on the conditions surrounding and

preceding the onset of a problem. The

data must be collected in a timely

fashion so that information can be used

to develop prevention and control

techniques, to interrupt disease

transmission and to help identify the

cause of an outbreak. Since the events

necessitating the collections of

information are of an emergency nature,

most data collection is done by direct

interview or written questionnaire and

are one-time efforts related to a specific

outbreak or circumstance. If during the

emergency investigation, the need for

further study is recognized, a project is

designed and separate OMB clearance is

required. Interviews are conducted to be

as unobtrusive as possible and only the

minimal information necessary is

collected. The Emergency Epidemic

Investigations is the principal source of

data on outbreaks of infectious and

noninfectious diseases, injuries,

nutrition, environmental health and

occupational problems.

Each investigation does contribute to

the general knowledge about a

particular type of problem or

emergency, so that data collections are

designed taking into account similar

situations in the past. Some

questionnaires have been standardized,

such as investigations of outbreaks

aboard aircraft or cruise vessels.

The Emergency Epidemic

Investigations provides a range of data

on the characteristics of outbreaks and

those affected by them. Data collected

include demographic characteristics,

exposure to the causative agent(s),

transmission patterns and severity of the

outbreak on the affected population.

These data, together with trend data,

may be used to monitor the effects of

change in the health care system,

planning of health services, improving

the availability of medical services and

assessing the health status of the

population.

Users of the Emergency Epidemic

Investigations data include, but are not

limited to EIS Officers in investigating

the patterns of disease or injury,

investigating the level of risky

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 17, 2000 / Notices 31329

behaviors, identifying the causative

agent and identifying the transmission

of the condition and the impact of

interventions.

It is difficult to predict the number of

epidemic investigations which might

occur in any given year. The annual

burden hours are estimated to be 3,000.

Respondents Number of

respondents

Number of

responses/

respondent

Average burden

per response

(in hrs.)

Total burden

(in hrs.)

Total Respondents ................................................................................... 12,000 1 15/60 3,000

Dated: May 11, 2000.

Nancy Cheal,

Acting Associate Director for Policy,

Planning, and Evaluation, Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 00–12345 Filed 5–16–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention

[Program Announcement Number 00057]

Longitudinal Studies of Rodent

Reservoirs of Hantaviruses in the

Northwestern United States; Notice of

Availability of Funds

A. Purpose

The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) announces the

availability of fiscal year (FY) 2000

funds for a cooperative agreement

program with the Montana Tech

University (MTU) for longitudinal

studies of rodent reservoirs of

hantaviruses in the northwestern United

States (U.S.). CDC is committed to

achieving the health promotion and

disease prevention objectives of

‘‘Healthy People 2010’’, a national

activity to reduce morbidity and

mortality and improve the quality of

life. This announcement is related to the

focus areas of Immunization and

Infectious Diseases. For the conference

copy of ‘‘Healthy People 2010’’ visit the

internet site http://www.health.gov/

healthypeople.

The purpose of this cooperative

agreement is to continue studies of

hantavirus reservoir populations at

previously established sites in Cutbank,

Polson, Cascade, Gold Creek, Wisdom,

and CM Russell Reserve, Montana. The

goal of the research is to conduct

longitudinal mark-recapture studies to

identify and determine the distribution

and dynamics of populations of rodents

that are confirmed or potential

reservoirs of hantaviruses. Preliminary

studies have documented the effects of

weather fluctuation and other ecological

variables on the rodent populations at

the designated study sites. The major

objective of this cooperative agreement

is to support research that appropriately

builds upon the ecological information

developed at the established sites.

B. Eligible Applicants

Assistance will be provided only to

MTU. No other applications are

solicited.

MTU was the only applicant that

applied under the original Program

Announcement 96044 and was

subsequently awarded. In previous

studies, MTU developed an extensive

database on population dynamics and

hantavirus infection in rodents and

associated environmental conditions at

six trapping sites from 1994 to 2000.

This unique dataset is the baseline data

for the proposed longitudinal studies

which will compare newly collected

information with the 1994–2000 data. In

order to provide for the continuity of

long-term data, it is crucial that the

proposed study be conducted at the

identical sites using the same

methodology as the previous studies.

C. Availability of Funds

Approximately $135,000 is available

in FY 2000 to fund one award. It is

expected that the award will begin on or

about September 30, 2000, and will be

made for a 12-month budget period

within a project period of up to 5 years.

The funding estimate may change.

Continuation awards within an

approved project period will be made

on the basis of satisfactory progress and

availability of funds.

D. Program Requirements

In conducting activities to achieve the

purpose of this program, the recipient

will be responsible for the activities

under 1. (Recipient Activities) and CDC

will be responsible for conducting

activities under 2. (CDC Activities).

1. Recipient Activities

a. Design and conduct longitudinal

mark recapture studies of rodents on

existing established grids in the

northwestern U.S., to identify and

determine the distribution and

dynamics of populations of rodents that

are confirmed or potential reservoirs of

hantaviruses.

b. Use ecological techniques that

provide continuity of rodent sampling

and processing so that data can be

appropriately analyzed and correlated

with previously collected ecological

data from the established sites.

Ecological techniques should include

capture-mark-release and bleeding of

captured animals.

c. Collect and submit blood samples

on all captured animals to appropriate

laboratories for further analysis and

storage.

d. Identify captured rodents and

perform morphological measurements

and other observations necessary for

characterization of rodents.

e. Analyze and publish study results

from the individual study sites.

2. CDC Activities

a. Provide consultation and scientific

and technical assistance in the design,

conduct, and evaluation of the project.

b. Perform appropriate laboratory

testing and analysis of blood samples

from captured animals, upon request.

c. Analyze study results in

collaboration with the recipient.

E. Application Content

Application

Use the information in the Program

Requirements, Other Requirements, and

Evaluation Criteria sections to develop

the application content. The application

will be evaluated on the criteria listed,

so it is important to follow them in

laying out the program plan. The

narrative should be no more than 10

double-spaced pages, printed on one

side, with one-inch margins, and

unreduced font.

F. Submission and Deadline

Application

Submit the original and two copies of

PHS 5161–1 (OMB Number 0348–0043).

Forms are available at the following

Internet Address: www.cdc.gov/

...Forms, or in the application kit. On or

before July 1, 2000, submit the

application to the Grants Management

Specialist identified in the ‘‘Where to