64532 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 204 / Monday, October 22, 2012 / Notices 

a number of areas of the proposed 

guidance, as well as commenting on 

other areas broadly related to an anthrax 

release/event that are outside the scope 

of this guidance (e.g., training and 

funding for vaccination). DHS, HHS and 

federal partners considered all of the 

comments and revised the document as 

appropriate. Specifically, we have 

increased the clarity of the document 

and better integrated guidance from the 

Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA) and the 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health (NIOSH), including 

more specificity regarding the use of 

personal protective equipment (PPE). In 

addition, a number of changes were 

made to the document to accommodate 

evolving knowledge regarding the 

effectiveness of alternative interventions 

as well as federal policy in the areas of 

biological protection and response, 

particularly efforts to make medical 

countermeasures more readily available. 

This included incorporating 

recommendations from a report 

published by the Advisory Committee 

on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in the 

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 

(MMWR), July 23, 2010, regarding the 

‘‘Use of Anthrax Vaccine in the United 

States.’’ To access the public comments, 

please go to the Federal eRulemaking 

Portal at http://www.regulations.gov and 

access the DHS summary describing the 

guidance (see Docket No. DHS–2009– 

0091). 

DHS and HHS are now announcing 

the availability of a revised guidance 

document, Guidance for Protecting 

Responders’ Health During the First 

Week Following a Wide-Area Aerosol 

Anthrax Attack. This guidance can be 

viewed or downloaded at http:// 

www.regulations.gov, http://phe.gov and 

http://www.dhs.gov/publication/ 

protecting-responders-health-after-widearea-aerosol-anthrax-attack. 

DHS developed this guidance in 

consultation with a federal interagency 

working group that included subject 

matter experts in biodefense, infectious 

diseases, and occupational health and 

safety. The working group included 

representatives from HHS; the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC), NIOSH; the Department of Labor, 

OSHA; and the Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA). 

The revised guidance reflects the 

current understanding of the unique 

environment that would be expected 

during the first week of a wide-area 

anthrax release, and is expected to 

evolve with changes to our 

understanding regarding exposure risk, 

scientific developments, and availability 

of new environmental monitoring 

techniques. This guidance is intended to 

support ongoing planning and 

preparation efforts, as well as to lay the 

basis for plans to protect individuals 

beyond traditional first responders. This 

planning guidance will be refined as the 

evidence base is strengthened for 

determining exposure risk and the 

efficacy of protective measures. This 

guidance does not have the force or 

effect of law. 

The DHS Office of Health Affairs is 

issuing the guidance document for 

public use on behalf of an interagency 

coalition. 

Dated: October 15, 2012. 

Alexander G. Garza, 

Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs and 

Chief Medical Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2012–25983 Filed 10–19–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4150–37–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

[Docket No. DHS–2012–0064] 

Homeland Security Advisory Council 

AGENCY: The Office of Policy, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of open teleconference 

Federal advisory committee meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Homeland Security 

Advisory Council (HSAC) will meet via 

teleconference for the purpose of 

reviewing and deliberating on 

recommendations by the HSAC’s Border 

Infrastructure Task Force. 

DATES: The HSAC conference call will 

take place from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

EST on Thursday, November 8, 2012. 

Please be advised that the meeting is 

scheduled for one hour and may end 

early if all business is completed before 

4:30pm. 

ADDRESSES: The HSAC meeting will be 

held via teleconference. Members of the 

public interested in participating in this 

teleconference meeting may do so by 

following the process outlined below 

(see ‘‘Public Participation’’). 

Written comments must be submitted 

and received by November 5, 2012. 

Comments must be identified by Docket 

No. DHS–2012–0064 and may be 

submitted by one of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Email: HSAC@dhs.gov. Include 

docket number in the subject line of the 

message. 

• Fax: (202) 282–9207 

• Mail: Homeland Security Advisory 

Council, Department of Homeland 

Security, Mailstop 0445, 245 Murray 

Lane SW., Washington, DC 20528. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the words ‘‘Department of 

Homeland Security’’ and DHS–2012– 

0064, the docket number for this action. 

Comments received will be posted 

without alteration at http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read comments received by the DHS 

Homeland Security Advisory Council, 

go to http://www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

William Smith at hsac@dhs.gov or 202– 

282–9445. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of 

this meeting is given under the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 

The HSAC provides organizationally 

independent, strategic, timely, specific 

and actionable advice to the Secretary 

and senior leadership on matters related 

to homeland security. The HSAC will 

meet to review and deliberate on the 

Border Infrastructure Task Force report 

of findings and recommendations. 

Public Participation: Members of the 

public will be in listen-only mode. The 

public may register to listen to this 

HSAC teleconference via the following 

procedures. Each individual must 

provide his or her full legal name and 

email address no later than 5:00 p.m. 

EST on November 5, 2012, to a staff 

member of the HSAC via email at 

HSAC@dhs.gov or via phone at (202) 

447–3135. HSAC conference call details 

and the Border Infrastructure Task Force 

report will be provided to interested 

members of the public at the time they 

register. 

Information on Services for 

Individuals with Disabilities: For 

information on facilities or services for 

individuals with disabilities, or to 

request special assistance during the 

teleconference, contact William Smith 

(202) 282–9445. 

Dated: October 15, 2012. 

Becca Sharp, 

Executive Director, Homeland Security 

Advisory Council, DHS. 

[FR Doc. 2012–25985 Filed 10–19–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–9M–P 


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