Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 100 /Tuesday, May 26, 1998 / Proposed Rules 28495

Alternative suggestions, ideas and

comments will be considered fully.

When providing comments regarding

this advance notice of proposed

rulemaking, the respondent should

provide the FSA with a complete

description of the details of the

alternative method or issue, along with

supporting data.

Signed at Washington, D.C., on May 19,

1998.

Keith Kelly,

Administrator, Farm Service Agency.

[FR Doc. 98–13819 Filed 5–22–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 835

[Docket No. EH–RM–96–835]

RIN 1901–AA59

Occupational Radiation Protection

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Proposed rule; Notice of

Paperwork Reduction Act Submission

and comment request.

SUMMARY: On December 23, 1996, the

Department of Energy (DOE or

Department) published a notice of

proposed rulemaking to amend the

Department’s primary standards for

occupational radiation protection

during the conduct of DOE activities.

This notice advises the public that DOE

has submitted for review a Paperwork

Reduction Act Submission for the

proposed rule to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

review and invites interested persons to

submit written comments and

recommendations to OMB concerning

the proposed collection of information.

DATES: Written comments and

recommendations for the proposed

collections of information must be

mailed by June 25, 1998 directly to the

OMB desk officer at the address below.

If you anticipate that you will be

submitting comments, but find it

difficult to do so within the period of

time allowed by this notice, please

advise the OMB Desk Officer of your

intention to make a submission as soon

as possible. The Desk Officer may be

contacted at telephone number (202)

395–3084.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

addressed to the Department of Energy

Desk Officer, Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs, Office of

Management and Budget, 725 17th

Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20503.

(Persons submitting comments to OMB

also are requested to send a copy to Dr.

Joel Rabovsky, U.S. Department of

Energy, EH–52, ‘‘EH-RM–96–835

Rulemaking,’’ 1000 Independence

Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for copies of the Department’s

Paperwork Reduction Act Submission

and other information should be

directed to Dr. Joel Rabovsky, U.S.

Department of Energy, Office of Worker

Protection Programs and Hazards

Management, 1000 Independence

Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585,

(301) 903–2135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE has

submitted a Paperwork Reduction Act

Submission for a proposed rule on

occupational radiation protection to

OMB for review under section 3507(d)

of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The proposed rule was published in the

Federal Register on December 23, 1996

(61 FR 67600). This notice invites

interested persons to submit written

comments and recommendations to

OMB concerning the proposed

collections of information described

below. Comments should address: (1)

whether the proposed collections of

information are necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of DOE,

including whether the information shall

have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of

the Department’s burden estimates,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (3)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; (4) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection on the

respondents, including the use of

automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

OMB Approval Number: 1910–xxxx.

Title: Occupational Radiation

Protection.

Abstract: Under section 161 of the

Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C.

2201), DOE is authorized to adopt rules

governing DOE activities undertaken in

the performance of its functions. Part

835 of title 10 CFR establishes radiation

protection limits and controls to protect

DOE employees, contractor and

subcontractor employees, and visiting

workers who use DOE facilities from

occupational exposure to radiation or

radioactive materials. Part 835 contains

the following information collection

requirements, all of which would be

modified by the Department’s December

23, 1996, rulemaking proposal:

1. Radiation Protection Program

Submissions. Part 835 requires

contractors performing DOE activities to

prepare and submit a radiation

protection program (RPP) to DOE for

approval, and to submit updates of the

RPP to DOE for approval. 10 CFR

§ 835.101.

2. Recordkeeping requirements. Part

835 requires contractors to keep

individual monitoring records

(§ 835.702); certain workplace

monitoring records (§ 835.703); training

and other administrative records

(§ 835.704); records of release of

materials and equipment from

radiological areas (§ 835.1101); and

records of planned special exposures to

radiation (§ 835.204).

3. Reporting requirements. Part 835

requires contractors to provide radiation

dose reports to monitored individuals

and to report other information to

individuals upon termination of

employment and on other occasions. 10

CFR § 835.801.

Need and Uses: The information that

part 835 requires DOE major facilities

management contractors to produce,

maintain and/or report are necessary to

permit the Department to manage and

oversee health and safety programs that

control worker (i.e., DOE employees,

contractor and sub-contractor

employees, and visiting workers)

exposure to radiation.

Frequency: (1) The initial RPP

Submission is a one-time requirement;

updates are required on occasion; (2)

recordkeeping requirements include

planned special exposure records from

time to time, as well as individual and

workplace monitoring records; (3)

reporting of radiation doses to

monitored individuals is required

annually; other information is reported

to individuals upon termination of

employment and on other occasions.

Number of Respondents: 50. This

number reflects the number of radiation

protection programs for part 835

implemented to date.

Estimated Annual Burden: 50,000 hrs.

This burden estimate consists of DOE’s

estimates of the total time, effort, or

financial resources expended by persons

to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose

information to or for DOE. In developing

these burden estimates, DOE has

estimated the total cost of complying

with the information collection

requirements in 10 CFR 835.

Issued in Washington, DC, on May 8, 1998.

Peter N. Brush,

Acting Assistant Secretary, Environment,

Safety and Health.

[FR Doc. 98–13849 Filed 5–22–98; 8:45 am]

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