Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 14 /Thursday, January 22, 1998 / Notices 3309

Materials to be discussed at the

meetings have been properly classified

and are specifically authorized under

criteria established by Executive Order

12958, 60 FR 19,825 (1995), to be kept

secret in the interests of national

defense and foreign policy.

Therefore, in accordance with section

10(d) of the Federal Advisory

Committee Act, Public Law No. 92–463,

86 Stat 770 (1972) (codified at 5 U.S.C.

App. 2 510(a)(1)(1996)), I have

determined that, because of the need to

protect the secrecy of such national

security matters, the meetings should be

closed to the public.

This notice is being published less

than 15 days before the first meeting

day, in order to enable more Committee

members to attend.

John D. Holum,

Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms

Control and International Security Affairs

and Director, U.S. Arms Control and

Disarmament Agency.

[FR Doc. 98–1657 Filed 1–20–98; 3:38 pm]

BILLING CODE 6820–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

[Docket No. 971231318–7318–01]

Establishing New Research Data

Centers (RDCs)

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census,

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of program and request

for proposals.

SUMMARY: This notice informs the public

about the process and selection criteria

available for establishing a limited

number of new Research Data Centers

(RDCs) at nonprofit organizations

around the United States. Such

organizations could include

universities, nongovernmental research

centers, and certain government

facilities. The Census Bureau’s Center

for Economic Studies has developed

and put into practice the concept of

RDCs. At RDCs, qualified researchers

may have access to microdata from

Census Bureau economic (business

establishment and firm) and

demographic (household and

individual) surveys with appropriate

safeguards to protect data

confidentiality.

DATES: Proposals can be submitted for

the National Science Foundation (NSF)

winter 1998 proposal review cycle, with

a proposal submission deadline of

March 1, 1998. Thereafter, proposals

will be accepted for the August 15 and

January 15 review cycles until further

notice.

ADDRESSES: Written proposals to

establish new RDCs should be

submitted formally to the Division of

Social, Behavioral, and Economic

Research (SBER) at the NSF. Detailed

information on proposal guidelines and

review procedures is available on the

NSF web site <http://www.nsf.gov>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Arnold Reznek at (301) 457–1856

(areznek@census.gov), John Haltiwanger

at (301) 457–1848

(jhaltiwa@census.gov), Cheryl Eavey

(ceavey@nsf.gov), or Daniel Newlon

(dnewlon@nsf.gov). Also see the Census

Bureau’s World Wide Web site (http://

www.census.gov/ces/ces.html).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Bureau of the Census is prepared to

enter into partnerships with

universities, nongovernmental research

centers, and certain government

facilities to establish a limited number

of new RDCs around the United States.

Written proposals to establish new

RDCs will be reviewed and evaluated

jointly by the Census Bureau and the

NSF.

The RDC program now operates pilot

RDCs in Boston (in partnership with the

National Bureau of Economic Research)

and in Pittsburgh (in partnership with

Carnegie Mellon University). The

Census Bureau and the National Center

for Health Statistics also plan to

establish a narrowly-focused RDC

concerned with research using health

data.

The RDC program has two major

goals: (1) To use the results of the

research carried out at the RDCs, and

the contact between the Census Bureau

and RDC researchers, to improve Census

Bureau data programs, including data

collection methodology and the

underlying research microdatabases

(benefit to the Census Bureau is

required by the law authorizing the

Census Bureau to enter into RDC

arrangements, Title 15, United States

Code, Section 1525); and (2) to promote

academic research using microdata

collected by the Census Bureau as part

of its ongoing survey and census

operations.

The Census Bureau data available at

the RDCs would include both economic

(business establishment and firm) data

and demographic (household and

individual) data collected in the Census

Bureau’s surveys and censuses. In

particular cases, it may be possible to

supplement these data with similar data

from other governmental agencies.

A successful proposal from a research

organization or a consortium of such

organizations would have to

demonstrate (1) the ability to work along

with the Census Bureau to provide fair

and objective access to researchers

while protecting the confidentiality of

the underlying microdata, (2) the

existence of a regional research

community of sufficient size and quality

to yield high-quality research output,

and (3) a sound plan for long-term

funding that provides access to data

users on a low-cost basis. The NSF’s

evaluation of the potential research

output of proposed RDCs will be a key

element in selection decisions.

The Census Bureau will enter into

joint project Memoranda of

Understanding (MOUs) with those

organizations chosen by the evaluation

process. The authority for the Census

Bureau to enter into these MOUs is

found in Title 15, United States Code,

Section 1525.

Any MOU entered into under the

authority of Title 15, United States

Code, Section 1525 will include

information relating to the mutual

interest of the Census Bureau and its

MOU partner(s) in establishing an RDC;

the equitable apportionment of costs by

the Census Bureau and its partner(s); the

nonprofit status of the partner(s); and

the mutuality of the benefit to be

derived from the joint project.

RDC operations will emphasize the

following elements: (1) A secure

research computer laboratory (as

certified by the Census Bureau) in

which to store and use the data, (2) a

research project selection and approval

process carried out jointly with the

Census Bureau, (3) at least one Census

Bureau employee on-site to provide

support and to help instill the Census

Bureau’s ‘‘culture of confidentiality’’

into the researchers at the RDC, (4) an

executive director (or senior ‘‘faculty

advisor’’) to act as a liaison between the

local research community and the

Census Bureau, and (5) an RDC review

and oversight board to ensure efficient

operation of the RDC, as well as fair and

objective choice of projects at the RDC.

An overriding consideration in

providing researchers with access to

these data will be the need to protect the

confidentiality of the underlying data

pursuant to Title 13, United States

Code, Section 9. In particular,

prospective researchers will be required

to submit detailed project descriptions

that must be approved by both the RDC

board and the Census Bureau. It is

important to remember that RDCs are

reserved for projects that involve

statistical or econometric modeling

using economic and demographic

microdata. RDCs are neither equipped

nor designed to supplement the Census
3310 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 14 /Thursday, January 22, 1998 / Notices

1This guidance is not a rule. It is intended to

highlight certain obligations under the Federal

Hazardous Substances Act. Companies should read

that Act and the accompanying regulations at 16

CFR part 1500 for more detailed information.

Bureau’s existing data program

operations by producing large-scale

special tabulations from confidential

Census Bureau microdata.

Once projects are approved, project

researchers will be required to obtain

Special Sworn Status from the Census

Bureau. Obtaining this status requires

researchers to undergo a security check,

including fingerprinting. Researchers

holding Special Sworn Status will be

subject to the same criminal penalties as

regular Census Bureau employees for

disclosure of confidential information.

(The penalties are a fine of up to $5,000,

imprisonment for up to five years, or

both.) Only persons with Special Sworn

Status are allowed access to the RDC

facility. Moreover, all research findings

must be submitted to Census Bureau

personnel for disclosure review prior to

release to the public.

The estimate of the annual operating

costs is $250,000 per year, with higher

initial costs in the first year to equip the

RDC. This estimate is based upon

experience at the pilot RDCs and

includes (1) costs at the RDC of

equipment, software, space, and the

salary of the Census Bureau employee

stationed at the RDC, and (2) costs of

supporting the RDC at Census Bureau

headquarters.

RDCs must be self-financing, with

funding coming from institutions,

foundations, or state support. The NSF

is prepared to provide seed money to

assist in covering start-up costs

associated with establishing RDCs. An

organization proposing to establish an

RDC can request from the NSF up to

$100,000 per year for a three-year term

to cover part of the start-up costs and

annual operating costs associated with

establishing the RDC. Determinations on

these requests will be made by NSF.

RDCs may charge fees to researchers

not supported by the NSF to help defray

facilities costs. It is the goal of the NSF

and the Census Bureau in establishing

these centers that these fees will be kept

low in order to promote widespread

access to the data by the academic

community, contingent on sufficient

funding to cover annual operating costs.

The NSF will continue to provide

support through its regular grant

competition for faculty time and

graduate student assistance on

individual research projects that use

RDC facilities. NSF-funded individual

research projects can be charged access

fees once NSF institutional support has

been phased out.

Proposals to establish RDCs must

follow the standard NSF proposal

format. They can be submitted for the

NSF winter 1998 proposal review cycle,

with a proposal submission deadline of

March 1, 1998. Thereafter, proposals

will be accepted for the August 15 and

January 15 review cycles until further

notice. The pace of expansion of RDCs

will be limited by the capacity of the

Census Bureau to provide adequate

support and oversight. It is anticipated

that up to four additional RDCs can be

supported in the next two to three years.

Proposals should be formally

submitted to the Division of Social,

Behavioral, and Economic Research

(SBER) at the NSF. Detailed information

on proposal guidelines and review

procedures is available on the NSF web

site <http://www.nsf.gov>. Proposals

will be reviewed jointly by relevant peer

review panels, including Economics;

Methodology, Measurement, and

Statistics; and Sociology. Final

decisions will be made jointly by the

Census Bureau and the NSF.

A detailed prospectus is available on

the Census Bureau World Wide Web site

(http://www.census.gov/ces/ces.html).

The prospectus gives more information

on the expected contents of the proposal

and the expected roles of both the

Census Bureau and its partners in RDC

operations, including costs. For more

information, contact Arnold Reznek at

(301) 457–1856 (areznek@census.gov),

John Haltiwanger at (301) 457–1848

(jhaltiwa@census.gov), Cheryl Eavey

(ceavey@nsf.gov), or Daniel Newlon

(dnewlon@nsf.gov). Those who do not

have web access may contact Kim

Austin at (301) 457–1848

(kaustin@census.gov) to obtain a paper

copy of the prospectus.

Notwithstanding any other provision

of law, no person is required to respond,

nor shall a person be subject to a

penalty for failure to comply with a

collection of information subject to the

requirements of the Paperwork

Reduction Act unless that collection of

information displays a currently valid

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) control number. The collection

of information contained in the Notice

is cleared under OMB Control Number

3145–0058.

It has been determined that this notice

is not significant under Executive Order

12866.

Dated: January 12, 1998.

Bradford R. Huther,

Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer,

Bureau of the Census.

[FR Doc. 98–1504 Filed 1–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–07–P

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY

COMMISSION

Notice of Approval of Guidance

Document on Lead in Consumer

Products

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety

Commission.

ACTION: Notice of approval of guidance

document on lead in consumer

products.

SUMMARY: The Commission announces

that it has approved a statement that

provides guidance for manufacturers,

importers, distributors, and retailers of

consumer products that may contain

lead.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Laura Washburn, Office of Compliance,

Consumer Product Safety Commission,

Washington, D.C. 20207; telephone

(301) 504–0400, ext. 1452.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The text of the guidance document is

as follows:

Guidance for Lead (Pb) in Consumer

Products

Summary

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety

Commission issues this guidance to

manufacturers, importers, distributors,

and retailers to protect children from

hazardous exposure to lead in consumer

products.1 The Commission identifies

the major factors that it considers when

evaluating products that contain lead,

and informs the public of its experience

with products that have exposed

children to potentially hazardous

amounts of lead.

To reduce the risk of hazardous

exposure to lead, the Commission

requests manufacturers to eliminate the

use of lead that may be accessible to

children from products used in or

around households, schools, or in

recreation. The Commission also

recommends that, before purchasing

products for resale, importers,

distributors, and retailers obtain

assurances from manufacturers that

those products do not contain lead that

may be accessible to children.

Hazard

Young children are most commonly

exposed to lead in consumer products

from the direct mouthing of objects, or

from handling such objects and

subsequent hand-to-mouth activity. The