[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 127 (Monday, July 2, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34935-34936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16491]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60 Day-01-49]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on (404) 639-7090.

Comments Invited

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Send comments to Seleda Perryman, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.

Proposed Project

    Hanford Birth Cohort Study--New--The Agency for Toxic Substances 
and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is mandated pursuant to the 1980 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
(CERCLA) and its 1986 Amendments, the Superfund Amendments and Re-
authorization Act (SARA), to prevent or mitigate adverse human health 
effects and diminished quality of life resulting from the exposure to 
hazardous substances into the environment. This legislation was, in 
part, in response to the lack of scientific information about potential 
adverse health effects resulting from exposure of a general population 
to hazardous substances. Although environmental exposures have been 
documented at many hazardous waste sites in the United States, most 
existing data are for occupational exposures. However, environmental 
exposure of a general population is more likely to include exposure of 
vulnerable subpopulations (e.g., pregnant women, children, elderly, and 
the infirm). ATSDR plans activities to address these issues which 
include conducting health studies at sites on the Environmental 
Protection Agency's (EPA) National Priorities List (NPL) to determine 
whether and to what degree exposure to hazardous substances at these 
sites are harmful to human health.

[[Page 34936]]

    The Hanford Nuclear Reservation, in south central Washington State, 
is on EPA's National Priorities List. Between 1944 when it opened until 
its closing in 1972, radioactive Iodine was released to the air from 
chemical separation facilities funded to produce plutonium for atomic 
weapons. The Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project (HEDR) 
estimates that the majority of releases of Iodine-131 occurred between 
1944 and 1951. Broad-based scientific studies indicate that exposure to 
radioactive materials (including Iodine-131), may be associated with an 
increased risk of developing autoimmune or cardiovascular diseases. 
Children up to five years of age may be at higher risk than the general 
population of developing these diseases after exposure.
    The objective of the Hanford Birth Cohort Study is to compare 
information on the rates of autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases 
among a population exposed to radioactive contaminants during 1945-1951 
and the rates of a less-exposed comparison population. This study may 
have applicability to other sites where exposure to radioactive 
contaminants has occurred.
    ATSDR currently has underway an information collection at the 
Hanford Nuclear Reservation to develop educational materials and 
interventions related to thyroid disease for individuals exposed to I-
131 as young children--the Hanford Community Health Project (OMB No. 
0923-031). This Hanford Birth Cohort Study is a separate project which 
will collect information on rates of autoimmune and cardiovascular 
disease among the selected population. Integral to designing this 
project, ATSDR reviewed the work of the National Cancer Institute's 
(NCI) Committee on Exposure of the American People to I-131 from the 
Nevada Atomic Bomb Tests as well as the NCI's report titled ``Exposure 
of the American People to IODINE-131 from Nevada Nuclear-Bomb Tests.''
    In another ATSDR project (OMB No. 0923-0006), approximately 6,000 
people were located who were born between 1940 and 1951 in three high-
exposed counties nearest the Hanford site (Benton, Franklin, and 
Adams). For the currently proposed study, ATSDR will randomly select 
and interview up to 1,000 individuals from this entire birth cohort of 
15,001 (including the 6,000 people who were previously located). The 
comparison population will include a random selection of 1,000 persons 
born in three low-exposed counties located farther away from the 
Hanford site (San Juan, Whatcom, and Mason).
    To reduce the amount of time required by the respondents, Computer 
Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) will be conducted. Following 
completion of all respondent interviews, the data will be tabulated and 
analyzed (the high exposed group will be compared with the low exposed 
group). The information collected in this proposed study will provide 
reliable baseline information on the incidence of autoimmune and 
cardiovascular diseases as related to exposure to releases from the 
Hanford facility and will also provide the information needed to 
generate appropriate and valid hypotheses for future activities, such 
as other epidemiologic studies.
    Other than their time to participate, there is no cost to the 
respondents.

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                                                                                                        Total
                                                     Number of        Number of     Avg. burden per     annual
                   Respondents                      respondents     responses per    response  (in    burden in
                                                                      respondent         hrs.)          hours
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High Exposed Population.........................            1,000                1            30/60          500
Low Exposed Population..........................            1,000                1            30/60          500
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
      Total.....................................  ...............  ...............  ...............        1,000
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    Dated: June 25, 2001.
Nancy Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 01-16491 Filed 6-29-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-M