[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 246 (Friday, December 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65973-65974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31420]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30DAY-03-02]


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

    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.
    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 disease 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. 
0923-0031). 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.

[[Page 65974]]

The total estimated annualized burden hours are 1025.

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                                                                                    Number of       Avg. burden
                      Type of  respondents                          Number of     responses per    per response
                                                                   respondents      respondent       (in hrs.)
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High Exposed Population........................................           1,000               1            25/60
    Screening..................................................           1,150               1             5/60
Low Exposed Population.........................................           1,000               1            25/60
    Screening..................................................           1,150               1             5/60
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    Dated: December 14, 2001.
Nancy E. Cheal,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control, and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 01-31420 Filed 12-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P