National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health

In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the following committee meeting:

Name: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (ABRWH).

Times and Dates: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., June 2, 2004; 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., June 2, 2004; 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., June 3, 2004.

Place: Hyatt Regency Buffalo, Two Fountain Plaza, Buffalo, New York 14202, telephone 716/856-1234, fax 716/855-4958.

Status: Open 8 a.m.-4 p.m., June 2, 2004; Open 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., June 2, 2004; Open 8 a.m.-12 p.m., June 3, 2004; Closed 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., June 3, 2004.

The meeting room accommodates approximately 65 people.

Background: The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (“the Board”) was established under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) of 2000 to advise the President, through the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), on a variety of policy and technical functions required to implement and effectively manage the new compensation program. Key functions of the Board include providing advice on the development of probability of causation guidelines which have been promulgated by HHS as a final rule, advice on methods of dose reconstruction which have also been promulgated by HHS as a final rule, evaluation of the scientific validity and quality of dose reconstructions conducted by NIOSH for qualified cancer claimants, and advice on petitions to add classes of workers to the Special Exposure Cohort.

In December 2000 the President delegated responsibility for funding, staffing, and operating the Board to HHS, which subsequently delegated this authority to CDC. NIOSH implements this responsibility for CDC. The charter was issued on August 3, 2001, and renewed on August 3, 2003.

Purpose: This board is charged with (a) providing advice to the Secretary, HHS, on the development of guidelines under Executive Order 13179; (b) providing advice to the Secretary, HHS, on the scientific validity and quality of dose reconstruction efforts performed for this Program; and (c) upon request by the Secretary, HHS, advise the Secretary on whether there is a class of employees at any Department of Energy facility who were exposed to radiation but for whom it is not feasible to estimate their radiation dose, and on whether there is reasonable likelihood that such radiation doses may have endangered the health of members of this class.

Matters To Be Discussed: The agenda for this meeting will focus on Program Status Reports from NIOSH and Department of Labor, Site Profile Status, Report on Access to Information for Performance of Dose Reconstruction, and a Board working session. There will be an evening public comment period scheduled for June 2, 2004, and the meeting will convene in closed session on June 3, 2004, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The closed portion of the meeting on the afternoon of June 3rd will involve discussion of the Task Order proposal and Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), which could lead to a revision of the IGCE. This contract will serve to provide technical support consultation to assist the ABRWH in fulfilling its statutory duty to advise the Secretary, HHS, on the scientific validity and quality of dose estimation and reconstruction efforts under the EEOICPA.

This portion of the meeting will be closed to the public in accordance with provisions set forth regarding subject matter considered confidential under the terms of 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B), 48 CFR 5.401(b)(1) and (4), and 48 CFR 7.304(d), and the Determination of the Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pursuant to Public Law 92-463.

A summary of this meeting will be prepared and submitted within 14 days of the close of the meeting.

The agenda is subject to change as priorities dictate.

Contact Person for More Information: Larry Elliott, Executive Secretary, ABRWH, NIOSH, CDC, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, telephone 513/533-6825, fax 513/533-6826.

The Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, has been delegated the authority to sign Federal Register notices pertaining to announcements of meetings and other committee management activities for both CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.