[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 16, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 53903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-26420]
[[Page 53903]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Environment, Safety and Health; Continuation of
Solicitation for Epidemiology and Other Health Studies Financial
Assistance Program (Notice 96-01)
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.
ACTION: Annual notice of continuation of potential availability of
grants and cooperative agreements.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Health Studies within the Office of Environment,
Safety, and Health of the Department of Energy (DOE) announces its
continuing interest in applications for grants and cooperative
agreements for occupational and environmental health studies of DOE
employees and DOE contractors, as well as related DOE international
health programs, concerning nuclear weapons research, development,
production, use, storage, and dismantling.
DATES: Deadlines for applications or pre-applications will be contained
in separate Notices of Availability to be published at a later time in
the Federal Register that will address specific program areas to be
funded by the Office of Health Studies in fiscal year 1997. All
applications accepted under these subsequent notices must be received
by the Office of Health Studies on or before September 30, 1997.
ADDRESSES: After the issuance of a Notice of Availability, applicants
may obtain additional information from Dr. Paul Seligman, Deputy
Assistant Secretary, Office of Health Studies (EH-6), U.S. Department
of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290; facsimile:
301-903-3445; telephone: 301-903-5926.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A final program rule, which specifies the
policies and procedures governing the purpose and scope, program areas,
eligibility, application requirements, evaluation criteria, and
selection procedures for the Office of Health Studies Financial
Assistance Program, was published in the Federal Register (60 FR 5838)
on January 31, 1995, effective March 2, 1995. Proposed research
applications and pre-applications shall also comply with 10 CFR Part
602.
The three offices within the Office of Health Studies: The Office
of International Health Programs, the Office of Occupational Medicine
and Medical Surveillance, and the Office of Epidemiologic Studies,
promote studies to identify and assess the health risks associated with
occupational or environmental exposures to ionizing radiation or toxic
chemicals in the following populations: employees of DOE and DOE
contractors (particularly those at high risk for exposure to ionizing
radiation or toxic chemicals), residents of communities near DOE
facilities, and populations throughout the world at high risk for
exposure to ionizing radiation or toxic chemicals resulting from
accidental exposures or proximity to nuclear or other energy-related
facilities. Deliberate exposure of human subjects in ongoing radiation
experiments is outside the scope of this announcement. Access and use
of information for conducting studies under this notice will comply
with the Amendment to the Federal Privacy Act of 1974 regarding
Existing Systems of Records, published June 28, 1995, effective August
7, 1995 (60 FR 33510).
For fiscal year 1997, the Office of Health Studies estimates that
approximately $4.3 million will be available for grants or cooperative
agreements in occupational and environmental health studies. The number
of awards made will depend on the number of applications received for
which the results of competitive merit review are favorable. Of this
total, the Office of International Health Programs anticipates that up
to $500,000 will be available to support research to improve
understanding of the health effects and health risks resulting from
exposure to elevated levels of ionizing radiation in both occupational
settings and the general populations. The Office of Occupational
Medicine and Medical Surveillance anticipates that approximately $3.7
million will be available for new cooperative agreements and to
continue, as necessary, funding for the six cooperative agreements
already awarded late in fiscal year 1996 for evaluating the health
effects of former DOE workers who may be at significant risk due to
exposures to hazardous and/or radioactive substances.
The Office of Epidemiologic Studies does not have funds available
to support either new cooperative agreements or new grants during
fiscal year 1997 for epidemiologic studies of the DOE workforce or
communities near DOE facilities.
Pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding between DOE and the
Department of Health and Human Services (56 FR 9701), published March
7, 1991 (and extended through fiscal year 2000), additional funds to
study: (1) Occupational health and safety issues arising from exposures
to radiation and toxic chemicals at nuclear and other energy-related
facilities, and (2) methodology for risk assessment and epidemiologic
research may be available through the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC); see Federal Register Announcement 521 (60
FR 4916), published January 25, 1995, or contact the Associate Director
for Energy-Related Health Research, NIOSH, Mail Stop R-44, 4676
Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226; telephone: 513-841-4400.
The National Center for Environmental Health of CDC previously
awarded funds for radiation-related research, including dose
reconstruction studies, but does not anticipate any additional funds
for fiscal year 1997. (For current information contact Dr. James Smith,
Chief, Radiation Studies Branch, NCEH, 4770 Buford Highway, NE.,
Atlanta, GA 30341; telephone: 404-488-7040.)
DOE is under no obligation to pay for any cost associated with the
preparation or submission of any application. DOE reserves the right to
fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or none of the applications
submitted in response to this notice. Results of studies carried out as
grants or cooperative agreements with the Office of Health Studies will
be made available to DOE workers, to the public, and to managers
responsible for protecting worker health and safety. Data will be made
available through DOE's Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource.
Issued in Washington, DC, on October 4, 1996.
Paul J. Seligman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Studies.
[FR Doc. 96-26420 Filed 10-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
