[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 12, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8613]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: April 12, 1994]
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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
Commission Agendas and Priorities; Public Hearing
AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.
ACTION: Notice of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: The Commission will conduct a public hearing to receive views
from all interested parties about its agenda and priorities for
Commission attention during fiscal year 1996, which begins October 1,
1995. Participation by members of the public is invited. Written
comments and oral presentations concerning the Commission's agenda and
priorities for fiscal year 1996 will become part of the public record.
DATES: The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. on May 12, 1994. Written
comments will be accepted until May 5, 1994. Requests from members of
the public desiring to make oral presentations must be received by the
Office of the Secretary not later than April 28, 1994. Persons desiring
to make oral presentations at this hearing must submit a written text
of their presentations not later than May 5, 1994.
ADDRESSES: The hearing will be in room 420 of the East-West Towers
Building, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland. Written comments,
requests to make oral presentations, and texts of oral presentations
should be captioned ``Agenda and Priorities'' and mailed to the Office
of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC
20207, or delivered to that office, room 502, 4330 East West Highway,
Bethesda, Maryland.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For information about the hearing or to request an opportunity to make
an oral presentation, call or write Sheldon Butts, Deputy Secretary,
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207; telephone
(301) 504-0800; telefax (301) 504-0127.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 4(j) of the Consumer Product Safety
Act (CPSA) (15 U.S.C. 2053(j)) requires the Commission to establish an
agenda for action under the laws it administers, and priorities for
action at least 30 days before the beginning of each fiscal year.
Section 4(j) of the CPSA provides further that before establishing its
agenda and priorities for action, the Commission shall conduct a public
hearing and provide an opportunity for the submission of comments.
Selection of priorities from the Commission's agenda of projects
and programs is a crucial step in the development of the Commission's
budget for each fiscal year. The Office of Management and Budget
requires all Federal agencies to submit their budget requests 13 months
before the beginning of each fiscal year. The Commission is beginning
the process of formulating its budget request for fiscal year 1996,
which begins on October 1, 1995.
For this reason, the Commission will conduct a public hearing on
May 12, 1994, to receive comments from the public concerning its agenda
and priorities for fiscal year 1996. The Commissioners desire to obtain
the views of a wide range of interested persons including consumers;
manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers of consumer
products; members of the academic community; consumer advocates; and
health and safety officers of state and local governments.
The Commission is charged by Congress with protection of the public
from unreasonable risks of injury associated with consumer products.
The Commission enforces and administers the Consumer Product Safety Act
(15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.); the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15
U.S.C. 1261 et seq.); the Flammable Fabrics Act (15 U.S.C. 1191 et
seq.); the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (15 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.);
and the Refrigerator Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 1211 et seq.). Standards and
regulations issued under provisions of those statutes are codified in
the Code of Federal Regulations, title 16, chapter II.
While the Commission has broad jurisdiction over products used by
consumers in or around their homes, in schools, in recreation, and
other settings, its staff and budget are limited. Section 4(j) of the
CPSA expresses Congressional direction to the Commission to establish
an agenda for action each fiscal year and to select from that agenda a
limited number of projects for priority attention.
Commission priorities are selected in accordance with the
Commission statement of policy governing establishment of priorities
codified at 16 CFR 1009.8. That policy statement includes the following
factors to be considered by the Commission when selecting its
priorities:
Frequency and severity of injuries.
Causality of injuries.
Chronic illness and future injuries.
Costs and benefits of Commission action.
Unforeseen nature of a risk of injury.
Vulnerability of the population at risk.
Probability of exposure to hazard.
The order of listing of these criteria does not indicate their
relative importance. The Commission will consider these criteria to the
extent feasible and as interactively as possible when evaluating each
candidate project in the selection of its priorities for fiscal year
1996.
Persons who desire to make oral presentations at the hearing on May
12, 1994, should call or write Sheldon Butts, Deputy Secretary,
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, telephone
(301) 504-0800, telefax (301) 504-0127, not later than April 28, 1994.
Presentations should be limited to approximately ten minutes.
Persons desiring to make presentations must submit the written text of
their presentations to the Office of the Secretary not later than May
5, 1994. The Commission reserves the right to impose further time
limitations on all presentations and further restrictions to avoid
duplication of presentations. The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. on May
12, 1994, and will conclude the same day.
Written comments on the Commission's agenda and priorities for
fiscal year 1996, should be received in the Office of the Secretary not
later than May 5, 1994.
Dated: April 5, 1994.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 94-8613 Filed 4-11-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-M
