Charter
Citizens Advisory Committee on
Public Health Service Activities and Research at Department Of Energy
Sites
Purpose
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department
of Energy (DOE) have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for public health
research at DOE sites. The MOU transfers the responsibility for the management
and conduct of energy-related analytic epidemiologic research to HHS,
and HHS subsequently delegated program responsibility to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances
and Disease Registry (ATSDR). This MOU also addresses ATSDR’s public
health responsibilities around DOE sites including public health assessments,
health studies, health surveillance, and exposure registries.
Implementing this MOU requires significant interaction with communities
(i.e., community residents, current and former DOE site workers, and the
Tribal Nations) living in proximity to DOE sites. This charter is in response
to the requests by the representatives of the communities surrounding
DOE sites to provide consensus advice and recommendations on community
concerns to CDC’s and ATSDR’s activities related to the sites.
Authority
42 U.S. Code 217a, Section 222 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended.
The Committee is governed by the provisions of Public Law 92-463, as amended
(5 U.S.C. App. 2), which sets forth standards for the formation and use
of advisory committees.
Function
The Citizens Advisory Committee on Public Health Service Activities and
Research at DOE Sites shall provide advice and recommendations to the
Director of CDC and the Administrator of ATSDR pertaining to CDC’s
and ATSDR’s public health activities and research at respective
DOE sites. Activities shall focus on providing a forum for community,
American Indian Tribal, and labor interaction, and shall serve as a vehicle
for communities, American Indian Tribes, and labor to express concerns
and provide advice and recommendations to CDC and ATSDR.
Structure
There shall be a core of approximately 180 members, permitting up to
30 members for each of six DOE sites. Members shall be selected by the
Secretary, or designee, from individuals (to include technical experts)
knowledgeable of site-specific research concerns, and from diverse community
viewpoints and interests. Members shall be representative of the concerned
and affected populations. Consultants and nonvoting liaison representatives
may be invited as needed.
Members shall be invited to serve for overlapping terms up to 4 years.
Terms of more than 2 years are contingent upon renewal of the Committee
by appropriate action prior to its termination. Members may serve after
the expiration of their terms until their successors have taken office.
The Committee is authorized to include up to six site-specific subcommittees.
The Department Committee Management Officer will be notified either upon
establishment or termination of each subcommittee and will be provided
information on name, membership, function, and estimated frequency of
meetings of such subcommittee(s).
Management and support services shall be provided by either CDC or ATSDR
depending on the public health activities and research at the specific
site and agreement between the agencies as to which will have lead responsibilities.
Meetings
The frequency of meetings shall be determined by CDC or ATSDR based on
agency needs. The Designated Federal Official shall determine and approve
the agenda for the meetings, and shall be present at all meetings.
The members of the Committee representing each site may be asked to designate
a member to participate in a national meeting to discuss issues involving
the effects--past, current, or future--of the release of radioactive and
chemical hazardous materials into the environment, and to discuss proposed
actions based on the findings of health research and public health activities
at DOE sites.
Meetings shall be open to the public except as determined otherwise by
the Secretary or other official to whom the authority has been delegated;
notice of all meetings shall be given to the public.
Meetings shall be conducted, and records of the proceedings kept, as
required by applicable laws and Departmental regulations.
Compensation
Members who are not full-time Federal employees shall be paid at the
rate of $250 per day, or at the rate of $31.25 per hour, as determined
by the agency, not to exceed $250 per day, plus per diem and travel expenses
in accordance with standard government travel regulations.
Annual Cost Estimate
Estimated annual cost for operating subcommittees at up to six DOE sites,
including compensation and travel expenses for members, but excluding
staff support is $602,902. Estimate of annual staff-years of staff support
required is 5.7, at an estimated annual cost of $417,894.
Reports
In the event a portion of a meeting is closed to the public, a report
shall be prepared which shall contain, at a minimum, a list of members
and their addresses; the Committee’s functions, dates, and places
of meetings; and a summary of committee activities and recommendations
made during the fiscal year. A copy of the report shall be provided to
the Department Committee Management Officer.
Termination Date
Unless renewed by appropriate action prior to its expiration, the Citizens
Advisory Committee on Public Health Service Activities and Research at
Department of Energy Sites will terminate on July 7, 2004. Individual
site-specific subcommittees may be terminated prior to the expiration
of this Charter at the discretion of the agencies.
APPROVED:
July 5, 2002
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