Mini Supporting Statement -Evaluation of Passengers from Japan03 29 2011

Evaluation of Passengers from Japan

Supporting Statement for an Emergency Clearance Request

March 29, 2011

Contact:

Paulette Ford-Knights

Office of Policy and Planning

National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road, N.E., MS D-76

Atlanta, Georgia 30333

Phone: (404) 639-4895

Fax: (404) 248-4146

Email: pbf7@cdc.gov

Table of Contents

A. Justification

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

2. Purpose and Use of Information Collection

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

8. Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside the Agency

9. Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents

10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

12. Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs

13. Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record Keepers/Capital Costs

14. Annualized Cost to the Government

15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

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Appendices

Attachment A: Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passenger from Japan

Attachment B: Section 301 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 USC 241)

Attachment C: Section 311 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 USC 243)

Attachment D: Traveler Contact Information Form

Attachment E: List of Airport receiving Direct Flights to Japan

1. Justification

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

On March 11, 2011 at 0545 hrs, GMT, a magnitude 8.9 earthquake occurred 111 miles east of Honshu, Japan at a depth of 15.2 miles. A tsunami was generated which impacted the east coast of Japan. The Fukushima Nuclear Power Station was damaged during the earthquake which has posed a significant public health threat. The U.S. Government has recommended U.S. citizens leave the area 50 miles around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant and has authorized a voluntary departure order from Japan. Many people are travelling from Japan to the United States directly and via numerous travel hubs.

Passengers returning to the United States routinely pass radiation detection devices when clearing Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  Part of CDC’s response is providing CBP with recommendations for evaluating passengers who enter the United States from Japan as they pass through these radiation detection devices. Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passengers from Japan (Attachment A), approved at the highest levels within the U.S. Government, includes the need to collect contact information from travellers so that CDC or state health authorities can follow-up and provide health advice should radioactivity be detected at certain levels. The recommendation also includes guidance on appropriate actions that need to be taken given radioactive levels. If level B or C is detected, CBP would then collect contact information so that CDC and State health authorities can follow-up and provide health advice.  Providing this contact information is voluntary, but will ensure travelers get the necessary follow-up advice.   Implementation of this interim recommendation is part of the coordinated federal response to protect the US population and mostly the individual traveler who may have been exposed in Japan.

The Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ) currently has approval to systematically collect information enabling Quarantine Station staff to assess, detect and respond efficiently and accurately to communicable disease threats of potential public health importance or other conditions of public health interest at ports of entry .

Although similar to other information collected as part of DGMQ’s response to illness and deaths, the information contained on these forms is unique to CDC’s response to the Japan earthquake and tsunami incidents. This form also includes an area for CBP staff to record radiation levels detected using their personal radiation detector. Completed forms will be transmitted via secure password-protected email to CDC’s Emergency Operations Center.

CDC has engaged in extensive discussions with legal counsel regarding legal authorities for this response.  Sections 301 and 311 of the Public Health Service Act provide the statutory reference for the Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passengers from Japan. (Attachment B-C)

The CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) requests OMB approval to collect passenger information as required by CDC Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passengers from Japan. Emergency clearance is requested because the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 in Japan was unanticipated and because delays in obtaining normal clearance would likely result in harm to affected populations.

2. Purpose and Use of Information Collection

The purpose of the Traveler Contact Information Form is collect specific contact information from travelers who arrive from Japan and whose radiation levels necessitate follow-up by CDC or State health authorities. Per Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passengers from Japan, if level B or C is detected, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would then collect contact information using this form and relay this information to CDC via secure password-protected email.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

Passengers returning to the United States routinely pass radiation detection devices when clearing CBP.  Part of CDC’s response is providing CBP with recommendations for evaluating passengers who enter the United States from Japan as they pass through these radiation detection devices.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

This is a new data collection. Information has not been previously collected for this purpose.

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

There will be no impact on small business.

6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequent Collection

This data collection is a one-time data collection as travelers pass CBP when transiting into the United States.

7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

There are no special circumstances.

8. Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice/Outside Consultation

Due to the emergency nature of the program announce, OMB has waived the FRN requirements for this collection.

9. Explanation of any Payment/Gift to Respondents

No payments or gifts will be provided to respondents for providing their contact information. Providing this contact information is voluntary, but will ensure travelers get the necessary follow-up advice.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

Data will be treated in a secure manner and will not be disclosed, unless otherwise compelled by law. The information contained on this data collection form is unique to CDC’s response to the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Completed forms be handled by authorized CBP offers and will be transmitted by CBP via secure password-protected email to CDC’s Emergency Operations Center.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

Travelers will be asked to provide their name, address, telephone numbers (work, home, & mobile) and email addresses. All of these data elements are essential for ensuring success of CDC contacting the traveler to provide the necessary follow-up advice based on detected radiation levels.

12. Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs

12A. Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Based on the current levels of radiation in Japan, CDC estimates 3 respondents per month at current travel volumes.

Type of Respondent	Form Name	No. of Respondents	No. Responses per Respondent	Average Burden per Response (in hours)	Total Burden Hours
Travelers arriving into the U.S. on direct flights from Japan	Traveler Contact Information Form	36	1	10/60	6
Total			6

12B. Annualized Cost to Respondents

Form Name	Total Burden Hours	Hourly Wage Rate	Total Respondent Costs
Traveler Contact Information Form	6	$29.44	$176.64
Total			$176.64

To estimate annualized burden cost burden for respondents, we have taken the average hourly respondent labor wage of $29.44 for the general public www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t17.htm). The estimated annual cost to respondents would total $176.64.

13. Estimates of other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record Keepers/Capital Costs

There are no additional recordkeeping/capital costs.

14. Annualized Cost to the Government

To estimate annualized burden cost to the federal government, we have taken the average wage or median income of a customs officer, which is $23.39 per hour (according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. The annualized cost to the Federal Government is $140.34

15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

This is a new data collection.

16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

Plans for tabulation and publication of data collected are not applicable. The timeline for collecting this information is dependent upon CDC’s engagement in the response to the March 11 incidents in Japan.

17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

Not applicable.

18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to the certification.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

No statistical methods will be used to select respondents.

Contact information will be solicited from all travelers by CBP whose radiation levels are at level B or C in accordance with “Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passengers from Japan”.

Attachments

Attachment A: Interim Recommendation for Evaluation of Passenger from Japan

Attachment B: Section 301 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 USC 241)

Attachment C: Section 311 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 USC 243)

Attachment D: Traveler Contact Information Form

Attachment E: List of Airport receiving Direct Flights to Japan