Establishment of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, 36142-36144 [2014-14881]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36142-36144]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14881]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Establishment of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces the 
establishment of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. The 
registry is voluntary and open to eligible Veterans and Servicemembers 
who may have been exposed to airborne hazards by serving as members of 
the Armed Forces in one or more of the locations in the Southwest Asia 
theater of operations [as defined in 38 CFR 3.317(e)(2)], on or after 
August 2, 1990, or on or after September 11, 2001, to include 
Afghanistan or Djibouti. The registry will support efforts to ascertain 
and monitor the health effects in eligible Veterans and Servicemembers 
who were possibly exposed to open burn pits, toxic airborne chemicals 
and fumes, and other airborne hazards such as particulate matter (PM). 
Eligible Veterans and Servicemembers do not have to be enrolled for VA 
health care in order to participate in this registry.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Paul Ciminera, Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, 
telephone (202) 461-1020. (This is not a toll-free number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA announces the establishment of the 
Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry for eligible individuals 
who may have been exposed to open burn pits, toxic airborne chemicals 
and fumes, and other airborne hazards such as PM, while serving as a 
member of the Armed Forces in one or more of the locations in the 
Southwest Asia theater of operations [as defined in 38 CFR 
3.317(e)(2)], on or after August 2, 1990, or on or after September 11, 
2001, to include Afghanistan or Djibouti. VA is mandated by Section 201 
of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 
2012, Public Law 112-260, to establish and maintain an open burn pit 
registry for eligible individuals who may have been exposed to toxic 
airborne chemicals and

[[Page 36143]]

fumes caused by open burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan on or after 
September 11, 2001. VA has exercised its authority under Section 703(b) 
of Public Law 102-585 to expand eligibility to Veterans and 
Servicemembers who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations 
on or after August 2, 1990 (e.g., the Persian Gulf War), and Djibouti 
on or after September 11, 2001. VA chose to expand geographic, temporal 
(time), and exposure eligibility to ensure individuals with plausible 
exposures to airborne hazards receive a standardized assessment, 
enhanced outreach and health risk communication, and an optional in-
person clinical evaluation. VA and the Department of Defense (DoD) have 
agreed that Servicemembers who meet the geographic, temporal (time), 
and exposure eligibility criteria who may have experienced similar 
exposures may also participate in the registry.
    The inclusion of exposures to environmental hazards other than open 
burn pits in the registry is supported by findings in the VA-sponsored 
2011 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report titled, ``Long-Term Health 
Consequences of Exposure to Burn Pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.'' The 
report states that, ``military personnel were exposed to a mixture of 
combustion products from the burn pit and to other air pollutants from 
local and regional sources'' (IOM, page 110). Similar mixtures of 
combustion products are also present in the Southwest Asia theater of 
operations beyond Iraq to Afghanistan as well as in Djibouti.
    Veterans and Servicemembers who deployed in support of the Persian 
Gulf War (GW) are also eligible to participate in the VA Gulf War 
Registry. GW Veterans are encouraged to participate in both registries, 
as the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry includes additional 
data related to airborne hazards.
    The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry was created to help 
address the concerns of Veterans and Servicemembers who were stationed 
at or near bases where open air burn pits were used to dispose of 
waste, including potentially hazardous material. Uncontrolled open 
burning was a method of waste disposal for military units deployed to 
Iraq and Afghanistan after September 11, 2001. Independent scientific 
reviews of the available scientific data indicate other sources of 
potential airborne hazards may exist. As a result of uncertainty in the 
location and extent of potentially harmful exposures, VA has expanded 
eligibility for the registry to ensure that Servicemembers possibly 
exposed to airborne hazards can be included in the registry. VA and DoD 
are interested in collecting registry data for Veterans and 
Servicemembers exposed to airborne hazards in places other than Iraq 
and Afghanistan for the purpose of gaining a more complete 
understanding of the short and long-term health effects of being 
exposed to airborne hazards while deployed. The scientific utility of 
the registry to ascertain whether any health effects may be associated 
with specific reported exposures will be predicated on the eligible 
individuals who choose to participate in the registry. Demographic, 
genetic, exposure, and health outcome differences between the 
individuals who choose to participate in the registry and the entire 
population of Veterans and Servicemembers who deployed may limit the 
ability of the registry to provide unbiased risk estimates of 
associations between exposure to airborne hazards and health outcomes. 
In conjunction with research studies investigating the long-term health 
effects of exposures to open burning operations and other airborne 
hazards, the registry may be helpful in developing a standardized post-
deployment exposure self-assessment, standardizing the collection of 
clinical evaluation data, and in generating hypotheses regarding self-
reported exposures, self-reported conditions, and clinically determined 
conditions.
    VA recently announced preliminary plans to jointly conduct with DoD 
a longitudinal cohort study of the potential adverse health effects 
related to military deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, to include 
potential exposure to airborne hazards and burn pits, and to take 
appropriate actions to promote the effective monitoring and assessment 
of deployment-related exposures and potential health effects of 
deployments (78 FR 7860, February 4, 2013). VA indicated that a 
longitudinal cohort study will likely involve a population-based, 
cohort study to address the potential long-term health effects of 
deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. Exposures of interest include PM 
from many sources, including burn pit exposure. Unlike the registry, 
the longitudinal cohort study will require a randomized approach for 
the selection of study participants; Veterans and Servicemembers cannot 
ask to participate. By capturing information from these studies and the 
registry, VA will increase its ability to understand important 
information about the potential long-term health consequences of 
airborne hazards and burn pit exposures.
    VA, in coordination with DoD, plans to conduct extensive outreach 
to Veterans and Servicemembers for the purposes of raising awareness 
about the registry and to provide eligible individuals with information 
regarding the advantages of participating in the registry and other 
benefits. Information on how to participate in the registry will be 
posted on the VA Office of Public Health Web site at https://www.publichealth.va.gov/, and will be available through fact sheets and 
postcards, through Veterans Service Organizations, and through other 
social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter in the coming months.
    Veterans and Servicemembers who participate in the registry will 
receive a participation letter following the completion of the self-
assessment questionnaire. An electronic copy of the participation 
letter will be available through the registry Web site, and a copy will 
be mailed to participants.
    After completing the registry self-assessment questionnaire, 
Veterans and Servicemembers can request an in-person and no-cost 
medical evaluation for health concerns and conditions that may be 
related to environmental airborne hazards. The medical examination is 
voluntary and is not required to be in the registry. Individuals who 
choose to participate in the registry do not have to be enrolled in VA 
health care. Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system who want to 
receive a medical evaluation after they complete the registry self-
assessment questionnaire are advised to contact their primary care 
provider or Patient Aligned Care Team. Veterans not enrolled in the VA 
health care system who have completed the registry self-assessment 
questionnaire are advised to contact a VA Environmental Health 
Coordinator in their area to schedule a VA medical evaluation. A 
directory of Environmental Health Coordinators is available at the VA 
Web site: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/coordinators.asp.
    Active duty Servicemembers (including activated Reserve and Guard 
personnel) who would like to receive a medical evaluation after they 
complete the registry self-assessment questionnaire may contact their 
local servicing military hospital or clinic medical treatment facility 
to schedule an appointment for a voluntary medical evaluation. Active 
duty Servicemembers should state that they are calling for an 
appointment specifically to address ``health concerns related to the 
Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry exposures.''
    Reserve component members (Army, Air National Guard, and Reserve) 
who based on their active service, meet the

[[Page 36144]]

statutory definition of Veteran and the statutory minimum length of 
active-duty service requirements will be eligible for Veterans Health 
Administration clinical evaluations in the same manner as other 
Veterans. Upon request, VA will provide them a voluntary medical 
evaluation. Please note a medical evaluation is not required to 
participate in the registry.
    Participation in the registry does not constitute a claim for 
disability compensation through VA. Additionally, it is not necessary 
to participate in the registry to file a claim for disability 
compensation.
    The registry is not a means to obtain health care. Anyone 
experiencing any urgent symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or chest 
pains, should go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507) requires that 
VA consider the impact of paperwork and other information collection 
burdens imposed on the public. Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a), an agency may 
not collect or sponsor the collection of information, nor may it impose 
an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. See also 5 CFR 
1320.8(b)(2)(vi). This notice announces a new information collection. 
As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, VA has submitted 
this information to OMB for its review. OMB approved this new 
information collection and assigned OMB control number 2900-0800.

    Dated: June 20, 2014.

    By Direction of the Secretary.
William F. Russo,
Deputy Director, Regulation Policy and Management, Office of the 
General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-14881 Filed 6-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P