84 FR 20136 - Vessel Sanitation Program: Annual Program Status Meeting; Request for Comment

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), located within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces the 2019 annual Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) public meeting. The annual meeting serves as a forum for HHS/CDC to update cruise industry representatives and other interested persons on work completed in 2018 and plans for future activities. HHS/CDC is also opening a public docket so that written comments and materials regarding VSP's 2018 and future work may be submitted. The official record of this meeting will remain open through July 26, 2019, so that comments related to the topics discussed at the meeting may be submitted and made part of the record.

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 20136]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09393]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket No. CDC-2019-0039]


Vessel Sanitation Program: Annual Program Status Meeting; Request 
for Comment

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), located 
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces the 
2019 annual Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) public meeting. The annual 
meeting serves as a forum for HHS/CDC to update cruise industry 
representatives and other interested persons on work completed in 2018 
and plans for future activities. HHS/CDC is also opening a public 
docket so that written comments and materials regarding VSP's 2018 and 
future work may be submitted. The official record of this meeting will 
remain open through July 26, 2019, so that comments related to the 
topics discussed at the meeting may be submitted and made part of the 
record.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 26, 2019.
    The meeting will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on June 27, 
2019, in the Ballroom at the DoubleTree Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay, 1717 
North Bayshore Drive, Miami, FL 33132. Information regarding logistics 
is available on the VSP website (www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp).
    Deadline for Requests for Special Accommodations: Persons wishing 
to participate in the public meeting who need special accommodations 
should contact Commander Aimee Treffiletti ([email protected] or 954-356-6650 
or 770-488-3141) by June 25, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2019-
0039, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Vessel Sanitation Program, National Center for 
Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 
Buford Highway NE, MS F-58, Atlanta, Georgia 30341.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. All relevant comments received will be posted 
without change to www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided. For access to the docket to read background 
documents or comments received, go to www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander Aimee Treffiletti, Vessel 
Sanitation Program, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS F-58, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30341; phone: 954-356-6650 or 770-488-3141; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the meeting is to inform the 
public of VSP's activities to help the cruise industry prevent the 
introduction and spread of gastrointestinal (GI) illness to U.S. ports 
from ships under VSP's jurisdiction. Ships under VSP jurisdiction have 
13 or more passengers and an itinerary that includes foreign and U.S. 
ports.
    The meeting will include a review of HHS/CDC's public health 
support activities from 2018, provide perspective on VSP's approach to 
vessel sanitation, and offer industry the opportunity to provide input 
regarding industry efforts to exceed VSP requirements. Presentations 
will clarify the roles and responsibilities of VSP, cruise line public 
health management, and shipyards constructing cruise ships. 
Presentations will also include initiatives for improved epidemiologic 
study of disease outbreaks and strategic approaches to public health 
risk reduction for 2020 and the future.

Matters To Be Discussed

 VSP year in review: Operational and construction inspections, 
budget, and vessel sanitation training
 GI illness data and epidemiology projects: VSP review and 
progress report
 VSP 2018 Operations Manual and Construction Guidelines: 
Implementation of the new guidance
 Shipyard construction: How to strengthen public health through 
engineering controls

    Meeting Accessibility: The meeting is open to the public, but space 
is limited to approximately 70 people. Advanced registration is 
required. Information regarding logistics is available on the VSP 
website (www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp). Attendees at the annual meeting 
normally include cruise ship industry officials, private sanitation 
consultants, and other interested parties.

Sandra Cashman,
Executive Secretary, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2019-09393 Filed 5-7-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P