Notice2024-25198
Availability of Draft Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) Environmental Public Health Standards and VSP Construction Standards
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 30, 2024
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Abstract
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the opening of a docket to obtain comment on the draft Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) Environmental Public Health Standards and VSP Construction Standards. Information about locating these documents can be found in the supporting materials section. VSP established these public health standards to target the control and prevention of environmentally associated illnesses and hazards on cruise ships. VSP inspectors use these standards to conduct operational public health inspections on cruise ships under the program's jurisdiction and to complete cruise ship construction activities at industry request.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 86340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25198]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Docket No. CDC-2024-0090]
Availability of Draft Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP)
Environmental Public Health Standards and VSP Construction Standards
AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice with comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the opening of
a docket to obtain comment on the draft Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP)
Environmental Public Health Standards and VSP Construction Standards.
Information about locating these documents can be found in the
supporting materials section. VSP established these public health
standards to target the control and prevention of environmentally
associated illnesses and hazards on cruise ships. VSP inspectors use
these standards to conduct operational public health inspections on
cruise ships under the program's jurisdiction and to complete cruise
ship construction activities at industry request.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before December 30,
2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2024-
0090 by either of the methods listed below. Do not submit comments by
email. CDC does not accept comments by email.
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a>.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Mail: Vessel Sanitation Program, National Center for
Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770
Buford Highway NE, MS S106-6, 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 <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a>, including any personal
information provided. For access to the docket to read background
documents or comments received, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Captain Luis Rodriguez, Vessel
Sanitation Program, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS S106-6,
Atlanta, Georgia 30341; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#681e1b18280b0c0b460f071e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a1c191a2a090e09440d051c">[email protected]</span></a>; phone: (800) 323-2132.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation
Interested persons or organizations are invited to participate by
submitting written views, recommendations, and data.
Please note that comments received, including attachments and other
supporting materials, are part of the public record and are subject to
public disclosure. Comments will be posted on <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a>. Therefore, do not include any information in your
comment or supporting materials that you consider confidential or
inappropriate for public disclosure. If you include your name, contact
information, or other information that identifies you in the body of
your comments, that information will be on public display. CDC will
review all submissions and may choose to redact, or withhold,
submissions containing private or proprietary information such as
Social Security numbers, medical information, inappropriate language,
or duplicate/near duplicate examples of a mass-mail campaign. Do not
submit comments by email. CDC does not accept comment by email.
Background
HHS/CDC established the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) in the
1970s as a cooperative activity with the cruise ship industry. VSP
helps the cruise ship industry prevent and control the introduction and
spread of environmentally associated illnesses and hazards on cruise
ships. VSP operates under the authority of the Public Health Service
Act (Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act; 42 U.S.C. 264,
``Control of Communicable Diseases''). Regulations found at 42 CFR
71.41 (Foreign Quarantine--Requirements Upon Arrival at U.S. Ports:
Sanitary Inspection; General Provisions) state that carriers arriving
at U.S. ports from a foreign area are subject to sanitary inspections
to determine whether potential rodent, insect, or other vermin
infestations; contaminated food or water; or other sanitary conditions
require measures to prevent introduction or spread of communicable
diseases.
New requirements are not the focus for the VSP Environmental Public
Health Standards (formerly the VSP Operations Manual) and VSP
Construction Standards (formerly the VSP Construction Guidelines).
Updates only clarify content or correct errors in the 2018 editions or
address inconsistencies between the 2018 editions and the Food and Drug
Administration 2022 Food Code.
The draft VSP Environmental Public Health Standards and VSP
Construction Standards are available online at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a>, Docket No. CDC-2024-0090, under Supplemental
Materials. All public comments will be reviewed and considered when
finalizing these documents. Once finalized, documents will be available
both in docket CDC-2024-0090 and on CDC's website at <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vessel-sanitation/about/index.html">https://www.cdc.gov/vessel-sanitation/about/index.html</a>.
Noah Aleshire,
Chief Regulatory Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024-25198 Filed 10-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P
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