FR 2024-30238

General Summary

A recent notice by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced an upcoming closed meeting. This meeting, organized by the Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel, is scheduled for February 24-25, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST. It will be a video-assisted meeting, and its primary purpose is to review and evaluate grant applications related to Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Centers (ERC). The meeting will not be open to the public in order to safeguard sensitive information, such as proprietary trade secrets and personal data.

Significant Issues and Concerns

Several significant issues can be observed from the notice:

1. Transparency and Inclusivity: The document does not provide specific details about the organizations or individuals involved in the grant applications, raising concerns about potential favoritism or a lack of transparency. While the rationale for closing the meeting—protection of confidential information—is legitimate, the lack of detailed criteria or processes for determining what qualifies as sensitive information may lead to perceptions of opacity.

2. Delegation of Authority: The mention that the Director, Office of Strategic Business Initiatives, has been delegated authority to sign Federal Register notices could require further context. Understanding the scope and implications of this authority might be important for the public to grasp how decisions are made within these governmental structures.

3. Technical Clarity: The term "Video-Assisted Meeting" is rather vague and could benefit from clarification on the specific platform or technology being utilized. This lack of specificity might lead to potential technical difficulties or confusion among participants.

Public and Stakeholder Impact

The impact of this document on the public and specific stakeholders varies:

• Broad Public Impact: For the general public, this notice is largely procedural. It reflects ongoing governmental processes in awarding grants and maintaining public health and safety. However, the closed nature of the meeting may contribute to a perception of exclusivity within scientific and governmental communities.

• Impact on Stakeholders: For stakeholders directly involved, such as institutions applying for grants, the closed meeting ensures the protection of proprietary and personal information. This can be seen as a positive impact, as it upholds confidentiality and intellectual property rights. However, stakeholders may also experience apprehension due to the opaque criteria for evaluating sensitive information.

• Administrative Efficiency: The delegation of authority to a specific office might streamline administrative procedures, potentially improving the efficiency of public health initiatives. Whether this efficiency benefits or hinders stakeholders may depend on how well the delegated authority is executed and communicated.

In summary, while the meeting's closure is intended to protect sensitive information, the lack of detailed processes and clarity may lead both the public and stakeholders to seek greater transparency and understanding of how these important governmental functions are carried out.