[Federal Register: November 26, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 228)]
[Notices]
[Page 70729-70730]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26no02-57]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7413-7]
EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office Invitation To Solicit
Public Input Concerning Prospective EPA Science Advisory Board
Reorganization and Structural Changes
Summary: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA or Agency)
Science Advisory Board (SAB or Board) is inviting members of the public
to register and attend a public session wherein the Board will solicit
public input on the SAB's prospective reorganization and structural
changes; or, for persons unable to attend, to contribute information on
this topic via
[[Page 70730]]
e-mail. Although the SAB is subject to the procedural requirements of
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C. App.),
for its advisory committee meetings, the purpose of this session is to
obtain information from individual attendees and not from the
participants as a whole; therefore, the provisions of FACA do not apply
to this session.
The session will be held at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, 1800
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia, 22202, on Wednesday,
December 4, 2002, from 9:30 am to 12 pm. The Sheraton Crystal City
Hotel main telephone number is: (703) 486-1111. The session is open to
members of the public. However, due to limited space, participation
will be on a first-come basis. Therefore, members of the public are
requested to register in advance. Members of the public who cannot
attend in person are encouraged to submit written comments. For further
information concerning this session, including procedures both for
registration and submitting written comments to the EPA Science
Advisory Board Staff Office, please see below.
Purpose: The Reorganization Sub-Committee of the SAB Executive
Committee is soliciting public input concerning prospective EPA Science
Advisory Board reorganization and structural changes. The Sub-Committee
will consider the comments and input received in this public process,
as well as written comments received in response to this notice, as it
develops and evaluates possible options to enhance the ability of the
SAB to carry out its critical mission even more effectively and
efficiently. Please note that this effort is not focused on
``operational'' SAB issues such as the revised panel formation process
and the updating of the Board's policies and procedures, both of which
are being carried out in parallel.
Background: The SAB was established by the Congress in 1978 by the
Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization
Act (ERDDAA) (42 U.S.C. 4365). Composed of non-Federal government
experts, the Board provides independent advice and peer review to EPA's
Administrator on the scientific and technical aspects of environmental
problems and issues. The Board's independently-chartered Clean Air
Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and Advisory Committee on Clean
Air Compliance Analysis (COUNCIL) also provide independent scientific
and technical advice as required by the Clean Air Act Amendments of
1977 and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, respectively. While the
Board reports to the Administrator, it may also be requested to provide
advice to U. S. Senate Committees and Subcommittees and U.S. House
Committees and Subcommittees, as appropriate.
Since being established in 1978, the SAB has doubled in size (from
five to ten standing committees) and in membership (from some 50
members to more than 110 members and 380 expert consultants). To
supplement its standing and chartered committees, the Board forms
numerous ad hoc panels that look into areas of special interest, all of
which provide continuity to areas of scientific study that are relevant
to the Agency. These changes in size and organization have come about
in response to legislation and the needs of the EPA Administrator, and
also as a result of the expanding mission of the Board.
Although the mission of the Board and its overall size have
increased substantially in the last 25 years, both the structure of the
Board and the procedures by which the SAB conducts reviews have
remained essentially the same. Accordingly, there is a crucial need to
evaluate the current structure, organization and composition of the
Board to ascertain whether improvements in these areas can enhance the
Board's ability to carry out its critical mission even more effectively
and efficiently. The SAB's Executive Committee, under the leadership of
its Chair, Dr. William Glaze, has recently established the
Reorganization Sub-Committee for this purpose.
Specific Format and Topics for the December 4, 2002 Session: A
draft agenda for the session will be posted on or about December 2,
2002 on the EPA Science Advisory Board Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.
The session will be specifically designed to solicit public input
on the following two broad questions pertaining to the organization and
structure of the SAB:
1. Overall, how well has EPA's Science Advisory Board fulfilled its
mission--and what are some ways in which it could improve?
2. What type of SAB structure and substructures are needed to
fulfill the SAB roles and be flexible enough to meet future needs of
EPA?
Other public input relevant to the matters of SAB reorganization
and structural changes will also be discussed, and accepted at, this
December 4, 2002, session. Input on operational or procedural aspects
of the Board are not being solicited at this session.
Registration for the December 4, 2002 Session: Persons wishing to
attend this public session should register by Friday, November 29,
2002, by contacting Ms. Sandra Vincze at telephone (703) 534-1629 or
via e-mail at svincze@mgtech-world.com. Please include the following
information: name, title, organization, telephone number, fax number,
and e-mail address.
Provision of Written Comments by Individuals Unable to Attend the
December 4, 2002 Session: Persons unable to attend the public session
who wish to provide written comments on the specific topics identified
above may send those comments to Mr. Fred Butterfield of the Science
Advisory Board Staff via email at butterfield.fred@epa.gov. Written
comments received prior to 12 noon Eastern time on December 3, 2002,
will be included in the discussion at this public session.
Session Access: Individuals requiring special accommodation at this
session, including wheelchair access to the conference room, should
contact Ms. Sandra Vincze at telephone (703) 534-1629 or via e-mail at
svincze@mgtech-world.com at least two business days prior to the
session (i.e., by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 29, 2002) so that
appropriate arrangements can be made.
General and Additional Information: Members of the public desiring
additional information about the session on December 4, 2002, should
contact Mr. Fred Butterfield, Designated Federal Officer, EPA Science
Advisory Board (1400A), Suite 6450, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone/voice mail (202) 564-4561; fax
(202) 501-0323; or e-mail butterfield.fred@epa.gov. Additional
information on session logistics can be obtained by contacting Ms.
Sandra Vincze at telephone (703) 534-1629 or via e-mail at
svincze@mgtech-world.com.
Further information concerning the EPA Science Advisory Board,
including its structure, function, and composition, may be found on the
EPA SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab; and in the EPA Science
Advisory Board FY2001 Annual Staff Report, which is available from the
EPA SAB Publications Staff at phone (202) 564-4533; via fax at: (202)
501-0256; or on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab/annreport01.pdf
.
Dated: November 19, 2002.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 02-29976 Filed 11-25-02; 8:45 am]
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