[Federal Register: April 21, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 77)]
[Notices]
[Page 21524-21525]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21ap04-52]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7650-9]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations for
Additional Expertise on the Science Advisory Board's Ecological
Processes and Effects Committee to Review a Model for Predicting
Ecological Significance at the Landscape Scale
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is
requesting nominations to add expertise to the SAB Ecological Processes
and Effects Committee to review EPA's Critical Ecosystem Assessment
Model (CrEAM). The CrEAM was developed to predict ecological
significance at the landscape scale.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by May 12, 2004 per the
instructions below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing
further information regarding this Request for Nominations may contact
Dr. Thomas Armitage, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), via telephone/
voice mail at (202) 343-9995; via e-mail at armitage.thomas@epa.gov; or
at the U.S. EPA Science Advisory Board (1400F), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.,
NW., Washington, DC 20460. General information about the SAB can be
found in the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: EPA Region V has requested that
the SAB conduct a review of the CrEAM. The CrEAM is a spatially
explicit model developed by EPA Region V for predicting the ecological
significance of undeveloped land using ecological theory, existing data
sets, and geographic information system (GIS) technology. The EPA
Region V Critical Ecosystems Team developed the CrEAM to assess the
ecological significance of land areas across the states of EPA Region V
(Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin). The
model may potentially be used to identify significant ecosystems in
order to target protection and restoration efforts in EPA Region V. The
CrEAM identifies ecologically significant areas by integrating three
important conditions: (1) Ecosystem diversity, (2) ecological self
sustainability, and (3) species and land cover rarity. A geographic
information system was selected as the analysis platform for the CrEAM
in order to aggregate multiple geographically referenced data sets and
conduct landscape scale analysis. The National Land Cover Database
(NLCD) was used as the base data layer in the model and twenty relevant
data sets were used as indicators to predict the potential for
ecosystem diversity, ecological self sustainability, and species and
land cover rarity at a scale of 300m x 300m. This information can be
used to prioritize ecologically significant areas in EPA Region V.
The Science Advisory Board is a chartered Federal advisory
committee, which reports directly to the EPA Administrator. The panel
being formed will provide advice to the Agency, as a part of the SAB's
mission to provide independent scientific and technical advice,
consultation, and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the
technical bases for EPA positions and regulations. The Panel will
provide advice to the EPA through the chartered SAB. The Panel will
comply with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and
all appropriate SAB procedural policies, including the SAB process for
panel formation described in the Overview of the Panel Formation
Process at the Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board,
which can be
[[Page 21525]]
found on the SAB's Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ec0210.pdf.
The Panel will hold a two-day meeting to review the CrEAM.
Tentative Charge to the Panel: EPA is seeking comment on the
scientific validity of the conceptual framework and methodology used to
identify ecologically significant ecosystems and on the scientific
defensibility of the results generated from CrEAM queries.
Specifically, EPA seeks advice from the panel on: (1) The
appropriateness of the term ``ecological significance'' as defined in
the CrEAM; (2) the scientific validity of the use the selected data
sets and indicators to generate ratings of ecological significance; (3)
the scientific validity of nesting and compositing of multiple
indicator data sets to rate ecosystems; (4) relevant data sets
consistently collected across the 6-state Region that should have been
used but were not; and (5) the scientific and technical sufficiency of
CrEAM queries for use in strategic planning and priority setting.
Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is requesting
nominations to add expertise to the Ecological Processes and Effects
Committee to form an SAB panel to review the CrEAM. To supplement
expertise on the Ecological Processes and Effects Committee, the SAB
Staff Office is seeking individuals who have expertise in ecology and
the use of geographic information system technology to evaluate data
and conduct landscape scale analyses.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested
person or organization may nominate individuals qualified in the areas
of expertise described above to serve on the Subcommittee. Nominations
should be submitted in electronic format through the Form for
Nominating Individuals to Panels of the EPA Science Advisory Board
provided on the SAB Web site, http://www.epa.gov/sab. The form can be
accessed through a link on the blue navigational bar on the SAB Web
site, http://www.epa.gov/sab. To be considered, all nominations must
include the information required on that form.
Anyone who is unable to submit nominations using this form, and any
questions concerning any aspects of the nomination process may contact
the DFO, as indicated above in this notice. Nominations should be
submitted in time to arrive no later than May 12, 2004. Any questions
concerning either this process or any other aspects of this notice
should be directed to the DFO.
The SAB will acknowledge receipt of the nomination and inform
nominators of the panel selected. From the nominees identified by
respondents to this Federal Register notice (termed the ``Widecast''),
SAB Staff will develop a smaller subset (known as the ``Short List'')
for more detailed consideration. Criteria used by the SAB Staff in
developing this Short List are given at the end of the following
paragraph. The Short List will be posted on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab
, and will include, for each candidate, the nominee's
name and biosketch. Public comments on the Short List will be accepted
for 21 calendar days. During this comment period, the public will be
requested to provide information, analysis or other documentation on
nominees that the SAB Staff should consider in evaluating candidates
for the Panel.
For the SAB, a balanced review panel (i.e., committee,
subcommittee, or panel) is characterized by inclusion of candidates who
possess the necessary domains of knowledge, the relevant scientific
perspectives (which, among other factors, can be influenced by work
history and affiliation), and the collective breadth of experience to
adequately address the charge. Public responses to the Short List
candidates will be considered in the selection of the panel, along with
information provided by candidates and information gathered by SAB
Staff independently of the background of each candidate (e.g.,
financial disclosure information and computer searches to evaluate a
nominee's prior involvement with the topic under review). Specific
criteria to be used in evaluation of an individual subcommittee member
include: (a) Scientific and/or technical expertise, knowledge, and
experience (primary factors); (b) absence of financial conflicts of
interest; (c) scientific credibility and impartiality; (d) availability
and willingness to serve; and (e) ability to work constructively and
effectively in committees.
Short List candidates will also be required to fill-out the
``Confidential Financial Disclosure Form for Special Government
Employees Serving on Federal Advisory Committees at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency'' (EPA Form 3110-48). This confidential
form allows Government officials to determine whether there is a
statutory conflict between that person's public responsibilities (which
includes membership on an EPA Federal advisory committee) and private
interests and activities, or the appearance of a lack of impartiality,
as defined by Federal regulation. The form may be viewed and downloaded
from the following URL address: http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/epaform3110-48.pdf
.
In addition to reviewing background material, Panel members will be
asked to attend one public face-to-face meeting over the anticipated
course of the advisory activity.
Dated: April 15, 2004.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 04-9047 Filed 4-20-04; 8:45 am]
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