[Federal Register: May 31, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 103)]
[Notices]
[Page 30946-30947]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31my05-35]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7918-7]
EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office; Request for
Nominations of Experts for the SAB Advisory Panel for Polychlorinated
Biphenyl (PCB) Risks Associated With Establishing an Artificial Reef
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is requesting
the nomination of experts for a SAB Advisory Panel for PCB risks
associated with an artificial reef established from a former United
States Navy ship.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by June 21, 2005, per
instructions below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing
further information regarding this Notice and Request for Nominations
may contact Dr. Sue Shallal, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB
Staff Office, by telephone/voice mail at (202) 343-9977; by fax at
(202) 233-0643; or via e-mail at: shallal.suhair@epa.gov. General
information concerning the EPA Science Advisory Board can be found on
the EPA SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.
Technical contact: The U.S. Navy's draft assessment that is the
subject of this advisory activity will be available from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Region 4. For questions and
information concerning these materials, please contact Craig Brown at
(404) 562-8990 or brown.craig@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The U.S. Navy and the State of Florida are planning to
deploy the ex-Oriskany, a World War II era aircraft carrier, as an
artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico. In accordance with the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA) and its implementing Federal PCB
regulations (40 CFR Part 761), the U.S. Navy has applied for and must
obtain a risk-based PCB disposal approval prior to sinking the vessel
with non-liquid PCBs onboard. The EPA may approve such an application
if it finds the disposal action will not pose an unreasonable risk of
injury to human health or the environment. To evaluate the potential
transfer of non-liquid PCBs to the marine environment and the
subsequent risk that they might pose to human and ecological receptors
using the artificial reef, the Navy performed leaching studies of
different on-board PCB containing materials followed by fate and
transport modeling of the leaching results to evaluate how released
chemicals might behave in the near-reef marine environment. The U.S.
Navy has also developed a fate and transport model known as the
Prospective Risk Assessment Model (PRAM). EPA Region 4 has requested
that the SAB conduct a consultation followed by an advisory on the U.S.
Navy's assessment of potential human health and environmental risks
from PCBs released from the ex-Oriskany following deployment as an
artificial reef. The focus of the SAB consultation and advisory
includes the leaching studies, the PRAM, and characterization of
potential risks.
The SAB was established by 42 U.S.C. 4365 to provide independent
scientific
[[Page 30947]]
and technical advice, consultation, and recommendations to the EPA
Administrator on the technical basis for Agency positions and
regulations. A SAB panel composed of current members will conduct a
consultation. The purpose of a consultation is to provide non-
consensus, oral advice on the preliminary assessment. Following the
consultation, the SAB will conduct an advisory to provide consensus
written advice on the U.S. Navy's revised assessment. The advisory will
be conducted by a panel consisting of current SAB members and
additional outside experts. These panels will comply with the
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and all
appropriate SAB procedural policies. As such, all public meetings will
be announced in the Federal Register at least 15 days prior to their
scheduled times. Upon completion, the advisory panel's report will be
submitted to the Chartered SAB for final approval prior to transmittal
to the EPA Administrator.
Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking public
nominations of recognized experts to serve on the advisory panel. The
nominees should have expertise in one or more of the following areas:
PCB chemistry; fate and transport modeling; exposure assessment; and
PCB toxicity to human health and aquatic ecosystems.
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 SAB Artificial Reef PCB
Risk Advisory Panel. Nominations should be submitted in electronic
format through the SAB Nomination Form which can be accessed through a
link on the blue navigational bar on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/sab_panel_form.htm.
To be considered, all nominations
must include the information requested 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 June 21, 2005. Any questions
concerning either this process or any other aspects of this notice
should be directed to the DFO. The process for forming a SAB panel is
described in the Overview of the Panel Formation Process at the
Environmental Protection Agency, Science Advisory Board (EPA-SAB-EC-
COM-02-010), on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ec02010.pdf
.
From the nominees identified by respondents to this Federal
Register notice (termed the ``Widecast''), the SAB Staff Office will
develop a smaller subset (known as the ``Short List'') for more
detailed consideration. 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 during the comment period, the public will be
requested to provide information, analysis or other documentation on
nominees that the SAB Staff Office should consider in evaluating
candidates for the Panel.
For the SAB, a balanced 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 expertise and 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 on 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 Panel 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.
Prospective candidates will be required to complete and submit 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
.
Dated: May 23, 2005.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 05-10677 Filed 5-27-05; 8:45 am]
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