[Federal Register: March 28, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 61)]
[Notices]
[Page 16679-16680]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28mr08-77]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8548-6]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of
Experts to Augment the Science Advisory Board Homeland Security
Advisory Committee
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) Science
Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is requesting public nominations of
experts in microbiology. Nominees with appropriate expertise will be
considered for service on the SAB Homeland Security Advisory Committee
(HSAC) to provide consultative advice on a Draft Federal Inter-agency
Anthrax Technical Assistance Document.
DATES: Nominations for the specific microbiological expertise noted
below should be submitted by April 18, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to
obtain further information regarding how to submit nominations may
contact Ms. Vivian Turner, Designated Federal Officer, by telephone:
(202) 343-9697 or e-mail at: turner.vivian@epa.gov. The SAB Mailing
address is: U.S. EPA Science Advisory Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
General information about the SAB as well as any updates concerning
this request for nominations may be found on the SAB Web Site at http:/
/www.epa.gov/sab.
Technical Contact: For questions and information concerning the
draft technical documents and background information, contact Captain
Colleen Petullo at (702) 784-8004, or petullo.colleen@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response (OSWER) is charged with preserving and restoring the land by
using innovative waste management practices and cleaning up
contaminated properties to reduce risks posed by of harmful substances.
EPA has a major role in reducing the risk to human health and the
environment posed by accidental or intentional releases of harmful
substances. For Emergency Preparedness, Response and Homeland Security,
EPA works closely with sixteen other Federal agencies on the National
Response Team (NRT). EPA's OSWER, on behalf of the NRT, is requesting
the Science Advisory Board (SAB) to conduct a consultation on the Draft
Federal Inter-Agency Anthrax Technical Assistance Document (TAD). The
TAD is an interim technical resource document developed in response to
the 2001 anthrax incidents. The NRT requested that the Weapons of Mass
Destruction (WMD) Subcommittee to the Science and Technology Committee
revise the TAD based on consultative advice from the SAB.
The SAB was established by 42 U.S.C. 4365 to provide independent
scientific and technical advice to the EPA Administrator on the
technical basis for Agency positions and regulations. The SAB is a
Federal Advisory Committee chartered under the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C., App. The SAB will comply
with the provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office
procedural policies. In response to the OSWER request, the SAB Homeland
Security Advisory Committee (HSAC) will conduct this consultation and
provide scientific and technical advice to the EPA Administrator
through the chartered SAB on scientific matters pertaining to EPA's
mission in
[[Page 16680]]
protecting against the environmental and health consequences of
terrorism. There is a need to supplement the HSAC expertise with
microbiologists. Accordingly, the SAB is seeking nominations of
nationally and internationally recognized microbiologists with
specialized expertise in bacteriology of aerobic gram positive rod
endospore formers (i.e., Bacillus anthracis). Individuals should
possess extensive expertise in genomic and strain analysis and
expertise in method development for Weapons of Mass Destruction
emergency responders.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested
person or organization may nominate individuals qualified in the area
of microbiology as described above. Self-nominations are also
requested. Nominations may be submitted in electronic format through
the Form for Nominating Individuals to Panels of the EPA Science
Advisory Board which can be accessed through a link on the blue
navigational bar on the SAB Web Site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab. Please
follow the instructions for submitting nominations carefully, and
include all of the information requested on that form. The nominating
form requests contact information of the person making the nomination;
contact information for the nominee; the disciplinary and specific
areas of expertise of the nominee; the nominee's curriculum vita; and a
biographical sketch of the nominee indicating current position,
educational background, research activities, and recent service on
other national advisory committees or national professional
organizations. Anyone unable to submit nominations using the electronic
form, or who may have questions concerning the nomination process or
any other aspect of this notice may contact Ms. Vivian Turner, DFO, at
the contact information above. Nominations should be submitted in time
to arrive no later than April 18, 2008.
The approved policy used by the SAB Staff Office in its selection
process 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://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/
sabproduct.nsf/19EDA5C43A43D86A852571AE006390EC/$File/ecm02003.pdf. The
SAB Staff Office will acknowledge receipt of nominations and inform
nominees of the panel for which they have been nominated. 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 the nominee's name and biographical
sketch. 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 Office should consider in evaluating candidates for
the panel. For the SAB, a balanced panel is characterized by inclusion
of nominees 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 will be considered in the selection of the panel members,
along with information provided by nominees and information
independently gathered by SAB Staff (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 evaluating Short List nominees 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 on committees.
Dated: March 21, 2008.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. E8-6405 Filed 3-27-08; 8:45 am]
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