[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 165 (Thursday, August 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43696-43697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20738]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8950-3]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Notification of an Upcoming
Teleconference of the Science Advisory Board Committee on Science
Integration for Decision Making
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 announces a public teleconference of
the SAB Committee on Science Integration for Decision Making.
DATES: The teleconference date is Wednesday, September 16, 2009 from 1
p.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern Time).
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be conducted by telephone only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to
obtain further information about this teleconference must contact Mr.
Thomas Miller, Designated Federal Officer (DFO). Mr. Miller may be
contacted at the EPA Science Advisory Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460;
or via telephone/voice mail; (202) 343-9982; fax (202) 233-0643; or e-
mail at [email protected]. General information about the EPA SAB, as
well as any updates concerning the teleconference announced in this
notice,
[[Page 43697]]
may be found on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee
Act, 5 U.S.C., App. 2 (FACA), notice is hereby given that the SAB
Committee on Science Integration for Decision Making will hold a public
teleconference to complete its work plan for an evaluative study of EPA
scientific assessment practices for decision making. The SAB was
established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4365 to provide independent
scientific and technical advice to the Administrator on the technical
basis for Agency positions and regulations. The SAB is a Federal
Advisory Committee chartered under FACA. The SAB will comply with the
provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural
policies.
Background: The Committee for Science Integration for Decision
Making met on June 9-10, 2009 in Washington, DC to begin its work on
this study (see 74 FR 23187). Additional information on the study and
the meeting may be found on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Science%20Integration?OpenDocument. EPA uses many kinds of scientific
assessments for policy analysis and decision making. In a study
published in 2000, the SAB found that an integrated approach to
scientific assessment and decision making was needed to effectively
address new and complex environmental problems (see the SAB's report,
Toward Integrated Environmental Decision-Making on the SAB Web site at
http://www.epa.gov/sab). Previous studies by the National Research
Council (NRC) also recommended improvements to EPA scientific
assessment practices. In its 2008 report, Science and Decisions:
Advancing Risk Assessment (National Academies Press, Washington, DC),
the NRC recommended improvements in EPA's risk assessment processes to
address the complexities of current problems and improve the utility of
assessments in decision making. The SAB is undertaking a new study at
the request of the EPA Administrator to evaluate the extent to which
scientific assessment practices are integrated into and for EPA's
environmental decision-making processes. The study will build upon the
findings of the previous SAB and NRC studies, and recommend actions
that EPA could take to improve the integration of scientific
assessments for decision making. The purpose of this teleconference is
to complete the Committee's study plan.
Availability of Meeting Materials: The teleconference agenda and
other material in support of this teleconference are posted on the SAB
Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
Procedures for Providing Public Input: Interested members of the
public may submit relevant written or oral information on the topic of
this advisory activity, and/or the group conducting the activity, for
the SAB to consider during the advisory process.
Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an
oral presentation at a public teleconference will be limited to three
minutes per speaker, with no more than a total of one hour for all
speakers. Interested parties should contact Mr. Miller, DFO, in writing
(preferably via e-mail) at the contact information noted above, by
September 14, 2009 be placed on a list of public speakers for the
meeting. Written Statements: Written statements should be received in
the SAB Staff Office by September 14, 2009 so that the information may
be made available to the SAB Panel members for their consideration.
Written statements should be supplied to the DFO in the following
formats: one hard copy with original signature, and one electronic copy
via e-mail (acceptable file format: Adobe Acrobat PDF, WordPerfect, MS
Word, MS PowerPoint, or Rich Text files in IBM-PC/Windows 98/2000/XP
format). Submitters are requested to provide two versions of each
document submitted with and without signatures, because the SAB Staff
Office does not publish documents with signatures on its Web sites.
Accessibility: For information on access or services for
individuals with disabilities, please contact Mr. Miller at the phone
number or e-mail address noted above, preferably at least ten days
prior to the meeting to give EPA as much time as possible to process
your request.
Dated: August 20, 2009.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. E9-20738 Filed 8-26-09; 8:45 am]
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