[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 94 (Monday, May 17, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27553-27554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11691]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9152-3]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Notification of a Public
Teleconference of the Chartered Science Advisory Board
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a
public teleconference of the chartered SAB on June 16, 2010 to conduct
quality reviews of two draft SAB reports. In addition, the SAB will
discuss its draft report on EPA's strategic research directions.
DATES: The public teleconference will be held on June 16, 2010 from 11
a.m. to 2 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time).
ADDRESSES: The public teleconference will be conducted by telephone
only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing to
obtain general information concerning this public teleconference should
contact Dr. Angela Nugent, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA
Science Advisory Board (1400F), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; via telephone/voice mail (202) 343-9981; fax
(202) 233-0643; or e-mail at epa.gov">nugent.angela@epa.gov. General
information concerning the EPA Science Advisory Board can be found on
the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee
Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2, notice is hereby given that the EPA
Science Advisory Board will hold a public teleconference to review
three draft SAB reports: (1) The SAB Environmental Engineering
Committee Hydraulic Fracturing Research Plan Review; (2) the report
from the SAB Work Group to Lead the Review of the Arsenic Cancer
Assessment; and (3) the chartered SAB's draft report on Strategic
Research Directions and Integrated Transdisciplinary Research. 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 under FACA. The SAB will comply with the provisions
of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
Background: (1) Advisory on EPA's Proposed Hydraulic Fracturing
Research Plan Review. In its Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriation Conference
Committee Directive to EPA, the U.S. House of Representatives approved
a provision that urges EPA to assess the potential risks to drinking
water posed by hydraulic fracturing of formations including coalbeds
and shale for extraction of natural gas. Hydraulic fracturing generates
vertical and horizontal fractures in underground geologic formations to
facilitate extraction of gas (or oil) from the subsurface.
[[Page 27554]]
To meet the Congressional request, EPA's Office of Research and
Development (ORD) developed a draft research plan. This plan described
an approach to gather existing data and information including a
stakeholder input process; to catalog potential risks to drinking water
supplies from hydraulic fracturing; to identify data gaps; and to
develop research questions, research needs, and research products. ORD
requested SAB advice regarding the planned research. The SAB
Environmental Engineering Committee discussed its advice on April 7-8,
2010 (75 FR 9205-9206). Background information about this advisory
activity can be found on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Hydraulic%20Fracturing?OpenDocument.
(2) Review of the Arsenic Cancer Assessment: EPA is currently in
the process of updating the 1988 IRIS cancer assessment for inorganic
arsenic. The EPA evaluated and implemented the National Research
Council recommendations in their report titled Arsenic in Drinking
Water: 2001 Update and in 2005 requested the SAB review the Agency's
draft cancer assessment for inorganic arsenic. The SAB review report
(Advisory on EPA's Assessments of Carcinogenic Effects of Organic and
Inorganic Arsenic: A Report of the US EPA Science Advisory Board, EPA-
SAB-07-008) was finalized in 2007.
EPA's Office of Research Development has recently completed a 2010
draft titled: ``Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic: In Support
of the Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System
(IRIS)''. ORD requested that the SAB evaluate and comment on EPA's
interpretation and implementation of the key SAB (2007)
recommendations. ORD requested a review focusing in three areas of the
draft cancer assessment of inorganic arsenic: Evaluation of
epidemiological literature; dose-response modeling approaches; and the
sensitivity analysis of the exposure assumptions used in the risk
assessment.
A work group of the chartered SAB discussed its review on April 6-
7, 2010 (75 FR 9205-9206). Background information about this advisory
activity can be found on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/
sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr--activites/
Rev%20Tox%20Review%20Inorg%20Arsenic?OpenDocument.
(3) Chartered SAB's draft report on strategic research directions
and integrated transdisciplinary research: Since 2007 EPA's ORD has
requested SAB advice on strategic research directions. ORD requested
advice on the overall strategic direction of the program in relation to
EPA's overall mission and components of EPA's research program. The
draft report was developed after SAB discussions with ORD about
strategic research directions on November 9-10, 2009 (74 FR 52805-
52806) and April 5-6, 2010 (75 FR 11883-11884).
Background information about this advisory activity can be found on
the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Research%20Directions?OpenDocument.
Availability of Meeting Materials: The agenda and other materials
in support of the teleconference will be placed on the SAB Web site at
http://www.epa.gov/sab in advance of the teleconference.
Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for
consideration by EPA's Federal advisory committees and panels has a
different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices.
Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a Federal advisory
committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an
EPA program office.
Federal advisory committees and panels, including scientific
advisory committees, provide independent advice to EPA. Members of the
public can submit comments for a Federal advisory committee to consider
as it develops advice for EPA. They should send their comments directly
to the Designated Federal Officer for the relevant advisory committee.
Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting time to
make an oral presentation at a public SAB teleconference will be
limited to three minutes, with no more than one-half hour for all
speakers. Those interested in being placed on the public speakers list
should contact Dr. Nugent at the contact information provided above by
June 9, 2010. Written Statements: Written statements should be received
in the SAB Staff Office by June 9, 2010. Written statements should be
supplied to the DFO via e-mail to epa.gov">nugent.angela@epa.gov (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
asked to provide 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 Dr. Angela Nugent at
(202) 343-9981 or epa.gov">nugent.angela@epa.gov. To request accommodation of a
disability, please contact her preferably at least 10 days prior to the
teleconference, to give EPA as much time as possible to process your
request.
Dated: May 10, 2010.
Anthony Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-11691 Filed 5-14-10; 8:45 am]
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