[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48328-48329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19719]
[[Page 48328]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9187-1]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of
Experts to Augment the Advisory Council on Clean Air Compliance
Analysis (Council)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is
requesting public nominations of experts to augment the Advisory
Council on Clean Air Compliance Analysis (Council) to review EPA's
draft report to Congress on the climate effects of black carbon
emissions.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by August 31, 2010 per
instructions below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing
further information regarding this Notice and Request for Nominations
may contact Stephanie Sanzone, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB
Staff Office, by telephone/voice mail at (202) 564-2067; by fax at
(202) 565-2098 or via e-mail at [email protected]. General
information concerning the Council can be found on the EPA SAB Web site
at http://www.epa.gov/advisorycouncilcaa. Any inquiry regarding EPA's
draft report to Congress on black carbon should be directed to Erika
Sasser of EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) at
[email protected] or (919) 541-3889.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The Council was established in 1991 pursuant to the
Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1990 (see 42 U.S.C. 7612) to provide
advice, information and recommendations on technical and economic
aspects of analyses and reports EPA prepares on the impacts of the CAA
on the public health, economy, and environment of the United States.
The Council is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee, and conducts
business in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA)
(5 U.S.C. App. 2) and related regulations. Generally, Council meetings
are announced in the Federal Register, conducted in public view, and
provide opportunities for public input during deliberations. Staff
support for the Council is provided by the SAB Staff Office. Additional
information about the Council and its committees can be obtained on the
SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/advisorycouncilcaa.
The October 2009 Interior Appropriations bill (Pub. L. 111-88)
requires the EPA, in consultation with other Federal agencies, to
prepare a comprehensive report to Congress on the climate effects of
black carbon. Black carbon, or soot, results from incomplete combustion
of organic matter such as fossil fuels and biomass. The report to
Congress will evaluate and synthesize available information on sources
of black carbon, impacts of black carbon on global and regional
climate, and the potential utility and cost-effectiveness of mitigation
options for reducing climate and public health impacts of black carbon.
EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) have
requested that the Council review the draft Report to Congress on Black
Carbon to evaluate the report's scientific rigor and technical
accuracy.
Request for Nominations
To augment expertise on the Council, the SAB Staff Office is
seeking nominations of recognized experts in global and regional
climate modeling; aerosol atmospheric chemistry; air emissions
inventories; ambient monitoring; emissions measurement; health effects
of black carbon and fine particulate matter (PM2.5); black
carbon/PM2.5 controls and associated costs; and benefits
assessment. In particular, we seek nominees with knowledge of black
carbon emissions, impacts, and control strategies.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested
person or organization may nominate individuals qualified in the area
of science as described above to be considered for appointment to
augment the Council for this review. Candidates also may nominate
themselves. Nominations should be submitted in electronic format (which
is preferred over hard copy) following the instructions for
``Nominating Experts to Advisory Panels and Ad Hoc Committees Being
Formed'' provided on the SAB Web site. The form can be accessed through
the ``Nomination of Experts'' link on the blue navigational bar on the
SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab. To receive full consideration,
nominations should include all of the information requested, and should
be submitted in time to arrive no later than August 31, 2010. EPA
values and welcomes diversity. In an effort to obtain nominations of
diverse candidates, EPA encourages nominations of women and men of all
racial and ethnic groups.
EPA's SAB Staff Office requests contact information about: the
person making the nomination; contact information about the nominee;
the disciplinary and specific areas of expertise of the nominee; the
nominee's curriculum vitae; sources of recent grant and/or contract
support; 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.
Persons having questions about the nomination procedures, or who
are unable to submit nominations through the SAB Web site, should
contact Ms. Sanzone, DFO, at the contact information provided above in
this notice. Non-electronic submissions must follow the same format and
contain the same information as the electronic.
The SAB Staff Office will acknowledge receipt of the nomination and
inform nominees of the Committee for which they have been nominated.
From the nominees identified by respondents to this Federal Register
notice and other sources, the SAB Staff Office will develop a list of
candidates for more detailed consideration. The list of candidates will
be posted on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/advisorycouncilcaa
and will include, for each candidate, the nominee's name and biosketch.
Public comments on the list of candidates 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 Committee.
For the SAB Staff Office, a balanced Committee 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 list of candidates will be considered in the selection
of the Committee, along with information provided by candidates and
information gathered by SAB Staff independently concerning 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 Committee member include: (a) Scientific and/or technical
expertise, knowledge, and experience (primary
[[Page 48329]]
factors); (b) absence of financial conflicts of interest; (c)
scientific credibility and impartiality; (d) availability and
willingness to serve; (e) ability to work constructively and
effectively in committees; and (f) for the Committee as a whole,
diversity of scientific expertise and viewpoints.
Prospective candidates will 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. Ethics information, including EPA
Form 3110-48, is available on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/Web/ethics?OpenDocument.
Dated: August 4, 2010.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-19719 Filed 8-9-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P