[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64726-64727]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26448]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9215-6]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of
Experts To Serve on the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)
Air Monitoring and Methods Subcommittee (AMMS)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is
requesting public nominations of experts to serve on the Clean Air
Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) Air Monitoring and Methods
Subcommittee (AMMS).
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by November 10, 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 Dr. Holly Stallworth, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB
Staff Office, by telephone/voice mail at (202) 564-2073; by fax at
(202) 565-2098 or via e-mail at [email protected]. General
information concerning the CASAC can be found on the EPA CASAC Web site
at http://www.epa.gov/casac.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The Clean Air Scientific
Advisory Committee (CASAC) was established under section 109(d)(2) of
the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) (42 U.S.C. 7409) as an independent
scientific advisory committee. CASAC provides advice, information and
recommendations on the scientific and technical aspects of air quality
criteria and national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) under
sections 108 and 109 of the Act.
Section 109(d)(1) of the CAA requires that the Agency periodically
review and revise, as appropriate, the air quality criteria and the
National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the six ``criteria''
air pollutants. EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
(OAQPS) requests independent review and advice from CASAC on the
following subjects:
Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX)-Sulfur Oxides (SOX) Monitoring
and Network Design--A review of candidate methods for assessing levels
of N and S deposition; specifically constituents such as particulate
sulfate, total oxidized nitrogen (NOy), sulfur dioxide
(SO2), and ammonia gas and ammonia ion combined
(NHX) in the assessment of an Atmospheric Acidification
Potential Index, and the potential network design for a monitoring
system in support of a secondary NOX/SOX NAAQS.
Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS):
Network Re-engineering--Advice on potential revisions to the technical
and regulatory aspects of the PAMS program; including changes to
required measurements and associated network design requirements and a
review of appropriate technology, sampling frequency, and overall
program objectives in the context of the most recently revised ozone
NAAQS and changes to atmospheric chemistry that have occurred over the
past 10-15 years in the most significantly impacted areas.
Network Design Guidance Development for Near-road Ambient
Air Monitoring Requirements: Multi-pollutant Focus--Review of the
progress of a pilot monitoring study including site selection, planned
measurements, and timeline; review of EPA's Near-road Network Design
Technical Assistance Document (first Draft) including assessment of
procedures for identifying maximum site location(s) including
dispersion modeling and evaluation of potential biasing factors and
recommended measurements for near-road compliance network; and a review
of the role of alternative technology such as passive measurement in
compliance and research monitoring studies.
Methods for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)--Advice on
potential improvements to TO-15 with particular emphasis on improving
the characterization of acrolein; review method revisions for canister
cleaning procedures, preparation of calibration standards, performance
testing protocols, and subsequent changes to air quality system
reporting procedures; advice on improvements for TO-13A methodology for
compounds such as naphthalene, other polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
and branched PAHs; and advice on role of new technology in
characterizing volatile and semi-volatile compounds on a real-time or
near real-time basis.
In response to OAQPS request, the Science Advisory Board Staff
Office is requesting public nominations of scientific and technical
experts to form a new subcommittee of the CASAC to provide advice on
the four advisory topics as described above. This subcommittee, the
CASAC Air Monitoring and Methods Subcommittee (AAMS) may in the future
address additional monitoring and methods issues related to other
criteria pollutants and hazardous air pollutants. The AMMS will provide
independent advice to the Administrator through the CASAC, a chartered
Federal Advisory Committee, under the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C. App.). The AMMS will comply with the
provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural
policies.
Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking
nominations of recognized, national experts in one or more of the
following disciplines: Atmospheric sciences, dispersion modeling,
atmospheric chemistry, ecosystem modeling, aquatic chemistry,
environmental science and engineering, risk assessment, and statistical
analysis. In particular, we seek nominees with knowledge of ambient air
monitoring methods for criteria pollutants and air toxics, ambient air
network design, environmental data analysis, quality assurance,
dispersion modeling, emission inventories for point and mobile sources,
source apportionment techniques, atmospheric chemistry, meteorology,
and assessment of ecosystem impacts.
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'' http://www.epa.gov/sab 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/casac. To
receive full consideration, nominations should include all of the
information requested, and should be submitted in time to arrive no
later than November 10, 2010. EPA values and welcomes diversity. In an
effort to obtain nominations of diverse
[[Page 64727]]
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 Dr. Stallworth, 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 Subcommittee 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/casac 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 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: October 14, 2010.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-26448 Filed 10-19-10; 8:45 am]
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