[Federal Register: April 22, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 77)]
[Notices]
[Page 20992-20993]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22ap10-48]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9140-8]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of
Experts To Augment the SAB Ecological Processes and Effects Committee
(EPEC)
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 non-EPA experts to augment the SAB
Ecological Processes and Effects Committee (EPEC) to review the design,
scope, and progress of EPA research to model, monitor, and map
ecosystem services.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by May 13, 2010 per instructions
below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Any member of the public wishing further
information regarding this Notice and Request for Nominations may
contact Dr. Thomas Armitage, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB
Staff Office, by telephone/voice mail at (202) 343-9995; by fax at
(202) 233-0643 or via e-mail at armitage.thomas@epa.gov. General
information concerning the EPA Science Advisory Board can be found on
the EPA SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab. Any inquiry regarding
EPA's Ecosystem Services Research Program should be directed to Dr.
Rick Linthurst of EPA's Office of Research and Development at
linthurst.rick@epa.gov or (919) 541-4909 or Ms. Iris Goodman of EPA's
Office of Research and Development at Goodman.iris@epa.gov or 202-343-
9854.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The SAB (42 U.S.C. 4365) is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee
that provides independent scientific and technical peer review, advice,
consultation, and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the
technical basis for EPA actions. As a Federal Advisory Committee, the
SAB conducts business in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee
Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and related regulations. Generally, SAB
meetings are announced in the Federal Register, conducted in public
view, and provide opportunities for public input during deliberations.
The Ecological Processes and Effects Committee is a standing committee
of the chartered SAB. Additional information about the SAB and its
committees can be obtained on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/
sab.
In 2008, the Science Advisory Board (SAB) (see http://
yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/3F81610BFF770E30852574D600718D4F/
$File/EPA-SAB-08-011-unsigned.pdf) reviewed the EPA Office of Research
and Development (ORD) draft Ecological Research Program Multi-Year
Plan. The draft Plan articulated a new strategic direction for
ecological research focused on understanding ecosystem services and
their contribution to human health and well-being. In 2009, the SAB
provided additional consultative advice and recommendations regarding
EPA implementation of the Ecosystem Services Research Program (ESRP)
(see http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/
91190EEC56A44B3F85257641006BB7D7/$File/EPA-SAB-09-019-unsigned.pdf).
ORD has requested further SAB review of the design, scope, and
progress of ESRP research to model, monitor, and map ecosystem
services. EPA's ESRP monitoring, mapping, and modeling research aims to
provide a publicly accessible, scalable, national atlas; a design
framework to inventory ecosystem services; and integrated models for
selected ecosystem services that can be directly or indirectly
quantified.
Request for Nominations
To augment expertise on the SAB EPEC, the SAB Staff Office is
seeking nominations of recognized experts in ecology, environmental
economics, social and behavioral science, geographic information
systems, and spatial analysis. In particular, we seek nominees with
knowledge of: (1) Indicators of ecosystem services; (2) ecosystem
services monitoring design; (3) landscape ecology principles,
especially as related to ecosystem service indicators and atlas design;
and (4) methods to facilitate the integration and interoperability of
models to estimate baseline ecosystem services and their response to
stressors, including changes in land use, pollutants, and climate
change.
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 this SAB Committee. Candidates may also
nominate themselves. Nominations should be submitted in electronic
format (which is preferred over hard copy) following the
[[Page 20993]]
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 May 13, 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 Dr. Thomas Armitage, 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 (termed the ``Widecast'') and other sources, the SAB Staff
Office will develop a smaller subset (known as the ``list of
candidates'') for more detailed consideration. The list of candidates
will be posted on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab 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, 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: April 15, 2010.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-9359 Filed 4-21-10; 8:45 am]
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