[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45296-45297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21706]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7044-2]


Office of Research and Development, National Center for 
Environmental Assessment, Board of Scientific Counselors' Subcommittee 
Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-
463, as amended (5 U.S.C., App. 2) notification is hereby given that 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and 
Development (ORD), National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA), 
Board of Scientific Counselors Subcommittee (BOSC), will hold a public 
meeting.

DATES: The meeting will be held on October 10 & 11, 2001. The meeting 
will begin at 9 am on October 10 and adjourn at approximately 5 pm on 
October 11. All times noted are Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Charles Glover Building, 808 
17th Street, NW., 4th Floor Conference Room, Washington, DC 20006. 
Seating is limited; therefore, you must notify Joanna Foellmer, 
Designated Federal Official, Board of Scientific Counselors 
Subcommittee, to confirm attendance no later than October 4 (address 
listed below).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joanna Foellmer at (202) 564-3208.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) 
was established to provide objective and independent counsel to the 
Office of Research and Development (ORD) on the management and 
operation of ORD's research programs. The primary functions of BOSC 
are: (1) To evaluate science and engineering research programs, 
laboratories, and research-management practices of ORD and recommend 
actions to improve their quality and/or strengthen their relevance to 
the mission of the EPA; and (2) to evaluate and provide advice 
concerning the use of peer review within ORD to sustain and enhance the 
quality of science in EPA.
    In September 1997, a programmatic review of ORD's National Center 
of Environmental Assessment (NCEA) by an Ad Hoc Subcommittee of the 
BOSC provided an opportunity for NCEA to look at its past, present, and 
future. As part of the review, the staff and management of NCEA 
prepared a ``Self-Study Report,'' which was submitted to the BOSC 
Subcommittee for pre-meeting review. During the meeting, the 
Subcommittee discussed the Self-Study Report responses with NCEA 
management and staff. They gathered additional comments from the staff 
regarding the organization, management, human resources, and their 
professional relationships with the Agency and with external users of 
NCEA products. A final report from the BOSC Ad Hoc Subcommittee, dated 
April 1998, was submitted to NCEA. The final report included the 
conclusions and recommendations of the Subcommittee based on the input 
from the meeting, the Self Study Report, and the experience of the 
Subcommittee.
    Since the 1998 report, NCEA has worked to refocus some of its 
activities and directions in response to the recommendations of the 
Subcommittee and in the context of the EPA and ORD Strategic Plans. As 
a next step, standing BOSC Subcommittees have been

[[Page 45297]]

developed that will work closely with the individual ORD laboratories 
and centers. The membership of each of the standing subcommittees have 
been selected to reflect the missions of each ORD component within the 
risk assessment paradigm. The upcoming meeting is the first step in 
this working partnership between the NCEA-BOSC Subcommittee and NCEA 
management and staff.
    NCEA is in process of developing a response to a series of 
questions that were submitted by the BOSC to help the NCEA-BOSC 
Subcommittee gauge the progress of the Center since its 1997 review and 
to evaluate science and planning activities that NCEA has developed to 
address the priorities and directions included in the EPA and ORD 
Strategic Plans. The October meeting will include a discussion of the 
NCEA responses to the questions and opportunities for public comment.
    Anyone desiring a draft agenda may fax their request to Joanna 
Foellmer at Fax Number 202-565-0061. If you would prefer to e-mail your 
request, the address is: [email protected]. Any member of the 
public wishing to make a presentation at the meeting should contact 
Joanna Foellmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of 
Research and Development, National Center for Environmental Assessment, 
(Mail Code: 8601D), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20460; or by telephone at (202) 564-3208. In general, each individual 
making an oral presentation will be limited to a total of three 
minutes. Requests for oral comments must be in writing (e-mail, fax or 
mail) and received by Joanna Foellmer no later than noon Eastern Time 
one week prior to the meeting. E-mail must be in WordPerfect formats 
suitable for Windows 95/98. The draft report will be available in mid 
September. Anyone interested in a copy can download the file off the 
internet. Please contact Joanna Foellmer for the correct internet 
address.

    Dated: August 21, 2001.
Art Payne,
Acting Deputy Director for Management, National Center for 
Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 01-21706 Filed 8-27-01; 8:45 am]
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