[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51661-51662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25413]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7077-6]


EPA Science Advisory Board; Notice: Particulate Matter (PM) 
Centers Interim Assessment Panel; Request for Nominations

ACTION: Notice.

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    Request for nominations to serve on the Particulate Matter (PM) 
Centers Interim Assessment Panel of the U. S. Environmental Protection 
Agency's Science Advisory Board.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Science 
Advisory Board (SAB) is announcing the formation of a Particulate 
Matter (PM) Centers Interim Assessment Panel (PMCIAP) and is soliciting 
nominations of qualified individuals to serve on this Panel. The SAB 
was established to provide independent scientific and technical advice 
to the EPA Administrator on Agency positions; in this case. advice on 
the utility of the PM Research Centers as a mechanism for supporting 
scientific research in PM.
    Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified 
individuals for membership on the PMCIAP. Nominations (preferably in 
electronic format) should include the individual's name, occupation, 
position, qualifications to address the issue, and contact information 
(i.e., telephone number, mailing address, email, and/or Website). To be 
considered, all nominations must include a current resume (preferably 
electronic) providing information on the nominee's background, 
experience, and qualifications.

Background

    In 1995 EPA introduced a research grants program (Science To 
Achieve Results (STAR)) focused on targeted, investigator-initiated, 
peer-review-competed grants. Subsequent experience suggested that there 
could be substantial benefits gained by investing some resources in 
larger, more coordinated grants to ``research centers'' that would 
focus the combined efforts of a group of researchers on closely related 
problems. The PM Centers were funded in 1999 for a five year period and 
thus, are in the middle of their grants. Although two and a half years 
of the PM Centers program is not sufficient time to evaluate fully its 
merits, the Agency is seeking an interim assessment of the PM centers 
concept that will help the Agency as it formulates its future research 
funding plans. It is for this purpose of providing interim advice on 
the effectiveness of the PM centers concept as a research mechanism 
that the SAB Panel is being convened.
    The SAB is negotiating a specific Charge to guide the PM Centers 
assessment. The specific questions that constitute the Charge provide 
general guidance to the nominators about the technical qualifications 
of individuals who are being sought to carry out the work of the 
PMCIAP. We anticipate that the PMCIAP will contain experts who have 
proven knowledge of PM research issues and/or knowledge of various 
research mechanisms and methodologies that are relevant to the Agency's 
PM program. The current version of the Charge follows, although details 
of the Charge may change as a result of ongoing discussions between the 
Agency and the Panel. Updates will be posted on the SAB Website: 
www.epa.gov/sab.

Draft Charge

Overall Objective

    To assess the value-added nature of a PM Centers research program.

Overall Charge Question

    Based on progress to date, should a PM research program be 
undertaken beyond 2004? In which areas, to what extent, and for what 
reasons is a PM Centers program beneficial? Identify specific areas in 
which the program could be improved.

Specific Charge Questions

    1. Recognizing the PM Centers program is barely at its halfway 
point, what important research findings (or promising investigations) 
have been made that would not have occurred otherwise? What unique 
aspect(s) of a Centers program enabled such actions to be taken?
    2. To what extent has the direction or focus of research shifted as 
a result of the multi-disciplinary interactions within the Center 
(i.e., findings in one department influence researchers in another to 
change direction or emphasis)? To what extent have changes in research 
direction or emphasis been influenced by Science Advisory Committee 
reviews, interactions with other PM Centers, or interactions with the 
broader PM research community? Which factors have been most 
influential?
    3. How successful are Centers in communicating their findings to 
the public and specifically, to those who directly use their research? 
Is it clear that the work has been supported by the PM Centers program?
    4. How, if at all, does a PM research centers program facilitate 
agreement or consensus on protocols or procedures to enable more direct 
comparison of results among research institutions or centers?
    5. How, if at all, does a PM research centers program leverage or 
maximize use of resources through sharing expensive equipment, samples, 
data, etc.?
    6. How is the program perceived within and outside the research 
community? Does a research center have greater visibility, and if so, 
what is the impact?
    Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified 
individuals for membership on the Panel. Nominations should include the 
individual's name, occupation, position, qualifications to address the 
issue, and contact information (i.e., telephone number, mailing 
address, and email and/or Website). To be considered, all nominations 
must include a current resume (preferably electronic), providing the 
nominee's background, experience, and qualifications.
    Nominations should be submitted (preferably in electronic format) 
to Dr. Donald G. Barnes, Designated Federal Officer, EPA Science 
Advisory Board (1400A), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 564-
4533; FAX (202) 501-0323; e-mail at [email protected] no later than 
October 19, 2001, 2001. The Agency will not necessarily formally 
acknowledge or respond to nominations.
    The nominations received through this solicitation will be combined 
with nominations obtained through other sources; e.g., the Agency, SAB 
members, and particular organizations. From this

[[Page 51662]]

larger group of nominees (termed the ``WIDECAST''), a smaller subset 
(the ``NARROWCAST'') will be identified for more detailed 
consideration. The names of the NARROWCAST individuals, along with a 
short biosketch of each, will be posted on the SAB Website 
(www.epa.gov/sab), and public comments requested on the individual's 
expertise, real and perceived conflict-of-interest, and the overall 
balance of possible biases represented on the PMCIAP. Public reaction 
to the NARROWCAST candidates will be considered in the selection of the 
PMCIAP. Other selection criteria include the following: recognized 
expertise to address the Charge, ability to participate in an impartial 
and objective manner; and the need for balance among the members of the 
panelists.
    PMCIAP members will be asked to attend at least one public meeting, 
possibly followed by a public teleconference meeting over the 
anticipated 3-month course of the activity. The Executive Committee 
(EC) of the SAB will critically review the PMCIAP's report and reach a 
judgement about its transmittal to the Administrator.

General Information

    Additional information concerning the Science Advisory Board, its 
structure, function, and composition, may be found on the SAB Website 
(http://www.epa.gov/sab) and in the Science Advisory Board FY2000 
Annual Staff Report which is available from the SAB Publications Staff 
at (202) 564-4533 or via fax at (202) 501-0256.

    Dated: September 26, 2001.
Donald G. Barnes,
Staff Director, Science Advisory Board.
[FR Doc. 01-25413 Filed 10-9-01; 8:45 am]
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