[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 12 (Thursday, January 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2434-2436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1245]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7129-7]


EPA Science Advisory Board; Notification of Public Advisory 
Committee Meetings

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 
notice is hereby given that two committees of the US EPA Science 
Advisory Board (SAB) will meet on the dates and times noted below. All 
times noted are Eastern Time. All meetings are open to the public, 
however, seating is limited and available on a first come basis. 
Important Notice: Documents that are the subject of SAB reviews are 
normally available from the originating EPA office and are not 
available from the SAB Office--information concerning availability of 
documents from the relevant Program Office is included below.

1. The PM Centers Interim Review Panel of the Executive Committee 
(PM Centers Panel)--February 11-12, 2002

    The PM Centers Interim Review Panel of the Executive Committee of 
the US EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB), will meet on Monday and 
Tuesday, February 11-12, 2002 in the EPA Science Advisory Board 
Conference Room (room 6013), USEPA, Ariel Rios Building North, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004. The meeting will begin 
by 8:30 am on February 11 and adjourn no later than 5 pm on February 
12, 2002.

[[Page 2435]]

    Purpose of the Meeting--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 Particulate Matter (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.
    Charge to the Subcommittee--The Panel has been asked to address the 
following Charge questions:
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 Centers 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
    (a) 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?
    (b) 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?
    (c) 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?
    (d) 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?
    (e) How, if at all, does a PM research centers program leverage or 
maximize use of resources through sharing expensive equipment, samples, 
data, etc.?
    (f) 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?
    Availability of Review Materials: The Agency is coordinating the 
preparation of background materials that will help to inform the 
review. To access these materials, please contact Ms. Stacey Katz 
(Phone: 202-564-8201, or e-mail [email protected]) or Ms. Gail 
Robarge (Phone: 202-564-8301, or e-mail [email protected]) in the 
EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD).
    For Further Information--Members of the public wishing an Agenda or 
a roster of the Committee should contact Ms. Diana Pozun, Program 
Specialist, Research Strategies Advisory Committee, EPA Science 
Advisory Board (1400A), Suite 6450, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone/voice mail at (202) 564-4544; fax 
at (202) 501-0582; or via e-mail at [email protected]. Any member of 
the public wishing further information concerning this meeting or 
wishing to submit brief oral comments (10 minutes or less) must contact 
Dr. Donald 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; or via e-mail at [email protected]. Requests for oral 
comments must be in writing (e-mail, fax or mail) and received by Dr. 
Barnes no later than noon Eastern Standard Time on February 4, 2002 
[five business days before the meeting].

2. Research Strategies Advisory Committee (RSAC)--February 20-21, 
2002

    The Research Strategies Advisory Committee (RSAC) of the US EPA 
Science Advisory Board (SAB) will meet on Wednesday, February 20, 2002 
and Thursday, February 21, 2002 from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (Eastern Time). 
The meeting will be held in the EPA Science Advisory Board Conference 
Room (room 6013), USEPA, Ariel Rios Building North, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004.
    Purpose of the Meeting--In this meeting, the Research Strategies 
Advisory Committee plans to review the Science and Technology component 
of the President's Budget Request for the Fiscal Year 2003 EPA budget. 
The tentative charge questions are:
    (a) Does the budget request provide adequate balance and attention 
to the core and problem driven research needed to provide satisfactory 
knowledge for current and future decisions EPA will be required to 
make?
    (b) How can EPA better use measures of performance to identify the 
impact of its research and development program and the funds that 
Congress provides for that Program? (the intent of this question is to 
go beyond GPRA requirements and help address issues surrounding using 
the findings from GPRA evaluations, OIG audits, GAO reports, etc.)
    (c) Is the EPA research and development program addressing the 
important issues needed to adequately protect human health and the 
environment in the US and globally? What important issues are not 
receiving adequate attention at the current level of resources provided 
for the R&D program and the S&T budget?
    (d) Does the budget request reflect the priorities identified in 
the EPA and ORD Strategic Plans?
    Availability of Review Materials: Materials that are the subject of 
this review are available from Mr. Mike Feldman of the Office of the 
Chief Financial Officer or from Ms. Amy Battaglia Office of Research 
and Development. Mr. Feldman can be reached on (202) 564-6951 or by e-
mail at [email protected] and Ms. Battaglia can be reached on (202) 
564-6685 or via e-mail on [email protected].
    For Further Information--Members of the public wishing an Agenda or 
a roster of the Committee should contact Ms. Betty Fortune, Office 
Assistant, Research Strategies Advisory Committee, EPA Science Advisory 
Board (1400A), Suite 6450, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone/voice mail at (202) 564-4534; fax at 
(202) 501-0323; or via e-mail at [email protected]. Any member of 
the public wishing further information concerning this meeting or 
wishing to submit brief oral comments (10 minutes or less) must contact 
Dr. John ``Jack'' R. Fowle III, Designated Federal Officer,

[[Page 2436]]

EPA Science Advisory Board (1400A), U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
(202) 564-4547; FAX (202) 501-0582; or via e-mail at 
[email protected]. Requests for oral comments must be in writing (e-
mail, fax or mail) and received by Dr. Fowle no later than noon Eastern 
Standard Time on February 13, 2002.

Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings

    It is the policy of the EPA Science Advisory Board to accept 
written public comments of any length, and to accommodate oral public 
comments whenever possible. The EPA Science Advisory Board expects that 
public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of 
previously submitted oral or written statements. Oral Comments: In 
general, each individual or group requesting an oral presentation at a 
face-to-face meeting will be limited to a total time of ten minutes 
(unless otherwise indicated). For teleconference meetings, 
opportunities for oral comment will usually be limited to no more than 
three minutes per speaker and no more than fifteen minutes total. 
Deadlines for getting on the public speaker list for a meeting are 
given above. Speakers should bring at least 35 copies of their comments 
and presentation slides for distribution to the reviewers and public at 
the meeting. Written Comments: Although the SAB accepts written 
comments until the date of the meeting (unless otherwise stated), 
written comments should be received in the SAB Staff Office at least 
one week prior to the meeting date so that the comments may be made 
available to the committee for their consideration. Comments should be 
supplied to the appropriate DFO at the address/contact information 
noted above in the following formats: one hard copy with original 
signature, and one electronic copy via e-mail (acceptable file format: 
WordPerfect, Word, or Rich Text files (in IBM-PC/Windows 95/98 format). 
Those providing written comments and who attend the meeting are also 
asked to bring 25 copies of their comments for public distribution.
    General Information--Additional information concerning the EPA 
Science Advisory Board, its structure, function, and composition, may 
be found on the SAB Website (http://www.epa.gov/sab) and in The FY2000 
Annual Report of the Staff Director which is available from the SAB 
Publications Staff at (202) 564-4533 or via fax at (202) 501-0256. 
Committee rosters, draft Agendas and meeting calendars are also located 
on our website.
    Meeting Access--Individuals requiring special accommodation at this 
meeting, including wheelchair access to the conference room, should 
contact the appropriate DFO at least five business days prior to the 
meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

    Dated: January 11, 2002.
Donald G. Barnes,
Staff Director, EPA Science Advisory Board.
[FR Doc. 02-1245 Filed 1-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P