[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 4 (Thursday, January 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 1244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-265]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7858-1]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office Notification of Upcoming 
Meeting of the Science Advisory Board Committee on Valuing the 
Protection of Ecological Systems and Services (C-VPESS)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a 
public meeting of the SAB's Committee on Valuing the Protection of 
Ecological Systems and Services (C-VPESS) to conduct an advisory on the 
EPA's draft Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan (EBASP) and 
to discuss issues concerning methods.

DATES: January 25-26, 2005. A public meeting of the C-VPESS will be 
held from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m (eastern time) on January 25, 2005 and 
from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (eastern time) on January 26, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the SAB Conference Center, 
1025 F Street, NW., Suite 3700, Washington, DC 20004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public wishing further 
information regarding the SAB C-VPESS meeting may contact Dr. Angela 
Nugent, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), via telephone at: (202-343-
9981) or e-mail at: [email protected]. The SAB mailing address is: 
US EPA, Science Advisory Board (1400F), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460. General information about the SAB, as well as any 
updates concerning the meetings announced in this notice, may be found 
in the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: Background on the SAB C-VPESS and its charge was 
provided in 68 Fed. Reg. 11082 (March 7, 2003). The purpose of the 
meeting is for the SAB C-VPESS to conduct an advisory on the EPA's 
draft Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan and to discuss 
issues concerning methods for valuing the protection of ecological 
systems and services. All of these activities are related to the 
Committee's overall charge, to assess Agency needs and the state of the 
art and science of valuing protection of ecological systems and 
services, and then to identify key areas for improving knowledge, 
methodologies, practice, and research.
    Availability of Review Material for the Meetings: The Agenda for 
this meeting will be available from the SAB Staff Office Web site at: 
http://www.epa.gov/sab/agendas.htm. The review document that will be 
the focus of the January 25, 2005 meeting, EPA's draft Ecological 
Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan, will be available on the Web site 
of EPA's National Center for Environmental Economics: http://yosemite.epa.gov/ee/epa/eed.nsf/pages/homepage.
    Procedures for Providing Public Comment: It is the policy of the 
EPA SAB Staff Office to accept written public comments of any length, 
and to accommodate oral public comments whenever possible. The SAB 
Staff Office expects that public statements presented at SAB 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). 
Interested parties should contact the Designated Federal Official (DFO) 
in writing via e-mail at least one week prior to the meeting in order 
to be placed on the public speaker list for the meeting. Speakers 
should bring at least 35 copies of their comments and presentation 
slides for distribution to the participants and public at the meeting. 
Written Comments: Although written comments are accepted 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 above in the following formats: one 
hard copy with original signature, and one electronic copy via e-mail 
(acceptable file format: Adobe Acrobat, WordPerfect, Word, or Rich Text 
files (in IBM-PC/Windows 98/2000/XP format). Those providing written 
comments and who attend the meeting are also asked to bring 35 copies 
of their comments for public distribution.
    Meeting Accommodations: Individuals requiring special accommodation 
to access these meetings, should contact the relevant DFO at least five 
business days prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can 
be made.

    Dated: December 22, 2004.
Anthony Maciorowski,
Acting Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 05-265 Filed 1-5-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P