[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 48 (Monday, March 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12476-12477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4960]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7884-1]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations, Ad 
Hoc Integrated Nitrogen Research Committee of the Science Advisory 
Board

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) 
Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office (hereinafter, the ``Staff 
Office'') is announcing the formation of a new Ad Hoc Integrated 
Nitrogen Research Committee of the Science Advisory Board (hereinafter, 
the ``Committee'') and is hereby soliciting nominations for this 
Committee.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by April 11, 2005, per the 
instructions below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing 
further information regarding this Request for Nominations may contact 
Ms. Kathleen White, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science 
Advisory Board Staff, at telephone/voice mail: (202) 343-9878; or via 
e-mail at: [email protected]. General information concerning the 
SAB can be found on the EPA Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Reactive nitrogen compounds (Nr)--that is, all biologically active, 
photochemically reactive, and radiatively active nitrogen compounds in 
the atmosphere and biosphere of the Earth can cause multiple effects in 
the atmosphere, in terrestrial ecosystems, in freshwater and marine 
systems, and on human health. The result is a wide variety of 
beneficial and detrimental changes in the health and welfare of people 
and ecosystems. Information to date indicates reactive nitrogen is 
accumulating in the environment. Anthropogenic activity leading to 
production of reactive nitrogen has been shown to exceed that from 
natural systems. Circulation of reactive nitrogen in the atmosphere, 
hydrosphere and biosphere of the Earth has a wide variety of 
consequences that are magnified with time as reactive nitrogen moves 
along its biogeochemical pathway. Furthermore, research indicates the 
influence of reactive nitrogen in the environment should be considered 
from a systems perspective and integrated across environmental media. 
For example, reactive nitrogen that produces urban air pollution can 
also contribute to water pollution and the extensive use of nitrogen-
containing materials in a watershed has a strong impact on the health 
of the associated coastal zone. Accordingly, there is a need to assess 
the extent of linkage among the effects that nitrogen causes in the 
environment, and to explore the implications of these linkages for 
nitrogen research and risk management.
    The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) was established by 42 U.S.C. 
4365 to provide independent scientific and technical advice, 
consultation, and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the 
technical bases for EPA policies and regulations. It is the initial 
assessment of the SAB that EPA's research programs on Nr could be 
better integrated. The SAB is conducting a study to assess the degree 
of integration among the current EPA programs, to make recommendations 
for a more integrated research program on Nr, and to identify 
opportunities for a more integrated approach to nitrogen management.
    To carry out the Integrated Nitrogen Research Project, the SAB is 
forming an Ad Hoc Committee, known as the Integrated Nitrogen Research 
Committee. The Staff Office is soliciting nominations for members of 
the new Committee. The Committee will provide advice through the 
chartered SAB. The Committee will comply with the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and all appropriate SAB Staff 
Office procedural policies.
    The Committee will address the following questions:
    1. What are the nitrogen problems?
    2. What are the linkages among/between the different nitrogen 
problems?
    3. What EPA environmental programs and policies could provide the 
greatest control of nitrogen? What are the benefits of integrated 
nitrogen management?
    4. What are the research needs to better understand the nitrogen 
problems and to strengthen the integrated risk management of nitrogen?
    To achieve these overall goals, the SAB plans to conduct a number 
of workshops and issue reports for this study.

Nomination of Candidates for SAB Committee

    The SAB Staff Office is soliciting public nominations of nationally 
and internationally recognized scientists with expertise in one or more 
of the following areas:

Biogeochemistry and Effects

    (1) The sources of Nr released into the environment from human 
activities and natural sources, including: Intentional cultivation of 
crops which promote conversion of nitrogen gas to organic nitrogen; 
combustion of fossil fuels; and the Haber-Bosch process.
    (2) The behavior and effects of Nr in the atmosphere, including 
tropospheric ozone, particulate matter and visibility, and greenhouse 
gases and stratospheric ozone.
    (3) The behavior and effects of Nr on humans and ecosystems in the 
terrestrial environment, including grassland/forest and agroecosystem.
    (4) The behavior and effects of nitrogen in the aquatic 
environment, including wetlands, groundwater, surface waters, 
estuarine, coastal and marine environments.

Risk Reduction

    (5) Risk Reduction Approaches including implementation of 
regulatory and voluntary approaches to risk reduction.

Control

    (6) Specific control technologies or practices, including 
combustion controls for nitrogen oxides, ozone precursors, and 
particulate matter/visibility and practices for controlling ammonia in 
agriculture.
    Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested 
person or organization may nominate qualified experts from academia, 
industry, non-governmental organizations or State, local and tribal 
governments in the areas of expertise described above to serve on the 
Committee. Nominations should be submitted in electronic format through 
the Form for Nominating Individuals to Panels of the EPA Science 
Advisory Board provided on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab. 
The form can be accessed through a link on the blue navigational bar at 
that Web site. To be considered, nominations must include all the 
information required on that form.
    Anyone who is unable to submit nominations electronically using 
this form, or who has questions concerning the nomination process may 
contact Ms.

[[Page 12477]]

Kathleen White, DFO, as indicated above in this notice. Nominations 
should be submitted in time to arrive no later than April 11, 2005.
    To be considered, all nominations must include: (a) a current 
biography, curriculum vitae (C.V.) or resume, which provides the 
nominee's background, experience and qualifications for the Committee; 
and (b) a brief biographical sketch (``biosketch''). The biosketch 
should be no longer than one page and must contain the following 
information for the nominee:
    (i) Current professional affiliations and positions held;
    (ii) Area(s) of expertise, and research activities and interests;
    (iii) Leadership positions in national associations or professional 
publications or other significant distinctions;
    (iv) Educational background, especially advanced degrees, including 
when and from which institutions these were granted;
    (v) Service on other advisory committees, professional societies, 
especially those associated with issues under discussion in this 
review; and
    (vi) Sources of recent (i.e., within the preceding two years) grant 
and/or other contract support, from government, industry, academia, 
etc., including the topic area of the funded activity. Please note that 
even if there is no responsive information (e.g., no recent grant or 
contract funding), this must be indicated on the biosketch (by ``N/A'' 
or ``None''). Incomplete biosketches will result in nomination packages 
not being accepted.
    The EPA SAB Staff Office will acknowledge receipt of the 
nomination. After considering the nominees (termed the ``Widecast''), 
the SAB Staff Office will identify a subset (known as the ``Short 
List'') for more detailed consideration. Criteria used by the Staff 
Office in developing this Short List are given at the end of the 
following paragraph. The Short List will be posted on the SAB Web site 
at: http://www.epa.gov/sab, and will include the nominees' names and 
their biosketches. Public comments will be accepted for 21 calendar 
days on the Short List. During this comment period, the public may 
provide information, analysis or other documentation on nominees that 
the Staff Office should consider in evaluating candidates for the 
Committee.
    For the EPA SAB Staff Office, 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 Short List candidates will be considered in the 
selection of the Committee, along with information provided by 
candidates and information independently-gathered by the SAB Staff 
Office on 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 evaluating an individual Committee member include: (a) Scientific 
and/or technical expertise, knowledge, and experience (primary 
factors); (b) availability and willingness to serve; (c) absence of 
financial conflicts of interest; (d) scientific credibility and 
impartiality; and (e) skills working in advisory committees, 
subcommittees and review panels.
    Short List candidates must submit 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. 
The form may be viewed and downloaded from the following URL address: 
http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/epaform3110-48.pdf.
    The approved policy under which the EPA SAB Office selects ad hoc 
committees and review panels is described in the following document: 
Overview of the Panel Formation Process at the Environmental Protection 
Agency Science Advisory Board (EPA-SAB-EC-02-010), which is on the SAB 
Web site at: (http://www.epa.gov/sab)http://www.epa.gov/sab/ecm02003.pdfhttp://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ec02010.pdf.

    Dated: March 4, 2005.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 05-4960 Filed 3-11-05; 8:45 am]
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