[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 56 (Thursday, March 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15083-15084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5822]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7888-6]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office; SAB Review of RadNet's Air 
Radiation Network, a Nationwide System to Track Environmental 
Radiation; Request for Nominations of Experts

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is 
requesting nominations to augment expertise to the SAB's Radiation 
Advisory Committee (RAC) to review EPA's implementation of RadNet, a 
nationwide system to track environmental radiation. RadNet incorporates 
an upgrade to the Environmental Radiation Ambient Monitoring System 
(ERAMS) air network, which was developed to provide for real-time 
monitoring of environmental levels of radiation in the United States 
(U.S.).

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by April 14, 2005 per the 
instructions below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing 
further information regarding this Request for Nominations may contact 
Dr. K. Jack Kooyoomjian, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), via 
telephone/voice mail at (202) 343-9984; via e-mail at 
[email protected] or at the U.S. EPA Science Advisory Board 
(1400F), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. General 
information about the SAB can be found in the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab. The EPA technical contact for this review is Dr. Mary 
E. Clark, by telephone at (202) 343-9348 or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The Environmental Radiation 
Ambient Monitoring System (ERAMS), was established in 1973 and 
constitutes the U.S.'s single major source of environmental radiation 
data. The ERAMS has continuously monitored radiation in air, 
precipitation, drinking water, and milk via a national network of fixed 
sampling stations. EPA's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) and 
it's National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory (NAREL) in 
Montgomery, AL maintains, receives, analyzes samples, and data from 
this system.
    EPA's ORIA over the past decade, has requested that the SAB provide 
advice regarding ERAMS. The SAB was established by Congress in 1978 by 
the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration 
Authorization Act (ERDDAA, 42 U.S.C. 4365) to provide independent 
scientific, engineering and technical advice, consultation, and 
recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the technical basis for EPA 
positions, programs, systems and regulations. The SAB's Radiation 
Advisory Committee (RAC) had conducted reviews of the reconfigured 
ERAMS on two previous occasions. The first advisory by the SAB's RAC 
took place in 1995 and resulted in an advisory delivered to the EPA 
Administrator on April 5, 1996 (EPA-SAB-RAC-ADV-96-03). This activity 
provided advice on technical issues pertinent to developing a new 
vision and re-orienting the ERAMS at that time. The second advisory on 
ERAMS by the SAB's RAC took place in 1997 and 1998 and resulted in an 
advisory to the Administrator on August 28, 1998 (EPA-SAB-RAC-ADV-98-
001) on the Agency's proposed reconfiguration to ERAMS. The previous 
SAB advisories on ERAMS can be obtained on the SAB's Web site (http://www.epa.gov/sab in the reports listings).
    The U.S. EPA's ORIA is currently updating and expanding the air 
portion of its nationwide system to track environmental radiation, now 
known as RadNet. It is anticipated that when the new network is fully 
operational, data on ionizing radiation in air will be available in 
almost real-time from fixed monitors in 180 highly populated 
metropolitan areas, resulting in coverage of approximately 70 percent 
of the U.S. population. In addition to the fixed monitors, 40 
deplorable monitors will be available to support the system during 
emergency conditions. The updated system will identify radioactive 
environmental contaminants and their concentrations so that early 
protective action decisions can be implemented to protect the public 
health. Data from all collection sites will be sent electronically to a 
central EPA database and made available to federal, state, and local 
decision makers and the public.
    The upgraded system is designed to provide improved national 
coverage as well as additional air monitoring capabilities that are 
important during radiological emergencies. Routine operation of the air 
monitoring network will continue to generate valuable data for 
identifying long-term trends, and to define normal background levels 
for use in comparing with emergency data and scientific studies. 
Additionally, RadNet (the upgraded ERAMS air network) will have the 
capability of monitoring a radioactive plume from an accident or 
incident, transmitting data to NAREL for analysis and verification on a 
near real-time basis. In particular, the specific objectives for the 
upgraded air monitoring network are to: Provide data quickly in the 
event of a radiological incident for decision makers, for use in 
assessing potential protective actions for the public, as well as for 
dispersion modelers, for validating/refining source term and 
meteorological assumptions and estimates; provide data needed to 
determine large-scale national impacts of a radiological incident for 
follow-up monitoring and assessment and population dose reconstruction; 
and develop baseline data for trend analysis and abnormality 
identification during normal operations. Background information on 
RadNet, the upgrade to the ERAMS air network, can be found at http://www.epa.gov/radiation/news/nms.htm. EPA's ORIA is now seeking advice 
from the SAB about the RadNet and EPA's implementation strategy.
    Tentative Charge to the SAB: The EPA is seeking comment on the 
proposed upgrades and expansion of the ERAMS air monitoring network 
into the RadNet, and the methodology for determining the locations for 
the monitoring stations, given the upgraded and expanded network's 
objectives. Specifically, EPA is requesting this review to obtain 
guidance regarding the concepts and implementation of the upgraded air 
monitoring system including overall plans for the air monitoring 
network. In particular, EPA is asking the SAB to address the following 
questions: (1) Are the proposed upgrades and expansion of the RadNet 
air monitoring network reasonable in meeting the air network's 
objectives?; and (2) Is the methodology for determining the locations 
for monitoring stations appropriate, given

[[Page 15084]]

the upgraded and expanded network's objectives?
    Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is requesting 
nominations to augment expertise to the Radiation Advisory Committee 
(RAC) to form an SAB panel to review the RadNet air monitoring network. 
The augmented RAC will provide advice through the chartered SAB, and 
will comply with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA) and all appropriate SAB procedural policies, including the SAB 
process for panel formation described in the Overview of the Panel 
Formation Process at the Environmental Protection Agency Science 
Advisory Board, which can be found on the SAB's Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ec0210.pdf. To supplement expertise on the RAC, the 
SAB Staff Office is seeking individuals who have radiation expertise 
and knowledge of ERAMS in the following areas:
    (1) Instrumentation (especially air monitors and detection 
equipment involving fixed and deplorable monitors, sodium iodide 
crystals, and gamma exposure instruments);
    (2) Statistics (especially involving data interpretation, 
identification of abnormalities during normal operations, monitor 
siting plans, baseline data and data trends analysis, data coverage 
issues, and data interpretation);
    (3) Modeling (especially involving validating and refining source 
terms, dispersion modeling, meteorological assumptions and estimates);
    (4) Risk assessment (with particular experience and expertise in 
population dose reconstruction, health data interpretation, and health 
effects); and
    (5) Risk communication.
    Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested 
person or organization may nominate individuals qualified in the areas 
of expertise described above to serve on the Panel. 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, http://www.epa.gov/sab. The form can be accessed through 
a link on the blue navigational bar on the SAB Web site, http://www.epa.gov/sab. To be considered, all nominations must include the 
information required on that form.
    Anyone who is unable to submit nominations using this form, or who 
has questions concerning any aspects of the nomination process may 
contact the DFO, as indicated above in this notice. Nominations should 
be submitted in time to arrive no later than April 14, 2005. Any 
questions concerning either this process or any other aspects of this 
notice should be directed to the DFO.
    The SAB will acknowledge receipt of the nomination and inform 
nominators of the panel selected. From the nominees identified by 
respondents to this Federal Register notice (termed the ``Widecast''), 
SAB Staff will develop a smaller subset (known as the ``Short List'') 
for more detailed consideration. Criteria used by the SAB Staff 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, for each candidate, the nominee's 
name and biosketch. Public comments on the Short List will be accepted 
for 21 calendar days. During this comment period, the public will be 
requested to provide information, analysis or other documentation on 
nominees that the SAB Staff should consider in evaluating candidates 
for the Panel.
    For the SAB, a balanced review panel (i.e., committee, 
subcommittee, or panel) 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 panel, along with 
information provided by candidates and information gathered by SAB 
Staff independently of 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 evaluation of an individual subcommittee member 
include: (a) Scientific and/or technical expertise, knowledge, and 
experience (primary factors); (b) absence of financial conflicts of 
interest; (c) scientific credibility and impartiality; (d) availability 
and willingness to serve; and (e) ability to work constructively and 
effectively in committees.
    Prospective candidates will also be required to fill-out 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.
    In addition to reviewing background material, panel members will be 
asked to attend at least one public face-to-face meeting, as well as 
follow-up public conference calls over the anticipated course of the 
advisory activity.

    Dated: March 17, 2005.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 05-5822 Filed 3-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P