[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10500-10501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2899]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8039-3 ]


EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations 
of Experts for the Ethylene Oxide Review Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Requesting the nomination of experts for the Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) Ethylene Oxide Review Panel.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by March 22, 2006, per 
instructions below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing 
further information regarding this Request for Nominations may contact 
Dr. Sue Shallal, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB Staff Office, by 
telephone/voice mail at (202) 343-9977; by fax at (202) 233-0643; or 
via e-mail at [email protected]. General information concerning 
the EPA Science Advisory Board can be found on the EPA SAB Web site at: 
http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: EPA last published a health assessment of the potential 
carcinogenicity of ethylene oxide (EtO) in 1985 (U.S. EPA, 1985). EPA's 
Office of Research and Development (ORD) has now completed a review of 
the more recent database on the carcinogenicity of EtO, pertinent data 
from the 1985 assessment, and several reviews and assessments issued by 
other organizations. EtO is manufactured from ethylene and used 
primarily as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of ethylene 
glycol. It is also used as a sterilizing agent for medical equipment 
and as a fumigating agent for spices. ORD's draft assessment focuses on 
lifetime cancer risk from inhalation exposure. The assessment broadly 
supports activities authorized in the 1990 Clean Air Act and is of 
particular interest to EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. However, this 
review also should be applicable to the needs of all program Offices 
and Regions in evaluating the carcinogenicity of EtO. ORD has requested 
that the Science Advisory Board (SAB) review its draft assessment 
entitled ``Evaluation of the Carcinogenicity of Ethylene Oxide''.
    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 basis for Agency positions and regulations. The SAB review 
panel, conducting the review of the Agency's evaluation of the 
carcinogenicity of ethylene oxide, will consist of members of the 
chartered SAB, SAB Committee members and other experts as determined to 
be necessary. This panel will comply with the provisions of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and all appropriate SAB procedural 
policies. Upon completion, the panel's report will be submitted to the 
chartered SAB for final approval for transmittal to the EPA 
Administrator. The SAB Ethylene Oxide Review Panel is being asked to 
comment on the scientific soundness of this carcinogenicity assessment.
    Availability of the Review Materials: The EPA draft document to be 
reviewed by the SAB Panel will be made available by the Office of 
Research and Development. For questions and information concerning the 
review materials, please contact Dr. Henry Kahn, at (202) 564-3269, or 
[email protected].
    Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is requesting 
nominations of recognized experts with one or more of the following 
areas of expertise, especially with respect to the potential human 
carcinogenic effects of ethylene oxide: Respiratory/pulmonary 
physiology and exposure; epidemiology; toxicology, including genetic 
toxicology and mechanisms of action for carcinogenicity; metabolism; 
pharmacokinetics and modeling; dose-response assessment; risk 
assessment and statistical evaluation of epidemiological and 
toxicological data.
    Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested 
person or organization may nominate qualified individuals to serve on 
the SAB Panel(s). Nominations should be submitted in electronic format 
through the SAB Web site at the following URL: http://www.epa.gov/sab; 
or directly via the Form for Nominating Individuals to Panels of the 
EPA Science Advisory Board link found at URL: http://www.epa.gov/sab/panels/paneltopics.html. To be considered, nominations must include all 
of the information required on the associated forms. Anyone who is 
unable to submit nominations using this form, and who has any 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 March 22, 2006.
    The EPA SAB Staff Office will acknowledge receipt of the 
nomination. From the nominees identified by respondents to this notice 
(termed the ``Widecast''), the SAB Staff Office 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 
for public comment on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab. The 
Short List will include each nominee's name and a short biographical 
description of expertise and professional experiences. During this 
comment period, the public may provide relevant information on nominees 
that the SAB Staff Office should consider in evaluating candidates for 
the Panel.
    For the EPA SAB Staff Office, a balanced subcommittee or panel is 
characterized by inclusion of candidates who possess the necessary 
domains of knowledge, the relevant scientific

[[Page 10501]]

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 independently-
gathered by the SAB Staff Office on the background of each candidate. 
Specific criteria to be used in evaluating an individual nominee 
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) absence of 
an appearance of a lack of impartiality; and (e) skills working in 
committees, subcommittees and advisory panels; and, for the Panel as a 
whole, (f) diversity of, and balance among, scientific expertise and 
viewpoints.
    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/sge_course/pdf_sge/epaform3110_48.pdf pdf. The process by which the EPA SAB Office 
forms 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 posted on the SAB Web site 
at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ec02010.pdf.

    Dated: February 23, 2006.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Associate Director for Science, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff 
Office.
[FR Doc. E6-2899 Filed 2-28-06; 8:45 am]
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