[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 207 (Friday, October 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60844-60845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21092]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8487-8]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Additional 
Expertise for the Science Advisory Board Asbestos Expert Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is seeking 
public nominations of additional experts in the formation of the 
Asbestos Expert Panel in the areas of biostatistics, statistical 
modeling, epidemiology, meta-analysis, Bayesian analysis and toxicology 
of inhaled particles. Previous nominations of individuals for this 
asbestos panel need not be re-submitted, as they will still be 
considered.

DATES: New nominations should be submitted by November 16, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to 
obtain further information regarding this announcement may contact Ms. 
Vivian Turner, Designated Federal Officer, by telephone: (202) 343-9697 
or e-mail at: [email protected]. The SAB Mailing address is: U.S. 
EPA Science Advisory Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. General 
information about the SAB as well as any updates concerning this 
request for nominations may be found on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency 
Response (OSWER) requested the Science Advisory Board (SAB) provide 
technical advice on the proposed methodology to estimate cancer potency 
from inhalation exposure to asbestos. In 71 FR 48926-48927, the SAB 
announced the formation of an Asbestos Expert Panel and solicited 
nominations for members to that Panel. In response to that Federal 
Register Notice, the SAB Staff Office received nominations in the areas 
of clinical and pulmonary medicine, epidemiology, occupational and 
public health, pathology, inhalation toxicology; biology, mineralogy; 
environmental fate and transport, environmental sampling and detection 
methods, biostatistics, statistical modeling and risk assessment.
    The Science Advisory Board Staff Office is now seeking additional 
nominations for nationally and internationally recognized non-EPA 
scientists who have expert knowledge in

[[Page 60845]]

biostatistics, statistical modeling, epidemiology, meta-analysis, 
Bayesian analysis and toxicology of inhaled particles.
    The SAB is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee, 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 actions. The SAB expert panel will 
provide technical advice to EPA through the chartered SAB. The SAB 
Asbestos Panel will comply with the provisions of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA) and all appropriate SAB procedural policies.
    Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is requesting 
nominations for nationally and internationally recognized non-EPA 
scientists with demonstrated expertise in biostatistics, statistical 
modeling, epidemiology, meta-analysis, Bayesian analysis and toxicology 
of inhaled particles. The previously submitted nominations of 
individuals for this Asbestos Expert Panel need not be re-submitted, as 
they will still be considered.
    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 SAB Asbestos Expert Panel. 
Nominations may be submitted in electronic format through the Form for 
Nominating Individuals to Panels of the EPA Science Advisory Board 
which can be accessed through a link on the blue navigational bar on 
the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab. Please follow the 
instructions for submitting nominations carefully, and include all of 
the information requested on that form. The nominating form requests 
contact information of the person making the nomination; contact 
information for the nominee; the disciplinary and specific areas of 
expertise of the nominee; the nominee's curriculum vita; and a 
biographical sketch of the nominee indicating current position, 
educational background, research activities, and recent service on 
other national advisory committees or national professional 
organizations. Anyone unable to submit nominations using the electronic 
form, or who may have questions concerning the nomination process or 
any other aspect of this notice may contact Ms. Vivian Turner, DFO, at 
the contact information. Nominations should be submitted in time to 
arrive no later than November 16, 2007.
    The process for forming an SAB panel is described in the Overview 
of the Panel Formation Process at the Environmental Protection Agency, 
Science Advisory Board (EPA-SAB-EC-COM-02-010), on the SAB Web site at: 
http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ec02010.pdf. The SAB Staff Office will 
acknowledge receipt of nominations and inform nominees of the panel for 
which they have been nominated. From the nominees identified by 
respondents to this Federal Register notice (termed the ``Widecast''), 
the SAB Staff Office will develop a smaller subset (known as the 
``Short List'') for more detailed consideration. The Short List will be 
posted on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab and will include 
the nominee's name and biographical sketch. 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 Office should 
consider in evaluating candidates for the panel.
    For the SAB, a balanced panel is characterized by inclusion of 
nominees 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 will be considered in the selection of the panel members, 
along with information provided by nominees and information 
independently gathered by SAB Staff (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 Short List nominees 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 on committees.

    Dated: October 19, 2007.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. E7-21092 Filed 10-25-07; 8:45 am]
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