[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 189 (Monday, September 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56578-56579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22791]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8722-6]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Notification of a Public 
Teleconference of the Homeland Security Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) Science 
Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public teleconference for 
the Agency and its federal partners to brief the Homeland Security 
Advisory Committee (HSAC) on their progress in developing the 
Environmental Response Technical Assistance Document for Bacillus 
anthracis Terrorism Incidents (ERTAD).

DATES: The public teleconference will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 
2008, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern time).
    Location: The public teleconference will be conducted by telephone 
only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to 
obtain further information regarding this public teleconference meeting 
should 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: The SAB was established by 42 U.S.C. 4365 to 
provide independent scientific and technical advice to the EPA 
Administrator on the technical basis for Agency policies and 
regulations. The SAB is a Federal Advisory Committee chartered under 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C., App. 
The SAB will comply with the provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB 
Staff Office procedural policies. The SAB HSAC provides scientific and 
technical advice to the EPA Administrator through the chartered SAB on 
scientific matters pertaining to EPA's mission in protecting against 
the environmental and health consequences of terrorism.
    EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is 
charged with preserving and restoring the land by using innovative 
waste management practices and cleaning up contaminated properties to 
reduce risks posed by harmful substances. EPA has a major role in 
reducing the risk to human health and the environment posed by 
accidental or intentional releases of harmful substances. For emergency 
preparedness, response and homeland security, EPA works closely with 
sixteen other federal agencies on the Federal Government National 
Response Team (NRT). The NRT has asked OSWER to request consultative 
advice from the SAB HSAC on the Environmental Response Technical 
Assistance Document for Bacillus anthracis Terrorism Incidents (ERTAD) 
(Formerly known as the Draft Federal Inter-Agency Anthrax Technical 
Assistance Document (TAD)). The TAD was initially an interim technical 
resource document developed in

[[Page 56579]]

response to the 2001 anthrax incidents (Draft Federal Inter-Agency 
Anthrax Technical Assistance Document). The NRT requested the Weapons 
of Mass Destruction (WMD) Subcommittee to the Science and Technology 
Committee to revise the TAD based on consultative advice from the SAB. 
In response to OSWER's request, the SAB Staff Office solicited public 
nominations (73 FR no 61, page 16679-80) of experts with specific 
experience in the microbiology of anthrax to augment the SAB Homeland 
Security Advisory Committee (HSAC), who will conduct the consultation. 
The purpose of the teleconference is for the NRT to brief the HSAC on 
the ERTAD.
    Availability of Meeting Materials: EPA's background materials for 
this briefing will be posted on a link on the front page of National 
Response Team Web site at http://www.nrt.org--under the Hot Topics 
Section.
    The EPA technical contact for the ERTAD is Captain Colleen F. 
Petullo, USPHS, detailed to EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency 
Response. Captain Petullo may be contacted by telephone at (702) 784-
8004 or via e-mail at [email protected]. The agenda and other 
briefing materials for the upcoming public meeting will be posted on 
the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
    Procedures for Providing Public Input: Interested members of the 
public may submit relevant written or oral information for the SAB 
Committee to consider on the topics under review. Oral Statements: In 
general, individuals or groups requesting an oral presentation at a 
public conference call will be limited to three minutes per speaker, 
with no more than a total of one half hour for all speakers. Interested 
parties should contact Ms. Turner, DFO, in writing (preferably via e-
mail) at the contact information noted above, by October 10, 2008 to be 
placed on a list of public speakers for the meeting. Written 
Statements: Written statements should be received in the SAB Staff 
Office by October 10, 2008 so that the information may be made 
available to the SAB Panel members for their consideration. Written 
statements should be supplied to the DFO in the following formats: one 
hard copy with original signature, and one electronic copy via e-mail 
(acceptable file format: Adobe Acrobat PDF, WordPerfect, MS Word, MS 
PowerPoint, or Rich Text files in IBM-PC/Windows 98/2000/XP format).
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Ms. Turner at the phone 
number or e-mail address noted above, preferably at least ten days 
prior to the meeting to give EPA as much time as possible to process 
your request.

    Dated: September 24, 2008.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. E8-22791 Filed 9-26-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P