[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 165 (Thursday, August 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43696-43697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20738]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8950-3]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Notification of an Upcoming 
Teleconference of the Science Advisory Board Committee on Science 
Integration for Decision Making

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) Science 
Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public teleconference of 
the SAB Committee on Science Integration for Decision Making.

DATES: The teleconference date is Wednesday, September 16, 2009 from 1 
p.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern Time).

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be conducted by telephone only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to 
obtain further information about this teleconference must contact Mr. 
Thomas Miller, Designated Federal Officer (DFO). Mr. Miller may be 
contacted at the EPA Science Advisory Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
or via telephone/voice mail; (202) 343-9982; fax (202) 233-0643; or e-
mail at [email protected]. General information about the EPA SAB, as 
well as any updates concerning the teleconference announced in this 
notice,

[[Page 43697]]

may be found on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act, 5 U.S.C., App. 2 (FACA), notice is hereby given that the SAB 
Committee on Science Integration for Decision Making will hold a public 
teleconference to complete its work plan for an evaluative study of EPA 
scientific assessment practices for decision making. The SAB was 
established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4365 to provide independent 
scientific and technical advice to the Administrator on the technical 
basis for Agency positions and regulations. The SAB is a Federal 
Advisory Committee chartered under FACA. The SAB will comply with the 
provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural 
policies.
    Background: The Committee for Science Integration for Decision 
Making met on June 9-10, 2009 in Washington, DC to begin its work on 
this study (see 74 FR 23187). Additional information on the study and 
the meeting may be found on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Science%20Integration?OpenDocument. EPA uses many kinds of scientific 
assessments for policy analysis and decision making. In a study 
published in 2000, the SAB found that an integrated approach to 
scientific assessment and decision making was needed to effectively 
address new and complex environmental problems (see the SAB's report, 
Toward Integrated Environmental Decision-Making on the SAB Web site at 
http://www.epa.gov/sab). Previous studies by the National Research 
Council (NRC) also recommended improvements to EPA scientific 
assessment practices. In its 2008 report, Science and Decisions: 
Advancing Risk Assessment (National Academies Press, Washington, DC), 
the NRC recommended improvements in EPA's risk assessment processes to 
address the complexities of current problems and improve the utility of 
assessments in decision making. The SAB is undertaking a new study at 
the request of the EPA Administrator to evaluate the extent to which 
scientific assessment practices are integrated into and for EPA's 
environmental decision-making processes. The study will build upon the 
findings of the previous SAB and NRC studies, and recommend actions 
that EPA could take to improve the integration of scientific 
assessments for decision making. The purpose of this teleconference is 
to complete the Committee's study plan.
    Availability of Meeting Materials: The teleconference agenda and 
other material in support of this teleconference are 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 on the topic of 
this advisory activity, and/or the group conducting the activity, for 
the SAB to consider during the advisory process.
    Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an 
oral presentation at a public teleconference will be limited to three 
minutes per speaker, with no more than a total of one hour for all 
speakers. Interested parties should contact Mr. Miller, DFO, in writing 
(preferably via e-mail) at the contact information noted above, by 
September 14, 2009 be placed on a list of public speakers for the 
meeting. Written Statements: Written statements should be received in 
the SAB Staff Office by September 14, 2009 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). Submitters are requested to provide two versions of each 
document submitted with and without signatures, because the SAB Staff 
Office does not publish documents with signatures on its Web sites.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Mr. Miller 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: August 20, 2009.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. E9-20738 Filed 8-26-09; 8:45 am]
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