[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 24 (Friday, February 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6030-6031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2535]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9110-9]


EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office Request for Nominations 
of Experts for the SAB Lead (Pb) Review Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; Request for Nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is requesting 
public nominations of experts to form an SAB Ad Hoc Panel to review 
EPA's draft technical analyses which will be used to support the 
development of lead-based paint dust hazard standards and lead-safe 
work practice standards.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by February 26, 2010 per 
instructions below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing 
further information regarding this Request for Nominations may contact 
Mr. Aaron Yeow, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB Staff Office, by 
telephone/voice mail at (202) 343-9878; 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: Human exposure to lead may cause a variety of adverse 
health effects, particularly in children. EPA's Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) regulates toxic substances, such as lead, 
through the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In 2001, EPA 
established standards for lead-based paint hazards, which include lead 
in residential dust. OPPT is developing draft technical analyses that 
will be used to support: (a) Possible revision of existing residential 
lead-based paint dust hazard standards, (b) the development of new 
lead-based paint dust hazard standards for public and commercial 
buildings, and (c) the development of lead-safe work practice standards 
for renovations of public and commercial buildings. OPPT has requested 
that the SAB conduct a review of these draft technical analyses.
    The 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 Staff Office will form an expert Panel to review 
OPPT's draft technical analyses. The SAB 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 Lead Review Panel is 
being asked to comment on the scientific soundness of the Agency's 
draft technical analyses.
    Availability of the Review Materials: The EPA draft technical 
analyses to be reviewed by the SAB Panel will be made available on the 
SAB Web site. For questions concerning the review materials, please 
contact Dr. Jennifer Seed, at (202) 564-7634, or [email protected].
    Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is requesting 
nominations of nationally recognized experts with expertise in one or 
more of the following areas, particularly with respect to lead: dust 
transport, exposure assessment, epidemiology, general toxicology, 
neurotoxicology, pediatrics, biokinetic modeling, biostatistics, and 
risk assessment.
    Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested 
person or organization may nominate qualified individuals for possible 
service on the SAB Review Panel in the areas of expertise described 
above. Nominations should be submitted in electronic format (which is 
preferred over hard copy) following the instructions for ``Nominating 
Experts to Advisory Panels and Ad Hoc Committees Being Formed'' 
provided on the SAB Web site. The instructions can be accessed through 
the ``Nomination of Experts'' link on the blue navigational bar on the 
SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab. To receive full consideration, 
nominations should include all of the information requested.
    EPA's SAB Staff Office requests: Contact information about the 
person making the nomination; contact information about the nominee; 
the disciplinary and specific areas of expertise of the nominee; the 
nominee's curriculum vitae; sources of recent grants and/or contracts; 
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.
    Persons having questions about the nomination procedures, or who 
are unable to submit nominations through the SAB Web site, should 
contact Mr. Aaron Yeow, DFO, as indicated above in this notice. 
Nominations should be submitted in time to arrive no later than 
February 26, 2010. EPA values and welcomes diversity. In an effort to 
obtain nominations of diverse candidates, EPA encourages nominations of 
women and men of all racial and ethnic groups.
    The EPA SAB Staff Office will acknowledge receipt of nominations. 
The names and biosketches of qualified nominees identified by 
respondents to the Federal Register notice and additional experts 
identified by the SAB Staff will be posted on the SAB Web site at 
http://www.epa.gov/sab. Public comments on this list of candidates will 
be accepted for 21 calendar days. The public will be requested to 
provide relevant information or other documentation on nominees that 
the SAB Staff Office should consider in evaluating candidates.
    For the EPA SAB Staff Office, a balanced subcommittee or review 
panel includes 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. In 
establishing the SAB Panel, the SAB Staff Office will consider public 
comments on the list of candidates, information provided by the 
candidates themselves, and background information independently 
gathered by the SAB Staff Office. Selection criteria to be used for 
Panel membership include: (a) Scientific and/or technical

[[Page 6031]]

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; (e) 
skills working on committees, subcommittees and advisory panels for the 
Panel as a whole; and (f) diversity and balance among scientific 
expertise and viewpoints.
    The SAB Staff Office's evaluation of an absence of financial 
conflicts of interest will include a review of 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.
    The approved policy under which the EPA SAB Office selects 
subcommittees and review 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 January 28, 2010.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-2535 Filed 2-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P