[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 77 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20992-20993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9359]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9140-8]


 Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of 
Experts To Augment the SAB Ecological Processes and Effects Committee 
(EPEC)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is 
requesting public nominations of non-EPA experts to augment the SAB 
Ecological Processes and Effects Committee (EPEC) to review the design, 
scope, and progress of EPA research to model, monitor, and map 
ecosystem services.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by May 13, 2010 per instructions 
below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Any member of the public wishing further 
information regarding this Notice and Request for Nominations may 
contact Dr. Thomas Armitage, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB 
Staff Office, by telephone/voice mail at (202) 343-9995; 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. Any inquiry regarding 
EPA's Ecosystem Services Research Program should be directed to Dr. 
Rick Linthurst of EPA's Office of Research and Development at 
[email protected] or (919) 541-4909 or Ms. Iris Goodman of EPA's 
Office of Research and Development at [email protected] or 202-343-
9854.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The SAB (42 U.S.C. 4365) is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee 
that provides independent scientific and technical peer review, advice, 
consultation, and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the 
technical basis for EPA actions. As a Federal Advisory Committee, the 
SAB conducts business in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and related regulations. Generally, SAB 
meetings are announced in the Federal Register, conducted in public 
view, and provide opportunities for public input during deliberations. 
The Ecological Processes and Effects Committee is a standing committee 
of the chartered SAB. Additional information about the SAB and its 
committees can be obtained on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
    In 2008, the Science Advisory Board (SAB) (see http://
yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/3F81610BFF770E30852574D600718D4F/
$File/EPA-SAB-08-011-unsigned.pdf) reviewed the EPA Office of Research 
and Development (ORD) draft Ecological Research Program Multi-Year 
Plan. The draft Plan articulated a new strategic direction for 
ecological research focused on understanding ecosystem services and 
their contribution to human health and well-being. In 2009, the SAB 
provided additional consultative advice and recommendations regarding 
EPA implementation of the Ecosystem Services Research Program (ESRP) 
(see http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/
91190EEC56A44B3F85257641006BB7D7/$File/EPA-SAB-09-019-unsigned.pdf).
    ORD has requested further SAB review of the design, scope, and 
progress of ESRP research to model, monitor, and map ecosystem 
services. EPA's ESRP monitoring, mapping, and modeling research aims to 
provide a publicly accessible, scalable, national atlas; a design 
framework to inventory ecosystem services; and integrated models for 
selected ecosystem services that can be directly or indirectly 
quantified.

Request for Nominations

    To augment expertise on the SAB EPEC, the SAB Staff Office is 
seeking nominations of recognized experts in ecology, environmental 
economics, social and behavioral science, geographic information 
systems, and spatial analysis. In particular, we seek nominees with 
knowledge of: (1) Indicators of ecosystem services; (2) ecosystem 
services monitoring design; (3) landscape ecology principles, 
especially as related to ecosystem service indicators and atlas design; 
and (4) methods to facilitate the integration and interoperability of 
models to estimate baseline ecosystem services and their response to 
stressors, including changes in land use, pollutants, and climate 
change.

Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations

    Any interested person or organization may nominate individuals 
qualified in the area of science as described above to be considered 
for appointment to augment this SAB Committee. Candidates may also 
nominate themselves. Nominations should be submitted in electronic 
format (which is preferred over hard copy) following the

[[Page 20993]]

instructions for ``Nominating Experts to Advisory Panels and Ad Hoc 
Committees Being Formed'' provided on the SAB Web site. The form 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, and should be submitted in time to arrive no 
later than May 13, 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.
    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 grant and/or contract 
support; 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 Dr. Thomas Armitage, DFO, at the contact information provided 
above in this notice. Non-electronic submissions must follow the same 
format and contain the same information as the electronic.
    The SAB Staff Office will acknowledge receipt of the nomination and 
inform nominees of the Committee for which they have been nominated. 
From the nominees identified by respondents to this Federal Register 
notice (termed the ``Widecast'') and other sources, the SAB Staff 
Office will develop a smaller subset (known as the ``list of 
candidates'') for more detailed consideration. The list of candidates 
will be posted on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab and will 
include, for each candidate, the nominee's name and biosketch. Public 
comments on the list of candidates 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 
Committee.
    For the SAB, a balanced Committee is characterized by inclusion of 
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. Public responses to the 
list of candidates will be considered in the selection of the 
Committee, along with information provided by candidates and 
information gathered by SAB Staff independently concerning the 
background of each candidate (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 evaluation of 
an individual Committee member 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; (e) ability to 
work constructively and effectively in committees; and (f) for the 
Committee as a whole, diversity of scientific expertise and viewpoints.
    Prospective candidates will 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. Ethics information, including EPA 
Form 3110-48, is available on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/Web/ethics?OpenDocument.

     Dated: April 15, 2010.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-9359 Filed 4-21-10; 8:45 am]
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