[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48328-48329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19719]



[[Page 48328]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9187-1]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of 
Experts to Augment the Advisory Council on Clean Air Compliance 
Analysis (Council)

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 experts to augment the Advisory 
Council on Clean Air Compliance Analysis (Council) to review EPA's 
draft report to Congress on the climate effects of black carbon 
emissions.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by August 31, 2010 per 
instructions below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing 
further information regarding this Notice and Request for Nominations 
may contact Stephanie Sanzone, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB 
Staff Office, by telephone/voice mail at (202) 564-2067; by fax at 
(202) 565-2098 or via e-mail at [email protected]. General 
information concerning the Council can be found on the EPA SAB Web site 
at http://www.epa.gov/advisorycouncilcaa. Any inquiry regarding EPA's 
draft report to Congress on black carbon should be directed to Erika 
Sasser of EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) at 
[email protected] or (919) 541-3889.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: The Council was established in 1991 pursuant to the 
Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1990 (see 42 U.S.C. 7612) to provide 
advice, information and recommendations on technical and economic 
aspects of analyses and reports EPA prepares on the impacts of the CAA 
on the public health, economy, and environment of the United States. 
The Council is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee, and conducts 
business in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) 
(5 U.S.C. App. 2) and related regulations. Generally, Council meetings 
are announced in the Federal Register, conducted in public view, and 
provide opportunities for public input during deliberations. Staff 
support for the Council is provided by the SAB Staff Office. Additional 
information about the Council and its committees can be obtained on the 
SAB Web site at  http://www.epa.gov/advisorycouncilcaa.
    The October 2009 Interior Appropriations bill (Pub. L. 111-88) 
requires the EPA, in consultation with other Federal agencies, to 
prepare a comprehensive report to Congress on the climate effects of 
black carbon. Black carbon, or soot, results from incomplete combustion 
of organic matter such as fossil fuels and biomass. The report to 
Congress will evaluate and synthesize available information on sources 
of black carbon, impacts of black carbon on global and regional 
climate, and the potential utility and cost-effectiveness of mitigation 
options for reducing climate and public health impacts of black carbon.
    EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) have 
requested that the Council review the draft Report to Congress on Black 
Carbon to evaluate the report's scientific rigor and technical 
accuracy.

Request for Nominations

    To augment expertise on the Council, the SAB Staff Office is 
seeking nominations of recognized experts in global and regional 
climate modeling; aerosol atmospheric chemistry; air emissions 
inventories; ambient monitoring; emissions measurement; health effects 
of black carbon and fine particulate matter (PM2.5); black 
carbon/PM2.5 controls and associated costs; and benefits 
assessment. In particular, we seek nominees with knowledge of black 
carbon emissions, impacts, and control strategies.
    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 the Council for this review. Candidates also may nominate 
themselves. 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 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 August 31, 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 Ms. Sanzone, 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 and other sources, the SAB Staff Office will develop a list of 
candidates for more detailed consideration. The list of candidates will 
be posted on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/advisorycouncilcaa 
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 Staff Office, 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

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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: August 4, 2010.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-19719 Filed 8-9-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P