[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64726-64727]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26448]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9215-6]


 Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of 
Experts To Serve on the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) 
Air Monitoring and Methods Subcommittee (AMMS)

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 serve on the Clean Air 
Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) Air Monitoring and Methods 
Subcommittee (AMMS).

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by November 10, 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 Dr. Holly Stallworth, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB 
Staff Office, by telephone/voice mail at (202) 564-2073; by fax at 
(202) 565-2098 or via e-mail at [email protected]. General 
information concerning the CASAC can be found on the EPA CASAC Web site 
at http://www.epa.gov/casac.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The Clean Air Scientific 
Advisory Committee (CASAC) was established under section 109(d)(2) of 
the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) (42 U.S.C. 7409) as an independent 
scientific advisory committee. CASAC provides advice, information and 
recommendations on the scientific and technical aspects of air quality 
criteria and national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) under 
sections 108 and 109 of the Act.
    Section 109(d)(1) of the CAA requires that the Agency periodically 
review and revise, as appropriate, the air quality criteria and the 
National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the six ``criteria'' 
air pollutants. EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards 
(OAQPS) requests independent review and advice from CASAC on the 
following subjects:
     Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX)-Sulfur Oxides (SOX) Monitoring 
and Network Design--A review of candidate methods for assessing levels 
of N and S deposition; specifically constituents such as particulate 
sulfate, total oxidized nitrogen (NOy), sulfur dioxide 
(SO2), and ammonia gas and ammonia ion combined 
(NHX) in the assessment of an Atmospheric Acidification 
Potential Index, and the potential network design for a monitoring 
system in support of a secondary NOX/SOX NAAQS.
     Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS): 
Network Re-engineering--Advice on potential revisions to the technical 
and regulatory aspects of the PAMS program; including changes to 
required measurements and associated network design requirements and a 
review of appropriate technology, sampling frequency, and overall 
program objectives in the context of the most recently revised ozone 
NAAQS and changes to atmospheric chemistry that have occurred over the 
past 10-15 years in the most significantly impacted areas.
     Network Design Guidance Development for Near-road Ambient 
Air Monitoring Requirements: Multi-pollutant Focus--Review of the 
progress of a pilot monitoring study including site selection, planned 
measurements, and timeline; review of EPA's Near-road Network Design 
Technical Assistance Document (first Draft) including assessment of 
procedures for identifying maximum site location(s) including 
dispersion modeling and evaluation of potential biasing factors and 
recommended measurements for near-road compliance network; and a review 
of the role of alternative technology such as passive measurement in 
compliance and research monitoring studies.
     Methods for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)--Advice on 
potential improvements to TO-15 with particular emphasis on improving 
the characterization of acrolein; review method revisions for canister 
cleaning procedures, preparation of calibration standards, performance 
testing protocols, and subsequent changes to air quality system 
reporting procedures; advice on improvements for TO-13A methodology for 
compounds such as naphthalene, other polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) 
and branched PAHs; and advice on role of new technology in 
characterizing volatile and semi-volatile compounds on a real-time or 
near real-time basis.
    In response to OAQPS request, the Science Advisory Board Staff 
Office is requesting public nominations of scientific and technical 
experts to form a new subcommittee of the CASAC to provide advice on 
the four advisory topics as described above. This subcommittee, the 
CASAC Air Monitoring and Methods Subcommittee (AAMS) may in the future 
address additional monitoring and methods issues related to other 
criteria pollutants and hazardous air pollutants. The AMMS will provide 
independent advice to the Administrator through the CASAC, a chartered 
Federal Advisory Committee, under the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C. App.). The AMMS will comply with the 
provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural 
policies.
    Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking 
nominations of recognized, national experts in one or more of the 
following disciplines: Atmospheric sciences, dispersion modeling, 
atmospheric chemistry, ecosystem modeling, aquatic chemistry, 
environmental science and engineering, risk assessment, and statistical 
analysis. In particular, we seek nominees with knowledge of ambient air 
monitoring methods for criteria pollutants and air toxics, ambient air 
network design, environmental data analysis, quality assurance, 
dispersion modeling, emission inventories for point and mobile sources, 
source apportionment techniques, atmospheric chemistry, meteorology, 
and assessment of ecosystem impacts.
    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'' http://www.epa.gov/sab 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/casac. To 
receive full consideration, nominations should include all of the 
information requested, and should be submitted in time to arrive no 
later than November 10, 2010. EPA values and welcomes diversity. In an 
effort to obtain nominations of diverse

[[Page 64727]]

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. Stallworth, 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 Subcommittee 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/casac 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 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: October 14, 2010.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-26448 Filed 10-19-10; 8:45 am]
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