[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34977-34978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14810]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9319-4]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office Notification of a Public 
Meeting of the Science Advisory Board Panel for the Review of Great 
Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan

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 face-to-face 
meeting of the SAB panel to review the interagency Great Lakes 
Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan (FY 2010-FY2014) that 
describes restoration priorities, goals, objectives, measurable 
ecological targets, and specific actions for the Great Lakes.

DATES: The meeting will be held on July 12, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 
p.m. and July 13, 2011 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Central Time).

ADDRESSES: The Panel meeting will be held at the Congress Plaza Hotel, 
520 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:  Any member of the public wishing further 
information regarding this meeting may contact Mr. Thomas Carpenter, 
Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB Staff Office, by telephone/voice 
mail at (202) 564-4885; by fax at (202) 565-2098 or via e-mail at 
[email protected]. General information concerning the EPA 
Science Advisory Board can be found at the EPA SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab. Any inquiry regarding the Great Lakes Restoration 
Initiative's Action Plan should be directed to Mr. Paul Horvatin, 
Chief, Monitoring Indicators and Reporting Branch, 
[email protected] (312) 353-3612, or Mr. Todd Nettesheim, 
[email protected] (312) 353-9153, U.S. EPA Great Lakes National 
Program Office, 77 West Jackson Boulevard (G-17J), Chicago, Illinois 
60604.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: The SAB was established pursuant to the Environmental 
Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDAA) 
codified at 42 U.S.C. 4365, to provide 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. The SAB will comply with the provisions of FACA and all 
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
    EPA is leading an interagency Great Lakes Restoration Initiative 
(GLRI) to protect and restore the chemical, biological, and physical 
integrity of the Great Lakes. The GLRI Action Plan is designed to 
target the most significant environmental problems in the region, as 
documented in extensive scientific studies, conferences and workshops. 
To guide the efforts of the GLRI, EPA and its Federal partners, through 
the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, developed a comprehensive 
multi-year Action Plan. The GLRI Action Plan identifies outcome-
oriented performance goals, objectives, measurable ecological targets, 
and specific actions for five major focus areas: Toxic substances and 
areas of concern; invasive species; near-shore health and nonpoint 
source pollution; habitat and wildlife protection and restoration; and 
accountability, education, monitoring, evaluation, communication, and 
partnerships. EPA is seeking SAB review and comment regarding the Great 
Lakes Restoration Initiative's Action Plan. The SAB Staff Office 
requested public nominations of experts to serve on a review panel to 
advise the Agency on scientific and technical issues related to the 
GRLI Action Plan (75 FR 185, 58383-58385, September 24, 2010). The SAB 
Staff Office sought nominations of nationally and internationally 
recognized scientists and engineers with demonstrated expertise and 
research or management experience in one or more of the following 
areas: Limnology, landscape ecology, restoration ecology, 
ecotoxicology, population biology, aquatic biology, fisheries and 
wildlife management, invasive species, water chemistry, environmental 
engineering, environmental monitoring, and environmental assessment. 
Information about formation of the panel, the Action Plan, and 
additional information describing the scientific background and basis 
for the Action Plan can be found at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Review%20of%20GLRI%20Action%20Plan?OpenDocument. The purpose of the 
July 12-13, 2011, meeting is for the Panel to discuss their review 
comments on The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan and 
scientific background document.
    Availability of the review materials: The GLRI Action Plan is 
available on the Great Lakes National Program Office Web site http://greatlakesrestoration.us/?page_id=24. The agenda, the GLRI Action 
Plan, and scientific background document are available at the SAB Web 
site http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Review%20of%20GLRI%20Action%20Plan?OpenDocument. For questions 
concerning the GLRI, please contact Paul Horvatin, Chief, Monitoring 
Indicators and Reporting Branch, U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program 
Office, 77 West Jackson Boulevard (G-17J), Chicago, Illinois 60604, 
phone (312) 353-3612; fax (312) 385-5456, or at [email protected].
    Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for 
consideration by EPA's Federal advisory committees and panels has a 
different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. 
Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a Federal advisory 
committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an 
EPA program office. Federal advisory committees and panels, including 
scientific advisory committees, provide independent advice to EPA. 
Members of the public can submit comments for a Federal advisory 
committee to consider as it develops advice for EPA. Input from the 
public to the SAB will have the most impact if it consists of comments 
that provide specific scientific or technical information or analysis 
for SAB panels to consider or if it relates to the clarity or accuracy 
of the technical information. Members of the public wishing to provide 
comment should contact the Designated Federal Officer for the relevant 
advisory committee directly. Oral Statements: In general, individuals 
or groups requesting an oral presentation at this public meeting will 
be limited to five minutes per speaker. Interested parties should 
contact Mr. Thomas Carpenter, DFO, in writing (preferably via e-mail), 
at the contact information noted above, by June 28, 2011 to be placed 
on the list of public speakers for the meeting. Written Statements: 
Written statements should be received in the SAB Staff Office by July 
5, 2011 so that the information may be made available to the SAB Panel 
for their consideration. Written statements should be supplied to the 
DFO in the following formats: One hard copy with

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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: One each 
with and without signatures, because the SAB Staff Office does not 
publish documents with signatures on its Web sites. It is the SAB Staff 
Office general policy to post written comments on the Web page for the 
advisory meeting or teleconference. Members of the public should be 
aware that their contact information, if included in any written 
comments, will appear on the SAB Web page. Furthermore, special care 
should be taken not to include copyrighted material.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Mr. Thomas Carpenter 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: June 9, 2011.
Vanessa T. Vu,
 Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2011-14810 Filed 6-14-11; 8:45 am]
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