[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2292-2293]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-716]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9618-6]


Request for Nominations for Peer Reviewers for the Draft Research 
Report Entitled, ``Investigation of Ground Water Contamination Near 
Pavillion, WY ''

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites public 
nominations of scientific experts to be considered as peer reviewers 
for the external review of the draft research report entitled, 
``Investigation of Ground Water Contamination near Pavillion, 
Wyoming.'' The draft research report was prepared by the National Risk 
Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL), within the EPA Office of 
Research and Development (ORD), and by EPA Region 8. EPA released the 
draft report for public comment on December 14, 2011 (see Federal 
Register Vol. 76, No. 240 at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-14/pdf/FR-2011-12-14.pdf). This draft report is not final as described 
in EPA's Information Quality Guidelines, and it does not represent and 
should not be construed to represent final Agency policy or views.
    Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), an EPA contractor for external 
peer review, will organize and conduct the external peer review. 
Nominees must have expertise in the areas described under ``Expertise 
Sought'' below, be free of any conflict of interest, and be available 
to participate in a one- to two-day peer review meeting that will take 
place in March or April, 2012 (exact date to be determined based on 
reviewer availability). ERG will consider and screen all nominated 
candidates against the selection criteria described under ``Reviewer 
Selection'' below. A second Federal Register notice will be published 
about one month prior to the external peer review meeting to provide 
the meeting date, location, and registration information. Additional 
details about the peer review process can be found at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_pr_agenda.cfm.
    The public comment period for ``Investigation of Ground Water 
Contamination near Pavillion, Wyoming'' began December 14, 2011, and 
ends January 27, 2012. Peer reviewers will be provided with all public 
comments for their consideration as they review the research report.

DATES: Nominations for scientific peer review should be submitted via 
email as soon as they are available, but no later than February 17, 
2012. Nominations should consist of the nominee's full name and their 
current email address or other contact information.

ADDRESSES: Peer reviewer nominations (including full name, email, and 
if available phone number) should be sent to [email protected] via 
email (preferred) or via facsimile at (781) 674-2906, Attn: Pavillion 
Peer Review.
    Background: Pavillion, Wyoming is located in Fremont County, about 
20 miles northwest of Riverton. The concern at the site is potential 
ground water contamination, based on resident complaints about smells, 
tastes, and adverse changes in water quality of their domestic wells. 
ORD and Region 8 have been collaborating to conduct a ground water 
investigation to better understand the basic ground water hydrology and 
how the constituents of concern may be occurring in the aquifer. A 
draft research report entitled ``Investigation of Ground Water 
Contamination near Pavillion, Wyoming'' was released on December 8, 
2011. Prior to the release of the draft report, a public meeting was 
held November 9, 2011, to discuss findings and interpretations of data 
from the Pavillion site. The draft report and further information can 
be found at http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/wy/pavillion/.
    Expertise Sought: EPA is seeking candidates who are nationally and/
or internationally recognized scientists and/or engineers, who can 
conduct a scientifically thorough and unbiased review of the document. 
Any qualified person may be nominated to be considered for this peer 
review. Individuals may self-nominate.
    Candidates must have a medium to high degree of experience and 
expertise (and numerous publications, research projects, or field 
experience) in one or more of the following areas:

--Petroleum Engineering (Natural gas, oil).
--Petroleum Geology (Particularly in hydraulic fracturing and well-
testing mechanical integrity).
--Hydrology/hydrogeology (In or near drilling areas).
--Geophysics, Environmental Engineering (As related to drilling and its 
effects).
--Water Quality (Studies of contaminated ground water, etc.).
--Organic/Inorganic Chemistry and Geochemistry (Chemical fate and 
transport, oxidation/reduction reactions, hydraulic fracturing 
chemistry and/or gas-liquid exchange and solubility).
--Conducting laboratory and/or field research on physical and 
biogeochemical processes in subsurface environments.
--Conducting computer-based research on physical and biogeochemical 
processes in subsurface environments.
--Conducting laboratory and/or field-based research in hydraulic 
fracturing.
--Conducting peer reviews of scientific and/or technical research 
studies and results for scientific/technical journal publications.

    Reviewer Selection: ERG will contact each nominee via email to 
request that they send to ERG a copy of their CV, fill out a calendar 
of availability, complete a detailed conflict-of-interest form, and 
fill out an expertise form. ERG will carefully consider all candidates 
nominated through this process and will conduct a parallel search for 
experts to assemble as broad a pool of initial candidates as possible. 
ERG will then screen all candidates against the criteria listed below 
to determine their suitability as peer reviewers. From among candidates 
who most strongly meet the selection criteria, ERG will select a final 
set of five to seven reviewers who, collectively, best provide 
expertise spanning the multiple areas listed above and, to the extent 
feasible, best provide a balance of perspectives.

Selection Criteria

--Demonstrated scientific credentials and disciplinary expertise in 
their field including:
    [cir] Scientific credentials equivalent to a Ph.D. or P.E., Sc.D
    [cir] Authorship on original publications and/or reviews in peer-
reviewed scientific journals.
    [cir] Significant professional accomplishments and recognition by 
professional societies.
--Absence of financial conflicts of interest.
--Absence of an appearance of lack of impartiality.
--Willingness and availability to commit time to the scientific peer 
review and to meet all required deadlines.
--Background experiences that would contribute to the diversity of 
perspectives of the peer reviewers.

[[Page 2293]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Foster, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, P.O. Box 1198, Ada, OK 74821; telephone: (580) 436-
8750: facsimile: (580) 436-8529; or email: [email protected]. To 
send Peer Review nomination, see ADDRESSES section above.

    Dated: January 5, 2012.
Cynthia Sonich-Mullin,
Director, National Risk Management Research Laboratory.
[FR Doc. 2012-716 Filed 1-13-12; 8:45 am]
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