[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10736-10737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4223]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)

AGENCY: Department of Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of partially closed meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a 
partially closed meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on 
Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the 
Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App.

DATES: Friday, March 9, 2012, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST).

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Carnegie Endowment for 
International Peace, (in the Root Room) at 1779 Massachusetts Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC, .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information regarding the meeting 
agenda, time, location, and how to register for the meeting is 
available on the PCAST Web site at: http://whitehouse.gov/ostp/pcast. A 
live video webcast and an archive of the webcast after the event are 
expected to be available at http://whitehouse.gov/ostp/pcast. The 
archived video will be available within one week of the meeting. 
Questions about the meeting should be directed to Dr. Deborah D. Stine, 
PCAST Executive Director, by email at: [email protected], or by 
telephone at (202) 456-6006. Please note that public seating for this 
meeting is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served 
basis.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The President's Council of Advisors on 
Science and Technology (PCAST) is an advisory group of the nation's 
leading scientists and engineers, appointed by the President to augment 
the science and technology advice available to him from inside the 
White House and from cabinet departments and other Federal agencies. 
See the Executive Order at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/pcast. PCAST 
is consulted about and provides analyses and recommendations concerning 
a wide range of issues where understandings from the domains of 
science, technology, and innovation may bear on the policy choices 
before the President. PCAST is co-chaired by Dr. John P. Holdren, 
Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, and Director, 
Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the 
President, The White House; and Dr. Eric S. Lander, President, Broad 
Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard.
    Type of Meeting: Open and Closed.
    Proposed Schedule and Agenda: The President's Council of Advisors 
on Science and Technology (PCAST) is scheduled to meet in open session 
on March 9, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Open Portion of Meeting: During this open meeting, PCAST is 
tentatively scheduled to hear from speakers who will provide an 
overview of the Department of Agriculture's science, technology, and 
innovation activities, and China and U.S. competitiveness. PCAST will 
also receive an update on the status of several of its studies 
including those on nanotechnology research and development, the future 
of the U.S. science and technology research enterprise, and advancing 
innovation in drug development and evaluation. Additional information 
and the agenda, including any changes that arise, will be posted at the 
PCAST Web site at: http://whitehouse.gov/ostp/pcast.
    Closed Portion of the Meeting: PCAST may hold a closed meeting of 
approximately one hour with the President on March 9, 2012, which must 
take place in the White House for the President's scheduling 
convenience and to maintain Secret Service protection. This meeting 
will be closed to the public because such portion of the meeting is 
likely to disclose matters that are to be kept secret in the interest 
of national defense or foreign policy under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1).
    Public Comments: It is the policy of the PCAST to accept written 
public comments of any length, and to accommodate oral public comments 
whenever possible. The PCAST expects that public statements presented 
at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted oral or 
written statements.
    The public comment period for this meeting will take place on March 
9, 2012, at a time specified in the meeting agenda posted on the PCAST 
Web site at http://whitehouse.gov/ostp/pcast. This public comment 
period is designed only for substantive commentary on PCAST's work, not 
for business marketing purposes.
    Oral Comments: To be considered for the public speaker list at the 
meeting, interested parties should register to speak at http://whitehouse.gov/ostp/pcast, no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard 
Time on March 1, 2012. Phone or email reservations will not be 
accepted. To accommodate as many speakers as possible, the time for 
public comments will be limited to two (2) minutes per person, with a 
total public comment period of 30 minutes. If more speakers register 
than there is space available on the agenda, PCAST will randomly select 
speakers from among those who applied. Those not selected to present 
oral comments may always file written comments with the committee. 
Speakers are requested to bring at least 25 copies of their oral 
comments for distribution to the PCAST members.
    Written Comments: Although written comments are accepted 
continuously, written comments should be submitted to PCAST no later 
than 12:00 p.m.

[[Page 10737]]

Eastern Standard Time on March 1, 2012, so that the comments may be 
made available to the PCAST members prior to this meeting for their 
consideration. Information regarding how to submit comments and 
documents to PCAST is available at http://whitehouse.gov/ostp/pcast in 
the section entitled ``Connect with PCAST.''
    Please note that because PCAST operates under the provisions of 
FACA, all public comments and/or presentations will be treated as 
public documents and will be made available for public inspection, 
including being posted on the PCAST Web site.
    Meeting Accommodations: Individuals requiring special accommodation 
to access this public meeting should contact Dr. Stine at least ten 
business days prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can 
be made.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 16, 2012.
Carol A. Matthews,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-4223 Filed 2-22-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P