[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47067-47068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19310]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9712-6]


Notification of Two Public Quality Review Teleconferences of the 
Chartered Science Advisory Board

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces 
two public teleconferences of the chartered SAB to conduct quality 
reviews of: (1) An SAB draft review report on EPA's ecological 
assessment action plan and (2) an SAB draft review report on EPA's 
accounting framework for biogenic carbon dioxide emissions from 
stationary sources.

DATES: The public teleconference on August 28, 2012, will be held from 
2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The public teleconference on August 31, 2012, 
will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public teleconferences will be conducted by telephone 
only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing to 
obtain general information the quality review teleconferences should 
contact Dr. Angela Nugent, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA 
Science Advisory Board (1400R), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; via telephone/voice mail (202) 564-2218; fax 
(202) 565-2098 or via email at [email protected]. General

[[Page 47068]]

information concerning the EPA Science Advisory Board can be found on 
the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2, notice is hereby given that the EPA 
Science Advisory Board will hold two public teleconferences to conduct 
quality reviews of two SAB draft reports. The SAB was established 
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4365 to provide independent scientific and 
technical advice to the Administrator on the technical basis for Agency 
positions and regulations. The SAB is a Federal Advisory Committee 
under FACA. The SAB will comply with the provisions of FACA and all 
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.

Background

    Quality review is a key function of the chartered SAB. Draft 
reports prepared by SAB committees, panels, or work groups must be 
reviewed and approved by the chartered SAB before transmittal to the 
EPA Administrator. The chartered SAB makes a determination in an open, 
public meeting consistent with FACA about the quality of all draft 
reports and determines whether the report is ready to be transmitted to 
the EPA Administrator.
    August 28, 2012 teleconference. The purpose of the August 28, 2012 
teleconference is for the chartered SAB to conduct a quality review of 
a draft SAB report entitled ``SAB Review (7-24-12 Draft) of the EPA's 
Ecological Assessment Action Plan.'' The EPA's Office of the Science 
Advisor requested that the SAB review the agency's ecological 
assessment action plan developed in response to recommendations in a 
2007 SAB report, ``Advice to EPA on Advancing the Science and 
Application of Ecological Risk Assessment in Environmental Decision-
Making'' (EPA-SAB-08-002). Background information about this advisory 
activity can be found on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/RAF%20Eco%20Action%20Plan?OpenDocument.
    August 31, 2012 teleconference. The purpose of the August 31, 2012 
teleconference is for the chartered SAB to conduct a quality review of 
a draft SAB report entitled ``SAB Review (7-26-12 Draft) of EPA's 
Accounting Framework for Biogenic CO2 Emissions from 
Stationary Sources (September 2011).'' The EPA's Office of Air and 
Radiation requested the SAB review the scientific and technical issues 
associated with an agency draft framework that assesses options for 
accounting for carbon dioxide emissions from biogenic sources. 
Background information about this advisory activity can be found on the 
SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Accounting%20for%20biogenic%20CO2?OpenDocument.
    Availability of Meeting Materials: The agenda and other materials 
in support of the teleconferences will be placed on the SAB Web site at 
http://www.epa.gov/sab in advance of the teleconferences.
    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 relevant comments pertaining to the 
group providing advice, EPA's charge questions and EPA review or 
background documents. 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 the SAB panel 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 DFO 
for the relevant advisory committee directly. Oral Statements: In 
general, individuals or groups requesting time to make an oral 
presentation at a public SAB teleconference will be limited to three 
minutes, with no more than one-half hour for all speakers. Those 
interested in being placed on the public speakers list for the August 
28 and 31, 2012 teleconferences should contact Dr. Nugent at the 
contact information provided above by August 21, 2012. Written 
Statements: Written statements for the August 28, 2012, teleconference 
should be supplied to the DFO via email to [email protected] by 
August 21, 2012. Written statements for the August 31, 2012, 
teleconference should be supplied to the DFO via email to 
[email protected] by August 24, 2012. Written statements should be 
supplied in one of the following acceptable file format: Adobe Acrobat 
PDF, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, or Rich Text files in IBM-PC/Windows 98/
2000/XP format). Submitters are asked to provide versions of each 
document submitted with and without signatures, because the SAB Staff 
Office does not publish documents with signatures on its Web sites.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Dr. Nugent, as 
appropriate at the contact information provided above. To request 
accommodation of a disability, please contact her preferably at least 
10 days prior to the teleconference, to give EPA as much time as 
possible to process your request.

    Dated: July 26, 2012.
Thomas H. Brennan,
 Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2012-19310 Filed 8-6-12; 8:45 am]
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