[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52330-52331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21337]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9722-1]


 Request for Additional Nominations of Candidates for the EPA's 
Science Advisory Board (SAB), Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites public 
nominations of additional scientific experts to be considered for 
appointment to the EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) Chemical 
Assessment Advisory Committee (CAAC) to provide advice through the 
chartered SAB regarding Toxicological Reviews of environmental 
chemicals available on EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).

DATES: Nominations should be submitted in time to arrive no later than 
September 19, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nominators unable to submit 
nominations electronically as described below may submit a paper copy 
to the Designated Federal Officer for the committee, Mr. Aaron Yeow, 
DFO by email at [email protected] or contact him by telephone at 202-
564-2050.
    Background: The chartered SAB (the Board) was established in 1978 
by the Environmental Research, Development and Demonstration Act (42 
U.S.C. 4365) to provide independent advice to the Administrator on 
general scientific and technical matters underlying the Agency's 
policies and actions. Members of the SAB and its subcommittees 
constitute a distinguished body of non-EPA scientists, engineers, 
economists, and social scientists that are nationally and 
internationally-recognized experts in their respective fields from 
academia, industry, state, and tribal governments, research institutes, 
and non-governmental organizations. Members are appointed by the EPA 
Administrator for a period of three years. The SAB conducts business in 
accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. 
App. 2) and related regulations. Generally, SAB meetings are announced 
in the Federal Register, conducted in public view, and provide 
opportunities for public input during deliberations. All the work of 
the SAB subcommittees is performed under the direction of the Board. 
The chartered Board provides strategic advice to the EPA Administrator 
on a variety of EPA science and research programs and reviews and 
approves all SAB subcommittee and panel reports. Additional information 
about the SAB Federal Advisory Committees may be found on the SAB Web 
site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
    The U.S. EPA SAB Staff Office announced in a Federal Register 
Notice (Vol. 76, No. 223, pp. 71561-62) published on November 18, 2011, 
that it was forming a new committee under the auspices of the SAB to 
provide advice to EPA through the chartered SAB regarding the 
development of IRIS Toxicological Reviews. The SAB Staff Office sought 
public nominations of nationally and internationally recognized experts 
with knowledge in human health risk assessment and expertise in a range 
of disciplines including, but not limited to: public health; 
epidemiology; toxicology; modeling; biostatistics; and risk assessment. 
The SAB Staff Office invited public comments on the list of candidates 
being considered for appointment to the CAAC, which was announced in a 
Federal Register Notice (Vol. 77, No. 40, p. 12302) published on 
February 29, 2012. The list of candidates is available at: http://
yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/WebBOARD/CAACListofCandidates/
$File/bio%20list%20of%20candidatesw-memo022912.pdf. The SAB Staff 
Office is seeking additional scientific experts to be considered for 
appointment to the CAAC.
    Expertise Sought: The SAB Staff Office is seeking nominations of 
additional experts to serve on the SAB CAAC with expertise in health 
disparities to sensitive and susceptible populations. There is no need 
to resubmit nominations for individuals already on the list of 
candidates. For further information, please contact Mr. Aaron Yeow, 
DFO, by telephone at 202-564-2050 or by email at [email protected].
    Selection criteria include:

--Demonstrated scientific credentials and disciplinary expertise in 
their own fields;
--Willingness to commit time to the committee and demonstrated ability 
to work constructively and effectively on committees;
--Absence of financial conflicts of interest;
--Absence of an appearance of a lack of impartiality;
--Background and experiences that would contribute to the diversity of 
perspectives on the committee, e.g., geographic, economic, social, 
cultural, educational backgrounds, and professional affiliations; and
--For the committee as a whole, consideration of the collective breadth 
and depth of scientific expertise; and a balance of scientific 
perspectives.
    How to Submit Nominations: Any interested person or organization 
may nominate qualified persons to be considered for appointment to this 
advisory committee. Individuals may self-nominate. Nominations should 
be submitted in electronic format (preferred) following the 
instructions for ``Nominating Experts to the Chemical Assessment 
Advisory Committee'' 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/sab. To be 
considered, all nominations should include the information requested. 
EPA values and welcomes diversity. In an effort to obtain nominations 
of diverse candidates, EPA encourages nominations of women and men of 
all racial and ethnic groups.
    Nominators are asked to identify the specific committee for which 
nominees are to be considered. The following information should be 
provided on the nomination form: contact information about the person 
making the nomination; contact information about the nominee; the 
disciplinary and specific areas of expertise of the

[[Page 52331]]

nominee; the nominee's curriculum vita; and a biographical sketch of 
the nominee indicating current position, educational background; 
research activities; sources of research funding; 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 the Designated Federal Officer for the committee, 
as identified above. Non-electronic submissions must follow the same 
format and contain the same information as the electronic form. The SAB 
Staff Office will acknowledge receipt of nominations and in that 
acknowledgement will invite the nominee to provide any additional 
information that the nominee feels would be useful in considering the 
nomination, such as availability to participate as a member of the 
committee; how the nominee's background, skills and experience would 
contribute to the diversity of the committee; and any concerns the 
nominee has regarding membership. The names and biosketches of 
qualified nominees identified by respondents to this Federal Register 
notice, and additional experts identified by the SAB Staff, will be 
posted in a List of Candidates on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab. Public comments on this List of Candidates will be 
accepted for 21 days. The public will be requested to provide relevant 
information or other documentation on nominees that the SAB Staff 
Office should consider in evaluating candidates.
    Candidates invited to serve will be asked to submit 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 EPA to determine whether there is a statutory conflict 
between that person's public responsibilities as a Special Government 
Employee and private interests and activities, or the appearance of a 
lack of impartiality, as defined by Federal regulation. The form may be 
viewed and downloaded through the ``Ethics Requirements for Advisors'' 
link on the blue navigational bar on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.

    Dated: August 21, 2012.
 Thomas Brennan,
 Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2012-21337 Filed 8-28-12; 8:45 am]
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