[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 10, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55242-55244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-21917]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: DoD.

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ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense gives notice that it is renewing the 
charter for the Strategic Environmental Research and Development 
Program Scientific Advisory Board. The Advisory Board may make 
recommendations to the Strategic Environmental Research and Development 
Program Council regarding technologies, research, projects, programs, 
activities, and, if appropriate, funding within the scope of the 
Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program Scientific 
Advisory Board.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Deputy Advisory Committee 
Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-601-6128.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This committee is being renewed under the 
provisions of 10 U.S.C. 2904, the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 
1972, (5 U.S.C. Appendix), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 
(5 U.S.C. 552b), and 41 CFR 102-3.50.
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(a), the Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, shall jointly establish the Strategic 
Environmental Research and Development Program Scientific Advisory 
Board. The Advisory Board, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904, shall operate 
and comply with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 
1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix), and 41 CFR 102-3.50(a).
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2902 and 2904(e), the Strategic Environmental 
Research and Development Program Council (hereafter referred to as the 
Council), shall refer to the Advisory Board, and the Advisory Board 
shall review, each proposed research project including its estimated 
cost, for research in and development of technologies related to 
environmental activities in excess of $1,000,000. The Council, pursuant 
to its responsibilities under 10 U.S.C. 2902(d)(1) and in an effort to 
enhance the Advisory Board's review process, has lowered the Advisory 
Board's dollar threshold to any proposed research projects in excess of 
$900,000. The Advisory Board shall make any recommendations to the 
Council that the Advisory Board considers appropriate regarding such 
project or proposal.
    The Advisory Board may make recommendations to the Council 
regarding technologies, research, projects, programs, activities, and, 
if appropriate, funding within the scope of the Strategic Environmental 
Research and Development Program. In addition, the Advisory Board shall 
assist and advise the Council in identifying the environmental data and 
analytical assistance activities that should be covered by the policies 
and procedures prescribed pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2902(d)(1).
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(e), the Advisory Board shall make any 
recommendations to the Council that the Advisory Board considers 
appropriate regarding projects or proposals. The Advisory Board, 
pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(a), shall be comprised of not more than 14 
members. Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(b), the Advisory Board membership 
shall be comprised of the following:
    a. Permanent members of the Advisory Board are the Science Advisor 
to the President, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, or their designees;
    b. Non-permanent members of the Advisory Board shall be appointed 
from among persons eminent in the fields of basic sciences, 
engineering, ocean and environmental sciences, education, research 
management, international and security affairs, health physics, health 
sciences, or social sciences, with due regard given to the equitable 
representation of scientists and engineers who are women or who 
represent minority groups. One such member of the Advisory Board shall 
be a representative of environmental public interest groups, and one 
such member shall be a representative of the interests of State 
governments.
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(b)(3), the Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, shall request that the:
    a. Head of the National Academy of Science, in consultation with 
the head of the National Academy of Engineering and the head of the 
Institutes of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, nominate 
persons for appointment to the Advisory Board;
    b. Council of Environmental Quality nominate for appointment to the 
Advisory Board at least one person who is a representative of 
environmental public interest groups; and
    c. National Association of Governors nominate for appointment to 
the Advisory Board at least one person who is a representative of the 
interests of State governments.
    The Advisory Board, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(d), shall develop 
procedures for carrying out its responsibilities. Such procedures shall 
define a quorum as a majority of the members, and shall provide for the 
annual election of the Advisory Board's chairperson.
    The permanent Advisory Board members, defined above, shall be 
appointed as regular government employee members, and their 
appointments shall be based upon their official position in the Federal 
government. Both individuals may designate another regular government 
officer or employee from their offices to represent their interests 
before the Advisory Board.
    Advisory Board members appointed by the Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of Energy, who are not full-time or permanent part-time 
federal officers or employees, shall be appointed as experts and 
consultants under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109, and serve as special 
government employee members.
    While the Council of Environmental Quality and the National 
Association of Governors nominate individuals to represent certain 
interests, these individuals are appointed by the Secretary of Defense 
and, these individuals, along with the other members, to include the 
regular government employee members, are appointed to provide advice on 
the basis of their best judgment without representing any particular 
point of view and in a manner that is free from conflict of interest. 
Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(h), each member of the Advisory Board shall 
be required to file a financial disclosure report under title I of the 
Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).
    With the exception of those experts and consultants that are 
appointed members of the Advisory Board, all others, to include subject 
matter experts that are invited by the Advisory Board or experts and 
consultants that are from the general public attending meetings are not 
authorized to participate in the Advisory Board's deliberations.
    The terms of member appointments shall not be less than two but not 
more than four years, as provided in 10 U.S.C. 2904(b)(4) and approved 
by the Secretary of Defense. All appointments shall be reviewed by the 
Secretary of Defense on an annual basis.
    With the exception of travel and per diem for official travel, 
Advisory Board members shall serve without compensation.
    With DoD approval, the Advisory Board is authorized to establish 
subcommittees, as necessary and consistent with its mission, and these 
subcommittees shall operate under the

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provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the 
Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), and other 
appropriate Federal regulations.
    Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the chartered 
Advisory Board, and shall report all their recommendations and advice 
to the Advisory Board for full deliberation and discussion. 
Subcommittees have no authority to make decisions on behalf of the 
chartered Advisory Board; nor can they report directly to the 
Department of Defense or any Federal officers or employees who are not 
Advisory Board members.
    Subcommittee members, who are not Advisory Board members, shall be 
appointed in the same manner as the Advisory Board members. Such 
individuals, if not full-time or part-time government employees, shall 
be appointed to serve as experts and consultants under the authority of 
5 U.S.C. 3109, and serve as special government employee members, whose 
appointments must be renewed on an annual basis. With the exception of 
per diem for official travel, subcommittee members shall serve without 
compensation.
    The Advisory Board shall meet at the call of the Advisory Board's 
Designated Federal Officer, in consultation with the Chairperson. 
Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(d), the minimum number of Advisory Board 
meetings is four per year.
    The Designated Federal Officer, pursuant to DoD policy, shall be a 
full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee, and shall be appointed 
in accordance with governing DoD policies and procedures. In addition, 
the Designated Federal Officer is required to be in attendance at all 
Advisory Board and subcommittee meetings for the entire duration of 
each and every meeting; however, in the absence of the Designated 
Federal Officer, the Alternate Designated Federal Officer shall attend 
the entire duration of the Advisory Board or subcommittee meeting.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations may submit written statements to the Strategic 
Environmental Research and Development Program Scientific Advisory 
Board's membership about the Advisory Board's mission and functions. 
Written statements may be submitted at any time or in response to the 
stated agenda of planned meeting of Strategic Environmental Research 
and Development Program Scientific Advisory Board.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the Designated Federal 
Officer for the Strategic Environmental Research and Development 
Program Scientific Advisory Board, and this individual will ensure that 
the written statements are provided to the membership for their 
consideration. Contact information for the Strategic Environmental 
Research and Development Program Scientific Advisory Board Designated 
Federal Officer can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database--http://www.facadatabase.gov/.
    The Designated Federal Officer, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will 
announce planned meetings of the Strategic Environmental Research and 
Development Program Scientific Advisory Board. The Designated Federal 
Officer, at that time, may provide additional guidance on the 
submission of written statements that are in response to the stated 
agenda for the planned meeting in question.

    Dated: September 4, 2013.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2013-21917 Filed 9-9-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P