[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 174 (Wednesday, September 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54274-54275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-22614]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: Department of Defense.

ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense (DoD) is publishing this notice to 
announce that it is renewing the charter for the Strategic 
Environmental Research and Development Program Scientific Advisory 
Board (``the Board'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee 
Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This committee's charter is being renewed 
pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904 and in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended) and 41 
CFR 102-3.50(a).
    The Board is a non-discretionary Federal advisory committee. 
Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(e), the Strategic Environmental Research and 
Development Program Council (``the Council'') shall refer to the Board, 
and the 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 Board's review process, has lowered the 
dollar threshold for referral by the Council to the Board to any 
proposed research project in excess of $900,000. The Board shall make 
any recommendations to the Council that the Board considers appropriate 
regarding such project or proposal.
    The 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 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).
    The 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 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).
    The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the 
USD(AT&L) and the Strategic Environmental Research and Development 
Program, provides support for the Board's performance functions and 
ensures compliance with the requirements of the FACA, the Government in 
the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended) (``the Sunshine 
Act''), governing Federal statutes and regulations, and established DoD 
policies and procedures.
    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 appoint not less than 
six and not more than 14 members.
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(b), the Board membership shall be 
composed of the following:
    a. Permanent members of the Board are the Science Advisor to the 
President and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration or their respective designees;
    b. Non-permanent members of the 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 Board shall be a representative of 
environmental public interest groups, and one such member

[[Page 54275]]

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:
    a. the head of the National Academy of Sciences, 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 Board;
    b. the Council on Environmental Quality nominate for appointment to 
the Board at least one person who is a representative of environmental 
public interest groups; and
    c. the National Association of Governors nominate for appointment 
to the Board at least one person who is a representative of the 
interests of State governments.
    The 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 Board's Chair by the members of the Board.
    The 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 Board's Chair by the members of the Board. 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 or consultants pursuant to 
5 U.S.C. 3109 to serve as special government employee (SGE) members. 
Board members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers 
or employees will be appointed pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a) to serve 
as regular government employee (RGE) members.
    SGE 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 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. Appendix, as amended).
    The members shall be appointed for terms of not less than two and 
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 renewed 
by the Secretary of Defense on an annual basis. Members shall not serve 
more than two consecutive terms of service, unless authorized by the 
Secretary of Defense. With the exception of reimbursement of official 
Board-related travel and per diem, members of the Board serve without 
compensation.
    DoD, when necessary and consistent with the Board's mission and DoD 
policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees, task forces, or 
working groups to support the Board. Establishment of subcommittees 
will be based upon a written determination, to include terms of 
reference, by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense, or the USD(AT&L), as the Board's Sponsor.
    Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the Board and 
shall report all of their recommendations and advice solely to the 
Board for full and open deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees, 
task forces, or working groups have no authority to make decisions and 
recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board. No 
subcommittee or any of its members can update or report, verbally or in 
writing, on behalf of the Board, directly to the DoD or any Federal 
officer or employee.
    Each subcommittee member, based upon his or her individual 
professional experience, provides his or her best judgment on the 
matters before the Board, and he or she does so in a manner that is 
free from conflict of interest. All subcommittee members will be 
appointed by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense for a term of service of two-to-four years, with annual 
renewals, even if the individual in question is already a member of the 
Board. Subcommittee members will not serve more than two consecutive 
terms of service, unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense or the 
Deputy Secretary of Defense.
    Subcommittee members who are not full-time or permanent part-time 
Federal officers or employees will be appointed as experts or 
consultants pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109 to serve as SGE members. 
Subcommittee members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal 
officers or employees will be appointed pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a) 
to serve as RGE members. With the exception of reimbursement of 
official travel and per diem related to the Board or its subcommittees, 
subcommittee members will serve without compensation.
    All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the 
Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and 
established DoD policies and procedures.
    The Board's Designated Federal Officer (DFO) must be a full-time or 
permanent part-time DoD officer or employee, appointed in accordance 
with established DoD policies and procedures. The Board's DFO is 
required to attend at all meetings of the Board and its subcommittees 
for the entire duration of each and every meeting. However, in the 
absence of the Board's DFO, a properly approved Alternate DFO, duly 
appointed to the Board according to established DoD policies and 
procedures, must attend the entire duration of all meetings of the 
Board and its subcommittees.
    The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, calls all meetings of the Board and 
its subcommittees; prepares and approves all meeting agendas; and 
adjourns any meeting when the DFO, or the Alternate DFO, determines 
adjournment to be in the public interest or required by governing 
regulations or DoD policies and procedures.
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2904(d), the minimum number of Board meetings 
is four per year. Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the 
public or interested organizations may submit written statements to 
Board membership about the Board's mission and functions. Written 
statements may be submitted at any time or in response to the stated 
agenda of planned meeting of the Board.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the DFO for the Board, 
and this individual will ensure that the written statements are 
provided to the membership for their consideration. Contact information 
for the Board's DFO can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database--
http://www.facadatabase.gov/.
    The DFO, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned 
meetings of the Board. The DFO, 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 2, 2015.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2015-22614 Filed 9-8-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P