[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33248-33249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12319]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice for solicitation of nominations.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 
U.S.C. App. 2, the U.S. Department of Energy is soliciting nomination 
for members to fill vacancies on the Biomass Research and Development 
Technical Advisory Committee (Committee).

DATES: Deadline for Technical Advisory Committee member nominations is 
June 30, 2016.

ADDRESSES: The nominee's name, resume, biography, and any letters of 
support must be submitted via one of the following methods:
    (1) Email: to [email protected].
    (2) Overnight delivery service to the Elliott Levine, Designated 
Federal Officer for the Committee, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Mail Stop EE-3B, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elliott Levine, Designated Federal 
Officer for the Committee, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20585; (202) 586-1476; Email: [email protected].
    Committee Web site: http://biomassboard.gov/committee/committee.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000 (Biomass Act) 
[Pub. L. 106-224] requires cooperation and coordination in biomass 
research and development (R&D) between the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The Biomass Act 
was repealed in June 2008 by section 9008 of the Food, Conservation and 
Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) [Pub. L. 110-246, 122 Stat. 1651, enacted 
June 18, 2008, H.R. 6124]. The Biomass Act was re-authorized in the 
Agricultural Act of 2014.
    FCEA section 9008(d) established the Biomass Research and 
Development Technical Advisory Committee and lays forth its meetings, 
coordination, duties, terms, and membership types. Committee members 
are paid travel and per diem for each meeting. The Committee must meet 
quarterly and should not duplicate the efforts of other Federal 
advisory committees. Meetings are typically two days in duration. Three 
meetings are held in the Washington DC area and the fourth is held at a 
site to be determined each year. The Committee advises DOE and USDA 
points of contact with respect to the Biomass R&D Initiative 
(Initiative) and priority technical biomass R&D needs and makes written 
recommendations to the Biomass R&D Board (Board). Those recommendations 
regard whether: (A) Initiative funds are distributed and used 
consistent with Initiative objectives; (B) solicitations are open and 
competitive with awards made annually; (C) objectives and evaluation 
criteria of the solicitations are clear; and (D) the points of contact 
are funding proposals selected on the basis of merit, and determined by 
an independent panel of qualified peers.
    The committee members may serve two, three-year terms and committee 
membership must include: (A) An individual affiliated with the biofuels 
industry; (B) an individual affiliated with the biobased industrial and 
commercial products industry; (C) an individual affiliated with an 
institution of higher education that has expertise in biofuels and 
biobased products; (D) two prominent engineers or scientists from 
government (non-federal) or academia that have expertise in biofuels 
and biobased products; (E) an individual affiliated with a commodity 
trade association; (F) two individuals affiliated with environmental or 
conservation organizations; (G) an individual associated with state 
government who has expertise in biofuels and biobased products; (H) an 
individual with expertise in energy and environmental analysis; (I) an 
individual with expertise in the economics of biofuels and biobased 
products; (J) an individual with expertise in agricultural economics; 
(K) an individual with expertise in plant biology and biomass feedstock 
development; (L) an individual with expertise in agronomy, crop 
science, or soil science; and (M) at the option of the points of 
contact, other members (REF: FCEA 2008 section 9008(d)(2)(A)). All 
nominees will be carefully reviewed for their expertise, leadership, 
and relevance to an expertise. Appointments

[[Page 33249]]

will be made for three-year terms, as dictated by the legislation.
    Nominations this year are needed for the following categories in 
order to address the Committee's needs: (E) An individual affiliated 
with a commodity trade association; and (J) an individual with 
expertise in agricultural economics. Nominations for other categories 
will also be accepted. Nomination categories C, D, H, I, J, K, L, and M 
are considered special Government employees and require submittal of an 
annual financial disclosure form. In addition to the required 
categories, other areas of expertise of interest to the Committee are 
individuals with expertise in process engineering related to 
biorefineries, or biobased coproducts that enable fuel production.
    Nominations are solicited from organizations, associations, 
societies, councils, federations, groups, universities, and companies 
that represent a wide variety of biomass research and development 
interests throughout the country. In your nomination letter, please 
indicate the specific membership category of interest. Each nominee 
must submit their resume and biography along with any letters of 
support by the deadline above. If you were nominated in previous years, 
but were not appointed to the committee and would still like to be 
considered, please submit your nomination package again in response to 
this Notice with all required materials. All nominees will be vetted 
before selection.
    Nominations are open to all individuals without regard to race, 
color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical 
handicap, marital status, or sexual orientation. To ensure that 
recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee take into account 
the needs of the diverse groups served by DOE, membership shall include 
(to the extent practicable), minorities, women, and persons with 
disabilities. Please note that registered lobbyists serving in an 
``individual capacity,'' individuals already serving another Federal 
Advisory Committee and Federal employees are ineligible for nomination.
    Appointments to the Biomass Research and Development Technical 
Advisory Committee will be made by the Secretary of Energy and the 
Secretary of Agriculture.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 19, 2016.
LaTanya R. Butler,
Deputy Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-12319 Filed 5-24-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P