[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43358-43359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19698]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2015-0239; FRL-9967-16-ORD]


Human Studies Review Board Advisory Committee; Request for 
Nominations

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites 
nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates with expertise 
in the area of bioethics and statistics to be considered for 
appointment to its Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) federal advisory 
committee. HSRB vacancies will be filled in the fall of 2017. In 
addition to this Federal Register notice, additional sources of 
nominations may be used to obtain a balanced committee.

DATES: Submit nominations by October 16, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your nominations by using any of the following 
methods:
    Email: Submit nominations electronically using the subject line: 
``HSRB Membership 2017'' to [email protected].
    USPS Mail: Human Studies Review Board, DFO, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail code: 8105R, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
    Hand or Courier Delivery: Human Studies Review Board, DFO, Room 
41249, EPA, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 
MC8105R, Washington, DC 20004. Deliveries are accepted from 8:30 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. Special 
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas O'Farrell, Office of the 
Science Advisor, Mail Code 8105R, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 
(202) 564-8451, fax number: (202) 564-2070, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On February 6, 2006, the Agency published a final rule for the 
protection of human subjects in research (71 FR 24 6138) that called 
for creating a new, independent human studies review board (i.e., 
HSRB). The HSRB is a federal advisory committee operating in accordance 
with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) 5 U.S.C. App. 2 section 
9 (Pub. L. 92-463). The HSRB provides advice, information, and 
recommendations to EPA on issues related to scientific and ethical 
aspects of human subjects research. The major objectives of the HSRB 
are to provide advice and recommendations on: (1) Research proposals 
and protocols that include human subjects; (2) reports of completed 
research with human subjects; and (3) how to strengthen EPA's programs 
for protection of human subjects of research. Typically, the HSRB 
reviews protocols and completed studies involving pesticide studies, 
such as worker exposure studies with agricultural handlers applying 
pesticides in field conditions; janitorial maintenance personnel 
applying antimicrobial pesticides in commercial settings; and field 
efficacy studies for skin applied insect repellent products. The HSRB 
reports to the EPA Administrator through EPA's Science Advisor. General 
information concerning the HSRB, including its charter, current 
membership, and activities can be found on the EPA Web site at https://www.epa.gov/osa/human-studies-review-board.
    HSRB members serve as special government employees or regular 
government employees. Members are appointed by the EPA Administrator 
for either two or three year terms with the possibility of 
reappointment for additional terms, with a maximum of six years of 
service. The HSRB convenes up to four times a year, with most of the 
meetings being virtual. The average workload for HSRB members is 
approximately 20 hours per meeting, including the time spent at the 
meeting. Responsibilities of HSRB members include reviewing extensive 
background materials prior to meetings of the Board, preparing draft 
responses to Agency charge questions, attending Board meetings, 
participating in the discussion and deliberations at these meetings, 
drafting assigned sections of meeting reports, and assisting with the 
finalization of HSRB reports. EPA compensates special government 
employees for their time and provides reimbursement for travel and 
other incidental expenses associated with official government business 
related to the HSRB meetings. 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, as well 
as from a variety of backgrounds (e.g., industry, non-profit 
organizations, academia, and government).
    Candidates not selected for HSRB membership at this time may be 
considered for HSRB membership as vacancies arise in the future or for 
service as consultants to the HSRB.
    Members of the HSRB are subject to the provisions of 5 CFR part 
2634, Executive Branch Financial Disclosure, as supplemented by the EPA 
in 5 CFR part 6401. In anticipation of this requirement, each nominee 
will be asked to submit confidential financial information that fully 
discloses, among other financial interests, the candidate's employment, 
stocks and bonds, and where applicable, sources of research support. 
The information provided is strictly confidential and will not be 
disclosed to the public. Before a candidate is considered further for 
service on the HSRB, EPA will evaluate each candidate to assess whether 
there is any conflict of financial interest, appearance of a lack of 
impartiality, or prior involvement with matters likely to be reviewed 
by the Board.

[[Page 43359]]

    Nominations will be evaluated on the basis of several criteria, 
including: The professional background, expertise, and experience that 
would contribute to the diversity of perspectives of the committee; 
interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills and other 
attributes that would contribute to the HSRB's collaborative process; 
consensus building skills; absence of any financial conflicts of 
interest or the appearance of a lack of impartiality, or lack of 
independence, or bias; and the availability to participate in meetings 
and administrative sessions, participate in teleconferences, develop 
policy recommendations to the Administrator, and prepare 
recommendations and advice in reports.
    Nominations should include a resume or curriculum vitae providing 
the nominee's educational background, qualifications, leadership 
positions in national associations or professional societies, relevant 
research experience and publications along with a short (one page) 
biography describing how the nominee meets the above criteria and other 
information that may be helpful in evaluating the nomination, as well 
as the nominee's current business address, email address, and daytime 
telephone number. Interested candidates may self-nominate.
    To help the Agency in evaluating the effectiveness of its outreach 
efforts, nominees are requested to inform the Agency of how you learned 
of this opportunity.
    Final selection of HSRB members is a discretionary function of the 
Agency and will be announced on the HSRB Web site at https://www.epa.gov/osa/human-studies-review-board as soon as selections are 
made.

    Dated: August 24, 2017.
Robert Kavlock,
EPA Science Advisor.
[FR Doc. 2017-19698 Filed 9-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P