[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24464-24465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11420]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee

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

ACTION: Notice for solicitation of members.

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

DATES: Deadline for Technical Advisory Committee member nominations is 
June 30, 2018.

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 Dr. Mark Elless, Designated 
Federal Official for the Committee, Office of Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, Mail Stop EE-3B, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mark Elless, Designated Federal 
Official for the Committee, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20585; (202) 586-6501; Email: [email protected]. 
Committee website: 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

[[Page 24465]]

(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 The Biomass Act was repealed in June 2008 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. At 
least three meetings are held in the Washington DC area, with the 
fourth meeting possibly 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) 2 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) 2 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 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: (I) An individual with 
expertise in the economics of biofuels and biobased products; (H) an 
individual with expertise in energy and environmental analysis; 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 (SGE) 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), all racial and ethnic groups, women and 
men, 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 at Washington, DC, on May 23, 2018.
Latanya Butler,
Deputy Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-11420 Filed 5-25-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P