[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 131 (Monday, July 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31752-31753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14680]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9980-24-OA]
Request for Nominations of Candidates to the EPA's Science
Advisory Board (SAB) and SAB Standing Committees
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites
nominations of scientific experts from a diverse range of disciplines
to be considered for appointment to the EPA Science Advisory Board
(SAB) and four SAB committees described in this document. Appointments
will be announced by the Administrator and are anticipated to be filled
by the start of Fiscal Year 2019 (October 2018).
DATES: Nominations should be submitted in time to arrive no later than
August 8, 2018.
Background: The SAB is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee,
established in 1978 under the authority of the Environmental Research,
Development and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA), codified at
42 U.S.C. 4365, to provide independent scientific and technical peer
review, consultation, advice and recommendations to the EPA
Administrator on the scientific bases for EPA's actions and programs.
Members of the SAB constitute distinguished bodies of non-EPA
scientists, engineers, economists, and behavioral and social scientists
who are nationally and internationally recognized experts in their
respective fields. Members are appointed by the EPA Administrator for a
three-year term and serve as Special Government Employees who provide
independent expert advice to the agency. Additional information about
the SAB is available at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
Expertise Sought for the SAB: The chartered SAB provides strategic
advice to the EPA Administrator on a variety of EPA science and
research programs. All the work of SAB committees and panels is
conducted under the auspices of the chartered SAB. The chartered SAB
reviews all SAB committee and panel draft reports and determines
whether they are appropriate to send to the EPA Administrator. The SAB
Staff Office invites the nomination of experts to serve on the
chartered SAB in the following scientific disciplines as they relate to
human health and the environment: Analytical chemistry; benefit-cost
analysis; causal inference; complex systems; ecological sciences and
ecological assessment; economics; engineering; geochemistry; health
sciences; hydrology; hydrogeology; medicine; microbiology; modeling;
pediatrics; public health; risk assessment; social, behavioral and
decision sciences; statistics; toxicology; and uncertainty analysis.
The SAB Staff Office is especially interested in scientists in the
disciplines described above who have knowledge and experience in air
quality; agricultural sciences; atmospheric sciences; benefit-cost
analysis; complex systems; drinking water; energy and the environment;
epidemiological risk analyses; water quality; water quantity and reuse;
ecosystem services; community environmental health; sustainability;
chemical safety; green chemistry; homeland security; and waste
management. For further information about the chartered SAB membership
appointment process and schedule, please contact Mr. Thomas Carpenter,
DFO, by telephone at (202) 564-4885 or by email at
[email protected].
The SAB Staff Office is also seeking nominations of experts for
possible vacancies on four SAB committees: The Agricultural Science
Committee, the Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee; the Drinking
Water Committee; and the Radiation Advisory Committee.
(1) The SAB Agricultural Science Committee provides advice to the
chartered SAB on matters that have been determined to have a
significant direct impact on farming and agriculture-related
industries. The SAB Staff Office invites the nomination of scientists
with expertise in one or more of the following disciplines:
Agricultural science, including agricultural economics and valuation of
ecosystem goods and services; agricultural chemistry; agricultural
engineering; agronomy and soil science; animal science; aquaculture
science; biofuel engineering; biotechnology; crop science and
phytopathology; environmental chemistry; forestry; and hydrology. For
further information about the ASC membership appointment process and
schedule, please contact Dr. Shaunta Hill-Hammond, DFO, by telephone at
(202) 564-3343 or by email at [email protected].
(2) The SAB Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee (CAAC) provides
advice through the chartered SAB regarding selected toxicological
reviews of environmental chemicals. The SAB Staff Office invites the
nomination of scientists with experience in chemical assessments and
expertise in one or more of the following disciplines: Toxicology,
including, developmental/reproductive toxicology, and inhalation
toxicology; carcinogenesis; biostatistics; uncertainty analysis;
epidemiology and risk assessment. For further information about the
CAAC membership appointment process and schedule, please contact Dr.
Suhair Shallal, DFO, by telephone at (202) 564-2057 or by email at
[email protected].
(3) The SAB Drinking Water Committee (DWC) provides advice on the
scientific and technical aspects of EPA's national drinking water
program. The SAB Staff Office is seeking nominations of experts with
experience on drinking water issues. Members should have expertise in
one or more of the following disciplines: Environmental engineering;
epidemiology; microbiology; public health; toxicology; uncertainty
analysis; and risk assessment. For further information about the DWC
membership appointment process and schedule, please contact Dr. Thomas
Armitage, DFO, by telephone at (202) 564-2155 or by email at
[email protected].
[[Page 31753]]
(4) The Radiation Advisory Committee (RAC) provides advice on
radiation protection, radiation science, and radiation risk assessment.
The SAB Staff Office invites the nomination of experts to serve on the
RAC with demonstrated expertise in the following disciplines: Radiation
carcinogenesis; radiochemistry; radiation dosimetry; radiation
epidemiology; radiation exposure; radiation health and safety;
radiological risk assessment; uncertainty analysis; and radionuclide
fate and transport. For further information about the RAC membership
appointment process and schedule, please contact Dr. Diana Wong, DFO,
by telephone at (202) 564-2049 or by email at [email protected].
Selection Criteria for the SAB and the SAB Committees Includes
--Demonstrated scientific credentials and disciplinary expertise in
relevant fields;
--Willingness to commit time to the committee and demonstrated ability
to work constructively and effectively on committees;
--Background and experiences that would help members contribute to the
diversity of perspectives on the committee, e.g., geographical,
economic, social, cultural, educational backgrounds, professional
affiliations; and other considerations; and
--For the committee as a whole, the collective breadth and depth of
scientific expertise is considered, as well as, a balance of scientific
perspectives.
As these committees undertake specific advisory activities, the SAB
Staff Office will consider two additional criteria for each new
activity: absence of financial conflicts of interest and absence of an
appearance of a loss of impartiality.
How to Submit Nominations: Any interested person or organization
may nominate qualified persons to be considered for appointment to
these advisory committees. Individuals may self-nominate. Nominations
should be submitted in electronic format (preferred) using the online
nomination form under the ``Nomination of Experts'' category at the
bottom of the SAB home page at http://www.epa.gov/sab. To be
considered, all nominations should include the information requested
below. EPA values and welcomes diversity. All qualified candidates are
encouraged to apply regardless of gender, race, disability or
ethnicity.
Nominators are asked to identify the specific committee for which
nominees are to be considered. The following information should be
provided on the nomination form: Contact information for the person
making the nomination; contact information for the nominee; the
disciplinary and specific areas of expertise of the nominee; the
nominee's curriculum vitae; and a biographical sketch of the nominee
indicating current position, educational background; research
activities; sources of research funding for the last two years; and
recent service on other national advisory committees or national
professional organizations. To help the agency evaluate the
effectiveness of its outreach efforts, please indicate how you learned
of this nomination opportunity. Persons having questions about the
nomination process or the public comment process described below, or
who are unable to submit nominations through the SAB website, should
contact the DFO for the committee, as identified above. The DFO will
acknowledge receipt of nominations and in that acknowledgement, will
invite the nominee to provide any additional information that the
nominee feels would be useful in considering the nomination, such as
availability to participate as a member of the committee; how the
nominee's background, skills and experience would contribute to the
diversity of the committee; and any questions the nominee has regarding
membership. The names and biosketches of qualified nominees identified
by respondents to this Federal Register document, and additional
experts identified by the SAB Staff Office, will be posted in a List of
Candidates on the SAB website at http://www.epa.gov/sab. Public
comments on each List of Candidates will be accepted for 21 days from
the date the list is posted. The public will be requested to provide
relevant information or other documentation on nominees that the SAB
Staff Office should consider in evaluating candidates.
Candidates invited to serve will be asked to submit the
``Confidential Financial Disclosure Form for Special Government
Employees Serving on Federal Advisory Committees at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency'' (EPA Form 3110-48). This confidential
form allows EPA to determine whether there is a statutory conflict
between that person's public responsibilities as a Special Government
Employee and private interests and activities, or the appearance of a
loss of impartiality, as defined by Federal regulation. The form may be
viewed and downloaded through the ``Ethics Requirements for Advisors''
link on the SAB home page at http://www.epa.gov/sab. This form should
not be submitted as part of a nomination.
Dated: June 12, 2018.
Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-14680 Filed 7-6-18; 8:45 am]
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