[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]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P