[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 22 (Friday, February 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1173-1174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00579]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors; 
Announcement of Meeting; Request for Comments

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the next meeting of the National 
Toxicology Program (NTP) Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC). The BSC, 
a federally chartered, external advisory group composed of scientists 
from the public and private sectors provides advice on programmatic 
activities. This meeting complements year-long activities to ensure 
NTP's scientific direction, expertise, and capabilities are

[[Page 1174]]

strategically positioned to address public health issues and provide 
the necessary scientific information to inform decision-making. The 
agenda includes talks by invited speakers on ``The Changing Toxicology 
Landscape: Challenges and the Future of Risk Assessment'' followed by 
time for BSC discussion and input to NTP. The talks were originally 
scheduled for December 11, 2018; however, the meeting day was cancelled 
due to inclement weather. This meeting is by webcast only and is open 
to the public. Registration is requested for oral comment and is 
required to access the webcast. Information about the meeting and 
registration are available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165.

DATES: Meeting: February 15, 2019; 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. (EST).
    Written Public Comment Submissions: Deadline is February 8, 2019.
    Oral Comments: Deadline is February 8, 2019.
    Registration to view the webcast: Deadline February 15, 2019.
    Registration to view the meeting via the webcast is required.

ADDRESSES: Meeting web page: The preliminary agenda, registration, and 
other meeting materials will be posted at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165.
    Webcast: The meeting will be webcast; the URL will be provided to 
those who register for viewing.
    This meeting notice is being published less than 15 days in advance 
of the meeting due to the partial Government shutdown of December 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mary Wolfe, Designated Federal 
Official for the BSC, Office of Liaison, Policy and Review, Division of 
NTP, NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, K2-03, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. 
Phone: 984-287-3209, Fax: 301-451-5759, Email: [email protected]. 
Hand Deliver/Courier address: 530 Davis Drive, Room K2130, Morrisville, 
NC 27560.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The preliminary agenda topics include talks 
by invited speakers on ``The Changing Toxicology Landscape: Challenges 
and the Future of Risk Assessment'' that were not presented on December 
11, 2018, as that meeting day was cancelled due to inclement weather. 
These talks complement year-long activities to ensure NTP's scientific 
direction, expertise, and capabilities are strategically positioned to 
address public health issues and provide the necessary scientific 
information to inform decision-making. The talks will be followed by 
BSC discussion and input to NTP. The preliminary agenda, roster of BSC 
members, background materials, public comments, and any additional 
information, when available, will be posted on the BSC meeting website 
(http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165) or may be requested in hardcopy from 
the Designated Federal Official for the BSC. Following the meeting, 
summary minutes will be prepared and made available on the BSC meeting 
website.
    Meeting and Registration: The meeting is open to the public with 
time scheduled for oral public comments. Registration to view the 
webcast is by February 15, 2019, at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165. 
Registration is required to view the webcast; the URL for the webcast 
will be provided in the email confirming registration. TTY users should 
contact the Federal TTY Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Requests should 
be made at least five business days in advance of the event.
    Written Public Comments: NTP invites written and oral public 
comments on the agenda topics. Guidelines for public comments are 
available at https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/guidelines_public_comments_508.pdf. The deadline for submission of 
written comments is February 8, 2019. Written public comments should be 
submitted through the meeting website. Persons submitting written 
comments should include name, affiliation, mailing address, phone, 
email, and sponsoring organization (if any). Written comments received 
in response to this notice will be posted on the NTP website, and the 
submitter will be identified by name, affiliation, and sponsoring 
organization (if any).
    Oral Public Comments: The agenda allows for one public comment 
period (up to 6 commenters, 5 minutes per speaker). Registration for 
oral comments is on or before February 8, 2019, at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165. Oral comments will be received only during 
the formal public comment periods indicated on the preliminary agenda. 
Oral comments will only be by teleconference line. The access number 
for the teleconference line will be provided to registrants by email 
prior to the meeting. Registration is on a first-come, first-served 
basis, and registrants will be assigned a number in their confirmation 
email. Each organization is allowed one time slot per comment period. 
After the maximum number of speakers is exceeded, individuals 
registered to provide oral comment will be placed on a wait list and 
notified should an opening become available.
    Meeting Materials: The preliminary meeting agenda is available on 
the meeting web page (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/165) and will be 
updated one week before the meeting. Individuals are encouraged to 
access the meeting web page to stay abreast of the most current 
information regarding the meeting.
    Background Information on the BSC: The BSC is a technical advisory 
body comprised of scientists from the public and private sectors that 
provides primary scientific oversight to the NTP. Specifically, the BSC 
advises the NTP on matters of scientific program content, both present 
and future, and conducts periodic review of the program for the purpose 
of determining and advising on the scientific merit of its activities 
and their overall scientific quality. Its members are selected from 
recognized authorities knowledgeable in fields such as toxicology, 
pharmacology, pathology, biochemistry, epidemiology, risk assessment, 
carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, molecular biology, behavioral toxicology, 
neurotoxicology, immunotoxicology, reproductive toxicology or 
teratology, and biostatistics. Members serve overlapping terms of up to 
four years. The BSC usually meets biannually. The authority for the BSC 
is provided by 42 U.S.C. 217a, section 222 of the Public Health Service 
Act (PHS), as amended.
    The BSC is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. app.), which sets forth standards 
for the formation and use of advisory committees.

    Dated: January 28, 2019.
Brian R. Berridge,
Associate Director, National Toxicology Program.
[FR Doc. 2019-00579 Filed 1-31-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4140-01-P