[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 110 (Friday, June 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26663-26664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12022]


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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 
(DOE).

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, 2019.

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 the 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: Ian Rowe, 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) 586-7720; 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 (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The Biomass Act was repealed in June 2008 by section 9008 of the Food, 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 Improvement Act of 2018.
    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. Three 
meetings are held in the Washington DC area and the fourth is 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

[[Page 26664]]

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) an individual with expertise in carbon dioxide 
capture, utilization, and sequestration; (N) 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: (D) 2 prominent engineers or 
scientists from government (non-federal) or academia that have 
expertise in biofuels and biobased products; (L) an individual with 
expertise in agronomy, crop science, or soil science; and (M) an 
individual with expertise in carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and 
sequestration. Nominations for other categories will also be accepted. 
Nomination categories C, D, H, I, J, K, L, N, and M are considered 
Special Government Employees 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.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on June 4, 2019.
Antionette M. Watkins,
Acting Deputy Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-12022 Filed 6-6-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P