[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34744-34745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-13857]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-10025-40-OP]
Request for Nominations for the Science Advisory Board; PFAS
Review Panel
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory
Board (SAB) Staff Office requests public nominations of scientific
experts to form a Panel to review draft EPA documents that are being
developed to support EPA's National Primary Drinking Water Rulemaking
for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These draft documents
will describe EPA's prepared analyses of health effects data that will
inform the derivation of proposed Maximum Contaminant Level Goals for
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
Additionally, the documents will include elements from EPA's assessment
of the health risk reduction benefits of potential reductions in
drinking water concentrations of PFOA and PFOS for targeted health
endpoints. The documents will also include a framework for estimating
health risks associated with PFAS mixtures.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by July 21, 2021 per the
instructions below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing
further information regarding this notice and request for nominations
may contact Dr. Suhair Shallal, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA
Science Advisory Board via telephone/voice mail (202) 564-2057, or
email at [email protected]. General information concerning the EPA
SAB can be found at the EPA SAB website at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The SAB (42 U.S.C. 4365) is a chartered Federal
Advisory Committee that provides independent scientific and technical
peer review, advice, and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on
the technical basis for EPA actions. As a Federal Advisory Committee,
the SAB conducts business in accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. app. 2) and related regulations. The SAB
Staff Office is forming an expert panel, the SAB PFAS Review Panel,
under the auspices of the Chartered SAB. The SAB PFAS Review Panel will
provide advice through the chartered SAB. The SAB and the SAB PFAS
Review Panel will comply with the provisions of FACA and all
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
The SAB PFAS Review Panel will conduct the review of draft EPA
documents that are being developed to support EPA's National Primary
Drinking Water Rulemaking for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS) prepared by the EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
(OGWDW) and Office of Science and Technology (OST).
EPA has made final determinations to regulate two contaminants,
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
EPA is currently moving forward to implement the national primary
drinking water regulation development process for PFAS. The Regulatory
Determinations outline avenues that the agency is considering to
further evaluate additional PFAS chemicals and provide flexibility for
the agency to consider groups of PFAS as supported by the best
available science.
Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking
nominations of nationally and internationally recognized scientists
with demonstrated expertise in the following disciplines: Toxicology,
specifically: Reproductive/developmental, hepatic, immunology and
neurotoxicology; epidemiology with expertise in: Immunology,
endocrinology, reproductive/developmental and cardiology;
physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling; physician/
clinician with a focus on cardiology; risk assessment; toxicity of
chemical mixtures; economist with expertise in health related benefit
cost analysis and valuing avoided adverse health outcomes; dose
response relationships in economic models.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested
person or organization may nominate qualified individuals in the areas
of expertise described above for possible service on the SAB Panel.
Individuals may self-nominate. Nominations should be submitted in
electronic format (preferred) following the instructions for
``Nominating Experts to Advisory Panels and Ad Hoc Committees Being
[[Page 34745]]
Formed,'' provided on the SAB website (see the ``Nomination of
Experts'' link under ``Current Activities'' at http://www.epa.gov/sab).
To be considered, nominations should include the information requested
below. EPA values and welcomes diversity. All qualified candidates are
encouraged to apply regardless of sex, race, disability or ethnicity.
Nominations should be submitted in time to arrive no later than July
21, 2021.
The following information should be provided on the nomination
form: Contact information for the person making the nomination; contact
information for the nominee; and the disciplinary and specific areas of
expertise of the nominee. Nominees will be contacted by the SAB Staff
Office and will be asked to provide a recent curriculum vitae and a
narrative biographical summary that includes: 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. Persons
having questions about the nomination procedures, or who are unable to
submit nominations through the SAB website, should contact the DFO at
the contact information noted above. The names and biosketches of
qualified nominees identified by respondents to this Federal Register
notice, and additional experts identified by the SAB Staff Office, will
be posted in a List of Candidates for the Panel on the SAB website at
http://www.epa.gov/sab. Public comments on the List of Candidates will
be accepted for 21 days. The public will be requested to provide
relevant information or other documentation on nominees that the SAB
Staff Office should consider in evaluating candidates.
For the EPA SAB Staff Office a balanced review panel includes
candidates who possess the necessary domains of knowledge, the relevant
scientific perspectives (which, among other factors, can be influenced
by work history and affiliation), and the collective breadth of
experience to adequately address the charge. In forming the expert
panel, the SAB Staff Office will consider public comments on the Lists
of Candidates, information provided by the candidates themselves, and
background information independently gathered by the SAB Staff Office.
Selection criteria to be used for panel membership include: (a)
Scientific and/or technical expertise, knowledge, and experience
(primary factors); (b) availability and willingness to serve; (c)
absence of financial conflicts of interest; (d) absence of an
appearance of a loss of impartiality; (e) skills working in committees,
subcommittees and advisory panels; and, (f) for the panel as a whole,
diversity of expertise and scientific points of view.
The SAB Staff Office's evaluation of an absence of financial
conflicts of interest will include a review of the ``Confidential
Financial Disclosure Form for Environmental Protection Agency Special
Government Employees'' (EPA Form 3110-48). This confidential form is
required and allows government officials to determine whether there is
a statutory conflict between a person's public responsibilities (which
include membership on an EPA federal advisory committee) 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
website at http://www.epa.gov/sab. This form should not be submitted as
part of a nomination.
The approved policy under which the EPA SAB Office selects members
for subcommittees and review panels is described in the following
document: Overview of the Panel Formation Process at the Environmental
Protection Agency Science Advisory Board (EPA-SAB-EC-02-010), which is
posted on the SAB website at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
V Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-13857 Filed 6-29-21; 8:45 am]
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