[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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