[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 167 (Wednesday, September 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49021-49022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18807]


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 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8758-01-OA]


Request for Nominations to the Science Advisory Board Biosolids 
Chemical Risk Assessment Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

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 the EPA White Paper: A Standardized 
Approach to Biosolids Chemical Risk Assessment and a Biosolids 
Screening Tool with an accompanying User Guide. The White Paper, which 
includes a prioritization method, deterministic screening model, and a 
probabilistic risk assessment modeling framework will be used to 
modernize, standardize, and streamline the risk assessment process to 
efficiently and thoroughly assess risk to chemical pollutants found in 
biosolids.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by September 22, 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. Shaunta Hill-Hammond, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), 
EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office by telephone/voice mail (202) 
564-3343, 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 Biosolids Chemical Risk 
Assessment (Biosolids) Panel, under the auspices of the Chartered SAB. 
The Biosolids Panel will provide advice through the chartered SAB. The 
SAB and the Biosolids Panel will comply with the provisions of FACA and 
all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
    The Biosolids Panel will conduct the review of the EPA White Paper: 
A Standardized Approach to Biosolids Chemical Risk Assessment and a 
Biosolids Screening Tool (BST) with an accompanying User Guide prepared 
by the EPA's Office of Water. The White Paper, BST and User Guide 
present the EPA's proposed screening process to identify pollutants, 
pathways and receptors of greatest interest and inform decisions 
regarding the need for refined risk assessment of land-applied 
biosolids.
    Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking 
nominations of nationally and internationally recognized scientists 
with demonstrated expertise in the following disciplines: Biosolids 
management, risk assessment, exposure assessment, probabilistic 
modeling, and deterministic modeling.
    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 
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 
September 22, 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

[[Page 49022]]

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. 2021-18807 Filed 8-31-21; 8:45 am]
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