[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 29 (Monday, February 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9276-9277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03018]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2015-0765; FRL-10643-01-ORD]


Request for Public Nominations of Experts to Serve on a Review 
Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking 
nominations for technical experts to serve as Special Government 
Employees (SGEs) on a review panel under the authority of the Board of 
Scientific Counselors (BOSC), a federal advisory committee to the 
Office of Research and Development (ORD). Selected experts will 
participate in the review of the ORD's draft report on a case study 
that uses value of information (VOI) analysis to weigh the public 
health and economic trade-offs associated with the timeliness, 
uncertainty, and costs of the draft EPA Transcriptomic Assessment 
Product (ETAP). The ETAP is a proposed ORD assessment product that 
utilizes a standardized short-term in vivo study design and data 
analysis procedures to develop transcriptomic-based toxicity values for 
data poor chemicals. The review will take place between April and July 
2023. Submission of nominations should be made via the BOSC website at: 
https://www.epa.gov/bosc.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by March 3, 2023, per 
instructions below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public needing 
additional information regarding this Notice and Request for 
Nominations

[[Page 9277]]

may contact Mr. Tom Tracy, Office of Science Policy, Office of Research 
and Development, Mail Code B343-01, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research 
Triangle Park, NC 27711; via phone/voice mail at: (919) 541-4334; or 
via email at: [email protected]. General information concerning the 
BOSC can be found at the following website: https://www.epa.gov/bosc.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The BOSC is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee established by 
the EPA to provide independent scientific and technical peer review, 
advice, consultation, and recommendations about ORD. As a Federal 
Advisory Committee, the BOSC conducts business in accordance with the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. app. 2) and related 
regulations. The BOSC is comprised of an Executive Committee and two 
supporting subcommittee(s): Social and Community Science, and Climate 
Change. Please visit https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-research-and-development-ord to learn more about ORD's research 
programs. Members of the BOSC constitute a distinguished body of non-
EPA scientists, engineers, and economists who are experts in their 
respective fields. The chartered BOSC provides scientific advice to the 
EPA Administrator on a variety of EPA science and research topics. All 
the work of BOSC standing committees and ad-hoc panels is conducted 
under the auspices of the chartered BOSC. The chartered BOSC executive 
committee review all BOSC standing committee and ad-hoc panel draft 
reports and determine whether each meets the BOSC's criteria and high-
quality standards required to deliver them to the EPA Administrator.
    The BOSC will evaluate ORD's draft report on a case study that uses 
value of information (VOI) analysis to weigh the public health and 
economic trade-offs associated with the timeliness, uncertainty, and 
costs of the draft EPA Transcriptomic Assessment Product (ETAP). The 
ETAP is a proposed ORD assessment product that utilizes a standardized 
short-term in vivo study design and data analysis procedures to develop 
transcriptomic-based toxicity values for data poor chemicals. The draft 
report will be provided in the BOSC docket prior to the meeting and 
will present an in-depth comparison of the ETAP with traditional 
toxicity testing and human health assessment processes across different 
chemical exposure scenarios, health endpoint valuations, exposure 
mitigation costs, and decision contexts. The review of the draft report 
on the VOI case study by the BOSC is being performed in close 
coordination with a separate BOSC review of the underlying scientific 
studies supporting development and implementation of the ETAP.

Expertise Sought

    The EPA invites nominations of individuals to serve as SGEs with 
expertise or extensive experience in the following scientific 
disciplines and topic areas as they relate to human health and the 
environment:

 Decision analysis, including value of information
 Human health chemical risk assessment
 Toxicology
 Exposure science, including computational exposure modeling
 Statistics, including Bayesian methods
 Health economics
 Transcriptomics, including dose response modeling of 
transcriptomic data

Selection Criteria

    Nominations will be evaluated on the basis of several criteria 
including: (a) demonstrated scientific and/or technical credentials and 
disciplinary expertise, knowledge, and experience in relevant fields; 
(b) availability to serve and willingness to commit time to the 
committee (approximately one to three meetings per year both by 
teleconferences and possibly face-to-face meetings); (c) absence of 
financial conflicts of interest; (d) absence of an appearance of a lack 
of impartiality; (e) demonstrated ability to work constructively and 
effectively on committees; and (f) background and experiences that 
would contribute to the diversity of viewpoints, e.g., workforce 
sector, geographical location, social, cultural, and educational 
backgrounds, and professional affiliations.

Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations

    Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified 
persons to be considered for appointment as an SGE. Nominations should 
be submitted via the BOSC website at: https://www.epa.gov/bosc. 
Nominations should be submitted no later than March 3, 2023. To receive 
full consideration, nominations should include all the information 
requested. EPA's nomination form requests: contact information about 
the person making the nomination; contact information about the 
nominee; the disciplinary and specific areas of expertise of the 
nominee; the nominee's curriculum vita and/or resume; and additional 
information that would be useful for considering the nomination such as 
background and qualifications (e.g., current position, educational 
background, expertise, research areas), experience relevant to one or 
more of ORD's research programs, service on other advisory committees 
and professional societies, and availability to participate as an SGE. 
Persons having questions about the nomination procedures, or who are 
unable to submit nominations through the BOSC website, should contact 
Mr. Tom Tracy, as indicated above under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section of this notice.

Mary Ross,
Director, Office of Science Advisor, Policy and Engagement.
[FR Doc. 2023-03018 Filed 2-10-23; 8:45 am]
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