[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 160 (Monday, August 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56820-56821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17384]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-11042-01-OA]


Public Meeting of the Science Advisory Board

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) Staff Office is announcing a public meeting of the 
chartered Science Advisory Board. The purpose of the meeting is to: 
receive briefings from EPA; discuss a proposed SAB project to provide 
advice to EPA on environmental justice analysis; conduct quality 
reviews of three draft SAB reports titled: SAB Review of EPA's 
Standardized Framework for Sewage Sludge Chemical Risk Assessment, 
Review of the Updated Methodology of EPA's Environmental Justice Screen 
(EJScreen) Mapping and Screening Tool (version 2.1), and Review of 
EPA's draft IRIS Toxicological Review of Hexavalent Chromium; discuss a 
draft SAB commentary on Volume Requirements for 2023 and Beyond under 
the Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RIN 2060-AV14), and discuss 
recommendations received from the SAB Work Group for Review of Science 
Supporting EPA Decisions concerning SAB review of EPA planned 
regulatory actions.

DATES: 
    Public meeting: The chartered Science Advisory Board will meet on 
the following dates. All times listed are in Eastern Time.
    1. Thursday, September 21, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    2. Friday, September 22, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
    Comments: See the section titled ``Procedures for providing public 
input'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for instructions and deadlines.

ADDRESSES: The September 21-22, 2023 meeting will be conducted in 
person at the Washington Plaza Hotel, located at 10 Thomas Circle NW, 
Washington, DC 20005, and virtually. Please refer to the SAB website at 
https://sab.epa.gov for information on how to attend the meeting 
virtually.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public who wants 
further information concerning this notice may contact Dr. Thomas 
Armitage, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), via telephone (202) 564-
2155, or email at [email protected]. General information about 
the SAB, as well as any updates concerning the meeting announced in 
this notice, can be found on the SAB website at https://sab.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The SAB was established pursuant to the Environmental 
Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA), 
codified at 42 U.S.C. 4365, to provide independent scientific and 
technical advice to the EPA Administrator on the scientific and 
technical basis for agency positions and regulations. The SAB is a 
Federal Advisory Committee chartered under the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S. Code 10. The SAB will comply with the 
provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural 
policies. Pursuant to FACA and EPA policy, notice is hereby given that 
the chartered Science Advisory Board will hold a public meeting to 
receive briefings from EPA and deliberate on the following topics. (1) 
The SAB will discuss whether to undertake a proposed self-initiated 
project to provide advice to EPA on environmental justice analysis. (2) 
The SAB will conduct quality reviews of three draft reports developed 
by SAB panels. The draft reports are titled: Review of EPA's 
Standardized Framework for Sewage Sludge Chemical Risk Assessment, 
Review of the Updated Methodology of EPA's Environmental Justice Screen 
(EJScreen) Mapping and Screening Tool (version 2.1), and Review of 
EPA's draft IRIS Toxicological Review of Hexavalent Chromium. The SAB 
quality review process ensures that draft reports developed by SAB 
panels, committees, or workgroups are reviewed by the Chartered SAB 
before being finalized and transmitted to the EPA Administrator. (3) 
The SAB will discuss a draft commentary developed by an SAB workgroup 
on Volume Requirements for 2023 and Beyond under the Renewable Fuel 
Standard Program (RIN 2060-AV14). (4) The SAB will discuss 
recommendations received from the SAB Workgroup for Review of Science 
Supporting EPA Decisions concerning SAB review of EPA planned 
regulatory actions. Under the SAB's authorizing statute, the SAB ``may 
make available to the Administrator, within the time specified by the 
Administrator, its advice and comments on the adequacy of the 
scientific and technical basis'' of proposed rules. The SAB Workgroup 
for Review of Science Supporting EPA Decisions (SAB SSD Workgroup) is 
charged with identifying EPA planned actions that may warrant SAB 
review.
    Availability of meeting materials: All meeting materials, including 
the agenda, will be available on the SAB web page at https://sab.epa.gov.
    Procedures for providing public input: Public comment for 
consideration by EPA's Federal advisory committees and panels has a 
different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. 
Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a Federal advisory 
committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an 
EPA program office. Federal advisory committees and panels, including 
scientific advisory committees, provide independent advice to the EPA. 
Members of the public can submit relevant comments pertaining to the 
committee's charge or meeting materials. Input from the public to the

[[Page 56821]]

SAB will have the most impact if it provides specific scientific or 
technical information or analysis for the SAB to consider or if it 
relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical information. 
Members of the public wishing to provide comments should follow the 
instruction below to submit comments.
    Oral statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an 
oral presentation will be limited to three minutes. Each person making 
an oral statement should consider providing written comments as well as 
their oral statement so that the points presented orally can be 
expanded upon in writing. Persons interested in providing oral 
statements should contact the DFO, in writing (preferably via email) at 
the contact information noted under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, by 
September 14, 2023, to be placed on the list of registered speakers.
    Written statements: Written statements will be accepted throughout 
the advisory process; however, for timely consideration by SAB members, 
statements should be submitted to the DFO by September 14, 2023, for 
consideration at the September 21-22, 2023, meeting. Written statements 
should be supplied to the DFO at the contact information above via 
email. Submitters are requested to provide an unsigned version of each 
document because the SAB Staff Office does not publish documents with 
signatures on its websites. Members of the public should be aware that 
their personal contact information if included in any written comments, 
may be posted to the SAB website. Copyrighted material will not be 
posted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact the DFO, at the contact 
information noted above, preferably at least ten days before the 
meeting, to give the EPA as much time as possible to process your 
request.

V Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2023-17384 Filed 8-18-23; 8:45 am]
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