[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4606-4607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01313]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-ORD-2023-0240; FRL-10973-01-ORD]
Scientific Integrity Policy Draft for Public Comment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of public comment period.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a
30-day public comment period on the draft updates to its Scientific
Integrity (SI) Policy. In accordance with the requirements of the 2021
Presidential Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through
Scientific Integrity and Evidence-based Policymaking, EPA is revising
our SI Policy. The updated SI Policy will adopt a new Federal
definition of scientific integrity and meaningfully strengthen several
policy elements that will help ensure a culture of scientific integrity
at the Agency. It will incorporate the model scientific integrity
policy from the National Science and Technology Council's A Framework
for Federal Scientific Integrity Policy and Practice (2023), lessons
learned over the years, and the results of previous surveys of EPA
staff on scientific integrity.
DATES: The 30-day public comment period begins January 24, 2024 and
ends February 23, 2024. Comments must be received on or before February
23, 2024 to be considered by EPA.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
ORD-2023-0240, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov/
(our preferred method). Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket
Center, Office of Research and Development Docket, Mail Code 28221T,
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery or Courier: EPA Docket Center, WJC West
Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004.
The Docket Center's hours of operations are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday (except Federal Holidays).
Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket ID
No. for this action. Comments received may be posted without change to
https://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal information
provided. For detailed instructions on sending comments and additional
information, see the ``Public Participation'' heading of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public comment
period, contact the ORD Docket at the EPA Headquarters Docket Center;
telephone: 202-566-1752; facsimile: 202-566-9744; or email:
[email protected]. For technical information on the draft guidelines
or information on the public comment period, contact Dr. Francesca
Grifo, via email at: [email protected]; or via phone/voicemail at
202-657-8575.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Participation
Written Comments: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No.
EPA-HQ-ORD-2023-0240, at https://www.regulations.gov (our preferred
method), or the other methods identified in the ADDRESSES section. Once
submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from the docket. The
EPA may publish any comment received
[[Page 4607]]
to its public docket. Do not submit to EPA's docket at https://www.regulations.gov any information you consider to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI), Proprietary Business Information (PBI), or
other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written
comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and
should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will
generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of
the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
system). Please visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets for additional submission methods; the full EPA public comment
policy; information about CBI, PBI, or multimedia submissions; and
general guidance on making effective comments.
II. Background
EPA issued its first Scientific Integrity Policy in 2012 and the
Agency appointed its first full time Scientific Integrity Official
(SIO) in 2013 based on requirements in both the 2009 Scientific
Integrity Presidential Memorandum and the 2010 Office of Science and
Technology Policy (OSTP) Presidential Memorandum on Scientific
Integrity. Those documents together with the 2021 Presidential
Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific
Integrity and Evidence-based Policymaking guided the draft updates of
the 2023 Scientific Integrity (SI) Policy. The draft updates are
derived from these documents, the collective experience of Federal
agencies, and the informed engagement of stakeholders both inside and
outside of government captured in the actions of the 2022 National
Science and Technology Council Scientific Integrity Fast Track Action
Committee and their report, Protecting the Integrity of Government
Science (SI-FTAC Report) and the National Science and Technology
Council 2023 A Framework for Federal Scientific Integrity Policy and
Practice.
The draft SI Policy updates include but are not limited to the
adoption of a new Federal definition of scientific integrity as well as
the introduction and clarification of roles and responsibilities, such
as the new role of the EPA Chief Scientist. In addition, the draft
policy updates will significantly strengthen several policy elements
(e.g., protecting scientific processes, reviewing science, ensuring the
free flow of scientific information, supporting decision making
processes, ensuring accountability, etc.) that will help ensure a
culture of scientific integrity at the Agency.
III. How will comments be used?
EPA values external knowledge and experience with scientific
integrity and looks forward to comments pertaining to policy content.
Public comment received on the SI Policy will be reviewed and
considered to be incorporated into or modify text in the final revised
SI Policy. The final revised SI Policy will undergo internal EPA review
and revision and be posted on EPA's website.
Maureen R. Gwinn,
EPA Chief Scientist.
[FR Doc. 2024-01313 Filed 1-23-24; 8:45 am]
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