[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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