[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 43 (Monday, March 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15572-15573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04497]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-11770-01-OA]


Request for Nominations to the EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory 
Committee (CASAC)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites 
nominations of scientific experts to be considered for appointment to 
the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). Appointments will 
be made by the Administrator.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted in time to arrive no later than 
April 3, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about the 
CASAC membership, appointment process, and schedule, please contact Mr. 
Aaron Yeow, DFO, by telephone at 202-564-2050, or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The CASAC is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee, 
established pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1977, 
codified at 42 U.S.C. 7409(d)(2), to review air quality criteria and 
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and recommend to the EPA 
Administrator any new NAAQS and revisions of existing criteria and 
standards as may be appropriate. The CASAC shall also: advise the EPA 
Administrator of areas in which additional knowledge is required to 
appraise the adequacy and basis of existing, new, or revised NAAQS; 
describe the research efforts necessary to provide the required 
information; advise the EPA Administrator on the relative contribution 
to air pollution concentrations of natural as well as anthropogenic 
activity; and advise the EPA Administrator of any adverse public 
health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects which may result 
from various strategies for attainment and maintenance of such NAAQS. 
Members of the CASAC constitute a distinguished body of non-EPA 
scientists and engineers who are nationally and internationally 
recognized experts in their respective fields. Members are appointed by 
the EPA Administrator and serve for a two to three-year term as Special 
Government Employees who provide independent expert advice to the 
agency. Additional information is available at https://casac.epa.gov.
    Expertise Sought for the CASAC: As required under the CAA section 
109(d), the CASAC is composed of seven members, with at least one 
member of the National Academy of Sciences, one physician, and one 
person representing state air pollution control agencies. The SAB Staff 
Office is seeking nominations of experts to serve on the CASAC with 
expertise in one or more of the following disciplines: air quality, 
biostatistics, ecology, environmental engineering, epidemiology, 
exposure assessment, medicine, risk assessment, and toxicology. The SAB 
Staff Office is especially interested in scientists with expertise 
described above who have knowledge and experience relating to criteria 
pollutants (carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, ozone, particulate 
matter, and sulfur oxides).
    Selection Criteria for the CASAC: Nominees are selected based on 
their individual qualifications. Curriculum vitae should reflect the 
following:

--Demonstrated scientific credentials and disciplinary expertise in 
relevant fields;
--Willingness to commit time to the committee and demonstrated ability 
to work constructively and effectively on committees;
--Background and experiences that would help members contribute to the 
diversity of perspectives on the committee, e.g., geographical, 
economic, social, cultural, educational backgrounds, professional 
affiliations, and other considerations;
--For the committee as a whole, consideration of the collective breadth 
and depth of scientific expertise; and a balance of scientific 
perspectives is important.

    As the committee undertakes specific advisory activities, the SAB 
Staff Office will consider two additional criteria for each new 
activity: absence of financial conflicts of interest and absence of an 
appearance of a loss of impartiality.
    How to Submit Nominations: Any interested person or organization 
may nominate qualified persons to be considered for appointment to this 
advisory committee. Individuals may self-nominate. Nominations should 
be submitted in electronic format (preferred) using the online 
nomination form under the ``Nomination of Experts'' category at the 
bottom of the CASAC home page at https://casac.epa.gov. To be 
considered, all 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.
    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 and asked to 
provide additional information, including a curriculum vitae and 
biographical sketch (indicating 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). To help the agency 
evaluate the effectiveness of its outreach efforts,

[[Page 15573]]

please indicate how you learned of this nomination opportunity. Persons 
having questions about the nomination process or the public comment 
process described below, or who are unable to submit nominations 
through the CASAC website, should contact the DFO, as identified above. 
The DFO will acknowledge receipt of nominations and will invite the 
nominee to provide any additional information that the nominee feels 
would be useful in considering the nomination, such as availability to 
participate as a member of the committee; how the nominee's background, 
skills and experience would contribute to the diversity of the 
committee; and any questions the nominee has regarding membership. The 
names and biosketches of qualified nominees identified by respondents 
to this Federal Register notice, and additional experts identified by 
the SAB Staff Office, will be posted in a List of Candidates on the 
CASAC website at https://casac.epa.gov. Public comments on each List of 
Candidates will be accepted for 21 days from the date the list is 
posted. The public will be requested to provide relevant information or 
other documentation on nominees that the SAB Staff Office should 
consider in evaluating candidates.
    Candidates may be asked to submit the ``Confidential Financial 
Disclosure Form for Special Government Employees Serving on Federal 
Advisory Committees at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency'' (EPA 
Form 3110-48). This confidential form is required for Special 
Government Employees (SGEs) and allows EPA to determine whether there 
is a statutory conflict between that person's public responsibilities 
as an SGE 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 CASAC home page at https://casac.epa.gov. This form should 
not be submitted as part of a nomination.

V. Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2024-04497 Filed 3-1-24; 8:45 am]
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