[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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