[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 115 (Thursday, June 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50390-50391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13031]


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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY


Notice of Availability and Request for Comments; National 
Nanotechnology Initiative Environmental, Health, and Safety Research 
Strategy: 2024 Update

AGENCY: Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on 
behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) 
Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and 
Technology Council (NSTC), is requesting comments on the National 
Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) 
Research Strategy: 2024 Update (hereinafter ``2024 Update''). Federal 
agencies participating in NSET's Nanotechnology Environmental and 
Health Implications (NEHI) Working Group developed the draft 2024 
Update and seek comments by the EHS research community and the public, 
as a final stage of public input that will inform the final strategy.

DATES: Interested persons and organizations are invited to submit 
comments on or before July 22, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested individuals and organizations should submit 
comments electronically via to https://www.regulations.gov/. Due to 
time constraints, mailed paper submissions will not be accepted, and 
electronic submissions received after the deadline may not be 
incorporated or taken into consideration.
    Instructions: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ to submit your comments electronically. 
Information on how to use Regulations.gov, including instructions for 
accessing agency documents, submitting comments, and viewing the 
docket, is available on the site under ``FAQ'' (https://www.regulations.gov/faq).
    Privacy Note: OSTP's policy is to make all appropriate comments 
received from members of the public available for public viewing in 
their entirety on the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov/. Therefore, commenters should be careful to 
include in their comments only information that they wish to make 
publicly available. OSTP requests that no proprietary information, 
copyrighted information, or personally identifiable information be 
submitted in response to this notice of availability and request for 
comments.
    Information obtained from this Request for Comments may be used by 
the Government on a non-attribution basis for planning and strategy 
development. OSTP will not respond to individual submissions. A 
response to this Request for Comments will not be viewed as a binding 
commitment to develop or pursue the project or ideas discussed. This 
Request for Comments is not accepting applications for financial 
assistance or financial incentives.
    Responses containing references, studies, research, and other 
empirical data that are not widely published should include copies of 
or electronic links to the referenced materials. Responses from minors, 
or responses containing profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other 
inappropriate language or content will not be considered.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice are subject to the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Responses to this Request for 
Comments may be posted without change online. Please note that the 
United States Government will not pay for response preparation, or for 
the use of any information contained in a response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, please 
direct questions to Rhema Bjorkland at [email protected] or 202-517-
1050.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Nanotechnology enables us to understand and manipulate atoms and 
molecules--we can harness changes at the nanoscale to make new and 
improved materials and devices. Nanotechnology has led to advances in 
medical treatments, clean energy technologies, and semiconductor chips 
that serve as the foundation of our modern lives.
    The years of research under the vision of the 2011 NNI 
Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Strategy \1\ has 
significantly advanced the scientific understanding of EHS issues 
related to engineered nanomaterials. However, critical gaps in 
knowledge remain. There are unmet and new needs in nanotechnology-
related EHS (nanoEHS) issues that require collaborative action, which 
will ultimately help solve pressing global challenges, while protecting 
human and environmental health.
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    \1\ See https://www.nano.gov/sites/default/files/pub_resource/nni_2011_ehs_research_strategy.pdf.
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    NEHI's efforts to prepare an updated EHS research strategy included 
a review of the 2011 research strategy. The authors also analyzed NNI 
supplements to the President's Budget (2019-2023) \2\ and other 
relevant articles and reports, released a Request for Information,\3\ 
and hosted a public meeting.\4\ NEHI is now offering this draft for 
comment by the EHS research community and the public, as a final stage 
of public input that will inform the final strategy.
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    \2\ See https://www.nano.gov/NNIBudgetSupplementsandStrategicPlans.
    \3\ See https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/05/23/2023-10958/request-for-information-national-nanotechnology-initiative-environmental-health-and-safety-research.
    \4\ See https://www.nano.gov/ehsstrategymeeting.
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    The 2024 update of the NNI EHS research strategy represents the 
U.S. Government's commitment to steer future research advancements in 
nanotechnology, aligning with the needs of the economy and society. The 
document is organized into two major sections: Part A, which outlines 
progress toward the 2011 EHS research strategy goals, and Part B, which 
addresses the scope of the research strategy going forward, expands on 
the unmet needs from Part A, and adds specific actions to support the 
new needs and challenges identified in the update.

Requests for Comment

    While OSTP invites all comments responsive to this request for 
comments, of key interest is identifying any additional information and 
data sources that NEHI should consider when updating the strategy. This 
notice serves as the follow-on to the Request for Information 
referenced in a Federal Register Notice titled ``Request for 
Information: National Nanotechnology Initiative Environmental, Health, 
and

[[Page 50391]]

Safety Research Strategy.'' \5\ Please be specific in comments provided 
and/or recommendations for changes to the digital resources. Response 
to this Request for Comments is voluntary.
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    \5\ See https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/05/23/2023-10958/request-for-information-national-nanotechnology-initiative-environmental-health-and-safety-research.

    Dated: June 10, 2024.
Stacy Murphy,
Deputy Chief Operating Officer/Security Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-13031 Filed 6-12-24; 8:45 am]
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