[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 121 (Monday, June 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52463-52464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13694]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-12029-01-OA]


Request for Nominations for the Science Advisory Board BenSPLASH 
Review Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) Staff Office requests public nominations of scientific 
experts to form a Panel to review the Benefits Spatial Platform for 
Aggregating Socioeconomics and H2O Quality (BenSPLASH). BenSPLASH 
serves as one component in an integrated assessment model designed to 
quantify the economic benefits of changes in water quality. The Panel 
will evaluate the underlying valuation approaches and endpoints, 
benefits transfer applications and methodology, and default assumptions 
within BenSPLASH.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by July 15, 2024 per the 
instructions below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing 
further information regarding this Notice and Request for Nominations 
may contact Dr. Shaunta Hill-Hammond, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), 
EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office by telephone/voice mail (202) 
564-3343, or email at [email protected]. General information 
concerning the EPA SAB can be found at the EPA SAB website at https://sab.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SAB (42 U.S.C. 4365) is a chartered 
Federal Advisory Committee that provides independent scientific and 
technical peer review, advice, and recommendations to the EPA 
Administrator on the technical basis for EPA actions. As a Federal 
Advisory Committee, the SAB conducts business in accordance with the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S. Code 10) and related 
regulations. The SAB Staff Office is forming an expert panel, the 
BenSPLASH Review Panel, under the auspices of the Chartered SAB. The 
BenSPLASH Review Panel will provide advice through the SAB. The SAB and 
the BenSPLASH Review Panel will comply with the provisions of FACA and 
all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
    EPA regularly estimates the benefits of surface water quality 
improvements associated with Clean Water Act regulations. EPA has 
developed BenSPLASH, as one component in an integrated assessment model 
designed to quantify the economic benefits of changes in water quality 
(Corona, et al. 2020).\1\ BenSPLASH can map water quality parameters to 
a water quality index (WQI). The main valuation approach can then 
estimate willingness to pay for changes in the WQI from a meta-analysis 
of surface water quality stated preference studies. The BenSPLASH 
Review Panel will conduct a review of the underlying valuation 
approaches and endpoints, benefits transfer applications and 
methodology, and default assumptions within BenSPLASH.
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    \1\ Corona, J.; Doley, T.; Griffiths, C.; Massey, M.; Moore, C.; 
Muela, S.; Rashleigh, B.; Wheeler, W.; Whitlock, S.D.; and Hewitt, 
J. 2020. ``An Integrated Assessment Model for Valuing Water Quality 
Changes in the United States,'' Land Economics 96 (4): 478-492.
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    Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking 
nominations of nationally and internationally recognized scientists 
with demonstrated expertise in the following disciplines: Aquatic 
Ecology, including aquatic environmental assessment, hydrology, and 
nutrient pollution; Computer Science including geographic information 
systems, programming (C# and R), and user interfaces; Environmental 
Economics, including benefits transfer, distributional impacts and 
environmental justice, national and subnational regional level 
analyses, meta-analysis, nonmarket valuation, and water quality 
benefits; Human Health Assessment, including risk assessment for 
waterborne pollutants and pathogens; Human Health Valuation specific to 
water quality and pollution impacts; Integrated Assessment Modeling; 
and Uncertainty Analysis.
    Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested 
person or organization may nominate qualified individuals in the areas 
of expertise described above for possible service on the SAB Panel. 
Individuals may self-nominate. Nominations should be submitted in 
electronic format (preferred) using the online nomination form on the 
SAB website at https://sab.epa.gov (see the ``Public Input on 
Membership'' list under ``Committees,

[[Page 52464]]

Panels, and Membership'' following the instructions for ``Nominating 
Experts to Advisory Panels and Ad Hoc Committees Being Formed,'' 
provided on the SAB website (see the ``Nomination of Experts'' link 
under ``Current Activities'' at https://sab.epa.gov). To be considered, 
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. Nominations 
should be submitted in time to arrive no later than July 15, 2024.
    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 by the SAB Staff 
Office and will be asked to provide a recent curriculum vitae and a 
narrative biographical summary that includes 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. Persons 
having questions about the nomination procedures, or who are unable to 
submit nominations through the SAB website, should contact the DFO at 
the contact information noted above. 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 for the Panel on the SAB website at 
https://sab.epa.gov. Public comments on the List of Candidates will be 
accepted for 21 days. The public will be requested to provide relevant 
information or other documentation on nominees that the SAB Staff 
Office should consider in evaluating candidates.
    For the EPA SAB Staff Office, a balanced review panel includes 
candidates who possess the necessary domains of knowledge, the relevant 
scientific perspectives (which, among other factors, can be influenced 
by work history and affiliation), and the collective breadth of 
experience to adequately address the charge. In forming the expert 
panel, the SAB Staff Office will consider public comments on the Lists 
of Candidates, information provided by the candidates themselves, and 
background information independently gathered by the SAB Staff Office. 
Selection criteria to be used for panel membership include: (a) 
scientific and/or technical expertise, knowledge, and experience 
(primary factors); (b) availability and willingness to serve; (c) 
absence of financial conflicts of interest; (d) absence of an 
appearance of a loss of impartiality; (e) skills working in committees, 
subcommittees, and advisory panels; and (f) for the panel as a whole, 
diversity of expertise and scientific points of view.
    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 a person's public responsibilities 
(which includes membership on an EPA federal advisory committee) 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 SAB website at https://sab.epa.gov. This form should not be 
submitted as part of a nomination.

V Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2024-13694 Filed 6-21-24; 8:45 am]
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