[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50345-50346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19301]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8926-01-OA]
Request for Nominations of Candidates for Two Review Panels of
the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office requests
public nominations of scientific experts for two ad hoc review panels
of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). The review
panels will provide advice through the chartered CASAC on the
scientific and technical aspects of air quality criteria and the
primary and secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
for lead and the secondary NAAQS for oxides of nitrogen, oxides of
sulfur, and particulate matter (PM).
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by September 29, 2021 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 Mr. Aaron Yeow, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB Staff
Office, by telephone/voice mail at (202) 564-2050 or via email at
[email protected]. General information concerning the CASAC can be
found on the following website: https://casac.epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The CASAC was 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 NAAQS and recommend to the EPA Administrator
any new NAAQS and revisions of existing criteria and NAAQS 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. As amended, 5 U.S.C.,
App. Section 109(d)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires that EPA
carry out a periodic review and revision, as appropriate, of the air
quality criteria and the NAAQS for the six ``criteria'' air pollutants,
including lead, oxides of nitrogen oxides, oxides of sulfur, and PM.
The CASAC is a Federal advisory committee chartered under the
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). As a Federal Advisory Committee,
the CASAC conducts business in accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and related regulations. The
CASAC and the CASAC Review Panels will comply with the provisions of
FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
History of the Lead NAAQS Review: With the publication of the
National Ambient Standards for lead (81 FR 71906) on October 18, 2016,
the Agency completed its most recent review of the lead NAAQS. The
CASAC's Lead Review Panel for that review was formed in July 2010 and
completed its work in June 2013. In July 2020, the EPA publicly
announced the initiation of the current primary and secondary NAAQS
review for lead (85 FR 40641).
This Federal Register notice solicitation is seeking nominations
for subject matter experts to serve on the CASAC Lead Review Panel for
the next review of the lead NAAQS that began with a call for
information in July 2020 (85 FR 40641). The Panel will be charged with
reviewing the science and policy assessments, and related documents,
that form the basis for the EPA's review of the lead NAAQS, and will
provide advice through the Chartered CASAC.
History of the Current Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and PM
Secondary NAAQS Review: In August 2013, the EPA publicly announced the
initiation of the NAAQS review for oxides of nitrogen and oxides of
sulfur (78 FR 53452). In the Integrated Review Plan for the Secondary
NAAQS for Ecological Effects of Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur,
and Particulate Matter (IRP), EPA recognized the combined contribution
of oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur and PM to deposition of
nitrogen and sulfur and the overlap of effects of these air pollutants
on ecological systems. As such, EPA stated the plan to review the
ecological effects of these three criteria pollutants together in this
review and the IRP was finalized in 2017 following consultation with
the CASAC and the CASAC Secondary NAAQS Review Panel for Oxides of
Nitrogen and Sulfur. The first and second drafts of the Integrated
Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur and
Particulate Matter--Ecological Criteria were released in 2017 and 2018
and reviewed by the CASAC and the CASAC Secondary NAAQS Review Panel
for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur. The final ISA was published in 2020
(85 FR 66328). In addition, EPA released the Review of the Secondary
Standards for Ecological Effects of Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of
Sulfur, and Particulate Matter: Risk and Exposure Assessment Planning
Document in 2018 (83 FR 42497), which the CASAC Secondary NAAQS Review
Panel for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur provided consultative advice
on.
On March 31, 2021, the Administrator reset membership of the
Chartered CASAC and existing CASAC panels, including the CASAC
Secondary NAAQS Review Panel for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur. On June
17, 2021, the new Chartered CASAC members were announced.
This Federal Register notice solicitation is seeking nominations
for subject matter experts to serve on the CASAC Oxides of Nitrogen,
Oxides of Sulfur, and PM Secondary NAAQS Panel to review the Policy
Assessment for the EPA's review of the Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of
Sulfur, and PM Secondary NAAQS, and will provide advice through the
Chartered CASAC.
Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking
nominations of nationally and internationally recognized scientists
with demonstrated expertise and research in the field of air pollution
related to criteria pollutants.
For the Lead Panel, experts are being sought in the following
fields, especially with respect to lead: Air quality; environmental
fate and transport; exposure and biomarker assessment; biokinetic
modeling; toxicology; epidemiology; risk assessment; biostatistics; and
ecology.
For the Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and PM Secondary
NAAQS Panel, experts are being sought in the following fields,
especially with respect to nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and PM:
Ecological effects of atmospheric concentrations and deposition to
terrestrial, wetland and aquatic ecosystems; ecosystem exposure and
risk assessment/modeling; ecosystem service and resource valuation; and
atmospheric sciences.
[[Page 50346]]
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested
person or organization may nominate qualified individuals in the areas
of expertise described above. Individuals may self-nominate.
Nominations should be submitted in electronic format (preferred) using
the online nomination form under ``Public Input on Membership'' on the
CASAC web 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. Nominations
should be submitted by September 29, 2021.
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 SABSO 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 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 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.
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 this expert
panel, the SAB Staff Office will consider public comments on the List
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 lack of impartiality; (e) skills working in committees,
subcommittees and advisory panels; and (f) for the panel as a whole,
diversity of expertise and viewpoints.
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, Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-19301 Filed 9-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P