[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 167 (Wednesday, September 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49021-49022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18807]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8758-01-OA]
Request for Nominations to the Science Advisory Board Biosolids
Chemical Risk Assessment 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 EPA White Paper: A Standardized
Approach to Biosolids Chemical Risk Assessment and a Biosolids
Screening Tool with an accompanying User Guide. The White Paper, which
includes a prioritization method, deterministic screening model, and a
probabilistic risk assessment modeling framework will be used to
modernize, standardize, and streamline the risk assessment process to
efficiently and thoroughly assess risk to chemical pollutants found in
biosolids.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by September 22, 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 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 http://www.epa.gov/sab.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: 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.C. App. 2) and related regulations. The SAB
Staff Office is forming an expert panel, the Biosolids Chemical Risk
Assessment (Biosolids) Panel, under the auspices of the Chartered SAB.
The Biosolids Panel will provide advice through the chartered SAB. The
SAB and the Biosolids Panel will comply with the provisions of FACA and
all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
The Biosolids Panel will conduct the review of the EPA White Paper:
A Standardized Approach to Biosolids Chemical Risk Assessment and a
Biosolids Screening Tool (BST) with an accompanying User Guide prepared
by the EPA's Office of Water. The White Paper, BST and User Guide
present the EPA's proposed screening process to identify pollutants,
pathways and receptors of greatest interest and inform decisions
regarding the need for refined risk assessment of land-applied
biosolids.
Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking
nominations of nationally and internationally recognized scientists
with demonstrated expertise in the following disciplines: Biosolids
management, risk assessment, exposure assessment, probabilistic
modeling, and deterministic modeling.
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) 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 http://www.epa.gov/sab).
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
September 22, 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 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
[[Page 49022]]
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 http://www.epa.gov/sab.
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.
The SAB Staff Office's evaluation of an absence of financial
conflicts of interest will include a review of the ``Confidential
Financial Disclosure Form for Environmental Protection Agency Special
Government Employees'' (EPA Form 3110-48). This confidential form is
required and allows government officials to determine whether there is
a statutory conflict between a person's public responsibilities (which
include 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 http://www.epa.gov/sab. This form should not be submitted as
part of a nomination.
The approved policy under which the EPA SAB Office selects members
for subcommittees and review panels is described in the following
document: Overview of the Panel Formation Process at the Environmental
Protection Agency Science Advisory Board (EPA-SAB-EC-02-010), which is
posted on the SAB website at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
V Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-18807 Filed 8-31-21; 8:45 am]
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