81 FR 10619 - Notification of a Public Meeting of the Chartered Science Advisory Board

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 40 (March 1, 2016)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public meeting of the chartered SAB to: (1) Conduct a quality review of a draft SAB report on an accounting framework for biogenic carbon dioxide emissions; (2) discuss information provided by the EPA on planned actions in the Fall 2015 semi-annual regulatory agenda and their supporting science; and (3) receive briefings from the EPA Office of Research and Development and the Office of the Science Advisor.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10619-10620]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04451]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9942-97-OA]


Notification of a Public Meeting of the Chartered Science 
Advisory Board

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public meeting of the chartered 
SAB to: (1) Conduct a quality review of a draft SAB report on an 
accounting framework for biogenic carbon dioxide emissions; (2) discuss 
information provided by the EPA on planned actions in the Fall 2015 
semi-annual regulatory agenda and their supporting science; and (3) 
receive briefings from the EPA Office of Research and Development and 
the Office of the Science Advisor.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Thursday, March 31, 2016, 
from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday April 1, 2016, from 9:00 a.m. to 
1:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Westin Crystal City, 1800 
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public who wants 
further information concerning the meeting may contact Mr. Thomas 
Carpenter, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science Advisory Board 
(1400R), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC 20460; via telephone/voice mail (202) 564-4885, or 
email at [email protected]. General information concerning the 
SAB can be found on the EPA Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: The SAB was established pursuant to the Environmental 
Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA), 
codified at 42 U.S.C. 4365, to provide independent scientific and 
technical advice to the Administrator on the scientific and technical 
basis for Agency positions and regulations. The SAB is a Federal 
Advisory Committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2. The SAB will comply with the provisions of 
FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies. Pursuant 
to FACA and EPA policy, notice is hereby given that the SAB will hold a 
public meeting to discuss and deliberate on the topics below.

(1) Quality Review of a Draft SAB Review Report on the Framework for 
Assessing Biogenic CO2 Emissions From Stationary Sources

    In 2012, the SAB completed a review of the first draft accounting 
framework addressing scientific and technical issues associated with 
biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, Accounting 
Framework for Biogenic CO2 Emissions from Stationary Sources (September 
2011). The EPA subsequently revised the 2011 framework and requested 
the SAB to conduct a review of the Framework for Assessing Biogenic CO2 
Emissions from Stationary Sources (November 2014). The purpose of the 
2014 framework is to develop a method for calculating the adjustment, 
or Biogenic Assessment Factor (BAF), for carbon emissions associated 
with the combustion of biogenic feedstocks taking into account the 
biological carbon cycle effects associated with their growth, harvest 
and processing. The SAB convened the Biogenic Carbon Emissions Panel to 
review the framework.
    The chartered SAB will conduct a quality review of the panel's 
draft report before it is transmitted to the EPA Administrator. The SAB 
quality review process ensures that all draft reports developed by SAB 
panels, committees or workgroups are reviewed and approved by the 
Chartered SAB before being finalized and transmitted to the EPA 
Administrator. These reviews are conducted in a public meeting as 
required by FACA. Background on the current advisory activity, Biogenic 
Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Stationary Sources--Assessment Framework 
can be found on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Biogenic%20CO2%20Framework?OpenDocument.

(2) Discussion of Information in the Agency's Semiannual Regulatory 
Agenda

    As part of the EPA's effort to routinely inform the SAB about 
proposed and planned agency actions that have a scientific or technical 
basis, the agency provided notice to the SAB that the Office of 
Management and Budget published the ``Unified (Regulatory) Agenda'' on 
the Web on November 20, 2015 available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaMain.
    The SAB convened a Work Group to review information provided in the 
agency's Fall 2015 regulatory agenda regarding EPA planned actions and 
their supporting science. The SAB will discuss recommendations and 
information developed by the Work Group regarding the adequacy of the 
science supporting the planned actions. Information about this advisory 
activity can be found on the Web at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/SAB%20Fall%202015%20Reg%20Agenda?OpenDocument.
    Availability of Meeting Materials: A meeting agenda and other 
materials for the meeting will be placed on the SAB Web site at http://epa.gov/sab.
    Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for 
consideration by EPA's federal advisory committees and panels has a 
different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. 
Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a federal advisory 
committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an 
EPA program office.
    Federal advisory committees and panels, including scientific 
advisory committees, provide independent advice to the EPA. Members of 
the public can submit relevant comments pertaining to the EPA's charge, 
meeting materials, or the group providing advice. Input from the public 
to the SAB will have the most impact if it provides specific scientific 
or technical information or analysis for the SAB to consider or if it 
relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical information. 
Members of the public wishing to provide comment should contact the DFO 
directly.
    Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an 
oral presentation at a public meeting will be limited to five minutes. 
Persons interested in providing oral statements at the March 31-April 
1, 2016, meeting should contact Mr. Thomas Carpenter, DFO, in writing 
(preferably via email) at the contact information noted above by March 
23, 2016 to be placed on the list of registered speakers. Written 
Statements: Written statements for the March 31-April 1, 2016, meeting 
should be received in the SAB Staff Office by March 23, 2016, so that 
the information can be made available to the SAB for its consideration 
prior to the meeting. Written statements should be supplied

[[Page 10620]]

to the DFO at the contact information above via email (preferred) or in 
hard copy with original signature. Submitters are requested to provide 
a signed and unsigned version of each document because the SAB Staff 
Office does not publish documents with signatures on its Web sites. 
Members of the public should be aware that their personal contact 
information, if included in any written comments, may be posted to the 
SAB Web site. Copyrighted material will not be posted without explicit 
permission of the copyright holder.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Mr. Carpenter at the 
phone number or email address noted above, preferably at least ten days 
prior to the meeting, to give the EPA as much time as possible to 
process your request.

    Dated: February 22, 2016.
Christopher Zarba,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2016-04451 Filed 2-29-16; 8:45 am]
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