81 FR 75822 - Notification of a Public Meeting of the Chartered Science Advisory Board

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 211 (November 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 the draft SAB review of the EPA's proposed methodology for mortality risk valuation estimates for policy analysis; (2) discuss information provided by the EPA on planned actions in the Spring 2016 semi-annual regulatory agenda and their supporting science; (3) discuss information about shipboard treatment efficacy in the SAB report, Efficacy of Ballast Water Treatment Systems: A Report by the Science Advisory Board, and (4) receive briefings on future topics from the EPA.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75822-75823]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26373]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9954-73-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 the draft SAB review of the 
EPA's proposed methodology for mortality risk valuation estimates for 
policy analysis; (2) discuss information provided by the EPA on planned 
actions in the Spring 2016 semi-annual regulatory agenda and their 
supporting science; (3) discuss information about shipboard treatment 
efficacy in the SAB report, Efficacy of Ballast Water Treatment 
Systems: A Report by the Science Advisory Board, and (4) receive 
briefings on future topics from the EPA.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2016, 
from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday December 1, 2016, from 9:00 
a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Westin Arlington Gateway 
Hotel, 801 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22203.

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 Report on EPA's Proposed Methodology 
for Mortality Risk Valuation Estimates for Policy Analysis

    The EPA's Office of Policy requested advice on proposed 
improvements to the Agency's methodology for estimating benefits 
associated with reduced risk of mortality. This methodology takes into 
account the amounts that individuals are willing to pay for reductions 
in mortality risk. The resulting values are combined into an estimate 
known as the value of statistical life (VSL) which is used in 
regulatory benefit-cost analysis. The EPA has also requested that the 
SAB review options for accounting for changes in the VSL over time as 
real income grows, known as income elasticity of willingness to pay.
    The chartered SAB will conduct a quality review of the committee'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, Valuing Mortality Risk 
Reductions for Policy: Proposed Updates to Valuation and Income 
Elasticity Estimates can be found on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Valuing%20fatal%20risk%20for%20policy?OpenDocument.

(2) Discussion of Information on 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 May 18, 2016 available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaMain.
    The SAB convened a Work Group to review information provided in the 
agency's Spring 2016 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.

(3) Discussion of Information About Shipboard Treatment Efficacy in the 
SAB Report, Efficacy of Ballast Water Treatment Systems: A Report by 
the Science Advisory Board

    The SAB will discuss recommendations and information developed by a 
Work Group regarding the conclusions about shipboard treatment efficacy 
in the SAB report, Efficacy of Ballast Water Treatment Systems: A 
Report by the Science Advisory Board (EPA-SAB-11-009). The SAB convened 
a Work Group to gather and review information on the report's 
underlying data and related conclusions. The SAB is not seeking new 
data regarding ballast water treatment system efficacy and will focus 
its discussion on the data and information available for the report. 
Information about this advisory activity can be found on the Web at 
http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Ballast%20Water%20Fact%20Finding?OpenDocument.

[[Page 75823]]

    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 November 30-
December 1, 2016, meeting should contact Mr. Thomas Carpenter, DFO, in 
writing (preferably via email) at the contact information noted above 
by November 21, 2016 to be placed on the list of registered speakers.
    Written Statements: Written statements for the November 30-December 
1, 2016, meeting should be received in the SAB Staff Office by November 
21, 2016, so that the information can be made available to the SAB for 
its consideration prior to the meeting. Written statements should be 
supplied 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: October 25, 2016.
Khanna Johnston,
Acting Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2016-26373 Filed 10-31-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P