83 FR 12383 - Request for Nominations of Candidates to the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 55 (March 21, 2018)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites nominations of scientific experts from a diverse range of disciplines to be considered for appointment to the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC).

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12383-12384]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05754]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9975-80-OA]


Request for Nominations of Candidates to the Clean Air Scientific 
Advisory Committee (CASAC)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites 
nominations of scientific experts from a diverse range of disciplines 
to be considered for appointment to the Clean Air Scientific Advisory 
Committee (CASAC).

DATES: Nominations should be submitted in time to arrive no later than 
April 20, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For all inquiries, nominators should 
contact Mr. Aaron Yeow, Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for the CASAC, 
EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office (1400R), 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW, Washington DC 20460; by telephone at 202-564-2050 or by email 
at [email protected]. Anyone unable to submit electronic nominations 
may send a paper copy to Mr. Yeow.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The CASAC is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee, 
established pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1977, 
codified at 42 U.S.C. 7409(d)(2), to provide advice, information and 
recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the scientific and 
technical aspects of air quality criteria and National Ambient Air 
Quality Standards (NAAQS). Members of the CASAC constitute a 
distinguished body of non-EPA scientists and engineers who are 
nationally and internationally recognized experts in their respective 
fields. Members are appointed by the EPA Administrator for a three-year 
term and serve as Special Government Employees who provide independent 
expert advice to the agency.
    Expertise sought for CASAC: 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

[[Page 12384]]

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 required under the CAA section 109(d), the CASAC is 
composed of seven members, with at least one member of the National 
Academy of Sciences, one physician, and one person representing state 
air pollution control agencies. The SAB Staff Office is seeking 
nominations of experts to serve on the CASAC with expertise in: Air 
quality, biostatistics, ecology, environmental economics, environmental 
engineering, epidemiology, exposure assessment, medicine, risk 
assessment, and toxicology. The SAB Staff Office is especially 
interested in scientists with expertise described above who have 
knowledge and experience relating to criteria pollutants (carbon 
monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur 
oxides). For further information about the CASAC membership appointment 
process and schedule, please contact Mr. Aaron Yeow, DFO, by telephone 
at 202-564-2050 or by email at [email protected],gov.

Selection Criteria for the CASAC

    Nominees are selected based on their individual qualifications. 
Curriculum vitae should reflect the following:

--Demonstrated scientific credentials and disciplinary expertise in 
relevant fields;
--Willingness to commit time to the committee and demonstrated ability 
to work constructively and effectively on committees; and
--Background and experiences that would help members contribute to the 
diversity of perspectives on the committee, e.g., geographical, 
economic, social, cultural, educational backgrounds, professional 
affiliations; and other considerations.
--For the committee as a whole, consideration of the collective breadth 
and depth of scientific expertise; and a balance of scientific 
perspectives is important.

As the committee undertakes specific advisory activities, the SAB Staff 
Office will consider two additional criteria for each new activity: 
absence of financial conflicts of interest and absence of an appearance 
of a loss of impartiality.
    How to submit nominations: Any interested person or organization 
may nominate qualified persons to be considered for appointment to this 
advisory committee. 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 http://www.epa.gov/casac. 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.
    The following information should be provided on the nomination 
form: contact information for the person making the nomination; contact 
information for the nominee; the disciplinary and specific areas of 
expertise of the nominee; the nominee's curriculum vitae; and a 
biographical sketch of the nominee indicating 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. To help the 
agency evaluate the effectiveness of its outreach efforts, please 
indicate how you learned of this nomination opportunity. 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 DFO 
will acknowledge receipt of nominations and will invite the nominee to 
provide any additional information that the nominee feels would be 
useful in considering the nomination, such as availability to 
participate as a member of the committee; how the nominee's background, 
skills and experience would contribute to the diversity of the 
committee; and any questions the nominee has regarding membership. 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 http://www.epa.gov/casac.
    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.
    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 http://www.epa.gov/casac. This form 
should not be submitted as part of a nomination.

    Dated: March 13, 2018.
 Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-05754 Filed 3-20-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P