SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The renewal of the SEAB has been determined to be essential to conduct business of the Department of Energy and to be the in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed upon the Department of Energy, by law and agreement. The Board will continue to operate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, adhering to the rules and regulations in implementation of that Act.

Public Interest Determination: Pursuant to 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 102-3.60(a), to establish, renew, reestablish, or merge a discretionary (agency discretion) advisory committee, an agency must first consult with the General Services Administration's Committee Management Secretariat (the Secretariat) and, as part of the consultation, provide a written public interest determination approved by the head of the agency to the Secretariat with a copy to the Office of Management and Budget. In addition, pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 102-3.35, an agency shall follow the same consultation process and document in writing the same determination of need before creating a subcommittee under a discretionary committee that is not made up entirely of members of a parent advisory committee.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing this written public interest determination, which has been approved by the Secretary of Energy, to demonstrate that renewing the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) is in the public interest:

1. Annual budget: Approximately $375,000.

a. Federal personnel on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis: The estimated annual person years of Federal support required is 1 FTE, at an estimated annual cost of $250,000.

b. Other Federal internal costs: The estimate for other Federal internal costs, which include Federal travel, meeting/administrative expenses, and contractor costs, is $100,000.

c. Proposed payments to members: $0.

d. Proposed number of members: Approximately 20 members.

e. Reimbursable costs: The estimate for reimbursable costs, including members' travel expenses, is $25,000.

2. If applicable, the total dollar value of grants expected to be recommended during the Fiscal Year: N/A

3. Criteria for selecting members to ensure the committee has the necessary expertise and fairly balanced membership: Membership of the Committee has been carefully considered to obtain a balance of disciplines, experiences, points of view, and geography. The members span academia, private institutions, and the private sector.

4. List of all other Federal advisory committees of the agency:

• 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board
• Advisory Committee for Nuclear Security
• Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee
• Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee ( printed page 53407)
• Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration Federal Lands Permitting Task Force
• Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration Non-Federal Lands Permitting Task Force
• Electricity Advisory Committee
• Electric Vehicle Working Group
• Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board
• Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee
• Isotope Research & Development and Production Advisory Committee
• Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee
• Methane Hydrate Advisory Committee
• National Coal Council
• National Petroleum Council
• National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee
• President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
• Office of Science Advisory Committee
• State Energy Advisory Board
• Technical Panel on Magnetic Fusion

5. Justification that the information or advice provided by the Federal advisory committee or subcommittee is not available from another Federal advisory committee, another Federal Government source, or any other more cost-effective and less burdensome source: No other advisory committee focuses only on cross-Departmental issues related to overall energy policy. This board is uniquely suited to find solutions to problems that the government alone cannot answer.

6. If the consultation is a committee renewal, a summary of the previous accomplishments of the committee and the reasons it needs to continue: The SEAB was first established and chartered in 1990 under the administration of President George H.W. Bush. It has lapsed and been reestablished by subsequent administrations. SEAB was most recently reestablished in August 2012. The Secretary only recently appointed membership to the SEAB so there are not yet accomplishments in this administration. There is a pressing need to receive outside independent advice for our Nation's energy policies.

7. Explanation of why the committee/subcommittee is essential to the conduct of agency business: The SEAB specifically promotes the idea of energy dominance. America is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and is a leader in energy technologies and innovation that are critical to the economic prosperity and national security of the American people, as well as our partners and allies. The SEAB will help expand all forms of reliable and affordable energy production to drive down inflation, grow our economy, create good-paying jobs, reestablish American leadership in manufacturing, and lead the world in artificial intelligence. By utilizing our national assets, including our crude oil, natural gas, lease condensates, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal heat, the kinetic movement of flowing water, and critical minerals, we will preserve and protect our most beautiful places, reduce our dependency on foreign imports, and grow our economy—thereby enabling the reduction of our deficits and our debt. In conclusion, this public interest determination documents that renewing the committee is in the public interest and essential to the conduct of agency business, and that the information to be obtained is not already available through another advisory committee or source within the Federal Government.

Signing Authority

This document of the Department of Energy was signed on August 13, 2026, by David Borak, Committee Management Officer, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document with the original signature and date is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the Federal Register .

91 FR 53406