[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 238 (Monday, December 12, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77228-77229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31816]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-ORD-2011-0977; FRL-9505-5]
Request for Nominations of Experts to the Office of Research and
Development's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The EPA Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) Staff Office is
requesting public nominations for technical experts to fill current
vacancies on the BOSC Executive Committee. Nominations should be
submitted via the BOSC Web site at http://www.epa.gov/osp/bosc/nomination.htm.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by January 20, 2012, per
instructions below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public needing
additional information regarding this Notice and Request for
Nominations may contact Ms. Susan Peterson, Mail Code 8104-R, Office of
Science Policy, Office of Research and Development, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460;
via phone/voice mail at: (202) 564-1077; via fax at: (202) 565-2911; or
via email at: peterson.susan@epa.gov. General information concerning
the Board of Scientific Counselors can be found at the BOSC Web site
at: http://www.epa.gov/osp/bosc.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The BOSC is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee that was
established by the U.S. EPA to provide independent scientific and
technical peer review, advice, consultation, and recommendations about
the Office of Research and Development. As a Federal Advisory
Committee, the BOSC conducts business in accordance with the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and related
regulations.
The BOSC Executive Committee is comprised of approximately 20
members who are recognized experts in various scientific, engineering,
and social science fields. EPA is soliciting candidates to fill eight
vacancies. EPA will consider candidates from the environmental
scientific/technical fields, human health care professionals, academia,
industry, public and private research institutes or organizations, non-
government organizations, and other relevant interest areas. Members
are appointed by the EPA Administrator for a period of three years and
serve as special government employees. EPA values and welcomes
diversity. In an effort to obtain nominations of diverse candidates,
EPA encourages nominations of women and men of all racial and ethnic
groups.
Expertise Sought
EPA's BOSC Staff Office is seeking nominations of nationally and
internationally recognized scientists, engineers, and social scientists
having experience and expertise in one or more of the following areas:
Atmospheric Sciences (atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric physics,
aerosol chemistry, aerosol physics); Analytical Chemistry; Green
Chemistry; Endocrinology (endocrine disruptors); Pulmonary and
Cardiovascular Toxicology; Systems Science (systems biology, systems
ecology, landscape ecology); Social Sciences (sociology, economics,
socioeconomics, environmental economics, ecological economics, natural
resource economics); and Behavioral Sciences (psychology, environmental
psychology, ecopsychology, conservation psychology, social
neuroscience, risk perception, risk communication, crisis
communication).
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations
Any interested person or organization may nominate themselves or
qualified individuals in the areas of expertise described above.
Nominations should be submitted via the BOSC Web site (which is
preferred over hard copy) at http://www.epa.gov/osp/bosc/nomination.htm. Nominations should be submitted in time to arrive no
later than January 13, 2012. To receive full consideration, nominations
should include all of the information requested. EPA's BOSC Staff
Office requests: Contact information about the person making the
nomination; contact information about the nominee; the disciplinary and
specific areas of expertise of the nominee; the nominee's curriculum
vita and/or resume; sources of recent grant and/or contract support;
and a biographical sketch of the nominee indicating current position,
educational background, 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 BOSC Web site, should contact Ms. Susan
Peterson, as indicated above in this notice.
Selection Criteria
The BOSC is a balanced and diverse expert committee. The committee
collectively possesses the necessary domains of expertise, depth and
breadth of knowledge, and diverse and balanced scientific perspectives.
Selection criteria to be used for membership include: (a) Scientific
and/or technical expertise, knowledge, and experience; (b) availability
to serve and willingness to commit time to the committee (approximately
three to five meetings per year including both face-to-face meetings
and teleconferences); (c)
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absence of financial conflicts of interest; (d) absence of an
appearance of a lack of impartiality; (e) skills working on committees
and advisory panels; and (f) background and experiences that would
contribute to the diversity of viewpoints on the committee, e.g.,
geographic, economic, social, cultural, educational backgrounds, and
professional affiliations.
The BOSC Staff Office's evaluation of an absence of financial
conflicts of interest will include a review of 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 allows Government
Officials to determine whether there is a statutory conflict between
that person's public responsibilities (which includes membership on an
EPA Federal advisory committee) and private interests and activities,
or the appearance of a lack of impartiality, as defined by Federal
regulation. The form may be viewed and downloaded from the following
URL address, http://www.epa.gov/osp/bosc/pdf/EPA_3110-48.pdf.
Dated: November 29, 2011.
Fred Hauchman,
Director, Office of Science Policy.
[FR Doc. 2011-31816 Filed 12-9-11; 8:45 am]
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