Contact: Cate Alexander Brennan or Audrey Haar
(703) 292-4399 or (703) 292-8288
ahaar@nnco.nano.gov

Public Comment Requested on Proposed Priorities for Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Related to Engineered Nanoscale Materials

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), is requesting public comment on the newly released document, Prioritization of Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials: An Interim Document for Public Comment. The prioritization document and request for comment will be posted at the website of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), http://www.nano.gov. (The document can be accessed from the indicated home page or by going directly to http://www.nano.gov/html/society/ehs_priorities/. Comments can be submitted to the NSET Subcommittee via the website through September 17, 2007.

Prioritization of Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials: An Interim Document for Public Comment assigns priority to research and information needs that were identified in the NSET Subcommittee document Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials, which was published on September 21, 2006. (To read the 2006 document, see http://www.nano.gov/NNI_EHS_research_needs.pdf)

The NSET Subcommittee and the NNI participating agencies request comment on the ranking of the priorities and whether additional or different research should be among the top priorities. Support for the submitted comments is requested. The comment period is an opportunity for public input into the prioritization of research and information needs related to environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials. The research priorities will be an important part of the NNI EHS research strategy, which will be used by the Federal agencies to support research within their mission areas.

On January 4, 2007, a public meeting was held in Arlington, Va., to receive input on research needs related to the environmental, health, and safety aspects of engineered nanoscale materials, and specifically, prioritization criteria for the research identified in the September 21, 2006, document. Input gained from the public at the January 4 meeting was considered in preparing the prioritization document, which is the subject of this call for public comment. Through activities such as this solicitation, the NSET Subcommittee and NNI member agencies are making the priority-setting process dynamic, open, and transparent.

About the National Science and Technology Council and the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee. The Federal Government’s nanotechnology research programs, in general, fall under the National Nanotechnology Initiative. Coordination of research in the field takes place through the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council. The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office supports the interagency coordination activities of the NSET Subcommittee.