[Federal Register: October 26, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 207)]
[Notices]
[Page 60844-60845]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26oc07-62]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8487-8]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Additional
Expertise for the Science Advisory Board Asbestos Expert Panel
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is seeking
public nominations of additional experts in the formation of the
Asbestos Expert Panel in the areas of biostatistics, statistical
modeling, epidemiology, meta-analysis, Bayesian analysis and toxicology
of inhaled particles. Previous nominations of individuals for this
asbestos panel need not be re-submitted, as they will still be
considered.
DATES: New nominations should be submitted by November 16, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to
obtain further information regarding this announcement may contact Ms.
Vivian Turner, Designated Federal Officer, by telephone: (202) 343-9697
or e-mail at: turner.vivian@epa.gov. The SAB Mailing address is: U.S.
EPA Science Advisory Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. General
information about the SAB as well as any updates concerning this
request for nominations may be found on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response (OSWER) requested the Science Advisory Board (SAB) provide
technical advice on the proposed methodology to estimate cancer potency
from inhalation exposure to asbestos. In 71 FR 48926-48927, the SAB
announced the formation of an Asbestos Expert Panel and solicited
nominations for members to that Panel. In response to that Federal
Register Notice, the SAB Staff Office received nominations in the areas
of clinical and pulmonary medicine, epidemiology, occupational and
public health, pathology, inhalation toxicology; biology, mineralogy;
environmental fate and transport, environmental sampling and detection
methods, biostatistics, statistical modeling and risk assessment.
The Science Advisory Board Staff Office is now seeking additional
nominations for nationally and internationally recognized non-EPA
scientists who have expert knowledge in
[[Page 60845]]
biostatistics, statistical modeling, epidemiology, meta-analysis,
Bayesian analysis and toxicology of inhaled particles.
The SAB is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee, established by
42 U.S.C. 4365, to provide independent scientific and technical advice,
consultation, and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on the
technical bases for EPA policies and actions. The SAB expert panel will
provide technical advice to EPA through the chartered SAB. The SAB
Asbestos Panel will comply with the provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) and all appropriate SAB procedural policies.
Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is requesting
nominations for nationally and internationally recognized non-EPA
scientists with demonstrated expertise in biostatistics, statistical
modeling, epidemiology, meta-analysis, Bayesian analysis and toxicology
of inhaled particles. The previously submitted nominations of
individuals for this Asbestos Expert Panel need not be re-submitted, as
they will still be considered.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested
person or organization may nominate individuals qualified in the areas
of expertise described above to serve on the SAB Asbestos Expert Panel.
Nominations may be submitted in electronic format through the Form for
Nominating Individuals to Panels of the EPA Science Advisory Board
which can be accessed through a link on the blue navigational bar on
the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab. Please follow the
instructions for submitting nominations carefully, and include all of
the information requested on that form. The nominating form requests
contact information of the person making the nomination; contact
information for the nominee; the disciplinary and specific areas of
expertise of the nominee; the nominee's curriculum vita; and a
biographical sketch of the nominee indicating current position,
educational background, research activities, and recent service on
other national advisory committees or national professional
organizations. Anyone unable to submit nominations using the electronic
form, or who may have questions concerning the nomination process or
any other aspect of this notice may contact Ms. Vivian Turner, DFO, at
the contact information. Nominations should be submitted in time to
arrive no later than November 16, 2007.
The process for forming an SAB panel is described in the Overview
of the Panel Formation Process at the Environmental Protection Agency,
Science Advisory Board (EPA-SAB-EC-COM-02-010), on the SAB Web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ec02010.pdf. The SAB Staff Office will
acknowledge receipt of nominations and inform nominees of the panel for
which they have been nominated. From the nominees identified by
respondents to this Federal Register notice (termed the ``Widecast''),
the SAB Staff Office will develop a smaller subset (known as the
``Short List'') for more detailed consideration. The Short List will be
posted on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab and will include
the nominee's name and biographical sketch. Public comments on the
Short List will be accepted for 21 calendar days. During this comment
period, the public will be requested to provide information, analysis
or other documentation on nominees that the SAB Staff Office should
consider in evaluating candidates for the panel.
For the SAB, a balanced panel is characterized by inclusion of
nominees who possess the necessary domains of knowledge, the relevant
scientific perspectives (which, among other factors, can be influenced
by work history and affiliation), and the collective breadth of
experience to adequately address the charge. Public responses to the
Short List will be considered in the selection of the panel members,
along with information provided by nominees and information
independently gathered by SAB Staff (e.g., financial disclosure
information and computer searches to evaluate a nominee's prior
involvement with the topic under review). Specific criteria to be used
in evaluating Short List nominees include: (a) Scientific and/or
technical expertise, knowledge, and experience (primary factors); (b)
absence of financial conflicts of interest; (c) scientific credibility
and impartiality; (d) availability and willingness to serve; and (e)
ability to work constructively and effectively on committees.
Dated: October 19, 2007.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. E7-21092 Filed 10-25-07; 8:45 am]
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