Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 37 / Friday, February 24, 2012 / Notices 11111 

7. United States Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) Monitoring 

Programs funding and overview. 

8. Discussion on the detections of 

fluridone downstream from permitted 

aquatic applications in New Jersey. 

III. How can I request to participate in 

this meeting? 

This meeting is open for the public to 

attend. You may attend the meeting 

without further notification. 

List of Subjects 

Environmental protection. 

Dated: February 15, 2012. 

Jay S. Ellenberger, 

Acting Director, Field and External Affairs 

Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4333 Filed 2–23–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–9637–5] 

Assessment of Potential Large-Scale 

Mining on the Bristol Bay Watershed of 

Alaska: Nomination of Peer Reviewers 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Call for nominations. 

SUMMARY: EPA anticipates releasing a 

draft report for public comment and 

external peer review describing impacts 

associated with potential large-scale 

mining development in the Nushagak 

and Kvichak watersheds of Bristol Bay, 

Alaska. An external, independent panel 

of experts will be formed to review and 

provide comments on EPA’s draft 

report. EPA invites the public to 

nominate qualified experts to be 

considered for this external peer review 

panel. 

DATES: Nominations will be accepted 

starting February 24, 2012 and the 

nomination period will close on March 

9, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Nominations of potential 

members of the Bristol Bay Assessment 

peer review panel are being accepted 

and evaluated by an independent EPA 

contractor. Nominations are being 

accepted online through an Internet 

Web site only. Those interested in 

submitting nominations should 

complete the online form found at 

http://www.versar.com/epa/ 

bristolbaynominationform.html. 

Questions concerning the online form 

should be directed to the EPA 

contractor, Versar, Inc., at 6850 Versar 

Center, Springfield, VA 22151; by email 

bcolon@versar.com (subject line: Bristol 

Bay Assessment Nomination Form); or 

by phone: (703) 642–6727 (ask for Betzy 

Colon, the Peer Review Coordinator). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

additional information concerning the 

Bristol Bay Assessment peer review 

panel nominations, contact Dr. Kate 

Schofield, Office of Research and 

Development, The National Center for 

Environmental Assessment. Telephone: 

703–347–8533; or email: 

schofield.kate@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Alaska’s 

Bristol Bay watershed provides habitat 

for one of the largest wild salmon 

populations in the world. In February 

2011, EPA began a scientific assessment 

of the Bristol Bay watershed to 

understand how large-scale mining 

activities might affect water quality and 

habitat. EPA will focus primarily on the 

Kvichak and Nushagak River drainages, 

the primary areas in the watershed open 

to large-scale development. 

This assessment was launched in 

response to concerns from federally 

recognized tribes and others, who 

petitioned the agency to evaluate 

potential impacts of large-scale mining 

on aquatic resources. The assessment 

will evaluate the potential for largescale mining development to have 

adverse effects on salmon and resident 

fish populations of the Kvichak and 

Nushagak River drainages, and if these 

effects are likely to affect wildlife and 

human populations in the region. 

Additional information describing the 

assessment, progress to date, and status 

can be found at: www.epa.gov/region10/ 

bristolbay. 

Expertise Sought: EPA is seeking 

nominations of experts to serve on the 

external peer review panel for the 

Bristol Bay Assessment. Nominees 

should possess, and demonstrate, 

background knowledge and experience 

in one or more of the following areas: 

(1) Metals (particularly porphyry 

copper) mining, (2) salmon fisheries 

biology, (3) surface, subsurface, or 

watershed hydrology, (4) aquatic 

ecology, (5) biogeochemistry, (6) 

seismology, (7) ecotoxicology, (8) 

wildlife ecology, and/or (9) indigenous 

Alaskan cultures. 

Selection Criteria: Selection criteria 

for members of the external review 

panel include the following: (1) 

Demonstrated expertise through 

relevant peer reviewed publications; (2) 

professional accomplishments, and 

recognition by professional societies; (3) 

demonstrated ability to work 

constructively and effectively in a 

committee setting; (4) absence of 

financial conflicts of interest; (5) no 

actual conflicts of interest or the 

appearance of impartiality; (6) 

willingness to commit adequate time for 

the thorough review of the assessment 

report commencing in late April 2012; 

and (7) availability to participate inperson in a peer review panel meeting 

in Anchorage, Alaska during August 

2012. 

Nominee Information: Any interested 

person or organization may nominate 

qualified persons to be considered for 

appointment to the peer review panel. 

Self-nominations will also be accepted. 

Nominations should be submitted 

online using the following URL: http:// 

www.versar.com/epa/ 

bristolbaynominationform.html. 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 vita; and a biographical 

sketch of the nominee indicating current 

position, educational background, past 

and current research activities, and 

recent service on other advisory 

committees or professional 

organizations. Persons having questions 

about the nomination procedures 

should contact the designated contact 

above. 

Notification of nominees: EPA’s 

contractor, Versar, Inc., will notify 

candidates of selection or non-selection. 

The Contractor may add additional 

experts to the list of nominees to 

develop a balanced panel representing 

the expertise needed to fully evaluate 

EPA’s draft assessment report. After the 

peer review panel has been finalized, a 

list of panel members will be posted on 

the project Web site at www.epa.gov/ 

region10/bristolbay. Compensation of 

non-federal peer review panel members 

will be provided by EPA’s contractor. 

Authority: Clean Water Act Section 404. 

Dated: February 17, 2012. 

Darrell A. Winner, 

Acting Director, National Center for 

Environmental Assessment. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4325 Filed 2–23–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 


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