Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2016 / Notices 10617 

3 Mass Mailing: 2 letters have been sent to FERC Commissioners and staff under this docket number. 

4 Mass Mailing: 2 letters have been sent to FERC Commissioners and staff under this docket number. 

5 Mass Mailing: 2 letters have been sent to FERC Commissioners and staff under this docket number. 

6 Mass Mailing: 8 letters have been sent to FERC Commissioners and staff under this docket number. 

7 Mass Mailing: 2 letters have been sent to FERC Commissioners and staff under this docket number. 

8Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Senator Jack Reed, House Representative James R. Langevin, and House Representative David N. Cicilline. 9 Memo forwarding letter dated January 29, 2016 from Paul A. Raber of Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology. 

10 Meeting summary from February 17, 2016 telephone call with Brian Scofield of Pennsylvania Field Office of the Fish and Wildlife Service regarding Eastern Shore White Oak Machine Expansion Project. 11Email Record dated February 17, 2016 between FERC Staff and Jeff Crocker of Vermont Department of Environment Conservation. 12 Conference Call Notes from February 9, 2016 call between FERC and NPS regarding the Orion Project. 

Dated: February 23, 2016. 

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2016–04390 Filed 2–29–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OW–2009–0297; FRL–9942–98– 

OW] 

Request for Nominations for Peer 

Reviewers for EPA’s Biologically 

Based Dose-Response (BBDR) Model 

for Perchlorate in Drinking Water 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice; request for nominations 

for peer reviewers. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) invites the 

public to nominate scientific experts to 

be considered as peer reviewers for the 

contractor-managed, external peer 

review of the draft Biologically Based 

Dose-Response model for perchlorate in 

drinking water and the draft model 

support document. The draft model 

predicts changes in thyroid hormones in 

sensitive life stages exposed to different 

dietary iodide and perchlorate levels. 

EPA has been working with scientists at 

the Food and Drug Administration to 

develop the model recommended by 

EPA’s Science Advisory Board for the 

derivation of a maximum contaminant 

level goal for perchlorate in drinking 

water. The model integrates previous 

perchlorate and iodine models for 

thyroid hormones in formula-fed and 

nursing infants, as well as lactating 

women. The model predicts the effects 

of perchlorate on serum thyroid 

hormone concentrations in infants 

exposed via ingestion of formula mixed 

with contaminated drinking water or 

breast milk. EPA anticipates releasing 

the draft model and draft model support 

document for peer review and public 

comment in the near future (the exact 

date to be determined). 

DATES: The nomination period for 

scientific experts begins on March 1, 

2016 and ends on March 31, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: Any interested person or 

organization may nominate scientific 

experts to be considered as peer 

reviewers. Nominations should be 

submitted in time to arrive no later than 

March 31, 2016. Self-nominations will 

also be accepted. Nominations should 

be submitted to the EPA contractor, 

Versar, Inc., using the following email 

address: perchlorate@versar.com (the 

subject line should read: BBDR Model 

Peer Review). Nominations will also be 

accepted via U.S. Postal Service mail or 

by an overnight/priority mail service. 

Mailed nominations should be 

addressed to Versar, Inc., 6850 Versar 

Center, Springfield, VA 22151 

(Attention: David Bottimore). 

Nominations should include all 

nominee information outlined in section 

II of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

section of this document. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Questions concerning the nomination 

process should be directed to the EPA 

contractor, Versar, Inc., at 6850 Versar 

Center, Springfield, VA 22151; by email 

to perchlorate@versar.com (the subject 

line should read: BBDR Model Peer 

Review); or by phone: (703) 642–6815 

(ask for David Bottimore). For additional 

information concerning the draft BBDR 

model and draft model support 

document, please contact Russ 

Perkinson at the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, Office of Ground 

Water and Drinking Water, Standards 

and Risk Management Division, (Mail 

Code 4607M), 1200 Pennsylvania 

Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; 

telephone: 202–564–4901; or email: 

perkinson.russ@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Information on the Draft Biologically 

Based Dose-Response (BBDR) Model 

and Draft Model Support Document for 

Perchlorate in Drinking Water 

EPA is developing a National Primary 

Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for 

Perchlorate in accordance with the 

requirements under the Safe Drinking 

Water Act (SDWA). Among these 

requirements are that the agency must 

request comment from the EPA’s 

Science Advisory Board (SAB) prior to 

proposal of a maximum contaminant 

level goal (MCLG) and a NPDWR (42 

U.S.C. 1412(e)). 

In 2012, EPA sought guidance from 

the SAB on how best to consider and 

interpret life stage information, 

epidemiologic and biomonitoring data, 

physiologically based pharmacokinetic 

(PBPK) analyses and the totality of 

perchlorate health information to derive 

an MCLG for perchlorate. The MCLG is 

the maximum level of a contaminant in 

drinking water at which no known or 

anticipated adverse effect on the health 

of persons would occur, and which 

allows an adequate margin of safety. 

MCLGs are non-enforceable public 

health goals. 

In 2013, the SAB recommended that, 

‘‘. . . EPA derive a perchlorate MCLG 

that addresses sensitive life stages 

through physiologically-based 

pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic 

(PBPK/PD) modeling based upon its 

mode of action rather than the default 

MCLG approach using the reference 

dose and specific chemical exposure 

parameters’’ (see Advice on Approaches 

to Derive a Maximum Contaminant 

Level Goal for Perchlorate, EPA–SAB– 

13–004). The SAB found that ‘‘. . . this 

data-driven approach represents a more 

rigorous way to address differences in 

biology and exposure between adults 

and sensitive life stages than is possible 

with the default approach for deriving 

an MCLG.’’ 

Based on the SAB’s 

recommendations, EPA and Food and 

Drug Administration (FDA) scientists 

developed a BBDR (also known as a 

PBPK/PD) model to determine under 

what conditions of iodine nutrition and 

exposure to perchlorate across sensitive 

life stages low serum free and total 

thyroxine would result. EPA is 

considering deriving a perchlorate 

MCLG by linking BBDR model output to 

information from literature to account 

for adverse health outcomes. 

II. How to Submit Nominations for Peer 

Reviewers 

Expertise Sought: EPA is seeking 

candidates who are nationally and/or 

internationally recognized scientific 

experts to serve as external peer 

reviewers for the draft BBDR model and 

draft model support document for 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
10618 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2016 / Notices 

perchlorate in drinking water. Nominees 

should possess and demonstrate 

background knowledge and experience 

in one or more of the following areas: 

(1) PBPK, PBPK/PD and/or BBDR 

modeling, (2) fetal and neonatal thyroid 

endocrinology (clinical and 

experimental), (3) iodide homeostasis, 

and (4) perchlorate toxicology and mode 

of action or adverse outcome pathway. 

Selection Criteria: Selection criteria 

for individuals nominated to serve as 

external peer reviewers of the draft 

BBDR model and draft model support 

document 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 lack of impartiality, (6) 

willingness to commit adequate time for 

the thorough review of the draft BBDR 

model and draft model support 

document, commencing approximately 

in June 2016 (exact date to be 

determined), and (7) availability to 

participate in-person in a one-day peer 

review meeting in the Washington, DC 

metro area, projected to occur in 

approximately August 2016 (exact date 

will be published in the Federal 

Register at least 30 days prior to the 

external peer review meeting). Further 

logistical information regarding the 

external peer review meeting will be 

announced at a later date in the Federal 

Register. 

Required Nominee Information: To 

receive full consideration, the following 

information should be submitted to 

Versar (perchlorate@versar.com) (the 

subject line should read: BBDR Model 

Peer Review): (1) Contact information 

for the person making the nomination; 

(2) contact information for the nominee; 

(3) the disciplinary and specific areas of 

expertise of the nominee; (4) the 

nominee’s curriculum vitae; and (5) a 

biographical sketch of the nominee 

indicating current position, educational 

background, past and current research 

activities, recent service on other 

advisory committees, peer review 

panels, editorial boards or professional 

organizations, sources of recent grant 

and/or contract support and other 

comments on the relevance of the 

nominee’s expertise to this peer review 

topic. Compensation for non-federal 

peer reviewers will be provided by 

Versar. 

Selection Process: EPA’s contractor, 

Versar, will notify candidates of 

selection or non-selection. Versar may 

also conduct an independent search for 

candidates to assemble a balanced group 

representing the expertise needed to 

fully evaluate EPA’s draft BBDR model 

and draft model support document for 

perchlorate in drinking water. Versar 

will consider and screen all candidates 

against the criteria previously listed. 

Following the screening process, Versar 

will narrow the list of potential 

reviewers to approximately 10–15 

candidates. Prior to selecting the final 

peer reviewers, a Federal Register 

notice will be published (exact date to 

be determined) to solicit comments on 

the interim list of candidates. In that 

notice, the public will be requested to 

provide relevant information or 

documentation on the nominees within 

30 days of the announcement of the 

interim list of candidates. Once Versar 

has considered the public comments on 

the interim list of candidates, Versar 

will select the final list of peer 

reviewers, based on who, collectively, 

will best provide expertise spanning the 

disciplines previously listed and (to the 

extent feasible) best provide a balance of 

perspectives. 

Dated: February 21, 2016. 

Joel Beauvais, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2016–04449 Filed 2–29–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–9943–11–ORD] 

Environmental Laboratory Advisory 

Board (ELAB) Membership 

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice soliciting nominations 

for membership. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency’s (EPA) invites 

nominations from a diverse range of 

qualified candidates to be considered 

for appointment to its Environmental 

Laboratory Advisory Board (ELAB). The 

ELAB is a multi-stakeholder federal 

advisory committee that provides 

independent advice and 

recommendations to the EPA 

Administrator, Science Advisor, and 

Forum on Environmental Measurements 

(FEM) about cross-cutting issues related 

to enhancing EPA’s measurement 

programs, and facilitating the operation 

and expansion of national 

environmental accreditation. 

This notice solicits nominations to fill 

eight–nine (8–9) new vacancies. To 

maintain diverse representation, 

nominees will be selected from the 

following stakeholder work force 

sectors: 

• Academia 

• Business and industry 

• Environmental laboratory 

commercial, municipal, small, other 

• Environmental laboratory suppliers of 

services 

• State and local Government agencies 

• Tribal governments and indigenous 

groups 

• Trade associations 

Within these sectors, EPA is seeking 

nominees with knowledge in methods 

development; measurements; 

monitoring and regulatory programs; 

quality systems; and environmental 

accreditation. In an effort to obtain 

nominations of diverse candidates, the 

agency encourages nominations of 

women and men of all racial and ethnic 

groups. All nominations will be fully 

considered. 

Any interested person or organization 

may nominate qualified persons to be 

considered for appointment to this 

advisory committee. Individuals may 

self-nominate. Nominees should possess 

the following qualifications: 

• Demonstrated experience with 

environmental measurement programs 

and environmental accreditation; 

• Willingness to commit time to the 

committee, and demonstrated ability to 

work constructively and effectively on 

committees; 

• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and 

written communication and consensusbuilding skills; and 

• Ability to serve a 2-year 

appointment and volunteer 

approximately 5–7 hours per month to 

support the Board’s activities. 

How to Submit Nominations: 

Nominations can be submitted in 

electronic format (preferred) to Ms. Lara 

P. Phelps, Designated Federal Officer, 

US EPA, MC E243–05, 109 T. W. 

Alexander Drive, Research Triangle 

Park, NC 27709, or email to 

phelps.lara@epa.gov and should be 

received by April 1, 2016 for October 

2016 appointment. To be considered, all 

nomination packages should include: 

• Current contact information for the 

nominee, including the nominee’s 

name, organization (and position within 

that organization), current business 

address, email address, and daytime 

telephone number. 

• Brief statement describing the 

nominee’s interest in serving on the 

ELAB. 

• Resume describing the professional 

and educational qualifications of the 

nominee, including a list of relevant 

activities, and any current or previous 

service on advisory committees. 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES