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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 114 (Monday, June 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34152-34153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-14653]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9929-10-OA]

Notification of a Closed Meeting and Public Meeting of the 
Science Advisory Board's 2015 Scientific and Technological Achievement 
Awards Committee

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA), Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) Staff Office is announcing a meeting of the SAB's 2015 
Scientific and Technological Achievement Awards (STAA) Committee to 
discuss draft recommendations for the chartered SAB regarding the 
Agency's 2015 STAA recipients. A portion of the 2015 STAA Committee 
meeting will be closed to the public.

DATES: The 2015 STAA Committee meeting dates are Thursday, July 9, 
2015, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time), and Friday, July 10, 2015, 
from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern Time). The public portion of the 2015 
SAB STAA Committee meeting will be held on Friday, July 10, 2015, from 
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Eastern Time). The remainder of the 2015 SAB STAA 
Committee meeting will be closed to the public.

ADDRESSES: The 2015 SAB STAA Committee meeting will be held at the 
George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, 
950 New Hampshire Ave. NW., 1st Floor, Washington, DC 20052.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to 
obtain further information regarding this announcement or the 2015 SAB 
STAA Committee meeting may contact Edward Hanlon, Designated Federal 
Officer, by telephone: (202) 564-2134 or email at 
hanlon.edward@epa.gov. The SAB Mailing address is: U.S. EPA Science 
Advisory Board (1400R), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. General information 
about the SAB concerning the SAB meeting announced in this notice may 
be found on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), 5 U.S.C. App. 2, and section (c)(6) of the Government in the 
Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6), the EPA has determined that a 
portion of the 2015 STAA Committee meeting will be closed to the 
public. The purpose of the closed portion of the 2015 STAA Committee 
meeting is for the 2015 SAB STAA Committee to discuss draft 
recommendations regarding recipients of the Agency's 2015 Scientific 
and Technological Achievement Awards. The purpose of the open portion 
of the 2015 STAA Committee meeting which will occur on Friday, July 10, 
2015, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Eastern Time) is to discuss 
administrative changes to the STAA nomination form and procedures, and 
the criteria for deciding which STAA nominations merit award.
    The STAA awards are established to honor and recognize EPA 
employees who have made outstanding contributions in the advancement of 
science and technology through their research and development 
activities, as exhibited in publication of their results in peer 
reviewed journals. I have determined that a portion of the 2015 STAA 
Committee meeting will be closed to the public because it is concerned 
with recommending employees deserving of awards. In making these draft 
recommendations, the SAB requires full and frank advice from the 2015 
STAA Committee. This advice will involve professional judgments on the 
relative merits of various employees and their respective work. Such 
personnel matters involve the discussion of information that is of a 
personal nature and the disclosure of which would be a clearly 
unwarranted invasion of personal privacy and, therefore, are protected 
from disclosure by section (c)(6) of the Government in the Sunshine 
Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6). Minutes of the 2015 STAA Committee meeting 
will be kept and certified by the chair.

[[Page 34153]]

Availability of Meeting Materials

    Prior to the public portion of the meeting, the agenda and other 
materials will be accessible through the calendar link on the blue 
navigation bar at http://www.epa.gov/sab/. Materials may also be 
accessed at the URL provided above.

Procedures for Providing Public Input

    Public comment for consideration by EPA's federal advisory 
committees and panels has a different purpose from public comment 
provided to EPA program offices. Therefore, the process for submitting 
comments to a federal advisory committee is different from the process 
used to submit comments to an EPA program office. Federal advisory 
committees and panels, including scientific advisory committees, 
provide independent advice to the EPA. Interested members of the public 
may submit relevant information on the topic of the public portion of 
this advisory activity, and/or the group conducting the activity, for 
the SAB to consider during the advisory process. Input from the public 
to the SAB will have the most impact if it provides specific scientific 
or technical information or analysis for SAB committees and panels to 
consider or if it relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical 
information. Members of the public wishing to provide comment should 
contact the DFO directly. Oral Statements: In general, individuals or 
groups requesting an oral presentation at an SAB public meeting will be 
limited to five minutes. Interested parties wishing to provide comments 
at the July 10, 2015 STAA Committee public meeting should contact Mr. 
Hanlon, DFO, in writing (preferably via email) at the contact 
information noted above by July 2, 2015, to be placed on the list of 
public speakers for the public portion of the meeting.
    Written Statements: Written statements will be accepted throughout 
the advisory process; however, for timely consideration by Committee 
members, statements should be supplied to Mr. Hanlon, DFO (preferably 
via email) at the contact information noted above by July 2, 2015. It 
is the SAB Staff Office general policy to post written comments on the 
Web page for advisory meetings. Submitters are requested to provide an 
unsigned version of each document because the SAB Staff Office does not 
publish documents with signatures on its Web sites. Members of the 
public should be aware that their personal contact information, if 
included in any written comments, may be posted to the SAB Web site. 
Copyrighted material will not be posted without explicit permission of 
the copyright holder.

Accessibility

    For information on access or services for individuals with 
disabilities, please contact Mr. Hanlon at the contact information 
provided above. To request accommodation of a disability, please 
contact Mr. Hanlon preferably at least ten days prior to the meeting to 
give EPA as much time as possible to process your request.

    Dated: June 4, 2015.
Gina McCarthy,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-14653 Filed 6-12-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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