Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 162 / Tuesday, August 21, 2012 / Notices 50505 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, notice is 

hereby given that the Good Neighbor 

Environmental Board (GNEB) will hold 

a public teleconference on March 22, 

2012 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern 

Standard Time. The meeting is open to 

the public. For further information 

regarding the teleconference and 

background materials, please contact 

Mark Joyce at the number listed below. 

Background: GNEB is a federal 

advisory committee chartered under the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public 

Law 92463. GNEB provides advice and 

recommendations to the President and 

Congress on environmental and 

infrastructure issues along the U.S. 

border with Mexico. 

Purpose of Meeting: The purpose of 

this teleconference is to discuss the 

Good Neighbor Environmental Board’s 

Fifteenth Report. The report will focus 

on water infrastructure issues in the 

U.S.-Mexico border region. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you 

wish to make oral comments or submit 

written comments to the Board, please 

contact Mark Joyce at least five days 

prior to the meeting. 

General Information: Additional 

information concerning the GNEB can 

be found on its Web site at 

www.epa.gov/ofacmo/gneb. 

Meeting Access: For information on 

access or services for individuals with 

disabilities, please contact Mark Joyce at 

(202) 564–2130 or email at 

joyce.mark@epa.gov. To request 

accommodation of a disability, please 

contact Mark Joyce at least 10 days prior 

to the meeting to give EPA as much time 

as possible to process your request. 

Dated: August 8, 2012. 

Mark Joyce, 

Acting Designated Federal Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2012–20520 Filed 8–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL– 9717–1] 

Science Advisory Board Staff Office 

Request for Nominations of Experts for 

the SAB Hydraulic Fracturing Advisory 

Panel 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory 

Board (SAB) Staff Office is requesting 

public nominations for technical experts 

to form an SAB ad hoc panel to provide 

advice through the chartered SAB on 

EPA’s research related to hydraulic 

fracturing. 

DATES: Nominations should be 

submitted by September 11, 2012 per 

instructions below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any 

member of the public wishing further 

information regarding this Notice and 

Request for Nominations may contact 

Mr. Edward Hanlon, Designated Federal 

Officer (DFO), SAB Staff Office, by 

telephone/voice mail at (202) 564–2134; 

by fax at (202) 565–2098 or via email at 

hanlon.edward@epa.gov. General 

information concerning the EPA SAB 

can be found at the EPA SAB Web site 

at http://www.epa.gov/sab. Any inquiry 

regarding EPA’s planned research efforts 

on the potential public health and 

environmental protection issues that 

may be associated with hydraulic 

fracturing should be directed to Ms. 

Cindy Roberts, EPA Office of Research 

and Development (ORD), at roberts.

cindy@epa.gov or (202) 564–1999. 

Media inquiries regarding EPA’s 

hydraulic fracturing research results 

should be directed to Dayna Gibbons, 

EPA ORD, at gibbons.dayna@epa.gov or 

(202) 564–7983. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background: The SAB (42 U.S.C. 

4365) is a chartered Federal Advisory 

Committee that provides independent 

scientific and technical peer review, 

advice, consultation, and 

recommendations to the EPA 

Administrator on the technical basis for 

EPA actions. As a Federal Advisory 

Committee, the SAB conducts business 

in accordance with the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 

U.S.C. App. 2) and related regulations. 

The SAB will comply with the 

provisions of FACA and all appropriate 

SAB Staff Office procedural policies. 

Over the past few years, the public 

has expressed concern regarding the 

potential environmental impacts of 

hydraulic fracturing. In response, 

Congress urged EPA to study the 

potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing 

on drinking water resources. In 

February 2011, EPA published its Draft 

Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of 

Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water 

Resources. The SAB reviewed this 

report and provided advice to the EPA 

Administrator (SAB Review of EPA’s 

Draft Hydraulic Fracturing Study Plan). 

EPA–SAB–11–012, available on the SAB 

Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/ 

sabproduct.nsf/ 

2BC3CD632FCC0E99852578

E2006DF890/$File/EPA-SAB-11-012- 

unsigned.pdf). 

EPA ORD is currently developing a 

‘‘Progress Report: Potential Impacts of 

Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water 

Resources,’’ expected to be released in 

December 2012, which will describe the 

status of its research on the potential 

environmental and human health 

implications of hydraulic fracturing. 

EPA is seeking SAB advice on the status 

of the research described in its Progress 

Report. EPA plans to use such advice for 

the development of a report of results, 

estimated to be released in 2014, which 

will also be reviewed by the SAB. The 

SAB Staff Office is establishing an ad 

hoc advisory panel to provide such 

advice and review under the auspices of 

the SAB. In addition, this SAB Panel 

may also provide advice on other 

technical documents and issues related 

to hydraulic fracturing upon further 

request by EPA. 

Request for Nominations: The SAB 

Staff Office is seeking nominations of 

nationally and internationally 

recognized scientists and engineers 

having experience and expertise related 

to hydraulic fracturing, including but 

not limited to the following disciplines 

or areas of experience: Natural gas and 

petroleum engineering and geology; 

natural gas and petroleum well drilling, 

completion, testing, and closure; 

hydrology/hydrogeology; groundwater 

and surface water fate/transport 

modeling; geochemistry and analytical 

chemistry; environmental monitoring; 

conducting laboratory and/or fieldbased research in hydraulic fracturing; 

human health effects and risk 

assessment; civil and environmental 

engineering; chemical engineering; 

drinking water and waste water 

treatment systems; water quality; and 

statistics. 

Process and Deadline for Submitting 

Nominations: Any interested person or 

organization may nominate qualified 

individuals in the areas of expertise 

described above. Nominations should be 

submitted in electronic format 

(preferred over hard copy) following the 

instructions for ‘‘Nominating Experts to 

Advisory Panels and Ad Hoc 

Committees Being Formed,’’ http:// 

www.epa.gov/sab provided on the SAB 

Web site. If you wish to nominate 

yourself or another expert, please follow 

the instructions that can be accessed 

through the ‘‘Nomination of Experts’’ 

link on the blue navigational bar at the 

SAB Web site http://www.epa.gov/sab. 

To http://www.epa.gov/ receive full 

consideration, nominations should 

include all of the information requested 

below. 

EPA’s SAB Staff Office requests 

contact information about the person 

making the nomination; contact 

information about the nominee; the 

disciplinary and specific areas of 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
50506 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 162 / Tuesday, August 21, 2012 / Notices 

expertise of the nominee; the nominee’s 

resume or curriculum vita; sources of 

recent grant and/or contract support; 

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. The 

bio-sketches and resume or curriculum 

vita of nominees identified by 

respondents to this Federal Register 

notice, and additional experts identified 

by the SAB Staff, will be made available 

to the public upon request. 

Persons having questions about the 

nomination procedures, or who are 

unable to submit nominations through 

the SAB Web site, should contact Mr. 

Edward Hanlon, DFO, as indicated 

above in this notice. Nominations 

should be submitted in time to arrive no 

later than September 11, 2012. EPA 

values and welcomes diversity. In an 

effort to obtain nominations of diverse 

candidates, EPA encourages 

nominations of women and men of all 

racial and ethnic groups. 

The EPA SAB Staff Office will 

acknowledge receipt of nominations. 

The names and bio-sketches of qualified 

nominees identified by respondents to 

this Federal Register notice, and 

additional experts identified by the SAB 

Staff, will be posted in a List of 

Candidates on the SAB Web site at 

http://www.epa.gov/sab. Public 

comments on this List of Candidates 

will be accepted for 21 days. The public 

will be requested to provide relevant 

information or other documentation on 

nominees that the SAB Staff Office 

should consider in evaluating 

candidates. 

For the EPA SAB Staff Office a review 

panel includes candidates 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. In forming this expert panel, the 

SAB Staff Office will consider public 

comments on the List of Candidates, 

information provided by the candidates 

themselves, and background 

information independently gathered by 

the SAB Staff Office. Selection criteria 

to be used for panel membership 

include: (a) Scientific and/or technical 

expertise, knowledge, and experience 

(primary factors); (b) availability and 

willingness to serve; (c) absence of 

financial conflicts of interest; (d) 

absence of an appearance of a lack of 

impartiality; (e) skills working in 

committees, subcommittees and 

advisory panels; and, (f) for the panel as 

a whole, diversity of expertise and 

viewpoints. 

The SAB Staff Office’s evaluation of 

an absence of financial conflicts of 

interest will include a review of the 

‘‘Confidential Financial Disclosure 

Form for Special Government 

Employees Serving on Federal Advisory 

Committees at the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency’’ (EPA Form 3110– 

48). This confidential form allows 

government officials to determine 

whether there is a statutory conflict 

between a person’s public 

responsibilities (which includes 

membership on an EPA federal advisory 

committee) and private interests and 

activities, or the appearance of a lack of 

impartiality, as defined by federal 

regulation. The form may be viewed and 

downloaded from the following URL 

address http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ 

epaform3110-48.pdf. 

The approved policy under which the 

EPA SAB Office selects subcommittees 

and review panels is described in the 

following document: Overview of the 

Panel Formation Process at the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

Science Advisory Board (EPA–SAB–EC– 

02–010), which is posted on the SAB 

Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ 

ec02010.pdf. 

Dated: August 10, 2012. 

Thomas Brennan, 

Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board 

Staff Office. 

[FR Doc. 2012–20521 Filed 8–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL 9719–8] 

Proposed Settlement Agreement, 

Clean Air Act Citizen Suit 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Settlement 

Agreement; Request for Public 

Comment. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with section 

113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as amended 

(‘‘CAA’’), 42 U.S.C. 7413(g), notice is 

hereby given of a proposed settlement 

agreement to address lawsuits filed by 

the Imperial County Air Pollution 

Control District and the California 

Department of Parks and Recreation 

(together, ‘‘Petitioners’’) in the United 

States Court of Appeals for the Ninth 

Circuit: Imperial County Air Pollution 

Control District v. EPA, No. 10–72709 

(9th Cir.) and California Department of 

Parks and Recreation v. EPA, No. 10– 

72729 (9th Cir.). Petitioners filed 

petitions for review challenging EPA’s 

final rule, approving in part and 

disapproving in part, a state 

implementation plan (‘‘SIP’’) 

submission made by the California Air 

Resources Board on behalf of the 

Imperial Valley Air Quality Control 

District. The SIP submission at issue 

included local pollution control 

measures intended to address emissions 

of PM10 from sources located within the 

Imperial Valley Planning Area referred 

to as Imperial County Air Pollution 

Control District Rules 800 through 806 

(‘‘Regulation VIII’’). The proposed 

settlement agreement establishes 

deadlines for both the Imperial Valley 

Air Pollution Control District and EPA 

to take specified actions to resolve the 

lawsuits. 

DATES: Written comments on the 

proposed settlement agreements must be 

received by September 20, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

identified by Docket ID number EPA– 

HQ–OGC–2012–0644, online at 

www.regulations.gov (EPA’s preferred 

method); by email to 

oei.docket@epa.gov; by mail to EPA 

Docket Center, Environmental 

Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2822T, 

1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 

Washington, DC 20460–0001; or by 

hand delivery or courier to EPA Docket 

Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 

Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, 

DC, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. 

Monday through Friday, excluding legal 

holidays. Comments on a disk or CD– 

ROM should be formatted in Word or 

ASCII file, avoiding the use of special 

characters and any form of encryption, 

and may be mailed to the mailing 

address above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Geoffrey L. Wilcox, Air and Radiation 

Law Office (2344A), Office of General 

Counsel, U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 

Washington, DC 20460; telephone: (202) 

564–5601; fax number (202) 564–5603; 

email address: wilcox.geoffrey@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Additional Information About the 

Proposed Settlement Agreement 

The California Air Resources Board 

(‘‘CARB’’), on behalf of the Imperial 

Valley Air Polluton Control District (the 

‘‘District’’), made a SIP submission to 

EPA containing Regulation VIII as a SIP 

revision intended to address emissions 

of PM10 from certain sources located 

within the Imperial Valley PM10

nonattainment area. EPA approved this 

submission in part, and disapproved it 

in part, based upon EPA’s evaluation of 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES