78746 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 220 / Thursday, November 16, 2023 / Notices 

engagement and economic issues related 

to environmental justice.’’ 

Registration: Individual registration is 

required for the public meeting. No two 

individuals can share the same 

registration link. Information on how to 

register is located at https://

www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/ 

national-environmental-justiceadvisory-council-meetings. Registration 

to attend the meeting is available 

through the scheduled meeting days. 

The deadline to sign up to speak during 

the public comment period will close at 

11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, November 28, 

2023. When registering, please provide 

your name, organization, city and state, 

and email address. Please also indicate 

whether you would like to provide oral 

public comment during the meeting, or 

whether you are submitting written 

comments at time of registration. 

A. Public Comment 

The NEJAC is interested in receiving 

public comments relevant to the 

following charges: 

(1) Cumulative Impacts Framework 

Charge 

(2) Farmworker and Pesticides Charge 

Individuals or groups making remarks 

during the oral public comment period 

will be limited to three (3) minutes. 

Please be prepared to briefly describe 

your comments; including your 

recommendations on what you want the 

NEJAC to advise the EPA to do. 

Submitting written comments for the 

record are strongly encouraged. You can 

submit your written comments in three 

different ways, (1.) by using the 

webform at https://www.epa.gov/ 

environmentaljustice/forms/nationalenvironmental-justice-advisory-councilnejac-public-comment, (2.) by sending 

comments via email to nejac@epa.gov 

and (3.) by creating comments in the 

Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OA–2023–0101 

at http://www.regulations.gov. Written 

comments can be submitted through 

December 19, 2023. More information 

about the NEJAC’s current charges can 

be found here https://www.epa.gov/ 

environmentaljustice/nationalenvironmental-justice-advisory-councilcurrent-charges. 

B. Information About Services for 

Individuals With Disabilities or 

Requiring English Language 

Translation Assistance 

For information about access or 

services for individuals requiring 

assistance, please contact Paula FloresGregg, at (214) 665–8123 or via email at 

nejac@epa.gov. To request special 

accommodations for a disability or other 

assistance, please submit your request at 

least fourteen (14) working days prior to 

the meeting, to give EPA sufficient time 

to process your request. All requests 

should be sent to the email or phone 

number listed in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section. 

Matthew Tejada, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Environmental Justice, Office of 

Environmental Justice and External Civil 

Rights. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25245 Filed 11–15–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–11559–01–OA] 

Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities 

Advisory Committee; Notice To 

Establish Animal Agriculture and 

Water Quality Subcommittee and 

Solicitation of Nominations for 

Membership to the Animal Agriculture 

and Water Quality Subcommittee 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice; request for nominations. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) 

invites nominations from a diverse 

range of qualified candidates to serve on 

a new subcommittee of the Farm, 

Ranch, and Rural Communities 

Advisory Committee (FRRCC), entitled 

the Animal Agriculture and Water 

Quality (AAWQ) subcommittee. The 

goal of the AAWQ subcommittee will be 

to provide recommendations that will 

inform the Agency’s decisions regarding 

how to improve the implementation of 

the Clean Water Act (CWA) National 

Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 

(NPDES) Concentrated Animal Feeding 

Operation (CAFO) permitting program 

to more effectively reduce nutrients and 

other types of water pollutants from 

Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs), 

including determining whether any 

revisions to the regulations are 

warranted, and whether EPA can 

otherwise support the efforts of AFO 

operators to protect water quality. 

DATES: To be considered for 

membership appointment to the AAWQ 

subcommittee, nominations should be 

submitted no later than January 2, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Nominations must be 

submitted electronically with the 

subject line ‘‘AAWQ Membership 2023’’ 

to AAWQ@epa.gov. General information 

regarding the AAWQ can be found on 

the EPA website at: https://

www.epa.gov/faca/frrcc. General 

information about Federal Advisory 

Committees at EPA is available at: 

www.epa.gov/faca. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Dr. Venus Welch-White, (202) 566– 

2369, Designated Federal Officer for 

both the FRRCC and AAQW at AAWQ@

epa.gov. General information regarding 

the FRRCC can be found on the EPA 

website at https://www.epa.gov/faca/ 

frrcc. 

Dr. Venus Welch-White, Designated 

Federal Officer, AAWQ and Dr. Lauren 

Mosesso, Alternate Designated Federal 

Officer, AAWQ, can be reached at 

AAWQ@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information 

On August 15, 2023, EPA responded 

to two petitions sent by environmental 

and community groups requesting that 

EPA revise its Clean Water Act (CWA) 

regulations for the National Pollutant 

Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) 

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation 

(CAFO) program. Instead of initiating 

rulemaking at this time, as the petitions 

requested, EPA decided to conduct a 

comprehensive evaluation of the CAFO 

program to consider the most effective 

and efficient ways to reduce pollutants 

generated from CAFOs. EPA will 

establish a Federal Advisory Committee 

(FAC) subcommittee, called the Animal 

Agriculture and Water Quality (AAWQ) 

subcommittee, under the existing Farm, 

Ranch, and Rural Communities 

Committee (FRRCC). After engaging 

with the AAWQ and reviewing their 

recommendations, EPA will consider 

whether to revise its regulations or 

whether the issues discussed in the 

petitions can be more effectively 

addressed through non-regulatory 

initiatives. 

EPA is currently seeking nominations 

for members to serve on the AAWQ 

subcommittee, who will be appointed 

for an estimated term of 12 to 18 

months. Balanced and diverse 

representation is being sought from the 

following stakeholders across the 

geographic regions of the United States: 

• Agricultural industry 

• Environmental, community, and 

public health groups 

• Local governments 

• Research institutions 

• States and Tribes 

The AAWQ expects to hold meetings 

approximately four times per year over 

the course of 12 to 18 months. The first 

subcommittee meeting is anticipated to 

be held in-person at or near EPA 

Headquarters in Washington, DC, in the 

spring of 2024. Subsequent meetings 

and/or listening sessions may be held in 

Washington, DC, other parts of the 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 220 / Thursday, November 16, 2023 / Notices 78747 

country, or virtually. In addition to the 

meetings, the minimum expected 

workload for members is approximately 

5–10 hours per month, and potentially 

more depending on the responsibilities 

members choose to take on. Members 

will serve on the subcommittee in a 

voluntary capacity; however, EPA may 

provide reimbursement for travel 

expenses associated with official 

government business. 

II. Eligibility To Serve on Subcommittee 

Because of the nature of the issues to 

be discussed, it is the intent of the 

Agency for subcommittee members to 

have significant experience with (1) 

CAFO production area practices, (2) 

CAFO land application practices, and 

(3) effective means to limit pollution 

from CAFOs. 

Topics that the AAWQ will discuss 

include, but are not limited to: 

• Agricultural technology adoption 

and economics (e.g., digesters, treat and 

discharge systems, nutrient management 

technologies). 

• CWA NPDES program. 

• Day-to-day operations of CAFOs, 

especially concerning land application, 

management, or off-site transport of 

manure, litter, and process wastewater. 

• Development and implementation 

of agricultural conservation practices 

and technologies. 

• Public health and environmental 

impacts of CAFOs. 

EPA is seeking nominees for the 

AAWQ subcommittee who have 

demonstrated experience with the 

operations of animal agriculture 

practices and/or the impacts of animal 

feeding operations on public health 

and/or water quality. Nominations are 

sought from, but not limited to, AFO/ 

CAFO operators; agricultural 

economists; agricultural producers, 

growers, and ranchers; 

nongovernmental organizations 

studying agricultural, public health, and 

environmental impacts; community 

members who reside adjacent to or near 

AFO/CAFO operations; academic 

researchers and/or extension agents; 

state, local, and tribal governments; and 

wastewater utilities. The membership of 

the AAWQ subcommittee will include a 

balanced representation of interested 

persons representing the geographic 

diversity of the Unites States. 

Individuals will be generally appointed 

to serve on the AAWQ subcommittee as 

‘‘Representative’’ members and are thus 

expected to represent the points of view 

of a particular group (e.g., a community, 

organization, or industry), rather than 

provide independent judgment and 

expertise. Other Federal agencies, and 

members of other sectors, as warranted, 

may be invited to attend, offer expertise, 

or provide presentations at committee 

meetings as non-members. 

Nominees must be able to volunteer 

approximately 5–10 hours per month to 

the AAWQ subcommittee’s activities, 

including participation in virtual 

workgroup meetings and preparation of 

text for the subcommittee’s Final 

Report. 

In accordance with Executive Order 

14035 (June 25, 2021) and consistent 

with law, EPA values and welcomes 

opportunities to increase diversity, 

equity, inclusion, and accessibility on 

its Federal advisory committees. EPA’s 

Federal advisory committees have a 

workforce that reflects the diversity of 

the American people. 

III. Nominations To Serve on 

Subcommittee 

Any interested person or organization 

may submit the names of qualified 

persons, including themselves. 

Nominations must be submitted 

electronically with the subject line 

‘‘AAWQ Membership 2023’’ to AAWQ@

epa.gov. To be considered, all 

nominations should include the 

information requested below: 

• Current contact information for the 

nominee, including the nominee’s 

name, organization (and position within 

that organization), business address, 

email address, and daytime telephone 

number(s). 

• A brief statement describing the 

nominee’s interest, relevant experience, 

and availability in serving on the 

AAWQ subcommittee, as well as: (1) 

The nominee’s ability to serve as a 

‘‘Representative’’ member and represent 

the point of view of a group (e.g., a 

community, organization, or industry) 

rather than provide independent 

judgment and expertise; and (2) whether 

the nominee has any prior/current 

service on Federal advisory committees, 

and, if so, the number of years. 

• Re ́sume ́ or curriculum vitae 

detailing the nominee’s background, 

experience, and qualifications, and any 

other relevant materials. 

Other sources, in addition to this 

Federal Register notice, may be utilized 

in the solicitation of nominees. EPA 

expressly values diversity, equity, and 

inclusion, and encourages the 

nominations of interested individuals 

from diverse backgrounds. Individuals 

may self-nominate. 

Venus Welch-White, 

Senior Advisor to EPA Senior Advisor for 

Agriculture, Office of the Administrator, U.S. 

EPA. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25363 Filed 11–15–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OEJECR–2023–0326; FRL 10605– 

01–OA] 

Release of Achieving Health and 

Environmental Protection Through 

EPA’s Meaningful Involvement Policy 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Draft policy; notice of 

availability. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) is announcing the 

availability of and soliciting comment 

on a draft policy that updates the EPA’s 

2003 Public Involvement Policy. The 

revised draft policy promotes an EPAwide approach to meaningful 

involvement that can be tailored for 

program and regional needs and 

outlines practices that EPA staff can use 

as they design and provide 

opportunities for meaningful 

involvement. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before January 16, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– 

OEJECR–2023–0326, by any of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

online instructions for submitting 

comments. 

• Agency Website: https://

www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/ 

epas-meaningful-involvement-policy. 

Follow the online instructions for 

submitting comments. 

• Email: 

MeaningfulInvolvementPolicy@epa.gov. 

• Mail: U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, 

Office of Environmental Justice and 

External Civil Rights Docket, Mail Code 

28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue 

NW, Washington, DC 20460. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the Docket ID No. for this 

draft policy. Comments received may be 

posted without change to https://

www.regulations.gov/, including any 

personal information provided. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Stacey Lobatos, Office of Environmental 

Justice and External Civil Rights (Mail 

Code 2201A), Environmental Protection 

Agency, William Jefferson Clinton 

Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue 

NW, Washington, DC 20460; phone 

number: 202–564–8579, email address: 

MeaningfulInvolvementPolicy@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 


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