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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 238 (Monday, December 12, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77228-77229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31816]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2011-0977; FRL-9505-5]

Request for Nominations of Experts to the Office of Research and 
Development's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The EPA Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) Staff Office is 
requesting public nominations for technical experts to fill current 
vacancies on the BOSC Executive Committee. Nominations should be 
submitted via the BOSC Web site at http://www.epa.gov/osp/bosc/nomination.htm.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by January 20, 2012, per 
instructions below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public needing 
additional information regarding this Notice and Request for 
Nominations may contact Ms. Susan Peterson, Mail Code 8104-R, Office of 
Science Policy, Office of Research and Development, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460; 
via phone/voice mail at: (202) 564-1077; via fax at: (202) 565-2911; or 
via email at: peterson.susan@epa.gov. General information concerning 
the Board of Scientific Counselors can be found at the BOSC Web site 
at: http://www.epa.gov/osp/bosc.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The BOSC is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee that was 
established by the U.S. EPA to provide independent scientific and 
technical peer review, advice, consultation, and recommendations about 
the Office of Research and Development. As a Federal Advisory 
Committee, the BOSC conducts business in accordance with the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and related 
regulations.
    The BOSC Executive Committee is comprised of approximately 20 
members who are recognized experts in various scientific, engineering, 
and social science fields. EPA is soliciting candidates to fill eight 
vacancies. EPA will consider candidates from the environmental 
scientific/technical fields, human health care professionals, academia, 
industry, public and private research institutes or organizations, non-
government organizations, and other relevant interest areas. Members 
are appointed by the EPA Administrator for a period of three years and 
serve as special government employees. 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.

Expertise Sought

    EPA's BOSC Staff Office is seeking nominations of nationally and 
internationally recognized scientists, engineers, and social scientists 
having experience and expertise in one or more of the following areas: 
Atmospheric Sciences (atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric physics, 
aerosol chemistry, aerosol physics); Analytical Chemistry; Green 
Chemistry; Endocrinology (endocrine disruptors); Pulmonary and 
Cardiovascular Toxicology; Systems Science (systems biology, systems 
ecology, landscape ecology); Social Sciences (sociology, economics, 
socioeconomics, environmental economics, ecological economics, natural 
resource economics); and Behavioral Sciences (psychology, environmental 
psychology, ecopsychology, conservation psychology, social 
neuroscience, risk perception, risk communication, crisis 
communication).

Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations

    Any interested person or organization may nominate themselves or 
qualified individuals in the areas of expertise described above. 
Nominations should be submitted via the BOSC Web site (which is 
preferred over hard copy) at http://www.epa.gov/osp/bosc/nomination.htm. Nominations should be submitted in time to arrive no 
later than January 13, 2012. To receive full consideration, nominations 
should include all of the information requested. EPA's BOSC Staff 
Office requests: Contact information about the person making the 
nomination; contact information about the nominee; the disciplinary and 
specific areas of expertise of the nominee; the nominee's curriculum 
vita and/or resume; sources of recent grant and/or contract support; 
and a biographical sketch of the nominee indicating current position, 
educational background, and recent service on other national advisory 
committees or national professional organizations. Persons having 
questions about the nomination procedures, or who are unable to submit 
nominations through the BOSC Web site, should contact Ms. Susan 
Peterson, as indicated above in this notice.

Selection Criteria

    The BOSC is a balanced and diverse expert committee. The committee 
collectively possesses the necessary domains of expertise, depth and 
breadth of knowledge, and diverse and balanced scientific perspectives. 
Selection criteria to be used for membership include: (a) Scientific 
and/or technical expertise, knowledge, and experience; (b) availability 
to serve and willingness to commit time to the committee (approximately 
three to five meetings per year including both face-to-face meetings 
and teleconferences); (c)

[[Page 77229]]

absence of financial conflicts of interest; (d) absence of an 
appearance of a lack of impartiality; (e) skills working on committees 
and advisory panels; and (f) background and experiences that would 
contribute to the diversity of viewpoints on the committee, e.g., 
geographic, economic, social, cultural, educational backgrounds, and 
professional affiliations.
    The BOSC 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 
that 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/osp/bosc/pdf/EPA_3110-48.pdf.

    Dated: November 29, 2011.
Fred Hauchman,
Director, Office of Science Policy.
[FR Doc. 2011-31816 Filed 12-9-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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