[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 43 (Thursday, March 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11981-11983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05040]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: DoD.

ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense (DoD) is publishing this notice to 
announce that it is renewing the charter for the Board on Coastal 
Engineering Research (``the Board'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee 
Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This committee's charter is being renewed

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pursuant to 33 U.S.C. 426-2 and in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended) and 41 
CFR 102-3.50(a).
    The Board is a non-discretionary Federal advisory committee that 
shall provide the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, which includes the 
Coastal Engineering Research Center, through the Chief of Engineers/
Commander (``the Chief of Engineers''), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(``the Corps of Engineers''), independent advice and recommendations on 
coastal engineering research priorities and additional functions as 
assigned by the Chief of Engineers. The Board shall report to the 
Secretary of the Army, through the Chief of Engineers/Commander, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers. The Chief of Engineers/Commander, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, may act upon the Board's advice and 
recommendations.
    The Board, pursuant to 33 U.S.C. 426-2, shall be composed of seven 
members who are appointed by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy 
Secretary of Defense.
    DoD, pursuant to the authorizing legislation, shall appoint four 
officers of the Corps of Engineers to the Board as ex officio 
appointments, with one position being occupied by the Deputy Commanding 
General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers. The Chief of Engineers, in consultation with the Assistant 
Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), shall determine which three of the 
eight coastal division commanders shall be nominated as the other ex 
officio members of the Board. The Chief of Engineers, in determining 
which of the coastal division commanders shall serve on the Board, 
shall consider the individual's tenure as a division commander and his 
or her expertise in the matters before the Board.
    The three civilian Board members shall be civilian engineers 
recommended by the Chief of Engineers for their expertise in the field 
of beach erosion, shore protection, and coastal processes and 
infrastructure.
    The Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, shall serve as the President of the 
Board.
    Board members who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal 
officers or employees shall be appointed as experts or consultants 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109 to serve as special government employee (SGE) 
members. Board members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal 
officers or employees shall be appointed pursuant to 41 CFR 102-
3.130(a) to serve as regular government employee (RGE) members.
    The Secretary of Defense, or the Deputy Secretary of Defense, may 
approve the appointment of civilian Board members and the three coastal 
division commanders for terms of service of one-to-four years with 
annual renewals. However, no member, unless authorized by the Secretary 
of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense, may serve more than two 
consecutive terms of service.
    Pursuant to section 105 of Public Law 91-611, Board members, who 
are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers or employees, 
may be paid at rates not to exceed the daily equivalent of the rate for 
a GS-15, step 10, for each day of attendance at Board meetings, not to 
exceed 30 days per year, in addition to travel and other necessary 
expenses connected with their official duties on the Board, in 
accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5703(b), (d), and 5707. RGE 
members may be reimbursed for official Board-related travel and per 
diem.
    The DoD, when necessary and consistent with the Board's mission and 
DoD policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees, task forces, 
or working groups to support the Board. Establishment of subcommittees 
will be based upon a written determination, to include terms of 
reference, by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense, or the Secretary of the Army, as the DoD sponsor.
    Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the Board and 
shall report all of their recommendations and advice solely to the 
Board for full and open deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees, 
task forces, or working groups have no authority to make decisions and 
recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board. No 
subcommittee or its members can update or report, verbally or in 
writing, on behalf of the Board, directly to the DoD or to any Federal 
officer or employee.
    The Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense will 
appoint subcommittee members to a term of service of one-to-four years, 
with annual renewals, even if the member in question is already a 
member of the Board.
    Subcommittee members, if not full-time or part-time Federal 
officers or employees, shall be appointed as experts or consultants 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109 to serve as SGE members. Subcommittee members 
who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers or employees 
will serve as RGE members pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a).
    Each subcommittee member is appointed to provide advice to the 
government on the basis of his or her best judgment without 
representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free 
from conflict of interest. Subcommittee members may be compensated, and 
shall be allowed travel expenses, in the same manner as the Board 
members.
    All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the 
Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and 
established DoD policies and procedures.
    The estimated number of Board meetings is two per year.
    The Board's Designated Federal Officer (DFO), pursuant to DoD 
policy, shall be a full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee 
appointed in accordance with governing DoD policies and procedures.
    The Board's DFO is required to be in attendance at all meetings of 
the Board and any of its subcommittees for the entire duration of each 
and every meeting. However, in the absence of the Board's DFO, a 
properly approved Alternate DFO, duly appointed to the Board according 
to established DoD policies and procedures, shall attend the entire 
duration of the Board or any subcommittee meeting.
    The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, shall call all meetings of the Board 
and its subcommittees; prepare and approve all meeting agendas; and 
adjourn any meeting when the DFO, or the Alternate DFO, determines 
adjournment to be in the public interest or required by governing 
regulations or DoD policies and procedures.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations may submit written statements to Board on 
Coastal Engineering Research membership about the Board's mission and 
functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time or in 
response to the stated agenda of planned meeting of the Board on 
Coastal Engineering Research.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the DFO for the Board 
on Coastal Engineering Research, and this individual will ensure that 
the written statements are provided to the membership for their 
consideration. Contact information for the Board on Coastal Engineering 
Research DFO can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database--http://www.facadatabase.gov/.
    The DFO, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned 
meetings

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of the Board on Coastal Engineering Research. The DFO, at that time, 
may provide additional guidance on the submission of written statements 
that are in response to the stated agenda for the planned meeting in 
question.

    Dated: March 2, 2015.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2015-05040 Filed 3-4-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P