[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 175 (Monday, September 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53810-53811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18031]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Notice of Intent To Establish and Call for Nominations for the 
North Slope Science Initiative Science Technical Group

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Interior.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the establishment of the North Slope 
Science Initiative Science Technical Group by the Secretary of the 
Interior (Secretary) and calls for nominations to serve on the Science 
Technical Group in accordance with the provisions of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972, 5 U.S.C. Appendix. A copy of the 
Science Technical Group charter will be filed with the appropriate 
committees of Congress and the Library of Congress in accordance with 
Section 9(c) of FACA.

DATES: Submit a completed nomination form and nomination letters to the 
address listed below no later than October 27, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Taylor, Executive Director, North 
Slope Science Initiative (910), Bureau of Land Management, 222 W. 
Seventh Avenue, <greek-i>13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513, telephone (907) 
271-3131.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Science Technical Group 
is to assist in identifying and prioritizing inventory, monitoring and 
research needs, and providing other scientific advice as requested by 
the Oversight Group of the North Slope Science Initiative. The 
Oversight Group consists of the Alaska Regional Directors of the Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Minerals Management Service, National Park 
Service, Geological Survey, National Marine Fisheries Service, State 
Director of the Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Commissioners of the 
Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Fish and Game, 
the Mayor of the North Slope Borough, and the President of the Arctic 
Slope Regional Corporation.
    The duties of the Science Group are solely advisory to the 
Oversight Group. Duties will include the following:
    a. Advise the Oversight Group on science planning and relevant 
research and monitoring projects;
    b. Advise the Oversight Group on scientific information relevant to 
the Oversight Group's mission:
    c. Review selected reports to advise the Oversight Group on their 
content and relevance;
    d. Review ongoing scientific programs of North Slope Science 
Initiative (NSSI)-member organizations on the North Slope at the 
request of the member organizations to promote compatibility in 
methodologies and compilation of data;
    e. Advise the Oversight Group on how to ensure that scientific 
products generated through NSSI activities are of the highest technical 
quality;
    f. Periodically review the North Slope Science Plan and provide 
recommendations for changes to the Oversight Group;
    g. Provide recommendations for proposed NSSI funded inventory, 
monitoring and research activities to the Oversight Group;
    h. Provide other scientific advice as requested by the Oversight 
Group; and
    i. Coordinate with groups and subgroups appointed or requested by 
the Oversight Group to provide science advice, as needed.
    The Science Technical Group will consist of up to 15 members. The 
Executive Director for the North Slope Science Initiative shall serve 
as the Designated Federal Officer for the Science Technical Group. 
Specifically, the membership will consist of professionals typically 
with advanced degrees and a minimum of 5 years of work experience in 
their field in Alaska, preferably in the North Slope region. 
Professionals will be selected from among but not limited to the 
following disciplines: expertise in North Slope traditional and local 
knowledge, landscape ecology, petroleum engineering, civil engineering, 
petroleum geology, botany, hydrology, limnology, habitat biology, 
wildlife biology, marine ecology, biometrics, sociology, cultural 
anthropology, economics, ornithology, oceanography, civil engineering, 
fisheries biology, and climatology. Any individual or organization may 
nominate one or more persons to serve on the Science Technical Group. 
Members will be appointed for 3-year terms, on a staggered term basis, 
with one-third of the Science Group members subject to appointment, or 
reappointment, each year. In order to establish these staggered terms 
all appointments begin on the effective date of this charter then one-
third of the members' terms will terminate in 1-year and one-third of 
the members' terms will terminate in 2 years. The terms of the 
remaining one-third of the membership will terminate in 3 years. 
Members will be appointed, or reappointed, each year thereafter for 3-
year terms.
    Individuals may nominate themselves to the Science Technical Group. 
You may obtain nomination forms from the Executive Director, North 
Slope Science Initiative (see address above). To make a nomination, you 
must submit a completed nomination form with a letter of reference 
which speaks to the nominee's qualifications to serve on the Science 
Technical Group. The professional discipline the nominee would like to 
represent should be identified in the letter of nomination

[[Page 53811]]

and in the nomination form. Nominees may be professionals from 
agencies, academia, businesses, Alaska Native organizations, or the 
public-at-large. Nominees selected to serve on the Science Technical 
Group will serve only in their professional capacity and will not serve 
to represent any group, agency or entity with whom they may be 
affiliated.
    The Executive Director shall collect the nomination forms and 
letters of reference and distribute them to the Oversight Group for the 
NSSI. The Oversight Group will submit their recommendations through the 
Bureau of Land Management to the Secretary of the Interior who has 
responsibility for making the appointments.
    Members on the Science Technical Group will serve without monetary 
compensation. Members will be reimbursed for travel and per diem 
expenses at current rates for Federal Government employees.

Certification

    I hereby certify that the establishment of the Science Technical 
Group for the North Slope Science Initiative is necessary and in the 
public interest in connection with the Secretary of the Interior's 
responsibilities to manage the lands, resources and facilities of the 
Department of the Interior.

    Date Signed: September 1, 2005.
Gale A. Norton,
Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 05-18031 Filed 9-9-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JA-P