Document ID: EPA_FRDOC_0001-24299
Agency: epa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science: Public Teleconference of the  Chartered Science Advisory Board
Posted Date: 2019-08-08T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 153 (Thursday, August 8, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38894-38895]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16791]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 30

[FRL-9997-77-OA]

Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science: Notification of 
a Public Teleconference of the Chartered Science Advisory Board

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Announcement of teleconference.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public teleconference of the 
chartered SAB. The SAB will meet to conduct a consultation with the EPA 
on mechanisms for secure access to personally identifying information 
(PII) and confidential business information (CBI) as discussed in the 
proposed rulemaking ``Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory 
Science'' (April 30, 2018).

DATES: The public teleconference will be held on Tuesday, August 27, 
2019, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Eastern time).

ADDRESSES: The public teleconference will be held by telephone only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public who wants 
further

[[Page 38895]]

information concerning the meeting may contact Dr. Thomas Armitage, 
Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science Advisory Board (1400R), 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20460; via telephone/voice mail (202) 564-2155, or email 
at armitage.thomas@epa.gov. General information concerning the SAB can 
be found on the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: The SAB was established pursuant to the Environmental 
Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA), 
codified at 42 U.S.C. 4365, to provide independent scientific and 
technical advice to the Administrator on the scientific and technical 
basis for agency positions and regulations. The SAB is a Federal 
Advisory Committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2. The SAB will comply with the provisions of 
FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies. Pursuant 
to FACA and EPA policy, notice is hereby given that the SAB will hold a 
public teleconference to conduct a consultation with EPA on mechanisms 
for secure access to personally identifying information (PII) and 
confidential business information (CBI) as discussed in the proposed 
rulemaking ``Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science.'' See 
(83 FR 18768, April 30, 2018)
    EPA's proposed rulemaking (83 FR 18768, April 30, 2018) contains 
the following statements: (1) ``When promulgating significant 
regulatory actions, the Agency shall ensure that dose response data and 
models underlying pivotal regulatory science are publicly available in 
a manner sufficient for independent validation.'' (2) ``Information is 
considered publicly available in a manner sufficient for independent 
validation when it includes the information necessary for the public to 
understand, assess, and replicate findings.'' (3) ``Where the Agency is 
making data or models publicly available, it shall do so in a fashion 
that is consistent with law, protects privacy, confidentiality, 
confidential business information, and is sensitive to national and 
homeland security.'' Therefore, EPA has requested a consultation with 
the SAB on mechanisms for secure access to personally identifying 
information (PII) and confidential business information (CBI) as 
discussed in the proposed rule consistent with existing laws and 
policies that protect PII and CBI.
    Availability of Meeting Materials: A meeting agenda and other 
materials for the meeting will be placed on the SAB website at http://epa.gov/sab.
    Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for 
consideration by EPA's federal advisory committees and panels has a 
different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. 
Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a federal advisory 
committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an 
EPA program office.
    Federal advisory committees and panels, including scientific 
advisory committees, provide independent advice to the EPA. Members of 
the public can submit relevant comments pertaining to the EPA's charge, 
meeting materials, or the group providing advice. Input from the public 
to the SAB will have the most impact if it provides specific scientific 
or technical information or analysis for the SAB to consider or if it 
relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical information. 
Members of the public wishing to provide comment should contact the DFO 
directly.
    Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an 
oral presentation at a public teleconference will be limited to three 
minutes. Persons interested in providing oral statements at the August 
27, 2019, teleconference should contact Dr. Thomas Armitage, DFO, in 
writing (preferably via email) at the contact information noted above 
by August 20, 2019, to be placed on the list of registered speakers.
    Written Statements: Written statements for the August 27, 2019, 
teleconference should be received in the SAB Staff Office by August 20, 
2019, so that the information can be made available to the SAB for its 
consideration prior to the meeting. Written statements should be 
supplied to the DFO at the contact information above via email 
(preferred) or in hard copy with original signature. Submitters are 
requested to provide a signed and unsigned version of each document 
because the SAB Staff Office does not publish documents with signatures 
on its websites. Members of the public should be aware that their 
personal contact information, if included in any written comments, may 
be posted to the SAB website. Copyrighted material will not be posted 
without explicit permission of the copyright holder.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Dr. Armitage at the phone 
number or email address noted above, preferably at least ten days prior 
to the meeting, to give the EPA as much time as possible to process 
your request.

    Dated: July 30, 2019.
 Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2019-16791 Filed 8-7-19; 8:45 am]
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