[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 38625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16913]



[[Page 38625]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9997-76-OA]


Request for Nominations of Consultants To Support the Clean Air 
Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) for the Particulate Matter and 
Ozone Reviews

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office requests 
public nominations for a pool of scientific consultants to support the 
chartered CASAC by providing subject matter expertise, as requested, on 
the scientific and technical aspects of air quality criteria and the 
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter 
(PM) and ozone.

DATES: Nominations should be submitted by (August 21, 2019) per 
instructions below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing 
further information regarding this Notice and Request for Nominations 
may contact Mr. Aaron Yeow, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB Staff 
Office, by telephone/voice mail at (202) 564-2050 or via email at 
yeow.aaron@epa.gov. General information concerning the CASAC can be 
found at the CASAC website at http://www.epa.gov/casac.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) was 
established under section 109(d)(2) of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) 
(42 U.S.C. 7409) as an independent scientific advisory committee. The 
CASAC provides advice, information and recommendations on the 
scientific and technical aspects of air quality criteria and NAAQS 
under sections 108 and 109 of the Act. The CASAC shall also: Advise the 
EPA Administrator of areas in which additional knowledge is required to 
appraise the adequacy and basis of existing, new, or revised NAAQS; 
describe the research efforts necessary to provide the required 
information; advise the EPA Administrator on the relative contribution 
to air pollution concentrations of natural as well as anthropogenic 
activity; and advise the EPA Administrator of any adverse public 
health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects which may result 
from various strategies for attainment and maintenance of such NAAQS.
    As amended, Section 109(d)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires 
that EPA reviews the NAAQS at five-year intervals and revise, as 
appropriate, the air quality criteria and the NAAQS for the six 
``criteria'' air pollutants, including PM and ozone.
    This Federal Register notice solicitation is seeking nominations 
for consultants to support the Chartered CASAC for the PM and ozone 
reviews. These consultants will review science and policy assessments, 
and related documents, and will make themselves available, as 
requested, to provide feedback to the Chartered CASAC as part of EPA's 
review of the PM and Ozone NAAQS. The Chartered CASAC will provide 
advice to the EPA Administrator in a manner consistent with the Clean 
Air Act, Federal Advisory Committee Act, and CASAC's charter. These 
consultants should be available for consultation, through CASAC's Chair 
and Designated Federal Official. Chartered CASAC members will have the 
opportunity to seek input from consultants through written requests 
provided to CASAC's Chair and facilitated by the Designated Federal 
Official.
    The Chartered CASAC is a Federal advisory committee chartered under 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). As a Federal Advisory 
Committee, the chartered CASAC conducts business in accordance with the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and related 
regulations. The Chartered CASAC will comply with the provisions of 
FACA.
    Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking 
nominations of scientists with demonstrated expertise and research in 
the field of air pollution related to PM and ozone, including:
     Air quality, atmospheric science and chemistry (including 
ambient measurements and satellite remote sensing aerosol optical depth 
analysis);
     exposure assessment (including dispersion modeling, 
photochemical grid modeling, and errors-in-variables methods and 
effects of exposure/covariate estimation errors on epidemiologic study 
results);
     dosimetry;
     toxicology;
     comparative toxicology (including extrapolation of 
findings in animals to humans);
     controlled clinical exposure;
     epidemiology (including low-dose causal concentration-
response functions);
     biostatistics;
     human exposure modeling;
     causal inference;
     biological mechanisms of causation;
     risk assessment/modeling;
     multi-stressor interactions;
     ecology and effects on welfare and the environment;
     and effects on visibility impairment, climate, and 
materials.
    Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified 
individuals in the areas of expertise described above. Individuals may 
self-nominate. Nominations should be submitted via email to the DFO, 
Mr. Aaron Yeow, as identified above. EPA values and welcomes diversity. 
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply regardless of sex, 
race, disability or ethnicity. Nominations should be submitted by 
August 21, 2019.
    The following information should be provided to the DFO: Contact 
information for the person making the nomination; contact information 
for the nominee; the disciplinary and specific areas of expertise of 
the nominee; the nominee's curriculum vitae; and a biographical sketch 
of the nominee indicating current position, educational background; 
research activities; sources of research funding for the last two 
years; and recent service on other national advisory committees or 
national professional organizations. Persons having questions about the 
nomination process should contact the DFO, as identified above. The DFO 
will acknowledge receipt of nominations. The Administrator shall select 
the expert consultants.
    In selecting these consultants, the Administrator will consider 
information provided by the candidates themselves, and additional 
background information. Selection criteria to be used for selecting 
consultants include: (a) Scientific and/or technical expertise, 
knowledge, and experience (primary factors) necessary to address 
anticipated questions from the CASAC; (b) availability and willingness 
to provide feedback to the Chartered CASAC as requested; (c) skills 
providing subject matter expertise to committees, subcommittees and 
advisory panels; and, (d) diversity of expertise.

    Dated: July 29, 2019.
Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2019-16913 Filed 8-6-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


