[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 79 (Thursday, April 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22737-22738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08586]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-10008-66-OA]


Notification of Public Meetings of the Science Advisory Board; 
COVID-19 Review Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) Staff Office announces its intent to convene a panel of 
experts drawn from the Chartered Science Advisory Board, the SAB 
Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee (CAAC), and the SAB Drinking 
Water Committee (DWC) to provide rapid advice on scientific and 
technical issues related to the COVID-19 Pandemic and opportunities for 
current and future EPA research activities that might enhance and 
inform EPA's current and any future responses to SARS-CoV-2. The Staff 
Office announces two public meetings: (1) A teleconference of the SAB 
COVID-19 Review Panel to conduct a review of EPA's research activities 
in response to SARS CoV-2 and (2) a teleconference of the Chartered SAB 
to review the draft report of the SAB COVID-19 Review Panel.

DATES: The public teleconference of the SAB COVID-19 Review Panel will 
be held on Thursday, April 30, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
(Eastern Time) and the public teleconference of the Chartered SAB will 
be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
(Eastern Time).

ADDRESSES: The teleconferences will be conducted by telephone only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public who wants 
further information concerning this notice may contact Dr. Zaida 
Figueroa, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), via telephone/voice mail 
(202) 566-2643, or email at figueroa.zaida@epa.gov. General information 
about the SAB, as well as any updates concerning the meetings announced 
in this notice can be found on the SAB 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 EPA 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 anticipates that the 
scope and scale of COVID-19 Pandemic will lead EPA Program Offices to 
request advice on an array of scientific and technical issues. Rapid 
advice from nationally recognized scientists and public health experts 
will assist the Agency in developing and implementing timely and 
scientifically appropriate responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
    To expedite the development of scientific advice, pursuant to FACA 
and EPA policy, notice is hereby given that the SAB will convene a 
panel of experts drawn from the Chartered SAB, the SAB CAAC and the SAB 
DWC to provide rapid advice on scientific and technical issues of the 
COVID-19 Pandemic. Panel members will be invited to serve based on 
their scientific and technical expertise, knowledge, and experience; 
availability and willingness to serve; and absence of financial 
conflicts of interest. The panel will provide advice on opportunities 
for current and future EPA research activities that might enhance and 
inform EPA's current and any future responses to SARS-CoV-2.
    The SAB will hold a public teleconference on Thursday, April 30, 
2020, to convene the SAB COVID-19 Review Panel for deliberations. The 
Chartered SAB will then hold a teleconference on May 20, 2020 to review 
the SAB COVID-19 Review Panel's draft report.
    Due to the exceptional circumstances of the ongoing COVID-19 
Pandemic and the need to act quickly, the SAB is providing less than 15 
days' notice in the Federal Register as there is insufficient time 
prior to the advisory committee meeting as required by the final rule 
on Federal Advisory Committee Management codified in 41 CFR 102-
3.150(b). Information on the panel's peer review activities will be 
posted on the SAB website at http://epa.gov/sab as they become 
available.
    Availability of Meeting Materials: All meeting materials, including 
the agenda will be available on the SAB web page 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 
committee's charge or meeting materials. 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 follow the 
instruction below to submit comments.
    Written Statements: Given the need for expedited advice on the 
COVID-19 Pandemic scientific related issues, written statements will be 
accepted throughout the advisory process. However, for timely 
consideration by SAB members, statements should be received in the SAB 
Staff Office by April 26, 2020, for consideration by the SAB COVID-19 
Review Panel at the public teleconference on April 30, 2020. Written 
statements should be received in the SAB Staff Office by May 15, 2020, 
for consideration by the Chartered SAB as part of their quality review 
of the panel's work at the public teleconference on May 20, 2020. 
Written statements should be supplied to the DFO at the contact 
information above via email. The SAB Staff Office does not publish 
documents with signatures on its website. 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 the DFO, at the contact 
information noted above, preferably at least five days prior to the 
meeting, to give the EPA as much time as possible to process your 
request.


[[Page 22738]]


    Dated: April 17, 2020.
V Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-08586 Filed 4-22-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


