Notice2022-02047
Request for Nomination of Experts for the Biofuels and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress Peer Review Panel
Primary source
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Published
February 1, 2022
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requesting nominations for an external expert panel to peer review EPA's Biofuels and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress (RtC3). The peer review will be conducted under the framework of EPA's Scientific Integrity Policy (https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-02/ documents/scientific_integrity_policy_2012.pdf) and follow procedures established in EPA's Peer Review Handbook 4th Edition, 2015 (EPA/100/B- 15/001). EPA invites the public to nominate scientific experts to be considered as peer reviewers for this contractor-managed peer review. Nominations of peer review candidates will be accepted by EPA's contractor, Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG). Relevant expertise includes economics, engineering, agronomics, land use change, remote sensing, air quality, biogeochemistry, water quality, hydrology, conservation biology, limnology, and ecology. EPA has instructed ERG to formulate a single pool of eighteen (18) candidate external reviewers to provide independent external peer review. After consideration of peer reviewer nominations submitted to ERG in response to this Federal Register notice (FRN) and after consideration of public comments on the List of Candidates (to be announced in a future FRN), ERG will select from this pool the final list of up to nine (9) peer reviewers in a manner consistent with EPA's Peer Review Handbook 4th Edition, 2015 (EPA/100/B-15/001), ensuring their combined expertise best spans the above disciplines.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 21 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5479-5481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02047]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-ORD-2020-0682; FRL-9518-01-ORD]
Request for Nomination of Experts for the Biofuels and the
Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress Peer Review Panel
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice; nomination of experts for peer review panel.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requesting
nominations for an external expert panel to peer review EPA's Biofuels
and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress (RtC3). The
peer review will be conducted under the framework of EPA's Scientific
Integrity Policy (<a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-02/documents/scientific_integrity_policy_2012.pdf">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-02/documents/scientific_integrity_policy_2012.pdf</a>) and follow procedures
established in EPA's Peer Review Handbook 4th Edition, 2015 (EPA/100/B-
15/001). EPA invites the public to nominate scientific experts to be
considered as peer reviewers for this contractor-managed peer review.
Nominations of peer review candidates will be accepted by EPA's
contractor, Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG). Relevant expertise
includes economics, engineering, agronomics, land use change, remote
sensing, air quality, biogeochemistry, water quality, hydrology,
conservation biology, limnology, and ecology. EPA has instructed ERG to
formulate a single pool of eighteen (18) candidate external reviewers
to provide independent external peer review. After consideration of
peer reviewer nominations submitted to ERG in response to this Federal
Register notice (FRN) and after consideration of public comments on the
List of Candidates (to be announced in a future FRN), ERG will select
from this pool the final list of up to nine (9) peer reviewers in a
manner consistent with EPA's Peer Review Handbook 4th Edition, 2015
(EPA/100/B-15/001), ensuring their combined expertise best spans the
above disciplines.
[[Page 5480]]
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by March 3, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Any interested person or organization may nominate
scientific experts to be considered as peer reviewers. Self-nominations
will also be accepted. Nominations should be submitted to ERG no later
than March 3, 2022 by sending an email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5121343423233427383426113423367f323e3c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84f4e1e1f6f6e1f2ede1f3c4e1f6e3aae7ebe9">[email protected]</span></a> (subject
line: RtC3 Peer Review). Nominations should include all nominee
information described in section II of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning nominations of
expert peer reviewers should be directed to EPA's contractor, ERG, by
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e3938686919186958a8694a3869184cd808c8e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0c0d5d5c2c2d5c6d9d5c7f0d5c2d79ed3dfdd">[email protected]</span></a> (subject line: RtC3 Peer Review). For
information on the period of submission, contact the ORD Docket at the
EPA Headquarters Docket Center; phone: 202-566-1752; fax: 202-566-9744;
or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4c233e286228232f2729380c293c2d622b233a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="701f02145e141f131b1504301500115e171f06">[email protected]</span></a>. For technical information, contact
Christopher Clark; phone: 202-564-4183; or email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f8bb94998a93d6bb908a918b8c9788909d8ab89d8899d69f978e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8ecde2effce5a0cde6fce7fdfae1fee6ebfcceebfeefa0e9e1f8">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Information About the Document
In 2007, Congress enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act
(EISA) with the stated goals of ``mov[ing] the United States toward
greater energy independence and security [and] to increase the
production of clean renewable fuels.'' In accordance with these goals,
EISA revised the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program, which was
created under the 2005 Energy Policy Act and is administered by EPA, to
increase the volume of renewable fuel required to be blended into
transportation fuel to 36 billion gallons per year by 2022. Section 204
of EISA directs EPA, in consultation with the U.S. Departments of
Agriculture and Energy, to assess and report triennially to Congress on
the environmental and resource conservation impacts of the RFS Program.
The first report to Congress (RtC1) was completed in 2011 and
provided an assessment of the environmental and resource conservation
impacts associated with increased biofuel production and use (EPA/600/
R-10/183F). The overarching conclusions of this first report were: (1)
The environmental impacts of increased biofuel production and use were
likely negative but limited in impact; (2) there was a potential for
both positive and negative impacts in the future; and (3) EISA goals
for biofuels production could be achieved with minimal environmental
impacts if best practices were used and if technologies advanced to
facilitate the use of second-generation biofuel feedstocks (corn
stover, perennial grasses, woody biomass, algae, and waste).
The second report to Congress (RtC2) was completed in 2018 and
reaffirmed the overarching conclusions of the RtC1 (EPA/600/R-18/195).
The RtC2 noted that the biofuel production and use conditions that led
to the conclusions of the RtC1 had not materially changed, and that the
production of biofuels from cellulosic feedstocks anticipated by both
the EISA and the RtC1 had not materialized. Noting observed increases
in acreage for corn and soybean production in the period prior to and
following implementation of the RFS2 Program, the RtC2 concluded that
the environmental and resource conservation impacts associated with
land use change were likely due, at least in part, to the RFS and
associated production of biofuel feedstocks but that further research
was needed.
This RtC3 builds on the previous two reports and provides an update
on the impacts to date of the RFS Program on the environment. This
report assesses air, water, and soil quality; ecosystem health and
biodiversity; and other effects. This third report also includes new
analyses not previously included in the first and second reports.
II. How To Submit Nominations for Peer Reviewers
Expertise sought: EPA is seeking candidates who are nationally and/
or internationally recognized scientific experts to serve as external
peer reviewers for the draft report. Nominees should possess a strong
background and demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following
areas: Economics, engineering, agronomics, land use change, remote
sensing, air quality, biogeochemistry, water quality, hydrology,
conservation biology, limnology, and ecology. Economists should have
expertise in partial equilibrium modeling (PE), computable general
equilibrium modeling (CGE), and/or econometric studies. All candidates
should have scientific credentials equivalent to a Ph.D., broad
expertise in biofuels, and should be familiar with the Renewable Fuel
Standard (RFS) Program.
Selection criteria: From the pool of nominees, EPA's contractor,
ERG, will select nine peer reviewers, in a manner consistent with EPA's
Peer Review Handbook 4th Edition, 2015 (EPA/100/B-15/001), based on the
following factors: (1) Demonstrated expertise in the areas listed above
through relevant peer-reviewed publications; (2) professional
accomplishments and recognition by professional societies; (3)
demonstrated ability to work constructively and effectively in a
committee setting; (4) absence of conflicts of interest; (5) no
appearance of a lack of impartiality; (6) willingness to commit
adequate time for a thorough review of the draft report, including
preparation of individual written comments that will be made publicly
available; and (7) availability to participate virtually in a public
two-day or three-day peer review meeting and to provide subsequent
revised individual comments. Registration information, meeting dates,
and other logistical information will be provided in a subsequent FRN
at least 30 days prior to the external peer review meeting.
Required nominee information: To receive full consideration, the
following information should be provided for each nominee in the
submission to ERG at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5e2e3b3b2c2c3b28373b291e3b2c39703d3133"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="acdcc9c9dedec9dac5c9dbecc9decb82cfc3c1">[email protected]</span></a> (subject line: RtC3 Peer
Review): (1) Contact information for the person making the nomination;
(2) contact information for the nominee; (3) the disciplinary and
specific areas of expertise of the nominee; (4) the nominee's
curriculum vitae; (5) a biographical sketch of the nominee indicating
current position, educational background, past and current research
activities, recent service on other advisory committees, peer review
panels, editorial boards or professional organizations, sources of
recent grant and/or contract support, and (6) any other comments on the
relevance of the nominee's expertise to this peer review topic.
Compensation for non-federal peer reviewers will be provided by ERG.
Selection process: ERG will notify nominees of selection or non-
selection. ERG will also conduct an independent search for candidates
to assemble a balanced group representing the expertise needed to fully
evaluate EPA's Third Triennial Biofuels and the Environment Report to
Congress (RtC3). ERG will consider and screen all nominees against the
criteria previously described. Following the screening process, ERG
will narrow the list of potential reviewers to eighteen candidates.
Prior to selecting the final peer reviewers, an FRN will be published
(exact date to be determined) to solicit comments on the pool of
eighteen candidates. In that notice, the public will be requested to
provide relevant information or documentation on the candidate pool
within 15 days of the announcement of the interim list of candidates.
After considering the public comments on the candidate pool, ERG will
select nine peer reviewers, carefully
[[Page 5481]]
weighing a number of factors including the candidates' areas of
expertise and professional qualifications.
Timothy Watkins,
Acting Director, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2022-02047 Filed 1-31-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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