Notice2022-11421
Request for Public Nominations of Experts To Review the New Chemicals Collaborative Research Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 27, 2022
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking nominations for technical experts to serve as Special Government Employees (SGEs) to participate in the review of the New Chemicals Collaborative Research Program with the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC), a federal advisory committee to the Office of Research and Development (ORD). Submission of nominations will be made via the BOSC website at: https://www.epa.gov/ bosc.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 103 (Friday, May 27, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 103 (Friday, May 27, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32161-32163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11421]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-ORD-2015-0765; FRL-9852-01-ORD]
Request for Public Nominations of Experts To Review the New
Chemicals Collaborative Research Program
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking
nominations for technical experts to serve as Special Government
Employees (SGEs) to participate in the review of the New Chemicals
Collaborative Research Program with the Board of Scientific Counselors
(BOSC), a federal advisory committee to the Office of Research and
Development (ORD). Submission of
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nominations will be made via the BOSC website at: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/bosc">https://www.epa.gov/bosc</a>.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by June 30, 2022, per
instructions below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public needing
additional information regarding this Notice and Request for
Nominations may contact Mr. Tom Tracy, Office of Science Policy, Office
of Research and Development, Mail Code B343-01, 109 T.W. Alexander
Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; via phone/voice mail at: (919)
541-4334; or via email at: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#36424457554f1842595b7653465718515940"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3145435052481f455e5c715441501f565e47">[email protected]</span></a>. General information
concerning the BOSC can be found at the following website: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/bosc">https://www.epa.gov/bosc</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The BOSC is a chartered Federal Advisory Committee established by
the EPA to provide independent scientific and technical peer review,
advice, consultation, and recommendations about ORD. As a Federal
Advisory Committee, the BOSC conducts business in accordance with the
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. app. 2) and related
regulations.
The BOSC is comprised of an Executive Committee and two supporting
subcommittee(s): Social and Community Science, and Climate Change.
Please visit <a href="https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-research-and-development-ord">https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-research-and-development-ord</a> to learn more about ORD's research programs.
Members of the BOSC constitute a distinguished body of non-EPA
scientists, engineers, and economists who are experts in their
respective fields. We are seeking SGEs to serve as special experts to
assist the BOSC in the review of the New Chemicals Collaborative
Research Program in the Fall of 2022.
The BOSC will be evaluating the Office of Research and Development
(ORD)'s draft Strategic Research Action Plans Fiscal Years 2023-2026 in
Fall 2022. The Fall 2022 meeting will provide a more in-depth
evaluation of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) New Chemicals
Collaborative Research Program (See Output CSS.8.4: Innovative science
to support new chemicals evaluation in the draft StRAP for Chemical
Safety and Sustainability) and associated research plan (<a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPPT-2022-0218-0004">https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPPT-2022-0218-0004</a>). An additional
draft document will be provided that summarizes technical details of
the research plan. ORD in partnership with the Office of Chemical
Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) are proposing to develop and
implement a multi-year collaborative research program focused on
approaches for performing risk assessments on new chemical substances
under TSCA. The results of the effort are expected to bring innovative
science to new chemical reviews, modernize the approaches used, and
increase the transparency of the information underpinning the human
health and ecological risk assessment process. Key areas proposed in
the TSCA New Chemicals Collaborative Research Program include:
<bullet> Updating OCSPP's category and read-across approach which
uses data from structurally similar chemicals to determine potential
risks from new chemicals when data for those chemicals are lacking.
This research effort will increase the efficiency of new chemical
reviews by identifying appropriate analogues for read across and
promoting the use of the best available data to protect human health
and the environment. The existing category approach in use dates to
2010 and is available here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/chemical-categories-used-review-new">https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/chemical-categories-used-review-new</a>.
<bullet> Digitizing and consolidating information on chemicals to
include data and studies that currently only exist in hard copy or in
disparate TSCA databases. The information will be combined with
publicly available sources to expand the amount of information
available, enhancing chemical reviews and enabling efficient sharing of
chemical information across EPA. Safeguards for TSCA confidential
business information will be maintained as appropriate in this process.
Data curation in public databases will proceed and where possible these
databases will be made interchangeable with International Uniform
Chemical Information Database (IUCLID) formats.
<bullet> Updating and augmenting the models used for predicting a
chemical's physical-chemical properties and environmental fate/
transport, hazard, exposure (including functional use predictions), and
toxicokinetics to provide a suite of models to be used for new
chemicals assessments. The goal of this effort is to update the models
to reflect the best available science, increase transparency, and
establish a process for updating these models as science evolves. The
predictive models currently in use by OCSPP for new chemical evaluation
are available here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/tsca-screening-tools">https://www.epa.gov/tsca-screening-tools</a>.
<bullet> Exploring ways to integrate and apply new approach methods
(NAMs) in new chemicals assessments, thereby reducing the use of animal
testing. As this effort evolves, the goal is to develop a suite of
accepted, fit-for-purpose NAMs that could be used by external
stakeholders for data submissions under TSCA as well as informing and
expanding new chemical categories.
<bullet> Developing a decision support tool that integrates the
various information streams specifically used for new chemical risk
assessments. The decision support tool will more efficiently integrate
all the data streams (e.g., chemistry, fate, exposures, hazards) into a
final risk assessment and transparently document the decisions and
assumptions made. Simply put, this will facilitate the tracking of the
new chemicals program decisions and provide consistency within and
across chemistries.
EPA will consider nominees from industry, business, public and
private research institutes or organizations, academia, government
(federal, state, local, and tribal) and non-government organizations,
and other relevant interest areas. EPA values and welcomes diversity.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply regardless of gender,
race, disability, or ethnicity.
Expertise Sought
The EPA invites nominations of individuals to serve as SGEs with
expertise or extensive experience in the following scientific
disciplines and topic areas as they relate to human health and the
environment:
<bullet> Using data to develop predictive models and use of predictive
models in data poor environment
[cir] Read across and analogue selection
[cir] Chemical structures and cheminformatics
[cir] Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR)
<bullet> Development, implementation, and validation of new approach
methods (NAMs). Relevant expertise may include:
[cir] Veterinary pathology or comparative physiology for perspective on
relevance of laboratory animals for predicting human outcomes
[cir] Reference data curation to support validation
<bullet> Computational modeling, bioinformatics, and/or statistics
<bullet> Toxicokinetics, Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models
(PBPK), and in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE)
<bullet> Systems biology
<bullet> Human health and ecological risk assessment
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Exposure modeling and/or assessment, including near-field and far-
field sources
<bullet> Knowledge of TSCA
<bullet> Environmental fate of chemicals
Selection Criteria
Nominations will be evaluated on the basis of several criteria
including: (a) Demonstrated scientific and/or technical credentials and
disciplinary expertise, knowledge, and experience in relevant fields;
(b) availability to serve and willingness to commit time to the
committee (approximately one to three meetings per year both by
teleconferences and possibly face-to-face meetings); (c) absence of
financial conflicts of interest; (d) absence of an appearance of a lack
of impartiality; (e) demonstrated ability to work constructively and
effectively on committees; and (f) background and experiences that
would contribute to the diversity of viewpoints including workforce
sector, geographical location, social, cultural, and educational
backgrounds, and professional affiliations.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations
Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified
persons to be considered for appointment. Nominations should be
submitted via the BOSC website at: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/bosc">https://www.epa.gov/bosc</a>.
Nominations should be submitted no later than June 30, 2022. To receive
full consideration, nominations should include all the information
requested. EPA's nomination form requests: Contact information about
the person making the nomination; contact information about the
nominee; the disciplinary and specific areas of expertise of the
nominee; the nominee's curriculum vita and/or resume; and additional
information that would be useful for considering the nomination such as
background and qualifications (e.g., current position, educational
background, expertise, research areas), experience relevant to the
areas mentioned above, service on other advisory committees and
professional societies, and availability to participate as an SGE.
Persons having questions about the nomination procedures, or who are
unable to submit nominations through the BOSC website, should contact
Mr. Tom Tracy, as indicated above under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this notice.
Mary Ross,
Director, Office of Science Advisor, Policy and Engagement.
[FR Doc. 2022-11421 Filed 5-26-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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