Notice2022-12703
Request for Nominations for a Science Advisory Board Panel on BenMAP and Benefits Methods
Primary source
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Published
June 13, 2022
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is expanding its request for nominations previously announced on April 5, 2022. The EPA SAB Staff Office previously requested nominations of scientific experts to form a panel to review EPA's new cloud-based Environmental Benefits and Mapping (BenMAP) tool, an open-source computer program that calculates estimated air pollution-related deaths and illnesses and their associated economic values. In that notice, the SAB Staff Office indicated its intention to announce a separate panel that would address the approach EPA takes for selecting and applying evidence in its PM<INF>2.5</INF> and Ozone (O<INF>3</INF>) benefits assessments. Because the two panels would require substantially similar expertise, the SAB Staff Office has now determined that it is appropriate to combine them into a single panel with a more comprehensive charge. The Science Advisory Board Staff Office is soliciting additional candidates to complement those nominated for the review of BenMAP.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 113 (Monday, June 13, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 113 (Monday, June 13, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35771-35772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12703]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL 9921-01-OA]
Request for Nominations for a Science Advisory Board Panel on
BenMAP and Benefits Methods
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory
Board (SAB) Staff Office is expanding its request for nominations
previously announced on April 5, 2022. The EPA SAB Staff Office
previously requested nominations of scientific experts to form a panel
to review EPA's new cloud-based Environmental Benefits and Mapping
(BenMAP) tool, an open-source computer program that calculates
estimated air pollution-related deaths and illnesses and their
associated economic values. In that notice, the SAB Staff Office
indicated its intention to announce a separate panel that would address
the approach EPA takes for selecting and applying evidence in its
PM<INF>2.5</INF> and Ozone (O<INF>3</INF>) benefits assessments.
Because the two panels would require substantially similar expertise,
the SAB Staff Office has now determined that it is appropriate to
combine them into a single panel with a more comprehensive charge. The
Science Advisory Board Staff Office is soliciting additional candidates
to complement those nominated for the review of BenMAP.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by June 27, 2002 per the
instructions below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing
further information regarding this Notice and request for nominations
may contact Dr. Bryan Bloomer, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA
Science Advisory Board via telephone/voice mail (202) 564-4222, or
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f6949a99999b9384d894848f9798b6938697d8919980"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fe9c929191939b8cd09c8c879f90be9b8e9fd0999188">[email protected]</span></a>. General information concerning the EPA
SAB can be found at <a href="https://sab.epa.gov">https://sab.epa.gov</a>. For information concerning
EPA's technical support document, please contact Mr. Neal Fann via
telephone/voice mail at (919) 541-0209 or email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#85e3e4ebebabebe0e4e9c5e0f5e4abe2eaf3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dfb9beb1b1f1b1babeb39fbaafbef1b8b0a9">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The SAB (42 U.S.C. 4365) is a chartered Federal
Advisory Committee that provides independent scientific and technical
peer review, advice, and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on
the technical basis for EPA actions. As a Federal Advisory Committee,
the SAB conducts business in accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and related regulations. The SAB
Staff Office is forming an expert panel, the SAB BenMAP and Benefits
Methods Panel, under the auspices of the Chartered SAB. The BenMAP and
Benefits Methods Panel will provide advice through the chartered SAB.
The SAB will comply with the provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB
Staff Office procedural policies.
The SAB BenMAP and Benefits Methods Panel will conduct the review
of EPA's BenMAP tool as described previously in 87 FR 19680-19681.
BenMAP is an open-source computer program that calculates the number
and economic value of air pollution-related deaths and illnesses. In
addition, the SAB BenMAP and Benefits Methods Panel will review EPA's
technical support document Estimating PM2.5- and Ozone-Attributable
Health Benefits as requested by the EPA's Office of Air and Radiation.
Collectively, the SAB BenMAP and Benefits Methods Panel will review
both EPA's approach for selecting and applying the evidence used to
quantify and monetize air pollution-related effects and how the BenMAP
tool performs these calculations. With today's notice, the SAB Staff
Office is expanding its solicitation of April 5, 2022 (87 FR 19680-
19681) so that a broader panel, the BenMAP and Benefits Methods Panel,
can also review EPA's selection of human health endpoints, risk
estimates and monetized values in an air pollution benefits assessment,
as well as the agency's characterization of uncertainty inherent in EPA
benefits assessments. These additional topics will be in combination
with the panel's review of the BenMAP tool.
Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking
nominations of nationally and internationally recognized scientists
with demonstrated expertise in the following disciplines: air pollution
epidemiology; biostatistics; risk assessment; demographics; public
health data science; uncertainty analysis; and environmental economics,
particularly, the valuation of benefits from pollution reductions. The
SAB Staff Office is seeking nominees from the listed disciplines above,
with expertise that emphasizes the health effects of air pollution and
the development of economic values for reductions in air pollution.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested
person or organization may nominate qualified individuals in the areas
of expertise described above for possible service on the SAB panel.
Individuals may self-nominate. Nominations should be submitted in
electronic format (preferred) using the online nomination form on the
SAB website at <a href="https://sab.epa.gov">https://sab.epa.gov</a> (see the ``Public Input on
Membership'' list under ``Committees, Panels, and Membership''
following the instructions for ``Nominating Experts to Advisory Panels
and Ad Hoc Committees Being Formed,'' provided on the SAB website (see
the ``Nomination of Experts'' link under ``Current Activities'' at
<a href="https://sab.epa.gov">https://sab.epa.gov</a>). To be considered, nominations should include the
information requested below. EPA values and welcomes diversity. All
qualified candidates are encouraged to apply regardless of sex, race,
disability, or ethnicity. Nominations should be submitted in time to
arrive no later than June 27, 2022.
The following information should be provided on the nomination
form: contact information for the person making the nomination; contact
information for the nominee; and the disciplinary and specific areas of
expertise of the nominee. Nominees will be contacted by the SAB Staff
Office and will be asked to provide a recent curriculum vitae and a
narrative biographical summary that include the following: current
position, educational background; research activities; sources of
research funding for the last two years; and recent service on other
[[Page 35772]]
national advisory committees or national professional organizations.
Persons having questions about the nomination procedures, or who are
unable to submit nominations through the SAB website, should contact
the DFO at the contact information noted above. The names and
biosketches of qualified nominees identified by respondents to this
Federal Register Notice, and additional experts identified by the SAB
Staff Office, will be posted in a List of Candidates for the panel on
the SAB website at <a href="https://sab.epa.gov">https://sab.epa.gov</a>. Public comments on the List of
Candidates will be accepted for 21 days. The public will be requested
to provide relevant information or other documentation on nominees that
the SAB Staff Office should consider in evaluating candidates.
For the EPA SAB Staff Office, a balanced review panel includes
candidates who possess the necessary domains of knowledge, the relevant
scientific perspectives (which, among other factors, can be influenced
by work history and affiliation), and the collective breadth of
experience to adequately address the charge. In forming the expert
panel, the SAB Staff Office will consider public comments on the Lists
of Candidates, information provided by the candidates themselves, and
background information independently gathered by the SAB Staff Office.
Selection criteria to be used for panel membership include: (a)
scientific and/or technical expertise, knowledge, and experience
(primary factors); (b) availability and willingness to serve; (c)
absence of financial conflicts of interest; (d) absence of an
appearance of a loss of impartiality; (e) skills working in committees,
subcommittees and advisory panels; and (f) for the panel as a whole,
diversity of expertise and scientific points of view.
The SAB Staff Office's evaluation of an absence of financial
conflicts of interest will include a review of the ``Confidential
Financial Disclosure Form for Environmental Protection Agency Special
Government Employees'' (EPA Form 3110-48). This confidential form is
required and allows government officials to determine whether there is
a statutory conflict between a person's public responsibilities (which
include membership on an EPA federal advisory committee) and private
interests and activities, or the appearance of a loss of impartiality,
as defined by federal regulation. The form may be viewed and downloaded
through the ``Ethics Requirements for Advisors'' link on the SAB
website at <a href="https://sab.epa.gov">https://sab.epa.gov</a>. This form should not be submitted as
part of a nomination.
The approved policy under which the EPA SAB Office selects members
for subcommittees and review panels is described in the following
document: Overview of the Panel Formation Process at the Environmental
Protection Agency Science Advisory Board (EPA-SAB-EC-02-010), which is
posted on the SAB website at <a href="https://sab.epa.gov">https://sab.epa.gov</a>.
Thomas H. Brennan,
Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2022-12703 Filed 6-10-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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