Notice2024-11418
Request for Nominations for the Science Advisory Board Microbial and Disinfection Byproducts (MDBP) Revisions Review Panel
Primary source
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Published
May 24, 2024
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office requests public nominations of scientific experts to form a Panel to review the draft analyses to support EPA's revisions of the Microbial and Disinfection Byproducts (MDBP) National Primary Drinking Water rules. EPA is currently conducting analyses to evaluate eight (i.e., chlorite, Cryptosporidium, haloacetic acids, heterotrophic bacteria, Giardia lamblia, Legionella, total trihalomethanes, and viruses) National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) for potential regulatory revisions with a consideration of risk tradeoffs across microbial control versus disinfection byproduct formation. EPA is exploring approaches to determine how public water systems (PWSs) can achieve enhanced precursor removal to reduce disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation in drinking water. EPA's analysis summarizes the current literature on DBP precursor occurrence and treatment, identifies technology based on effectiveness and feasibility, and determines the unit cost of technologies for enhanced removal. EPA is also preparing analyses to support a numerical disinfectant residual requirement within the drinking water distribution system. This analysis will include an inventory on vulnerable PWSs, feasibility studies for maintaining a numerical disinfectant residual, and methods for assessing effectiveness of a numerical residual in controlling microbial growth in the distribution system including for opportunistic pathogens such as Legionella. The SAB MDBP Revisions Review Panel will consider whether the conclusions found in the EPA's analyses are clearly presented and scientifically supported. The Panel will also be asked to provide recommendations on how the analyses may be strengthened.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 102 (Friday, May 24, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 102 (Friday, May 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45883-45885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11418]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-11963-01-OA]
Request for Nominations for the Science Advisory Board Microbial
and Disinfection Byproducts (MDBP) Revisions 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 requests public nominations of scientific
experts to form a Panel to review the draft analyses to support EPA's
revisions of the Microbial and Disinfection Byproducts (MDBP) National
Primary Drinking Water rules. EPA is currently conducting analyses to
evaluate eight (i.e., chlorite, Cryptosporidium, haloacetic acids,
heterotrophic bacteria, Giardia lamblia, Legionella, total
trihalomethanes, and viruses) National Primary Drinking Water
Regulations (NPDWRs) for
[[Page 45884]]
potential regulatory revisions with a consideration of risk tradeoffs
across microbial control versus disinfection byproduct formation. EPA
is exploring approaches to determine how public water systems (PWSs)
can achieve enhanced precursor removal to reduce disinfection byproduct
(DBP) formation in drinking water. EPA's analysis summarizes the
current literature on DBP precursor occurrence and treatment,
identifies technology based on effectiveness and feasibility, and
determines the unit cost of technologies for enhanced removal. EPA is
also preparing analyses to support a numerical disinfectant residual
requirement within the drinking water distribution system. This
analysis will include an inventory on vulnerable PWSs, feasibility
studies for maintaining a numerical disinfectant residual, and methods
for assessing effectiveness of a numerical residual in controlling
microbial growth in the distribution system including for opportunistic
pathogens such as Legionella. The SAB MDBP Revisions Review Panel will
consider whether the conclusions found in the EPA's analyses are
clearly presented and scientifically supported. The Panel will also be
asked to provide recommendations on how the analyses may be
strengthened.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted by June 14, 2024 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 Carolyn Kilgore, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA
Science Advisory Board via telephone/voice mail (202) 564-0230, or
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#365d5f5a5159445318555744595a4f587653465718515940"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="98f3f1f4fff7eafdb6fbf9eaf7f4e1f6d8fde8f9b6fff7ee">[email protected]</span></a>. General information concerning the
EPA SAB can be found at the EPA SAB website at <a href="https://sab.epa.gov">https://sab.epa.gov</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 MDBP Revisions Review
Panel, under the auspices of the Chartered SAB. The SAB MDBP Revisions
Review Panel will provide advice through the chartered SAB. The SAB and
the SAB MDBP Revisions Review Panel will comply with the provisions of
FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies. The SAB
MDBP Revisions Review Panel will conduct a review of analyses on two
specific topics under consideration for potential regulatory revisions.
EPA is exploring approaches to determine how PWSs can achieve enhanced
precursor removal to reduce DBP formation in drinking water. EPA's
analysis summarizes the current literature on DBP precursor occurrence
and treatment, identifies technology based on effectiveness and
feasibility, and determines the unit cost of technologies for enhanced
removal. EPA is also preparing analyses to support a numerical
disinfectant residual requirement within the drinking water
distribution system.
This analysis will include an inventory on vulnerable PWSs,
feasibility studies for maintaining a numerical disinfectant residual,
and methods for assessing effectiveness of a numerical residual in
controlling microbial growth in the distribution system including for
opportunistic pathogens such as Legionella. The SAB MDBP Revisions
Review Panel will consider whether the conclusions found in the EPA's
draft analyses are clearly presented and scientifically supported. The
Panel will also be asked to provide recommendations on how the analyses
may be strengthened.
Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking
nominations of nationally and internationally recognized scientists
with demonstrated expertise in the following disciplines: Environmental
Engineering, specifically: design, operation, and maintenance of
distribution systems used by public drinking water systems (PWS);
Environmental Science; Drinking water treatment; Disinfection byproduct
formation and control; Microbiology; Public Health; Water quality;
Water reuse; Toxicology; Risk assessment; Environmental economics;
Environmental health science.
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''). 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 14, 2024. 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 includes
current position, educational background; research activities; and
recent service on other 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.
[[Page 45885]]
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>.
V. Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2024-11418 Filed 5-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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