Notice of Charter Renewal and Request for Nominations for the Great Lakes Advisory Board

Issuing agencies

Abstract

Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the EPA Great Lakes Advisory Board (GLAB) is a necessary committee which is in the public's interest. Accordingly, the Advisory Board will be renewed for an additional two-year period. In addition, EPA is seeking member nominations for the GLAB from qualified candidates to serve a two-year term. The purpose of the GLAB is to provide advice and recommendations to the EPA Administrator through the Great Lakes National Program Manager on matters related to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and on domestic matters related to the implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The Advisory Board's major objectives are to provide advice and recommendations on: Great Lakes protection and restoration activities; long term goals, objectives and priorities for Great Lakes protection and restoration; and other issues identified by the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force/Regional Working Group.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 208 (Thursday, October 29, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 208 (Thursday, October 29, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68137-68138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22059]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-13656-01-R5]


Notice of Charter Renewal and Request for Nominations for the 
Great Lakes Advisory Board

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of charter renewal and request for nominations for the 
Great Lakes Advisory Board.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) has determined that, in accordance with the provisions of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the EPA Great Lakes Advisory 
Board (GLAB) is a necessary committee which is in the public's 
interest. Accordingly, the Advisory Board will be renewed for an 
additional two-year period. In addition, EPA is seeking member 
nominations for the GLAB from qualified candidates to serve a two-year 
term. The purpose of the GLAB is to provide advice and recommendations 
to the EPA Administrator through the Great Lakes National Program 
Manager on matters related to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative 
and on domestic matters related to the implementation of the Great 
Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The Advisory Board's major objectives 
are to provide advice and recommendations on: Great Lakes protection 
and restoration activities; long term goals, objectives and priorities 
for Great Lakes protection and restoration; and other issues identified 
by the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force/Regional Working Group.

DATES: Nominations for the GLAB must be submitted by January 15, 2027.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alana Davicino, Designated Federal 
Officer, Great Lakes National Program Office, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, (G-9J), Chicago, 
Illinois; telephone number: 312-886-2307, email address: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5c383d2a353f353233723d303d323d1c392c3d723b332a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9bfffaedf2f8f2f5f4b5faf7faf5fadbfeebfab5fcf4ed">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The GLAB was established in accordance with the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C. 10) and 41 CFR 102-
3.50(d). The board will provide advice and recommendations on matters 
related to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The board will also 
advise on domestic matters related to implementation of the Great Lakes 
Water Quality Agreement between the U.S. and Canada.
    The major objectives will be to provide advice and recommendations 
on:
    a. Great Lakes protection and restoration activities;
    b. Long term goals, objectives, and priorities for Great Lakes 
protection and restoration; and
    c. Other issues identified by the Great Lakes Interagency Task 
Force/Regional Working Group.
    The GLAB is expected to meet in person or by electronic means 
(e.g., telephone, videoconference, webcast, etc.) approximately two (2) 
times per year, or as otherwise needed and approved by the Designated 
Federal Officer. In-person meetings will be held in the Great Lakes 
region.
    Nominations: The GLAB will be composed of approximately fifteen 
(15) members who will serve as representative members of non-Federal 
interests. In selecting members, EPA will consider candidates 
representing a broad range of Great Lakes stakeholders, including, but 
not limited to: Environmental groups; agricultural groups; industry 
and/or business groups; citizen groups; foundations; academia; and 
State, local and Tribal governments. In selecting members, EPA will 
consider the differing perspectives and breadth of collective 
experience needed to address the GLAB's charter. Other criteria used to 
evaluate nominees will include:
    <bullet> Experience with Great Lakes issues;
    <bullet> Leadership and consensus-building experience in Great 
Lakes organizations, businesses, and workgroups;
    <bullet> Membership in professional societies involved with Great 
Lakes issues;
    <bullet> Academic leadership and expertise;
    <bullet> Community leadership; and
    <bullet> Representation of multiple constituencies within the Great 
Lakes basin.

How To Submit Nominations

    Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified 
persons to be considered for appointment to the GLAB. Individuals may 
self-nominate. For appointment consideration, interested nominees 
should submit the application materials electronically via email to 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#482c293e212b212627662924292629082d3829662f273e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0f6b6e79666c666160216e636e616e4f6a7f6e21686079">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> with the subject line ``GLAB Nominations 2027''.
    To be considered, nominations should include:
    <bullet> Current contact information for the nominee, including the 
nominee's name, organization (and position within that organization), 
current business address, email address and daytime phone number;

[[Page 68138]]

    <bullet> A brief statement describing the nominee's interest in 
serving on the GLAB;
    <bullet> A resume and a short biography (no more than two 
paragraphs) describing the professional and educational qualifications 
of the nominee, including a list of relevant activities and any current 
or previous service on Federal advisory committees; and
    <bullet> A description of the nominee's EPA grant funding history 
including current EPA grant activities if applicable. If this does not 
apply to the nominee, please provide a brief statement indicating so.
    <bullet> Optional: Letter(s) of recommendation from a third party 
supporting the nomination. Letter(s) should describe how the nominee's 
experience and knowledge will bring value to the work of the GLAB.
    To help the Agency evaluate the effectiveness of its outreach 
efforts, nominees are requested to use their submission packages to 
identify how they became aware of this request for nominations.

Public Interest Determination

    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.65, this notice, announcing that the GLAB 
is being renewed, must include the written public interest 
determination (PID) approved by the head of the agency described in 41 
CFR 102-3.60(a) and any assessment provided by the General Services 
Administration's Committee Management Secretariat (the Secretariat). 
The PID included in this Unit has been provided to the Secretariat. The 
Secretariat has approved this PID without comment or assessment.
    Pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 102-3.60(a), to establish, renew, 
reestablish, or merge a discretionary (agency discretion) advisory 
committee, an agency must first consult with the Secretariat and, as 
part of the consultation, provide a written public interest 
determination approved by the head of the agency to the Secretariat 
with a copy to the Office of Management and Budget. In addition, 
pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 102-3.35, an agency shall follow the same 
consultation process and document in writing the same determination of 
need before creating a subcommittee under a discretionary committee 
that is not made up entirely of members of a parent advisory committee. 
Information on the following factors for the committee was provided to 
the Secretariat to demonstrate that reestablishing the committee is in 
public interest:
    1. Annual budget: The estimated Annual Budget for the GLAB is 
$129,389. The estimated annual federal personnel on a full-time 
equivalent (FTE) basis is 0.5 FTE. The estimate for other Federal 
internal costs is $32,139. The GLAB will be composed of approximately 
15 representative members who will not be paid.
    2. If applicable, the total dollar value of grants expected to be 
recommended during the fiscal year is: N/A.
    3. Criteria for selecting members to ensure the committee has the 
necessary expertise and fairly balanced membership: In selecting 
members, EPA will consider candidates from a broad range of interests 
relating to the Great Lakes, including but not limited to, state, 
Tribal, and local governments, environmental groups, industry, business 
groups, agricultural groups, foundations, and academia.
    4. List of all other Federal advisory committees of the agency:

Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals
National Environmental Education Advisory Council
National Drinking Water Advisory Council
Local Government Advisory Committee
Human Studies Review Board
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Advisory Board
Good Neighbor Environmental Board
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory 
Panel
Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee
EPA Science Advisory Board
Environmental Financial Advisory Board
Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee
Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee
Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee

    5. Justification that the information or advice provided by the 
Federal advisory committee or subcommittee is not available from 
another Federal advisory committee, another Federal Government source, 
or any other more cost-effective and less burdensome source: The GLAB 
provides EPA with the collective recommendations of state and local 
governments, Tribes and other Great Lakes interests to more effectively 
carry out Great Lakes restoration. There are no other existing EPA 
advisory committees that have a mission to advise on protecting and 
restoring the Great Lakes. Likewise, existing committees do not have 
the breadth of experience that is needed to inform the Agency on Great 
Lakes environmental issues from various viewpoints. Bringing together a 
cross-section of individuals with the needed range of experience and 
perspectives facilitates a more effective discussion of the technical 
issues and policy options that will support adequate evaluation of, and 
input into, EPA positions and actions.
    6. If the consultation is a committee renewal, a summary of the 
previous accomplishments of the committee and the reasons it needs to 
continue: The GLAB did not convene in the previous Fiscal Year, but 
will be refocused and updated for FY27 and upcoming FYs. 
Accomplishments from previous GLABs include reports with specific, 
actionable near-term and long-term recommendations for EPA regarding 
pressing Great Lakes issues.
    7. Explanation of why the committee/subcommittee is essential to 
the conduct of agency business: The Great Lakes Advisory Board (GLAB) 
supports the EPA in achieving the restoration and protection goals of 
the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) as outlined in Section 
118 of the Clean Water Act. The Great Lakes is a vast, shared resource 
and protecting and restoring them requires the collective ideas and 
experience of the Great Lakes community. The GLAB provides a forum 
where EPA can have the full benefit of the ideas and experience of both 
government and non-governmental partners.
    In conclusion, this public interest determination documents that 
renewing the committee is in the public interest, essential to the 
conduct of agency business, and that the information to be obtained is 
not already available through another advisory committee or source 
within the Federal Government.

    Dated: October 19, 2026.
Anne Vogel,
Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 2026-22059 Filed 10-28-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


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