2014-11797. Reestablishment of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY:

DoD.

ACTION:

Reestablishment of Federal Advisory Committee.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Defense is publishing this notice to announce that it is reestablishing the charter for the Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board (“the Board”).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This committee's charter is being reestablished under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b) (“the Sunshine Act”), and 41 CFR 102-3.50(d).

The Board is a discretionary Federal advisory committee and shall provide the Secretary of Defense, through the Secretary of the Army, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), and the Chief of Engineers (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), independent advice and recommendations on matters relating to the two distinct component programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—the Military Program, which supports Army war fighters, and the Civil Works Program, which manages many of the water resources of the Nation.

The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Department of the Army, shall provide support as deemed necessary for the Board's performance, and shall ensure compliance with the requirements of the FACA, the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended) (“the Sunshine Act”), governing Federal statutes and regulations, and governing DoD policies and procedures.

The Board shall be comprised of no more than 10 members, who are eminent authorities in the fields of natural sciences (e.g., biology, ecology), social sciences (e.g., anthropology, community planning), and related sciences. To the extent practical the Board membership will include at least two members whose expertise is focused in the natural sciences, two members whose expertise is focused in the social sciences and two members whose expertise is focused in other related sciences. Board members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense, with annual renewals.

Board members appointed by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense, who are not full-time or permanent part-time federal employees, shall be appointed as experts and consultants under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109 to serve as special government employee (SGE) members. Board members appointed by the Secretary of Defense, who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal employees, shall serve as regular government employee (RGE) members. Board members shall serve a term of one-to-four years on the Board. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms of service without the Secretary or Deputy Secretary of Defense approval. This same term of service limitation also applies to any DoD authorized subcommittees.

With the exception of reimbursement for official Board-related travel and per diem, Board members shall serve without compensation.

DoD, when necessary and consistent with the Board's mission and DoD policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees, task forces, or working groups to support the Board. Establishment of subcommittees will be based upon a written determination, to include terms of reference, by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the Army, as the DoD Sponsor.

Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the Board and shall report all of their recommendations and advice solely to the Board for full and open deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees, task forces, or working groups have no authority to make decisions and recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board. No subcommittee or any of its members can update or report, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board, directly to the DoD or any Federal officer or employee.

The Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense will appoint subcommittee members to a term of service of one-to-four years, even if the member in question is already a member of the Board. Subcommittee members shall not serve more than two consecutive terms of service unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Subcommittee members, if not full-time or permanent part-time Federal employees, will be appointed as experts and consultants, under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109, to serve as SGE members, whose appointments must be renewed on an annual basis. Subcommittee members appointed by the Secretary of Defense, who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal employees, shall serve as RGE members. With the exception of reimbursement of official travel and per diem related to the Board or its subcommittees, subcommittee members shall serve without compensation.

All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and established DoD policies and procedures.

The Board's Designated Federal Officer (DFO) shall be a full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee and shall be appointed in accordance with established DoD policies and procedures.

The Board's Designated Federal Officer (DFO), pursuant to DoD policy, shall be a full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee, and shall be appointed in accordance with established DoD policies and procedures.

The Board's DFO is required to be in attendance at all meetings of the Board and any subcommittees for the entire duration of each and every meeting; however, in the absence of the DFO, a properly approved Alternate DFO shall attend the entire duration of all of the meetings of the Board and its subcommittees.

The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, shall call all meetings of the Board and its subcommittees; prepare and approve all meeting agendas; and adjourn any meeting when the DFO, or the Alternate DFO, determines adjournment to be in the public interest or required by governing regulations or DoD policies and procedures.

Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or interested organizations may submit written statements to Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board membership about the Board's mission and functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time or in response to the stated agenda of planned meeting of Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board.

All written statements shall be submitted to the DFO for the Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board, and this individual will ensure that the written statements are provided to the membership for their consideration. Contact information for the Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board DFO can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database—http://www.facadatabase.gov/​.

The DFO, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned meetings of the Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board. The DFO, at that time, may provide additional guidance on the submission of written statements that are in response to the stated agenda for the planned meeting in question.

Dated: May 16, 2014.

Aaron Siegel,

Alternate OSD Federal Register, Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.