2012-10938. Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY:

DoD.

ACTION:

Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.

SUMMARY:

Under the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 2166(e), the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), and 41 CFR 102-3.50(a), the Department of Defense gives notice that it is renewing the charter for the Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board (hereafter referred to as “the Board”).

The Board shall provide independent advice and recommendations on matters relating to environmental issues facing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Board shall report to the Secretary of Defense, through the Secretary of the Army, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Board shall be composed of not more than ten members who are eminent authorities in the field of natural (e.g. biological, ecological), social (e.g. anthropologist, community planner), and related sciences.

All Board members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense and all member appointments require annual renewal by the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Defense may approve the appointments of Board members for three year terms of service; however, no member, unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense may serve more than two consecutive terms of service. This same term of service limitation also applies to any DoD authorized subcommittees.

The Board Membership shall select the Board's Chairperson from the total membership. Board Members appointed by the Secretary of Defense, who are not full-time Federal officers or employees, shall be appointed under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109, and serve as special government employees. Board Members shall, with the exception of travel and per diem for official travel, serve without compensation.

Each Board member is appointed to provide advice on behalf of the government on the basis of his or her best judgment without representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free from conflict of interest.

The Department, when necessary, and consistent with the Board's mission and DoD policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees deemed necessary 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 advisory committee's sponsor.

Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the chartered Board, and shall report all their recommendations and advice to the Board for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees have no authority to make decisions on behalf of the chartered Board; nor can any subcommittee or its members update or report directly to the Department of Defense or any Federal officers or employees.

All subcommittee members shall be appointed in the same manner as the Board members; that is, the Secretary of Defense shall appoint subcommittee members even if the member in question is already a Board member. Subcommittee members, with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, may serve a term of service on the subcommittee of three years; however, no member shall serve more than two consecutive terms of service on the subcommittee.

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

All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), governing Federal statutes and regulations, and governing DoD policies/procedures.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Board shall meet at the call of the Designated Federal Officer, in consultation with the Board's Chairperson. The estimated number of Board meetings is two per year.

In addition, the Designated Federal Officer is required to be in attendance at all Board and subcommittee meetings for the entire duration of each and every meeting; however, in the absence of the Designated Federal Officer, the Alternate Designated Federal Officer shall attend the entire duration of the Board or subcommittee meeting.

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 the Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board.

All written statements shall be submitted to the Designated Federal Officer 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 Designated Federal Officer can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database—https://www.fido.gov/​facadatabase/​public.asp.

The Designated Federal Officer, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned meetings of the Chief of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board. The Designated Federal Officer, 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 2, 2012.

Aaron Siegel,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.