2021-13857. Request for Nominations for the Science Advisory Board; PFAS Review Panel

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office requests public nominations of scientific experts to form a Panel to review draft EPA documents that are being developed to support EPA's National Primary Drinking Water Rulemaking for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These draft documents will describe EPA's prepared analyses of health effects data that will inform the derivation of proposed Maximum Contaminant Level Goals for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Additionally, the documents will include elements from EPA's assessment of the health risk reduction benefits of potential reductions in drinking water concentrations of PFOA and PFOS for targeted health endpoints. The documents will also include a framework for estimating health risks associated with PFAS mixtures.

DATES:

Nominations should be submitted by July 21, 2021 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. Suhair Shallal, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science Advisory Board via telephone/voice mail [phone], or email at [e-mail]. General information concerning the EPA SAB can be found at the EPA SAB website at http://www.epa.gov/​sab.

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 PFAS Review Panel, under the auspices of the Chartered SAB. The SAB PFAS Review Panel will provide advice through the chartered SAB. The SAB and the SAB PFAS Review Panel will comply with the provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.

The SAB PFAS Review Panel will conduct the review of draft EPA documents that are being developed to support EPA's National Primary Drinking Water Rulemaking for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) prepared by the EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) and Office of Science and Technology (OST).

EPA has made final determinations to regulate two contaminants, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). EPA is currently moving forward to implement the national primary drinking water regulation development process for PFAS. The Regulatory Determinations outline avenues that the agency is considering to further evaluate additional PFAS chemicals and provide flexibility for the agency to consider groups of PFAS as supported by the best available science.

Request for Nominations: The SAB Staff Office is seeking nominations of nationally and internationally recognized scientists with demonstrated expertise in the following disciplines: Toxicology, specifically: Reproductive/developmental, hepatic, immunology and neurotoxicology; epidemiology with expertise in: Immunology, endocrinology, reproductive/developmental and cardiology; physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling; physician/clinician with a focus on cardiology; risk assessment; toxicity of chemical mixtures; economist with expertise in health related benefit cost analysis and valuing avoided adverse health outcomes; dose response relationships in economic models.

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) 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 http://www.epa.gov/​sab). 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 July 21, 2021.

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; sources of research funding for the last two years; 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 http://www.epa.gov/​sab. 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 http://www.epa.gov/​sab. 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 http://www.epa.gov/​sab.

V Khanna Johnston,

Deputy Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office.