EPA: Agricultural Science Committee nomination deadline extended

In late 2014, the U.S. EPA published a notice in the Federal Register inviting the public to nominate scientific experts to be considered for appointment to its Science Advisory Board’s Agricultural Science Committee. The deadline to submit those nominations has now been extended from Jan. 30 to March 30.

In a notice published Jan. 26, the agency attributed the extended deadline to a high level of interest in the new committee from organizations in the agricultural sector.

According to the EPA, the SAB was established in 1978 and provides independent advice to the administrator on general scientific and technical matters underlying the EPA’s policies and actions. “Members of the SAB and its subcommittees constitute a distinguished body of non-EPA scientists, engineers, economists, and social scientists that are nationally and internationally recognized experts in their respective fields,” said the EPA in a notice

Members of the board are appointed by the EPA administrator, and generally serve for a three-year period. While the SAB was established decades ago, the development of the Agricultural Science Committee is new. According to the EPA, the agricultural committee is being established pursuant to section 12307 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, also known as the 2014 Farm Bill. The ASB Agricultural Science Committee will provide advice to the charted SAB on matters referred the board that EPA and the board, in consultation with the USDA, determine will have a significant direct impact on farming and agricultural-related industries. The notice specifies the initial appointees for the board will be in a mix of two- and three-year terms, in order to ensure rotation and staggered terms in the future.

The EPA is seeking nominations for the committee who demonstrate expertise in agricultural-related sciences, including agricultural economics, valuation of ecosystem goods and services, agricultural chemistry, agricultural engineering, agronomy and soil science, aquaculture science, biofuels engineering, biotechnology, crop and animal science, environmental chemistry, forestry and hydrology.

Additional information on the committee, selection criteria and how to submit nominations is available on the Federal Register website. https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/01/26/2015-01276/request-for-nominations-of-candidates-to-the-epas-science-advisory-board-sab-agricultural-science