Second Call for Nominations: North Slope Science Initiative, Science Technical Advisory Panel, Alaska, 8809 [E9-4140]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Bureau of Land Management
• Land Management Bureau

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 37 (Thursday, February 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 8809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4140]



[[Page 8809]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLAK910000 L13100000.DB0000 LXSINSSI0000]


Second Call for Nominations: North Slope Science Initiative, 
Science Technical Advisory Panel, Alaska

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Second call for nominations.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a second call for nominations to serve 
on the North Slope Science Initiative, Science Technical Advisory Panel 
in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA) of 1972, 5 U.S.C. Appendix. Nominees who answered the first call 
for nominations published in Federal Register, Vol. 73, No. 230, Nov. 
28, 2008; do not need to reapply under this Notice.

DATES: Submit a completed nomination form and nomination letter to the 
address listed below no later than March 30, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John F. Payne, Executive Director; 
North Slope Science Initiative; c/o Bureau of Land Management, Alaska 
State Office AK-910; 222 West 7th Avenue, 13; Anchorage, 
Alaska 99513; phone (907) 271-3431, or john_f_payne@blm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Science Technical 
Advisory Panel is to advise the North Slope Science Oversight Group on 
issues such as identifying and prioritizing inventory, monitoring and 
research needs, and providing other scientific information as requested 
by the Oversight Group. The Oversight Group consists of the Alaska 
Regional Directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park 
Service, Minerals Management Service, and National Marine Fisheries 
Service; the BLM-Alaska State Director; the Commissioners of the Alaska 
Departments of Fish and Game and Natural Resources; the Mayor of the 
North Slope Borough; and the president of the Arctic Slope Regional 
Corporation. Advisory to the Oversight Group are the Regional 
Executive, U.S. Geological Survey; Alaska Director, U.S. Arctic 
Research Commission; and the Regional Directors of the National Weather 
Service and the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology 
Laboratory.
    The Science Technical Advisory Panel shall consist of a 
representative group of not more than 15 scientists and technical 
experts from diverse professions and interests, including the oil and 
gas industry, subsistence users, Alaska Native entities, conservation 
organizations, and academia, as determined by the Secretary of the 
Interior. The members will be selected from among, but not limited to, 
the following disciplines: North Slope traditional and local knowledge, 
landscape ecology, petroleum engineering, civil engineering, geology, 
botany, hydrology, limnology, habitat biology, wildlife biology, 
biometrics, sociology, cultural anthropology, economics, ornithology, 
oceanography, fisheries biology, and climatology.
    The duties of the Science Technical Advisory Panel are solely 
advisory to the Oversight Group, which will give direction to the 
Science Panel regarding priorities for scientific information needed 
for Department of the Interior management decisions. Duties could 
include the following:
    a. Advise the Oversight Group on science planning and relevant 
research and monitoring projects;
    b. Advise the Oversight Group on scientific information relevant to 
the Oversight Group's mission;
    c. Review selected reports to advise the Oversight Group on their 
content and relevance;
    d. Review ongoing scientific programs of North Slope Science 
Initiative (NSSI) member organizations at the request of the member 
organizations to promote compatibility in methodologies and compilation 
of data;
    e. Advise the Oversight Group on how to ensure that scientific 
products generated through NSSI activities are of the highest technical 
quality;
    f. Periodically review the North Slope Science Plan and provide 
recommendations for changes to the Oversight Group;
    g. Provide recommendations to the Oversight Group for proposed 
NSSI-funded inventory, monitoring and research activities;
    h. Provide other scientific advice as requested by the Oversight 
Group; and
    i. Coordinate with groups and committees appointed or requested by 
the Oversight Group to provide science advice, as needed.
    The Executive Director of the North Slope Science Initiative shall 
serve as the Designated Federal Officer of the Science Technical 
Advisory Panel.
    Qualifications and Procedures Required for Nomination: Members will 
be professionals with advanced degrees and a minimum of five years of 
work experience in Alaska in their field of expertise, preferably in 
the North Slope region. Professionals will be selected from among those 
disciplines and entities described above. Members will be appointed for 
three-year terms. At the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, 
Science Technical Advisory Panel members may be reappointed 
indefinitely.

How To Nominate

    Any individual or organization may nominate one or more people to 
serve on the Science Technical Advisory Panel or individuals may 
nominate themselves to the Science Technical Advisory Panel. You may 
obtain nomination forms from the Executive Director, North Slope 
Science Initiative (see address above), or from https://
www.northslope.org. To make a nomination, or self nominate, you must 
submit a completed nomination form with a letter of reference that 
describes the nominee's qualifications to serve on the Science 
Technical Advisory Panel. The professional discipline the nominee would 
like to represent should be identified in the letter of nomination and 
in the nomination form. Nominees may be scientists and technical 
experts from diverse professions and interests, including the oil and 
gas industry, subsistence users, Alaska Native entities, conservation 
organizations, and academia. Nominees selected to serve on the Science 
Technical Advisory Panel will serve only in their professional capacity 
and will not represent any group, agency or entity with whom they may 
be affiliated.
    The Executive Director shall collect the nomination forms and 
letters of reference and distribute them to the Oversight Group of the 
North Slope Science Initiative. The Oversight Group will submit its 
recommendations through the Bureau of Land Management to the Secretary 
of the Interior, who has the responsibility for making the 
appointments. Members of the Science Technical Advisory Panel will 
serve without monetary compensation. Members will be reimbursed for 
travel and per diem expenses as appropriate, at the current rate for 
Government employees.

Certification

    I hereby certify that the establishment of the Science Technical 
Advisory Panel for the North Slope Science Initiative is necessary and 
in the public interest, and in compliance with Section 348, Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-58).

    Dated: February 18, 2009.
Thomas P. Lonnie,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E9-4140 Filed 2-25-09; 8:45 am]
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