Office of Science and Technology Policy – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

With this notice, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council request comments from the public regarding the draft National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related Environmental, Health, and Safety Research (hereafter referred to as ``draft NNI EHS strategy''). The draft NNI EHS strategy is posted at https://strategy.nano.gov. Comments of approximately one page or less in length (4,000 characters) are requested. This request will be active from December 6, 2010, to January 6, 2011.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a partially closed meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App.

The purpose of this RFI is to enhance the value of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) by reaching out to the nanotechnology stakeholder community for specific input for the next NNI Strategic Plan to be published in December 2010. This RFI refers to the NNI Goals identified from the 2007 Strategic Plan (https:// www.nano.gov/NNI_Strategic_Plan_2007.pdf) as a starting point for questions covering themes such as research priorities, investment, coordination, partnerships, evaluation, and policy.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a partially closed meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a partially closed meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App.

In September 2009, President Obama released his national innovation strategy, which is designed to promote sustainable growth and the creation of quality jobs. Two key parts of this strategy are to increase support for both the fundamental research at our nation's universities and the effective commercialization of promising technologies.

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), will hold a workshop on March 30-31, 2010, to provide an open forum to discuss the state-of-the-art of the science related to environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials in two areas: Risk Management Methods and Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications (ELSI) of Nanotechnology. Risk Management Methods is one of the five environmental, health, and safety research categories identified in the NSET Subcommittee document Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related Environmental, Health, and Safety Research (https://www.nano.gov/NNI_EHS_Research_Strategy.pdf), which was released February 14, 2008.

With this notice, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) within the Executive Office of the President requests input from the public regarding the consumer interface with the Smart Grid. This Request for Information (RFI) will be active from February 23, 2010 to March 12, 2010. Respondents are invited to respond online via the Smart Grid Forum at https://www.nist.gov/smartgrid/, or may submit responses via electronic mail. Electronic mail responses will be re-posted on the online forum.

On September 21, 2009, President Barack Obama released his ``Strategy for American Innovation.'' The strategy outlines the Administration's plans to foster innovation for sustainable growth and the creation of high-quality jobs.

On December 9, 2009, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) within the Executive Office of the President, published a notice requesting input from the community regarding enhancing public access to archived publications resulting from research funded by Federal science and technology agencies. That notice stated that the RFI would be active from December 10, 2009 to January 7, 2010. The purpose of this document is to extend that comment period to allow comments until January 21, to accommodate potential respondents who may find it difficult to complete their responses by the original deadline because of the intervening holidays. Respondents are invited to respond online via the Public Access Policy Forum at https://www.whitehouse.gov/open, or may submit responses via electronic mail. Responses will be re-posted on the online forum. Instructions and a timetable for daily blog topics during this period are described at https://www.whitehouse.gov/open.

With this notice, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) within the Executive Office of the President, requests input from the community regarding enhancing public access to archived publications resulting from research funded by Federal science and technology agencies. This RFI will be active from December 10, 2009 to January 7, 2010. Respondents are invited to respond online via the Public Access Policy Forum at https://www.whitehouse.gov/open, or may submit responses via electronic mail. Responses will be re-posted on the online forum. Instructions and a timetable for daily blog topics during this period are described at https://www.whitehouse.gov/open.

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), will hold a workshop on November 17-18, 2009, to provide an open forum to discuss the state-of-the-art of the science related to environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials in two areas: human health and instrumentation and metrology. Nanomaterials and Human Health & Instrumentation, Metrology, and Analytical Needs are two of the five environmental, health, and safety research categories identified in the NSET Subcommittee document Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related Environmental, Health, and Safety Research (https://www.nano.gov/NNI_EHS_Research_Strategy.pdf), which was released February 14, 2008.

Executive Order (E.O.) 13419National Aeronautics Research and Developmentsigned December 20, 2006, and the National Aeronautics Research and Development Policy that was developed by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) call for executive departments and agencies conducting aeronautics research and development (R&D) to engage industry, academia and other non-Federal stakeholders in support of government planning and performance of aeronautics R&D. E.O. 13419 further requires a biennial update to the National Plan for Aeronautics Research and Development and Related Infrastructure (Plan).

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

In January 2007, Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States for the Next Decade: An Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy (Charting the Course) was published. Charting the Course was based on input gathered from public and private sources over a period of several months, and it has provided a basis for coordinated ocean science and technology investments. In view of scientific advancements and recognition of new ocean management challenges, the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST) is embarking upon an effort to update and refresh Charting the Course. This notice solicits public input to inform the drafting of an updated Charting the Course.

On March 9, 2009, the President issued a memorandum for the heads of executive departments and agencies on the subject of scientific integrity (https://www.whitehouse.gov/thepressoffice/ Memorandum-for-the-Heads-of-Executive-Departments-and-Agencie s-3-9-09/ ). The memorandum requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to craft recommendations for Presidential action to ensure scientific integrity in the executive branch. This notice solicits public input to inform the drafting of those recommendations. The notice asks a series of questions to help guide the public in responding to this request.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Dates and Place: September 16, 2008, Washington, DC. The meeting will be held in Room 100 at the Keck Center of the National Academies at 500 5th St., NW., Washington DC. Type of Meeting: Open. Further details on the meeting agenda will be posted on the PCAST Web site at: https://ostp.gov/cs/pcast/meetings agendas. Proposed Schedule and Agenda: The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is scheduled to meet in open session on Tuesday September 16, 2008, at approximately 9 a.m. The chairs of the PCAST subcommittee on university-private sector research partnerships are tentatively scheduled to lead a discussion on the findings of the PCAST study on this issue. The PCAST also is tentatively scheduled to convene three panels. The first panel will address broad policy issues associated with science and engineering education. The second panel will explore the impact of science policy on innovation. Additionally, PCAST is tentatively scheduled to have a panel providing an update on energy-related technologies. This session will end at approximately 4 p.m. Additional information and the final agenda will be posted at the PCAST Web site at: https://ostp.gov/cs/ pcast/meetingsagendas. Public Comments: There will be time allocated for the public to speak on the above agenda items. This public comment time is designed for substantive commentary on PCAST?s work topics, not for business marketing purposes. Please submit a request for the opportunity to make a public comment five (5) days in advance of the meeting. The time for public comments will be limited to no more than 5 minutes per person. Written comments are also welcome at any time following the meeting. Please notify Dr. Scott Steele, PCAST Executive Director, at (202) 456- 6549, or fax your request/comments to (202) 456-6040.

Notice is hereby given of the determination, under Section 127(f) of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (the Act), to waive the requirements of Section 127(a) and (d) of the Act. Notice is also given that the Associated Decision Memorandum and an interagency technical analysis report are available on the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Web site at https://www.ostp.gov/KI. Section 127(a) of the Act directed the President to establish a Potassium Iodide (KI) distribution program, under which State and local governments could receive KI tablets for distribution to the population in the 20 mile radius surrounding nuclear power plants (NPPs). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) already has such a program for the 10 mile emergency planning zones surrounding NPPs, so Section 127(a) effectively extended that program to the 10-20 mile range. Through Section 127(f), Congress authorized the President to waive this distribution requirement if there exists ``an alternative and more effective prophylaxis or preventive measures for adverse thyroid conditions that may result from the release of radionuclides from nuclear power plants.'' On July 3, 2007, the President delegated the Section 127(f) waiver authority to the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. On July 30, 2007, to help inform his decision, the OSTP Director requested the Federal Radiological Policy Coordinating Committee (FRPCC) to provide a technical evaluation of the issues surrounding Section 127. The FRPCC is an interagency organization, with membership from 17 Federal agencies, established to coordinate Federal responsibilities for assisting State and local governments in emergency planning and preparedness for peacetime nuclear emergencies. The FRPCC transmitted its final technical evaluation paper to the OSTP Director on October 23, 2007. On January 22, 2008, the OSTP Director executed his final decision pursuant to the Section 127(f) delegation. The complete Decision Memorandum, as well as the FRPCC technical information paper, is available on the OSTP Web site at https://www.ostp.gov/KI. The OSTP Director's determination waived Section 127(f) because a more effective preventive measure does exist for the extended zone covered by the Act, namely avoidance of exposure altogether through evacuation of the potentially affected population and interdiction of contaminated food. Analysis of radiological release events that could lead to adverse thyroid conditions beyond the current 10 mile zone shows that limiting or avoiding exposure to radiation through these mechanisms is practical and much more effective than the administration of KI in the proposed extended zone.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Dates and Place: January 8, 2008, Washington, DC. The meeting will be held in Room 100 at the Keck Center of the National Academies at 500 5th St. NW., Washington DC. Type of Meeting: Open. Further details on the meeting agenda will be posted on the PCAST Web site at: https://www.ostp.gov/PCAST/ pcast.html. Proposed Schedule and Agenda: The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is scheduled to meet in open session on Tuesday January 8, 2008, at approximately 9 a.m. The co-chairs of the PCAST subcommittee on nanotechnology are tentatively scheduled to lead a discussion on the findings of the PCAST review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). The PCAST also is tentatively scheduled to convene two panels. The first panel will address approaches and barriers to research partnerships among universities and the private sector. The second panel will address policy issues associated with realizing the benefits of personalized medicine. This session will end at approximately 4 p.m. Additional information and the final agenda will be posted at the PCAST Web site at: https:// www.ostp.gov/PCAST/pcast.html. Public Comments: There will be time allocated for the public to speak on the above agenda items. This public comment time is designed for substantive commentary on PCAST's work topics, not for business marketing purposes. Please submit a request for the opportunity to make a public comment five (5) days in advance of the meeting. The time for public comments will be limited to no more than 5 minutes per person. Written comments are also welcome at any time following the meeting. Please notify Dr. Celia Merzbacher, PCAST Executive Director, at (202) 456-7116, or fax your request/comments to (202) 456-6021.

Many areas of today's research require multi-disciplinary teams in which the intellectual leadership of the project is shared among two or more individuals. To facilitate this team approach through recognition of the contributions of the team leadership members, OSTP issued a memorandum to all Federal research agencies on January 4, 2005, requiring them to formally allow more than one PI on individual research awards. The Federal agencies then sought input from the research communityscientists, research administrators, and organizations that represent components of the scientific communityon how best to implement this policy. This input was sought via a Request for Information published in the Federal Register on July 18, 2005 that posed a series of questions around core elements that will comprise each agency's implementation plan. The six core elements, to be posted on the Research Business Models (RBM) Web Site, include: (1) Statement of what constitutes a PI; (2) designation of contact PI; (3) application instructions for listing more than one PI; (4) PIs at different institutions; (5) access to award and review information; and (6) identification of all PIs in public data systems. The Supplementary Information section of this Notice provides background on the Research Business Models (RBM) Subcommittee of the Committee on Science (COS), the plan to recognize multiple PIs on Federal research projects, a summary of the responses to the Request for Information, and the government response to the comments submitted. The final policy on the recognition of multiple PIs is contained in the Policy Section.

The Aeronautics Science and Technology Subcommittee (ASTS) of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Committee on Technology will hold a public meeting to discuss development of the National Aeronautics Research and Development (R&D) Plan and the related Aeronautics Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) Infrastructure Plan. Executive Order (E.O.) 13419National Aeronautics Research and Developmentsigned December 20, 2006, calls for the development of these Plans within one year. The Plans are to be guided by the National Aeronautics R&D Policy that was developed by the NSTC and endorsed by E.O. 13419.

The Aeronautics Science and Technology Subcommittee (ASTS) of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Committee on Technology will hold a public meeting to discuss development of the National Aeronautics Research and Development (R&D) Plan and the related Aeronautics Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) Infrastructure Plan. Executive Order (E.O.) 13419National Aeronautics Research and Developmentsigned December 20, 2006, calls for the development of these Plans within one year. The Plans are to be guided by the National Aeronautics R&D Policy that was developed by the NSTC and endorsed by E.O. 13419. Dates and Addresses: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 11, 2007, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in room 233 of the Duke Energy Center, 525 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Duke Energy Center information is available at the: https://www.duke-energycenter.com/700/ mapsdirectionsparking.asp Web site. Registration is required because seating is limited and will be on a first come, first served basis. Registration Requests: Registration requests (including your name, address, and phone number) should be submitted to Jon Montgomery, Office of Aerospace and Automotive Industries, Room 4020, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230, telephone (202) 482-3353, or e-mail your request to Jon.Montgomery@mail.doc.gov. Registration requests should be submitted no later than 4 p.m. (EST) on Friday, July 6, 2007.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Dates and Place: April 24, 2007, Washington, DC. The meeting will be held in Room 100 at the Keck Center of the National Academies at 500 5th St., NW., Washington, DC. Type of Meeting: Open. Further details on the meeting agenda will be posted on the PCAST Web site at: https://www.ostp.gov/PCAST/ pcast.html. Proposed Schedule and Agenda: The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is scheduled to meet in open session on Tuesday April 24, 2007, at approximately 9 a.m. The co-chairs of the PCAST subcommittee on networking and information technology are tentatively scheduled to lead a discussion on the findings of the PCAST review of the Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program. The PCAST will hear presentations on modes of interaction between the private sector and traditionally Federally funded research communities. The PCAST also is tentatively scheduled to hear presentations on personalized medicine as part of the Council's study of policy issues associated with realizing the benefits of scientific and technological advances in this area. This session will end at approximately 5 p.m. Additional information and the final agenda will be posted at the PCAST Web site at: https://www.ostp.gov/ PCAST/pcast.html. Public Comments: There will be time allocated for the public to speak on the above agenda items. This public comment time is designed for substantive commentary on PCAST's work topics, not for business marketing purposes. Please submit a request for the opportunity to make a public comment five (5) days in advance of the meeting. The time for public comments will be limited to no more than 5 minutes per person. Written comments are also welcome at any time following the meeting. Please notify Celia Merzbacher, PCAST Executive Director, at (202) 456- 7116, or fax your request/comments to (202) 456-6021.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).