This page outlines ways you can be involved with the activities of the SAB and CASAC on Clean Air Compliance Analysis. On this page:
Nomination of experts for committees and panels
The SAB Staff Office provides ways for the public to:
- Nominate candidate experts through the Web;
- Be informed about the candidate experts being considered; and
- Provide information, analysis, or documentation for EPA to consider before finalizing membership on committees or panels.
For further information, please visit:
Membership and Nomination Process.
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Advisory committee meetings and report development
EPA policy and the law governing Federal Advisory Committees allow and encourage public involvement. The SAB Staff Office has developed a public involvement booklet describing how SAB and CASAC committees and panels work and how the public can participate through the steps outlined below.
- The Federal Advisory Committee Act provides for public involvement in committee activities primarily by open access to meetings and records and by providing the public an opportunity to submit comments to the committee.
- Public comment for consideration by EPA's federal advisory committees and panels has a different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a federal advisory committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an EPA program office.
- Members of the public can submit comments for a federal advisory committee to consider as it develops advice for EPA.
- Public comments should be sent directly to the Designated Federal Officer for the relevant advisory committee.
- The contact information for the Designated Federal Officer is listed in the Federal Register notice for committee meetings and provided for each advisory committee meeting on this Web site.
- To participate in advisory activities of the SAB and CASAC, members of the public can:
- Contact the appropriate Designated Federal Officer (DFO) or the SAB Staff Office to obtain information on or provide comments about committee activities;
- Attend and observe public meetings and teleconferences;
- Review materials used by committee members in their deliberations;
- Provide written comments for consideration by committee members;
- Present oral statements for consideration by committee members at public meetings during time periods set aside for that purpose; and
- Review minutes of committee meeting and deliberations.
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Initiatives to Enhance Public Involvement in Advisory Activities
In response to suggestions received at a June 1, 2011, Session on Public Involvement, the SAB Staff Office has developed additional practices to enhance public involvement in activities of the SAB and CASAC:
- The Staff Office and advisory committees will not accept a charge from the agency that unduly narrows the scope of an advisory activity.
- Time will be reserved on meeting agendas for committee members to discuss the charge.
- Following public comments at advisory committee meetings, chairs will ask committee or panel members if they have clarifying or follow-up questions for public presenters.
- Chairs will offer a second brief opportunity for additional clarifying remarks from agency representatives or members of the public later in the meeting, as the committee or panel deliberates on responses to the charge questions.
- Advisory committee reports will acknowledge scientific information from the public that was helpful in forming the committee’s conclusions and recommendations.
- Advisory committee reports will continue to focus on scientific and technical – rather than policy – issues, although reports may discuss the policy context and may note policy implications of technical findings.
- Federal Register notices published by the Staff Office will clarify that public comments are welcome on all technical materials prepared for or by an advisory committee, including the charge to the committee.
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