[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 197 (Friday, October 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71041-71043]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22527]
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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Request for Information To Support the Development of a Federal
Environmental Justice Science, Data, and Research Plan
AGENCY: Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
ACTION: Notice of request for information (RFI).
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SUMMARY: The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) seeks
information to assist in developing a coordinated Federal strategy to
identify and address gaps in science, data, and research related to
environmental justice. Information received through this RFI will
inform the biennial Environmental Justice Science, Data, and Research
Plan.
DATES: Interested persons and organizations are invited to submit
comments on or before December 12, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Interested individuals and organizations should submit
comments electronically via regulations.gov. Due to time constraints,
mailed paper submissions will not be accepted, and electronic
submissions received after the deadline may not be incorporated or
taken into consideration.
Instructions: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov
to submit your comments electronically. Information on how to use
Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing agency documents,
submitting comments, and viewing the docket, is available on the site
under ``FAQ'' (https://www.regulations.gov/faq).
Privacy Note: OSTP's policy is to make all comments received from
members of the public available for public viewing in their entirety on
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Therefore,
commenters should be careful to include in their comments only
information that they wish to make publicly available. OSTP requests
that no proprietary information, copyrighted information, or personally
identifiable information be submitted in response to this RFI.
Response to this RFI is voluntary. Each responding entity
(individual or organization) is requested to submit only one response.
The National Science and Technology Council Environmental Justice
Subcommittee welcomes any responses to inform and guide the work of the
subcommittee. Please feel free to respond to as many prompts as you
choose, indicating the section number and question letter being
addressed. Responses are encouraged to include the name of the
person(s) or organization(s) filing the comment, and may also include
the respondent type (e.g., academic, non-profit, professional society,
community-based organization, industry, trainee/student, member of the
public, government, other). Respondent's role in the organization may
also be provided (e.g., researcher, faculty, student, program manager,
journalist) on a voluntary basis. Additionally, please include the
Docket ID at the top of your comments.
Comments containing references, studies, research, and other
empirical data that are not widely published should include copies or
electronic links of the referenced materials. Please note that the U.S.
Government will not pay for response preparation, or for the use of any
information contained in the response. A response to this RFI will not
be viewed as a binding commitment to develop or pursue the project or
ideas discussed.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, please
direct questions to Dr. Kristi Pullen Fedinick, OSTP Assistant Director
of Environmental Justice Science and Technology at [email protected]. or
via phone at (202) 881-9335.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 21, 2023, President Biden signed
Executive Order (E.O.) 14096 to revitalize our nation's commitment to
environmental justice for all.\1\ As set forth in section 2 of E.O.
14096, ``Environmental justice'' means the just treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race,
color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency
decision-making and other Federal activities that affect human health
and the environment so that people: (i) are fully protected from
disproportionate and adverse human health and environmental effects
(including risks) and hazards, including those related to climate
change, the cumulative impacts of environmental and other burdens, and
the legacy of racism or other structural or systemic barriers; and (ii)
have equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient
environment in which to live, play, work, learn, grow, worship, and
engage in cultural and subsistence practices.
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\1\ E.O. 14096, Revitalizing Our Nations Commitment to
Environmental Justice for All, 88 FR 25, 351 (Apr. 26, 2023); White
House Fact Sheet (Apr. 21, 2023).
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To address the need for a coordinated Federal strategy to identify
and address gaps in science, data, and research related to
environmental justice, Section 5 of E.O. 14096 directs the Director of
the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to establish an
Environmental Justice Subcommittee of the National Science and
Technology Council (Environmental Justice Subcommittee). As directed by
the E.O., the Environmental Justice Subcommittee is preparing an
Environmental Justice Science, Data, and Research Plan (Research Plan)
to:
(A) analyze any gaps and inadequacies in data collection and
scientific research related to environmental justice, with a focus on
gaps and inadequacies that may affect agencies' ability to advance
environmental justice, including through the Environmental Justice
Strategic Plans required under section 4 of E.O. 14096;
(B) identify opportunities for agencies to coordinate with the
research efforts of State, Tribal, territorial, and local governments;
academic institutions; communities; the private sector; the non-profit
sector; and other relevant actors to accelerate the development of
data, research, and techniques--including consideration of Indigenous
Knowledge--to address gaps and inadequacies in data collection and
scientific research that may affect agencies' ability to advance
environmental justice;
(C) provide recommendations to agencies on the development and use
of science, data, and research to support environmental justice policy
and the agency responsibilities outlined in section 3 of the E.O.;
(D) provide recommendations to the Chair of the White House Council
on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on data sources to include in the
Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool established pursuant to
section 222(a) of Executive Order 14008;
(E) provide recommendations to agencies on ethical standards,
privacy protections, and other requirements for the development and use
of science, data, and research addressed in the Research Plan,
including recommendations with respect to
[[Page 71042]]
engaging in consultation with and obtaining consent of Tribal Nations;
and
(F) provide recommendations to agencies on:
(1) encouraging participatory science, such as research or data
collection undertaken by communities or the public, and, as
appropriate, integrating such science into agency decision-making
processes;
(2) taking steps to ensure or encourage, as appropriate, that
collections of data related to environmental justice include data from
the Territories and possessions of the United States;
(3) improving the public accessibility of research and information
produced or distributed by the Federal Government, including through
the use of machine-readable formats, where appropriate;
(4) disaggregating environmental risk, exposure, and health data by
race, national origin, income, socioeconomic status, age, sex,
disability, and other readily accessible and appropriate categories;
(5) identifying and addressing data collection challenges related
to patterns of historical or ongoing racial discrimination and bias;
(6) analyzing cumulative impacts (including risks) from multiple
sources, pollutants or chemicals, and exposure pathways, and accounting
for non-chemical stressors and current and anticipated climate change;
(7) in collaboration with Tribal Nations, as appropriate,
collecting, maintaining, and analyzing information on consumption
patterns of fish, wildlife, and plants related to subsistence and
cultural practices of Tribal and Indigenous populations;
(8) providing opportunities for meaningful engagement for
communities with environmental justice concerns on the development and
design of data collection and research strategies relevant to those
communities; and
(9) implementing sections 3-3 and 4-4 of Executive Order 12898 in
an efficient and effective manner.
Information Requested
Respondents may provide information as many topics below as they
choose. The Subcommittee on Environmental Justice formed under the
National Science and Technology Council Committee on the Environment,
co-chaired by OSTP, the White House Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Department of
Transportation (DOT), will develop an Environmental Justice Science,
Data, and Research Plan. Input is welcome from stakeholders and members
of the public representing all backgrounds and perspectives.
To support the development of the Federal Environmental Justice,
Science, Data, and Research Plan, OSTP seeks information on the
collection and use of science, data, and research in Federal decision
making, including on the following topics:
1. Development and Use of Science, Data, and Research To Support
Environmental Justice Policy
a. What kinds of Federal activities \2\ do you think should better
include or consider data or research related to environmental justice?
Are there specific data types of research you would prioritize?
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\2\ As set forth in E.O. 14096, section 3, `` `Federal activity'
means any agency rulemaking, guidance, policy, program, practice, or
action that affects or has the potential to affect human health and
the environment, including an agency action related to climate
change. Federal activities may include agency actions related to:
assuring compliance with applicable laws; licensing, permitting, and
the reissuance of licenses and permits; awarding, conditioning, or
oversight of Federal funds; and managing Federal resources and
facilities. This may also include such activities in the District of
Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin
Islands, and other Territories and possessions of the United
States.''
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b. What are the biggest opportunities for advancing research and
development to support environmental justice-related decision making,
both within the Federal research programs and in Federal extramural
grant programs?
c. What types of data and evidence, including Indigenous Knowledge
\3\ as appropriate, do you find most important or most needed for
advancing governmental decision-making related to environmental
justice?
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\3\ https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/OSTP-CEQ-IK-Guidance.pdf.
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d. What data sources should the Environmental Justice Subcommittee
consider recommending to the Chair of CEQ for inclusion in the Climate
and Economic Justice Screening Tool established pursuant to section
222(a) of Executive Order 14008?
e. Please provide specific examples in which data have been used to
improve conditions in communities with environmental justice concerns
or any other communities?
f. Please provide examples of data, research, local or Indigenous
Knowledge, and/or science--or the lack thereof--that have been misused
or misinterpreted in environmental justice-related decisions and
actions?
2. Identifying and Addressing Data Gaps and Inadequacies in Data
Collection and Scientific Research Related to Environmental Justice
a. What data gaps or data collection challenges have you
encountered related to patterns of historical or ongoing discrimination
and bias (e.g., related to income, race, color, national origin, Tribal
affiliation, or disability)?
b. What datasets have you used that may be relevant to assessing
environmental, health, economic, or environmental justice burdens or
impacts in the U.S. Territories?
c. What recommendations do you have to ensure or encourage, as
appropriate, that collection of data related to environmental justice
include data from U.S. Territories?
3. Encouraging Participatory Science and Meaningful Engagement for
Communities
a. What role should the Federal government play in collecting,
storing, and managing community-derived data, including information
collected from communities with environmental justice concerns?
b. What suggestions do you have for use of community-derived data
in Federal decisions with varying needs for quality assurance,
reproducibility, and peer review across different decision contexts?
c. What are the priority decision contexts in which community-
derived data should be applied?
d. What other actions could the Federal government take to
encourage use of community-generated data in state or local decision
making?
e. What recommendations do you have for encouraging, implementing,
and institutionalizing community and/or participatory science, such as
research or data collection undertaken by communities or the public,
and, as appropriate, integrating such science into agency decision-
making processes?
f. What practices could ensure that effective, respectful, and
meaningful public engagement is built into the research process?
g. What methods, processes, or structures do you know of for
respectfully collecting, maintaining, and analyzing information with
communities?
h. What mechanisms of submitting community-derived data to the
Federal government for use in decision-making would you find the most
useful?
i. What types of research strategies are most meaningful to you,
and how do you prefer to be engaged in environmental justice research?
Please
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feel free, if appropriate, to indicate if your perspective is grounded
in any personal experience, including any experiences as a member of
any community with environmental justice concerns. If you are providing
comments as a representative of a Tribal Nation, or as a representative
of a U.S. Territory, or any other governmental entity please also feel
free to note that as relevant to this or any other question.
4. Ethical Standards, Privacy Protections, and Other Requirements for
the Development and Use of Science, Data, and Research
a. What systems or approaches to privacy protections, attribution,
and ethical standards have you encountered or developed that have been
useful in community-derived experiential data?
b. What suggestions do you have on ethical standards, privacy
protections, and other requirements for the development and use of
science, data, and research?
5. Research Coordination and Public Access to Federal Data
a. Are there datasets not owned by the Federal government that you
have utilized to help support the advancement of environmental justice?
If you have used non-Federal data sets to advance environmental
justice, which ones have you used and why?
b. How can the Federal government better collaborate across Federal
agencies, and partner with State, Tribal, territorial, and local
governments, academic institutions, the private sector, the non-profit
sector, and other entities to accelerate the development of data,
research, and techniques to address gaps and inadequacies in data
collection and scientific research that may affect agencies' ability to
advance environmental justice?
c. What kinds of tools and resources would help communities and
local decision makers better access data and information and address
environmental justice in decision making?
d. What recommendations do you have for improving the public
accessibility of data and information produced or distributed by the
Federal Government, including through the use of digital and spatial
formats, where appropriate?
6. Data Analysis and Methodological Considerations
a. What methods do you recommend for disaggregating environmental
risk, exposure, and health data by race, national origin, income,
socioeconomic status, age, sex, disability, and/or other readily
accessible and appropriate categories?
b. What methods do you recommend for analyzing cumulative impacts
(including risks) from multiple sources, pollutants or chemicals, and
exposure pathways, and accounting for non-chemical stressors and
current and anticipated climate change?
c. What methods, processes, or structures do you recommend for
respectfully collecting, maintaining, and analyzing information, in
collaboration with Tribal Nations, on consumption patterns of fish,
wildlife, and plants related to subsistence and cultural practices of
Tribal and Indigenous populations?
7. Additional Considerations
a. Is there anything else you would like to be considered in the
development of the Environmental Justice Science, Data, and Research
Plan as described in E.O. 14096?
Dated: October 6, 2023.
Stacy Murphy,
Deputy Chief Operations Officer/Security Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-22527 Filed 10-12-23; 8:45 am]
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