[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 91 (Monday, May 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27758-27759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10008]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-HQ-FAC-2019-N074; FX.IA167209TRG00-201]
Call for Nominations for the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize
Advisory Council and Advisory Boards
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior (Department) is seeking
nominations for the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize Advisory Council
(Council) to advise the Secretary of the Interior regarding the
Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize competitions. In addition, the
Department is seeking nominations for the five Advisory Boards (Boards)
to help implement the Prizes.
DATES: Nominations for the Council and Boards must be submitted no
later than June 10, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations by any of the following methods:
Email: TRGenius@fws.gov; or
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Stephanie Rickabaugh, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: WSFR, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church,
VA 22041-3803.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Rickabaugh, Wildlife and
Sport Fish Restoration Program, by telephone at 703-358-2214, by email
at stephanie_rickabaugh@fws.gov, or via the Federal Relay Service at
800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council and Boards are established under
the John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act,
March 12, 2019 (Pub. L. 116-9).
The Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize Advisory Council (Council)
advises the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) regarding the five
Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize competitions. The Council is regulated
by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).
The Prize competitions encourage technological innovation with the
potential to advance the mission of the Fish and Wildlife Service in
the following areas of concern: (1) Preventing wildlife poaching and
trafficking, (2) promoting wildlife conservation, (3) managing invasive
species, (4) protecting endangered species, and (5) managing nonlethal
human-wildlife conflict. The enabling legislation calls for annual cash
prizes up to $100,000 for each of the five competitions; potential
awards could total $500,000.
The Act establishes five Boards to help implement the Prizes. These
Boards are responsible for selecting topics; issuing problem
statements, consulting with Federal stakeholders, and advising prize
winners regarding opportunities to pilot and implement winning
technologies. Each Board must be made up of no fewer than nine members,
appointed by the Secretary, including at least one member who is expert
in the area of concern for that Board and other members expert in
wildlife conservation and management, biology, technology development,
engineering, economics, and business development and management.
The five Boards are established to focus on technology innovation
related to (1) the prevention of poaching and wildlife trafficking, (2)
the promotion of wildlife conservation, (3) the management of invasive
species, (4) the protection of endangered species, and (5) the
nonlethal management of human-wildlife conflicts.
Additionally, under the Act, the Boards have an advisory duty: To
develop recommendations for the Secretary regarding opportunities for
technological innovation to assist in addressing the statute's five
areas of concern. Establishment of the Council facilitates FACA
compliance for the performance of the Boards' role advising the
Secretary.
The Secretary will appoint Council members to serve until the
Council is terminated on December 31, 2023, as is required by the Act.
The Council will have at least 12 members, and each Board will have at
least 9 members who may be members of the Council or experts from
outside the Council. The Council and Boards will meet approximately two
times per year and will minimize the administrative costs by
encouraging remote participation.
Membership Expertise
We are seeking nominations for membership of individuals with the
following types of expertise:
Wildlife trafficking and trade,
Wildlife conservation and management,
Invasive species,
Endangered species,
Nonlethal wildlife management,
Social aspects of human-wildlife conflict management,
Biology,
Technology development,
Engineering,
Economics,
Business development and management, and
Any other discipline that the Secretary determines to be
necessary to achieve the purposes of the Act.
Individuals who are federally registered lobbyist are ineligible to
serve on all FACA and non-FACA boards, committees, or councils in an
individual capacity. The term ``individual capacity'' refers to
individuals who are appointed to exercise their own individual best
judgment on behalf of the Government, such as when they are designated
as Special Government Employees (SGE), rather than being appointed to
represent a particular interest.
Members of the Council and Boards appointed as SGEs are subject to
applicable Federal ethics statutes and regulations, to include
applicable exceptions and exemptions. The Department will provide
materials to those members serving as SGEs, explaining their ethical
obligations.
[[Page 27759]]
Submitting Nominations
Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by others.
Nominations should include the following:
The area(s) of expertise of the nominee(s), as required
under Membership Expertise, above; and
A resume providing an adequate description of the
nominee's qualifications, including information that would enable the
Service to make an informed decision regarding the nominee's potential
to meet the membership requirements of the Council and Boards, and
contact information for the potential member.
(Authority: 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2)
Aurelia Skipwith,
Director--U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-10008 Filed 5-8-20; 8:45 am]
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