August 17, 2007 — 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), has released a document, Prioritization of Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials: An Interim Document for Public Comment . As the document’s title indicates, the NSET Subcommittee is requesting public commentary until September 17, 2007.
The new document assigns priority to research and information needs that were identified in the NSET Subcommittee report, Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials, which was published on September 21, 2006.
The NSET Subcommittee and the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) participating agencies are seeking comment on the ranking of the priorities and whether additional or different research should head the list. The groups ask that commentators supply support for their input.
“The comment period is an opportunity for public input into the prioritization of research and information needs related to environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials,” groups note, adding that the research priorities will be an important part of the NNI EHS research strategy, which will be used by the Federal agencies to support research within their mission areas.
A precursor to the development of this document was a meeting, held January 4, 2007 in Arlington, Va., to receive public input on research needs related to the environmental, health, and safety aspects of engineered nanoscale materials. Specifically, the meeting aimed to prioritize criteria for the research identified in the September 21, 2006 document. That input informed the current prioritization document. Through activities such as this solicitation, the NSET Subcommittee and NNI member agencies are working to make the priority-setting process dynamic, open, and transparent.
The Federal Government’s nanotechnology research programs, in general, fall under the National Nanotechnology Initiative. Coordination of research in the field takes place through the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council. The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office supports the interagency coordination activities of the NSET Subcommittee.