PUBLIC LAW 104-206—SEPT. 30, 1996 110 STAT. 3005 SEC. 512. Following section 4(h)(10)(C) of the Northwest Power Planning and Conservation Act, insert the following new section: 16 USC 839b. (4)(h)(10)(D) INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC REVIEW PANEL.— (i) The Fish and wildlife. Northwest Power Planning Council (Council) shall appoint an Independent Scientific Review Panel (Panel), which shall be comprised of eleven members, to review projects proposed to be funded through that portion of the Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA) annual fish and wildlife budget that implements the Council's fish and wildlife program. Members shall be appointed from a list of no fewer than 20 scientists submitted by the National Academy of Sciences (Academy), provided that Pacific Northwest scientists with expertise in Columbia River anadromous and nonanadromous fish and wildlife and ocean experts shall be among those represented on the Panel. The Academy shall provide such nominations within 90 days of the date of this enactment, and in any case not later than December 31, 1996. If appointments are required in subsequent years, the Council shall request nominations from the Academy and the Academy shall provide nominations not later than 90 days after the date of this request. If the Academy does not provide nominations within these time requirements, the Council may appoint such members as the Council deems appropriate. (ii) SCIENTIFIC PEER REVIEW GROUPS.— The Council shall establish Scientific Peer Review Groups (Peer Review Groups), which shall be comprised of the appropriate number of scientists, from a list submitted by the Academy to assist the Panel in making its recommendations to the Council for projects to be funded through BPA's annual fish and wildlife budget, provided that Pacific Northwest scientists with expertise in Columbia River anadromous and non-anadromous fish and wildlife and ocean experts shall be among those represented on the Peer Review Groups. The Academy shall provide such nominations within 90 days of the date of this enactment, and in any case not later than December 31, 1996. If appointments are required in subsequent years, the Council shall request nominations from the Academy and the Academy shall provide nominations not later than 90 days after the date of this request. If the Academy does not provide nominations within these time requirements, the Council may appoint such members as the Council deems appropriate. (iii) CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND COMPENSATION. — Panel and Peer Review Group members may be compensated and shall be considered subject to the conflict of interest standards that apply to scientists performing comparable work for the National Academy of Sciences; provided that a Panel or Peer Review Group members with a direct or indirect financial interest in a project, or projects, shall recuse himself or herself from review of, or recommendations associated with, such project or projects. All expenses of the Panel and the Peer Review Groups shall be paid by BPA as provided for under paragraph (vii). Neither the Panel nor the Peer Review Groups shall be deemed advisory committees within the meaning of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. (iv) PROJECT CRITERIA AND REVIEW.— The Peer Groups, in conjunction with the Panel, shall review projects proposed to be funded through BPA's annual fish and wildlife budget and make recommendations on matters related to such projects to the Council no later than June 15 of each year. If the recommendations are not received by the Council by this date, the Council may proceed
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