[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 174 (Thursday, September 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 54666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20485]


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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY


Notice of Release of Draft Strategic Plan for U.S. Integrated 
Earth Observation System; Request for Public Comment

ACTION: Notice of release of Draft Strategic Plan for U.S. Integrated 
Earth Observation System and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the release of the Draft Strategic Plan 
for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System and Request for Public 
Comment by the National Science and Technology Council's Committee on 
Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Interagency Working Group on 
Earth Observations (IWGEO). This draft plan was prepared to address the 
effective use of Earth observation systems to benefit humankind.

DATES: The Draft Strategic Plan will be available for public review on 
Wednesday, September 8, 2004, and can be accessed electronically at 
http://iwgeo.ssc.nasa.gov/draftstrategicplan. Comments on the Draft 
Strategic Plan must be received by the Interagency Working Group on 
Earth Observations no later that the close of business on Monday, 
November 8, 2004 (60 days).
    Address for Comments: Only electronic (e-mail) comments will be 
accepted, and should be sent to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: CENR Interagency Working Group on 
Earth Observations, Carla Sullivan, Executive Secretary, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 5810, Washington, DC 20230, 
telephone: (202) 482-5921, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Interagency Working Group on Earth 
Observations (IWGEO) of the NSTC Committee on Environment and Natural 
Resources was established after the Earth Observation Summit for a two-
fold purpose:
    (1) To develop and begin implementation of the U.S. framework and 
ten-year plan for an integrated, comprehensive Earth observation system 
to answer environmental and societal needs, including a U.S. assessment 
of current observational capabilities, evaluation of requirements to 
sustain and evolve these capabilities considering both remote and in 
situ instruments, assessment of how to integrate current observational 
capabilities across scales, and evaluation and addressing of data gaps; 
and
    (2) To formulate the U.S. position and input to the international 
ad hoc Group on Earth Observations (GEO) as formed at the Earth 
Observation Summit on July 31, 2003.
    In response to the first goal, the IWGEO has prepared a Draft 
Strategic Plan for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System. The 
draft was prepared after a year of coordination among the over 15 
agencies represented. In addition, a public workshop was held on June 
16-17, 2004, for the purpose of allowing representatives of the 
communities-of-practice to contribute information and facts on the nine 
societal benefits areas, which provide the focus of the plan. These 
strategic social/economic areas include the following:
    1. Improve Weather Forecasting;
    2. Reducing Loss of Life and Property From Disasters;
    3. Protecting and Monitoring Ocean Resources;
    4. Understanding Climate, and Assessing, Mitigating, and Adapting 
to Climate Change Impacts;
    5. Supporting Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, and Combating 
Land Degradation;
    6. Understanding the Effect of Environmental Factors on Human 
Health and Well-Being;
    7. Developing the Capacity To Make Ecological Forecasts;
    8. Protecting and Monitoring Water Resources; and
    9. Monitoring and Managing Energy Resources.
    Associated Technical Reports referenced as Appendix 3 of the Draft 
Strategic Plan for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System are 
currently being updated based on comments received at the June IWGEO 
public meeting. When completed, these Technical Reports, along with 
additional background information may be found at http://iwgeo.ssc.nasa.gov/documents.asp?s=review, or by contacting the IWGEO 
Secretariat office: Carla Sullivan, Interagency Working Group on Earth 
Observations (IWGEO), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA), 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. Telephone: 
(202) 482-5921, telefax: (202) 408-9674. E-mail: 
[email protected]. Subject: Draft Strategic Plan for U.S. 
Integrated Earth Observation System.
    The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was established 
by Executive Order 12881. The Committee on Environment and Natural 
Resources (CENR) is chartered as one of four standing committees of the 
NSTC for the purpose of advising and assisting the Council on those 
federally supported efforts that develop new knowledge related to 
improving our understanding of the environment and natural resources.

Ann F. Mazur,
Assistant Director for Budget and Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-20485 Filed 9-8-04; 8:45 am]
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