[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 21 (Thursday, January 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5812-5813]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1723]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Availability for Public Comment on Proposed Data 
Management and Communications Standards for U.S. Integrated Ocean 
Observing System

AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice of availability is hereby given for a 45-day public 
comment period on ``proposed'' Data Management and Communications 
(DMAC) standards for implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean 
Observing System (IOOS). A description and references for currently 
``proposed'' standards are posted at the following URL: https://ioosdmac.fedworx.org. At that Web site, standards are categorized in a 
three level sequence as either ``submitted'', ``proposed'' or 
``recommended''. This announcement seeks public comments on those 
categorized as ``proposed''. The public may view any standard using the 
anonymous guest login provided; however, submission of comments on the 
``proposed'' standards using the website requires registration as 
provided by the website interface. Public comments are sought as part 
of the ongoing DMAC standards process adopted by the DMAC Steering Team 
in May 2006 to manage the review and adoption of standards (including 
guidance and best practices) in an open, objective, and balanced 
manner. Suggested standards may be submitted at anytime as this process 
will run continuously for submission of suggested standards and for 
public comment on those elevated to ``proposed'' status. Subsequent 
comment periods will be announced at approximately six-month intervals. 
The Web site will remain open continuously and display information 
about the schedule for future comment periods. All substantive comments 
received during a review period will be considered by a broadly based, 
expert panel convened by Ocean.US for that purpose. Possible decisions 
are to: (1) Advance the standard to ``recommended'' status; (2) defer 
for technical modifications, additional testing or comments; or (3) 
reject as not appropriate for IOOS implementation. Decisions will be 
posted to that Web site. Any subsequently modifications or additions to 
the developing set of IOOS standards shall be subjected to public 
review and comment through this same process.

DATES: Comments on the proposed standards must be received no later 
than 5 p.m. eastern standard time, on February 29, 2008. For the public 
unable to access the internet, printed copies of the currently proposed 
standards can be requested by contacting Ocean.us at the address given 
below. Written comments in lieu of using the website facility may be 
submitted via regular mail, e-mail, or FAX to Ocean.US, Attention: DMAC 
Standards; 1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 1210; Silver Spring, MD 20910, 
U.S.A. The FAX number is 301-427-2131. E-mail should be addressed to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this 
notice, please contact the Office of Ocean.US, telephone: 843-740-1229 
E-mail: [email protected].

[[Page 5813]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Ocean.US Office, operating by 
interagency agreement under the statutory authority of the National 
Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP, 10 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.), 
serves as the national agent for integrating ocean observing activities 
(http://www.ocean.us). Ocean.US is also the focal point for relating 
U.S. ocean observing system elements to associated international 
efforts, such as the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) 
and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) sponsored 
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). The U.S. IOOS represents the U.S. 
contribution to the ocean components of these international partnership 
efforts. Key to the realization of the U.S. IOOS is the establishment 
of an integrated DMAC infrastructure. This infrastructure will enable 
users to discover, retrieve, and use data from Federal and State 
government, government-sponsored, other public, private, and commercial 
coastal and ocean observing activities regardless of source or 
location. In 2005 Ocean.US established an IOOS DMAC Steering Team drawn 
from government, industry, academia, public, and non-profit communities 
to: (a) Coordinate and oversee the evolution of DMAC standards; (b) 
identify and provide recommendations regarding gaps in needed 
standards; and, (c) help ensure that the DMAC standards process is 
conducted in an open, objective, and balanced manner. That team adopted 
a standards process in May 2006 that includes these public comment 
periods as a critical input to any decisions on a particular standard.

Review to Date of the Proposed Standards

    Proposed standards have been reviewed by members of the DMAC 
Steering Team and its Expert Teams for non-technical and technical 
criteria. Their designation as `proposed' indicates the standard has 
potential merit for application in IOOS and should be evaluated further 
based on actual use in pilot projects and demonstrations and based on 
public comments on experience using the standard in IOOS applications.

    Authority: 10 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.

    Dated: January 17, 2008.
Elizabeth R. Scheffler,
Associate Assistant Administrator for Management, Ocean Services and 
Coastal Zone Management.
[FR Doc. E8-1723 Filed 1-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P