[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 13 (Thursday, January 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3990-3991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1180]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Affirmation of Vertical Datum for Surveying and Mapping 
Activities for the Islands of Rota, Saipan and Tinian of the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)

AGENCY: National Geodetic Survey (NGS), National Ocean Service (NOS), 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces a decision by the Federal Geographic 
Data Committee's Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee, in accordance 
with the Office of Management and Budget, Circular A-16 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a016/a016.html), to affirm the 
Northern Marianas Vertical Datum of 2003 (NMVD 03) as the official 
civilian vertical datum for surveying and mapping activities for the 
islands of Rota, Saipan and Tinian of the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Marianas, and to the extent practicable, legally allowable and 
feasible, require that all Federal agencies, with the exception of 
those with specific military related applications, using or producing 
vertical height information undertake an orderly transition to NMVD 03.

DATES: Individuals or organizations wishing to submit comments on the 
adoption of NMVD 03 as the official civilian vertical datum for the 
Northern Marianas, should do so by February 23, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to the attention of David 
Doyle, Chief Geodetic Surveyor, Office of the National Geodetic Survey, 
National Ocean Service (N/NGS2), 1315 East-West Highway, 8815, 
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, fax 301-713-4324, or via e-mail 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to David Doyle, Chief Geodetic Surveyor, National 
Geodetic Survey (N/NGS2), 1315 East-West Highway, 8815, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910; Phone: (301) 713-3178.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Ocean Service (NOS), National 
Geodetic Survey (NGS), has completed the definition and implementation 
of NMVD 03. NMVD 03 supersedes all previously published height systems 
determined by other Federal surveying and mapping agencies on Rota, 
Saipan and Tinian, with the exception of those specifically related to 
tidal datums and/or military applications. NMVD 03

[[Page 3991]]

heights are the result of a mathematical least squares general 
adjustment of the vertical control portion of the National Spatial 
Reference System (NSRS) and are derived from approximately 105 km of 
1st-Oder, Class II geodetic leveling observations (15 km on Rota, 60 km 
on Saipan and 15 km on Tinian) undertaken specifically for this 
project. The basis for all NMVD 03 heights is Mean Sea Level, for the 
epoch 1983-2001, as determined by the NOS Center for Operational 
Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS), and published for the 
National Water Levels Observation Network (NWLON) bench mark number 163 
3227 UH-2C (1.657 meters), located in Tanapag Harbor.
    NMVD 03 height information for individual geodetic control 
monuments is available in digital form, from the NGS Web site: http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/datasheet.prl.

    Dated: December 30, 2008.
David B. Zilkoski,
Director, National Geodetic Survey, National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-1180 Filed 1-21-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P