[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 13 (Thursday, January 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 3991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1181]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Affirmation of Vertical Datum for Surveying and Mapping 
Activities for the island of Tutuila, American Samoa

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 American 
Samoa Vertical Datum of 2002 (ASVD 02) as the official civilian 
vertical datum for surveying and mapping activities for the island of 
Tutuila, American Samoa performed or financed by the Federal Government 
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 ASVD 02.

DATES: Individuals or organizations wishing to submit comments on the 
adoption of ASVD 02 as the official civilian vertical datum for 
Tutuila, American Samoa, 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, 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, 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 ASVD 02. ASVD 02 supersedes all previously published height systems 
determined by all Federal surveying and mapping agencies, with the 
exception of those specifically related to tidal datums and/or military 
applications for Tutuila. At this time, ASVD 02 does not apply to any 
of the other islands of American Samoa. ASVD 02 heights are the result 
of a mathematical least squares general adjustment of the vertical 
control portion of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) and 
includes 54 km of 1st-Order, Class II geodetic leveling observations 
undertaken specifically for this project. The basis for all ASVD 02 
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 number177 0000 S (1.364 meters), located in Pago 
Pago.
    ASVD 02 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. E9-1181 Filed 1-21-09; 8:45 am]
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