[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 13 (Thursday, January 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 3990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1182]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Affirmation of Vertical Datum for Surveying and Mapping 
Activities for Guam

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 Guam 
Vertical Datum of 2004 (GUVD 04) as the official civilian vertical 
datum for surveying and mapping activities for the island of Guam 
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 GUVD 04.

DATES: Individuals or organizations wishing to submit comments on the 
adoption of GUVD 04 as the official civilian vertical datum for Guam 
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, 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 GUVD 04. GUVD 04 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. GUVD 04 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 132 km of 1st-Order, Class II geodetic leveling 
observations undertaken specifically for this project. The basis for 
all GUVD 04 heights is Mean Sea Level, for the National Tidal Datum 
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 
0000 TIDAL 4 (2.170 meters), located in Apra Harbor.
    GUVD 04 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. E9-1182 Filed 1-21-09; 8:45 am]
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