[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 162 (Monday, August 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51838-51839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20851]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey


Public Review of Draft Coastal and Marine Ecological 
Classification Standard

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments on draft Coastal and Marine 
Ecological Classification Standard.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is conducting a 
public review of the draft Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification 
Standard (CMECS). CMECS provides a means of classifying ecological and 
habitat units using a common terminology. It provides a uniform 
protocol for identifying, characterizing and naming ecological units in 
support of monitoring, protection, and restoration of unique biotic 
assemblages, protected species, critical habitat, and important 
ecosystem components. The FGDC Coastal and Marine Spatial Data 
Subcommittee, chaired by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), developed this draft standard. The FGDC 
Coordination Group, comprised of representatives of Federal agencies, 
approved releasing this draft standard for public review at its July 
20, 2010 meeting. The FGDC invites all stakeholders in coastal and 
marine ecology and management to comment on this standard to ensure 
that the standard meets their needs.
    The draft Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard may 
be downloaded at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/benthic/cmecs/CMECS_doc.pdf. 
Comments shall be submitted online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/22G2S67.
    Comments that concern specific issues/changes/additions may result 
in revisions to the draft Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification 
Standard. Reviewers may obtain information about how comments were 
addressed upon request. After formal endorsement of the standard by the 
FGDC, the standard and a summary analysis of the changes will be made 
available to the public on the FGDC Web site.

DATES: Comments on the draft Coastal and Marine Ecological 
Classification Standard must be submitted no later than Monday, 
December 13, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Ms. Julie Binder Maitra, U.S. Geological 
Survey, Federal Geographic Data Committee, [email protected], 703-648-
4627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FGDC coordinates the development of the 
National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), which encompasses the 
policies, standards, and procedures for organizations to cooperatively 
produce and share geospatial data. Federal agencies that make up the 
FGDC develop the NSDI in cooperation with organizations from State, 
local and tribal governments, the academic community, and the private 
sector. The authority for the FGDC is OMB Circular No. A-16 Revised on 
Coordination of Geographic Information and Related Spatial Data 
Activities (Revised August 19, 2002). More information on the FGDC and 
the NSDI is available at http://www.fgdc.gov. Standards are a 
foundational component of the NSDI.
    The Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) 
is a framework for organizing scientific information about the marine 
and coastal environments of the United States. It was developed to 
provide a common language that facilitates standardization of 
information in

[[Page 51839]]

support of conservation and management efforts and is applicable 
locally, regionally and nationally. The standard builds on and 
integrates with existing classification standards. The CMECS domain 
extends from the coastal tidal splash zone to the deep ocean, including 
all substrate and water column features of the oceans as well as the 
deep waters of the Great Lakes.
    CMECS describes the defining features of individual habitats via 
five component classifications. The surface geology component describes 
the geological composition of surface and near-surface substrates 
including biogenic structures. The benthic biotic component is a 
hierarchical classification of the biological composition of coastal 
and marine benthos. The sub-benthic component classifies 
characteristics of the sediments and soils below the surface providing 
detailed information on the composition of the sediment column. The 
geoform component describes the major geomorphic and structural 
characteristics of the coasts, islands and the seafloor. The water 
column component defines and organizes the structure, characteristics 
and processes of the water column and associated biota. A comprehensive 
set of modifiers allows the inclusion of additional information on 
environmental, structural, physical, chemical and biotic features in 
addition to required elements of the classification. Each component can 
be used and mapped independently or combined as needed to address 
specific questions or applications. The proposed standard was developed 
to be technology- and scale-neutral; users may choose the operational 
scale and level of detail suited for their purpose. CMECS is a dynamic 
content standard that will allow additional types and refinement of the 
classification with improvements in technology and information.

    Dated: August 13, 2010.
Ivan DeLoatch,
FGDC Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-20851 Filed 8-20-10; 8:45 am]
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