[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 26048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10560]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Availability for the Final Certification Criteria for 
Non-Federal Regional Information Coordination Entities (RICE) as 
Approved by the Interagency Ocean Observing Committee (IOOC)

AGENCY: National Science Foundation (NSF).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation publishes this notice on 
behalf of the IOOC to announce the release of the final RICE 
certification criteria. These certification criteria establish 
eligibility for non-federal assets to be integrated into the U.S. 
Integrated Ocean Observation System (IOOS) and to ensure compliance 
with all applicable standards and protocols. These certification 
criteria were developed in response to a requirement in the Integrated 
Coastal Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3601-3610) and 
are applicable to RICEs as defined in the Act, including Regional 
Associations.

ADDRESSES: The final certification criteria are available on the IOOC 
Web site: http://www.iooc.us. For the public unable to access the 
Internet, printed copies can be requested by contacting the IOOC 
Support Office at the address below. The public is encouraged to submit 
questions electronically to [email protected]. If you are unable to 
access the Internet, questions may be submitted via fax or regular 
mail. Faxed questions should be sent to 202-332-8887 with Attn: IOOC 
Support Office. Questions may be submitted in writing to the Consortium 
for Ocean Leadership, Attention: IOOC Support Office, 1201 New York 
Avenue NW., 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20005

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this 
notice, please contact the IOOC Support Office, telephone: 202-787-
1622; Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 30 March 2009, President Barack Obama 
signed into law the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act 
of 2009. Among the requirements in the Act is a directive to the IOOC 
to ``develop contract certification standards and compliance procedures 
for all non-Federal assets, including regional information coordination 
entities, to establish eligibility for integration into the System and 
to ensure compliance with all applicable standards and protocols 
established by the Council, and ensure that regional observations are 
integrated into the System on a sustained basis.'' The IOOC chartered 
two working groups consisting of subject matter experts on IOOS data 
partners and regional entities to draft recommended certification 
criteria. The recommended draft criteria were approved by the IOOC on 
20 October 2011 and released for public input. After a sixty-day public 
comment period and adjudication of public input the IOOC drafted final 
certification criteria.
    The IOOC is the federal interagency committee established to lead 
the interagency planning and coordination of ocean observing activities 
including IOOS. Eleven federal agencies participate in the IOOC, with 
NOAA serving as the lead federal agency for IOOS implementation and 
administration.

    Dated: April 27, 2012.
Bob Houtman,
Co-Chair, Interagency Ocean Observation Committee.

Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2012-10560 Filed 5-1-12; 8:45 am]
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