[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 209 (Monday, October 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65536-65537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26512]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 121022567-2567-01]


Notice To Solicit Applications for the Ocean Exploration Advisory 
Board

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office 
of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research publishes this 
notice to solicit applications and nominations of persons with 
appropriate education, interest, and/or experience to become a member 
of the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board. The purpose of the Board is to 
advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on 
matters pertaining to ocean exploration including: The identification 
of priority areas that warrant exploration; the development and 
enhancement of technologies for exploring the oceans; managing the data 
and information; and disseminating the results. The Board will also 
provide advice on the relevance of the program with regard to the NOAA 
Strategic Plan, the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan, and 
other relevant guidance documents.

DATES: Application materials should be sent to the address, email, or 
fax specified and must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern 
Time, on December 28, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit resume and application materials to Yvette Jefferson 
via mail, fax, or email. Mail: NOAA, 1315 East West Highway, SSMC3 Rm. 
10315, Silver Spring, MD 20910; Fax: 301-713-1967; Email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yvette Jefferson, NOAA, 1315 East West 
Highway, SSMC3 Rm. 10315, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Fax: 301-713-
1967; Email: [email protected]; Telephone: 301-734-1002.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA's Ocean Exploration Program (OE) is 
part of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. The mission 
of OE is to increase the Nation's understanding of the world's largely 
unknown ocean through interdisciplinary expeditions and projects to 
investigate unknown and poorly known ocean areas and phenomena. 
Specific goals include:
    (1) Mapping and characterizing physical, chemical, and biological 
ocean

[[Page 65537]]

environments, as well as submerged cultural history;
    (2) Investigating ocean dynamics and interactions in new places and 
at new scales;
    (3) Developing new ocean sensors and systems to increase the pace 
and efficiency of ocean exploration; and
    (4) Disseminating information to a broad spectrum of users through 
formal and informal education and outreach programs.
    For more information on the Ocean Exploration Program please visit 
the Web sites: http://Oceanexplorer.noaa.gov and http://explore.noaa.gov.
    This notice solicits applications for membership on the Ocean 
Exploration Advisory Board. The purpose of the Ocean Exploration 
Advisory Board (the Board) is to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce 
for Oceans and Atmosphere (Under Secretary), who is also the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
on matters pertaining to ocean exploration including: The 
identification of priority areas that warrant exploration; the 
development and enhancement of technologies for exploring the oceans; 
managing the data and information; and disseminating the results. The 
Board will also provide advice on the relevance of the program with 
regard to the NOAA Strategic Plan, the National Ocean Policy 
Implementation Plan, and other relevant guidance documents. Authority 
to Which the Committee Reports: The Board will report to the Under 
Secretary, as directed by Section 12005 of the Outer Continental Shelf 
Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) part of the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3405). The Board shall function 
solely as an advisory body in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. App., with the exception of 
section 14.
    Description of Duties: The Board shall:
    a. Advise the Under Secretary on all aspects of ocean exploration 
including areas, features, and phenomena that warrant exploration; and 
other areas of program operation, including development and enhancement 
of technologies for exploring the ocean, managing ocean exploration 
data and information, and disseminating the results to the public, 
scientists, and educators;
    b. Assist the program in the development of a 5-year strategic plan 
for the fields of ocean, marine, and Great Lakes science, exploration, 
and discovery, as well as making recommendations to NOAA on the 
evolution of the plan based on results and achievements;
    c. Annually review the quality and effectiveness of the proposal 
review process established under Section 12003(a)(4); and
    d. Provide other assistance and advice as requested by the Under 
Secretary.
    Points of View: The Board will consist of approximately ten members 
including a Chair and Co-chair, designated by the Under Secretary in 
accordance with FACA requirements. Consideration will be given to 
candidates who are experts in fields relevant to ocean exploration, 
including ocean scientists, engineers and technical experts, educators, 
social scientists, and communications experts. Membership will be open 
to all individuals who have degrees, professional qualifications, 
scientific credentials, national reputations, international 
reputations, or relevant experience that will enable them to provide 
expert advice concerning the Ocean Exploration Program's roles within 
the context of NOAA's ocean missions and policies. Members will be 
appointed for 3-year terms, renewable once, and serve at the discretion 
of the Under Secretary. The Chair and Co-chair will serve 3-year terms 
renewable once. Initial appointments will include: Four members serving 
an initial 3-year term, three members serving an initial 4-year term 
and three members serving an initial 5-year term. All renewals will be 
3-year terms. If a member resigns before the end of his or her first 
term, the vacancy appointment shall be for the remainder of the 
unexpired term, and shall be renewable twice if the unexpired term is 
less than one year.
    Members will be appointed as special government employees (SGEs) 
and will be subject to the ethical standards applicable to SGEs. 
Members are reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses incurred in 
performing such duties but will not be reimbursed for their time.
    As a Federal Advisory Committee the Board's membership is required 
to be balanced in terms of viewpoints represented and the functions to 
be performed as well as including the interests of geographic regions 
of the country and the diverse sectors of our society.
    The Board will meet two times each year, exclusive of subcommittee, 
task force, and working group meetings.
    Nominations: Nominations must provide: (1) The nominee's full name, 
title, institutional affiliation, and contact information; (2) the 
nominee's area(s) of expertise; and (3) a short description of his/her 
qualifications relative to the kinds of advice being solicited. 
Inclusion of a (maximum length 4 pages) resume or curriculum vitae is 
recommended, but not required.
    Applications: An application is required to be considered for Board 
membership. To apply, submit a current resume (maximum length 4 pages) 
as indicated in the ADDRESSES section that includes: (1) The 
applicant's full name, title, institutional affiliation, and contact 
information (mailing address, email, telephones, fax); (2) the 
nominee's area(s) of expertise; and (3) a short description of his/her 
qualifications relative to the kinds of advice being solicited. A cover 
letter stating their interest in serving on the Board and highlighting 
specific areas of expertise relevant to the purpose of the Board is 
required.

    Dated: October 23, 2012.
Jason Donaldson,
Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer, Office of Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-26512 Filed 10-26-12; 8:45 am]
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