[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 246 (Friday, December 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 75655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30830]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-DPOL-11034; PPWODIREP0/PPMPSAS1Y.YP0000]


Notice of Availability of Draft Director's Order 77-10 
Concerning National Park Service Policies and Procedures Governing 
Benefits Sharing

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing to adopt a 
Director's Order setting forth policies and procedures that guide NPS 
practices to implement benefits sharing in accordance with the National 
Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 5935(d)) that 
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into negotiations 
with the research community and private industry for equitable, 
efficient benefits-sharing arrangements. Benefits sharing occurs when 
NPS receives monetary or other benefits from a discovery or invention 
with a commercial application resulting from research originating under 
an NPS Scientific Research and Collecting Permit, or other permit or 
authorization.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until January 22, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Draft Director's Order 77-10 is available on the 
Internet at http://www.nps.gov/applications/npspolicy/DOrders.cfm where 
readers may comment on the draft. In lieu of the above preferred 
process, requests for paper copies of and written comments on the draft 
Director's Order should be sent to Ann Hitchcock, Senior Advisor for 
Scientific Collections, 1201 Eye Street NW., (Room 1247), Washington, 
DC 20005. We will not accept comments by fax, e-mail, or in any other 
way other than those specified above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Hitchcock at (202) 354-2271 or 
John G. Dennis at (202) 513-7174.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Draft Director's Order 77-10 
addresses benefits sharing stemming from research results derived from 
NPS-permitted research and the relationship between NPS benefits 
sharing and NPS technology transfer activities under authority of the 
Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 and related legislation (15 
U.S.C. 3710 et seq.). This Order clarifies National Park Service 
Management Policies 2006 4.2.4, defines NPS benefits sharing, lists 
fundamental benefits-sharing principles, describes basic benefits-
sharing procedures, addresses related ethics and confidentiality, 
assigns responsibilities for administering benefits sharing, and 
outlines reporting requirements.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Dated: December 18, 2012.
Herbert C. Frost,
Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science.
 [FR Doc. 2012-30830 Filed 12-20-12; 8:45 am]
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