[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 88 (Tuesday, May 7, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26614-26616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10828]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 130425411-3411-01]


Notice To Extend the Deadline for Applications for the Ocean 
Exploration Advisory Board (OEAB)

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

ACTION: Notice; Extension of Deadline.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: OAR publishes this notice to extend the deadline for persons 
with appropriate education, interest, and/or experience to submit 
applications to become a member of the OEAB. The purpose of the OEAB is 
to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on 
matters pertaining to ocean exploration

[[Page 26615]]

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 OEAB 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 June 6, 2013.

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, MD 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 the 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 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 OE please visit the Web sites: http://Oceanexplorer.noaa.gov and http://explore.noaa.gov. On October 29, 
2012, NOAA published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting 
applications for membership on the OEAB (77 FR 65536). After reviewing 
the applications received to date, NOAA has decided to extend the 
deadline for submissions to achieve balance across the diverse sectors 
of the ocean exploration community. If you have already submitted an 
application for the OEAB, you do not need to do anything else at this 
time.
    This notice extends the deadline for submitting applications for 
membership on the OEAB. The purpose of the OEAB is to advise the Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (Under Secretary), who 
is also the Administrator of NOAA, 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 OEAB 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 OEAB 
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 OEAB 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 OE'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 OEAB'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 OEAB will meet two times each year, exclusive of subcommittee, 
task force, and working group meetings.

Applications

    An application is required to be considered for OEAB 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 applicant'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 OEAB and highlighting specific areas 
of expertise relevant to the purpose of the OEAB is required.


[[Page 26616]]


    Dated: April 30, 2013.
Jason Donaldson,
Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer, Office of Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-10828 Filed 5-6-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-KA-P