[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 157 (Thursday, August 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47619-47620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19238]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 140729626-4626-01]
RIN 0648-XD419


Anticipated RESTORE Act Science Program Federal Funding 
Opportunity for Fiscal Year 2014

AGENCY: National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Ocean Service (NOS) of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) notifies the public and potential 
applicants of an anticipated upcoming Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) 
under the RESTORE Act Science Program, and of the short-term priorities 
for the program that NOS expects will be addressed in the FFO.

DATES: N/A. No applications are being requested at this time. NOAA 
anticipates publishing the FFO sometime during fall 2014, subject to 
the availability of funds and pending the release of the Department of 
the Treasury Regulations for the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund.

ADDRESSES: N/A. No applications are being requested at this time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact: 
Becky Allee, ([email protected], 228-688-1701).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1604 of the Resources and Ecosystems 
Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the 
Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act) establishes the Gulf Coast 
Ecosystem Restoration Science, Observation, Monitoring, and Technology 
program (Science Program) to be administered by NOAA and to carry out 
research, observation, and monitoring to support the long-term 
sustainability of the ecosystem, fish stocks, fish habitat, and the 
recreational, commercial, and charter fishing industry in the Gulf of

[[Page 47620]]

Mexico. NOAA plans to issue the initial FFO under the RESTORE Act 
Science Program during the fall of 2014, subject to the availability of 
funds and pending the release of the Department of the Treasury 
Regulations for the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund.
    Please note that there are no applications or application forms 
associated with this notice. This action is merely intended to assist 
potential applicants prepare for the competitive process to award 
funding by identifying RESTORE Act Science Program topical areas, 
setting out short-term program priorities, and outlining the program 
parameters which will guide funding in response to the anticipated FFO. 
Specifically, NOAA anticipates that the initial FFO under the RESTORE 
Act Science Program will address the three short-term priorities 
identified in the RESTORE Act Science Plan Framework, further refined 
by three topical areas focusing on: (1) Ecosystem and living marine 
resources management--improving understanding of the Gulf of Mexico 
Large Marine Ecosystem; (3) climate change and extreme weather impacts 
on sustainability of restoration--how to incorporate aspects of climate 
change and weather impacts into restoration planning; and (3) 
integration of social/behavioral/economic--science into restoration and 
management of the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem.
    The parameters of the RESTORE Act Science Program, including the 
geographic scope of the Program, anticipated duration of the Program, 
and explanation of the eligibility of potential applicants, are 
outlined in the Science Plan Framework, which may be accessed online at 
http://restoreactscienceprogram.noaa.gov/.
    These priorities and topical areas will be explained in greater 
detail in the forthcoming FFO, which will also request applications and 
describe the application process.
    Technical Program Information: Becky Allee, NOS Senior Scientist, 
228-688-1701, Internet: [email protected].
    Grant Administration Information: Laurie Golden, NCCOS/CSCOR Grants 
Administrator, 301-713-3338/ext 151, Internet: [email protected].

Other Information

    Administrative Procedure Act: Notice and comment are not required 
under the Administrative Procedure Act, (5 U.S.C. 553), or any other 
law, for notices relating to public property, loans, grants, benefits 
or contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)). Because notice and comment is not 
required, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not required and has not 
been prepared for this notice, (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq).
    Paperwork Reduction Act: Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be 
subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of 
information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 
unless that collection displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. 
This notice involves no collection of information, although the FFO 
that NOAA anticipates issuing in fall 2014 will have such a 
requirement.

    Dated: August 7, 2014.
W. Russell Callender,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-19238 Filed 8-13-14; 8:45 am]
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