[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 111 (Thursday, June 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 37187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13670]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Harmful Algal Bloom Programs Termination of Regional Rotations

AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: NOAA publishes this notice to amend 74 Federal Register 84 
(May 4, 2009) pp. 20465-20469 titled, ``Notice of implementation of new 
competitive Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms 
Program and regional rotation of the existing and new national 
competitive HAB Programs.'' This notice announces the completion of the 
regional rotation. In addition, further information about competitive 
objectives, procedures, and guidance will be posted in announcements on 
the OMB-designated government wide Web site for finding and applying 
for Federal financial assistance, currently www.Grants.gov. All other 
aspects of the original Federal Register Notice remain the same.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Quay Dortch, ECOHAB Program 
Coordinator and PCMHAB Program Manager, 301/713-3338 ext 157, 
[email protected] or Marc Suddleson, MERHAB Program Manager, 301/
713-3338 ext 162, [email protected], Center for Sponsored Coastal 
Ocean Research, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National 
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1998 Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia 
Research Control Act (HABHRCA), as amended, codified at 33 U.S.C. 4001-
4009, authorized the establishment of three national competitive 
programs on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and the Harmful Algal Bloom and 
Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2014, Public Law 113-
124; authorized the continuation of these programs. NOAA implements 
HABHRCA through the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms 
(ECOHAB) Program, the Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal 
Bloom (MERHAB) Program and the Prevention, Control and Mitigation of 
Harmful Algal Blooms (PCMHAB) Program. ECOHAB provides coastal managers 
with the understanding, tools, and models to predict the development, 
extent, and toxicity of HABs and their impacts, leading to early 
warning and new prevention and mitigation strategies. MERHAB builds 
capacity and enhances partnerships between managers, researchers, and 
private industry to improve monitoring for HAB cells and toxins and 
responding to HAB events. The PCM HAB program transitions promising 
technologies and strategies for preventing, controlling, or mitigating 
HABs and their impacts from development through demonstration and 
technology transfer for field application by end-users. A regional 
rotation for the three Harmful Algal Blooms Programs was implemented in 
Fiscal Year 2009. All three regions have been rotated once and a 
rotation cycle is now complete. Beginning in 2016, the regional 
rotation will not be used to define the geographic scope of future 
competitions. Hereafter, the necessary objectives, procedures, and 
guidance for Harmful Algal Bloom funding competitions will be posted in 
announcements on the OMB-designated government wide Web site for 
finding and applying for Federal financial assistance, currently 
www.Grants.gov.

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).

    Dated: June 2, 2016.
Christopher C. Cartwright,
Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer, Ocean Service and 
Coastal Zone Management.
[FR Doc. 2016-13670 Filed 6-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P