[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7801-7802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01333]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket Number: 170111055-7055-01]
RIN 0648-XF162


Notice of Availability of and Request for Public Comment on Space 
Weather Phase 1 Benchmarks

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of Space Weather Phase 1 Benchmarks and 
request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The National Weather Service on behalf of the National Science 
and Technology Council; Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, 
and

[[Page 7802]]

Sustainability; Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation 
Subcommittee announces the availability of and requests public comments 
on the draft 2017 Space Weather Phase 1 Benchmarks (Draft Benchmarks).

DATES: Comments must be received by March 20, 2017 to be considered.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include [Space Weather 
Phase 1 Benchmarks] in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (301) 713-7144, Attn: Michael Bonadonna.
     Mail: Attn: Michael Bonadonna, Office of the Federal 
Coordinator for Meteorology, 1325 East-West Highway (SSMC2), Suite 
7130, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Instructions: The Draft Benchmarks are available for download at 
http://www.ofcm.gov/publications/spacewx/DRAFT_SWx_Phase_1_Benchmarks.pdf. Response to this request for public 
comment is voluntary. Responses exceeding 2,000 words will not be 
considered; please reference page and line numbers of the Draft 
Benchmarks in your response, as appropriate. Please be aware that your 
comments may be posted online. The NOAA National Weather Service 
therefore requests that no business proprietary information, 
copyrighted information, confidential, or personally identifiable 
information be submitted in response to this request. Please note that 
the U.S. Government will not pay for response preparation or for the 
use of any information contained in the response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the Draft 
Benchmarks, contact Michael Bonadonna, (301) 628-0058, 
[email protected], Office of the Federal Coordinator of 
Meteorology.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Space weather refers to the dynamic 
conditions of the space environment that arise from interactions with 
emissions from the sun, including solar flares, solar energetic 
particles, and coronal mass ejections. These emissions can affect Earth 
and its surrounding space, potentially causing disruption to electric 
power transmission; satellite, aircraft, and spacecraft operations; 
telecommunications; position, navigation, and timing services; and 
other technology and infrastructure. Given the growing importance and 
reliance of the Nation on these services and infrastructures, it is 
critical that the Nation prepare for the effects of space weather 
events.
    In October 2016, the Space Weather Operations, Research, and 
Mitigation (SWORM) Subcommittee was established by the National Science 
and Technology Council (NSTC) Committee on Environment, Natural 
Resources, and Sustainability, pursuant to Executive Order 13744 on 
Coordinating Efforts to Prepare the Nation for Space Weather Events. 
The Executive Order directed the SWORM Subcommittee to coordinate the 
implementation of the activities specified in the 2015 National Space 
Weather Action Plan, among them the development of space weather 
benchmarks, sets of physical characteristics and conditions against 
which a space-weather event can be measured. The Phase 1 benchmarks 
were developed by the interagency through a quick-turnaround analysis, 
using existing data sets and studies where available, whereas Phase 2 
benchmarks will be developed through more rigorous analyses. This 
notice solicits public input on a draft of the Phase 1 benchmarks to 
inform their completion and the development of the Phase 2 benchmarks.

    Dated: January 17, 2016.
Louis Uccellini,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2017-01333 Filed 1-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3270-F4-P