[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12200-12201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03936]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Release of the Draft National Charting Plan

AGENCY: Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The NOAA Office of Coast Survey has released a draft National 
Charting Plan. The plan describes the current set of NOAA nautical 
chart products and their distribution, as well as some of the steps 
Coast Survey is taking to improve NOAA charts, including changes to 
chart formats, scales, data compilation, and symbology. The purpose of 
the plan is to solicit feedback from nautical chart users regarding 
proposed changes to NOAA's paper and electronic chart products. Coast 
Survey invites written comments on this plan that is available from 
https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/news/2017/nationalchartingplan.html.

DATES: Comments are due by midnight, June 1, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments on the National Charting Plan through NOAA's 
Nautical Discrepancy Report System at http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/idrs/discrepancy.aspx, or via mail to National Ocean Service, NOAA (NCS2), 
ATTN National Charting Plan, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring MD 
20910-3282.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Harmon, telephone 301-713-2737, 
ext.187; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The first complete nautical chart published 
by the Coast Survey of New York Harbor was in 1844. The format, 
information, and intended uses of this first chart were quite similar 
to the raster charts that NOAA continues to make today. Although NOAA 
still produces ``traditional'' raster nautical charts, a sea change in 
chart production methods and the art of navigation began in the mid-
1990s when Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and electronic 
navigational charts (ENCs) became available to the public.
    Since the introduction of ENCs thirty years ago, the size of 
commercial vessels has increased more than four-fold and modern 
navigational systems have become more sophisticated. There are over 15 
million recreational boats in the U.S. and recreational boaters have 
joined professional mariners in using electronic chart displays to ply 
the nation's waters. Users of all types are expecting improved ease of 
access to more precise, higher resolution charts that deliver the most 
up to date information possible.
    Coast Survey has developed a number of strategies to meet this 
growing demand for greater performance in our products and services. 
These changes allow us to be more responsive to changing public needs 
for navigation data. In this context, Coast Survey has developed a 
national charting plan to outline the next steps for further 
improvement over the next generation. The national charting plan is 
responsive to years of formal and informal feedback on our products 
from the public and our partners. We are committed to ensuring that our 
products evolve with the changing needs of our many stakeholders. 
Comments received from nautical chart users about the National Charting 
Plan will help us fulfil this commitment.

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. Chapter 17, Coast and Geodetic Survey Act 
of 1947.


[[Page 12201]]


    Dated: February 16, 2017.
Kathryn Ries,
Deputy Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-03936 Filed 2-28-17; 8:45 am]
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