[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 119 (Thursday, June 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28480-28481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13031]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


United States Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory 
Committee

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

ACTION: Notice of new member solicitation for the United States 
Integrated Ocean Observing System (U.S. IOOS) Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is 
soliciting applications for membership on the United States Integrated 
Ocean Observing System Advisory Committee (the Committee), which is a 
Federal advisory committee. Members of the Committee will fulfill the 
requirements of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act 
of 2009 (the Act). The Committee provides advice to the Under Secretary 
of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and to the Interagency Ocean 
Observation Committee on the planning, integrated design, operation, 
maintenance, enhancement, and expansion of the United States Integrated 
Ocean Observing System (U.S. IOOS). U.S. IOOS promotes research to 
develop, test, and deploy innovations and improvements in coastal and 
ocean observation technologies and modeling systems, addresses regional 
and national needs for ocean information, gathers data on key coastal, 
ocean, and Great Lakes variables and ensures timely and sustained 
dissemination and availability of these data for societal benefits. 
U.S. IOOS benefits national safety, the economy, and the environment 
through support for national defense, marine commerce and forecasting, 
navigation safety, weather, climate, energy siting and production, 
economic development, ecosystem-based management of marine and coastal 
areas, conservation of ocean and coastal resources and public safety.
    The Act requires the establishment and administration of this 
Committee by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. 
NOAA will hereby accept applications for membership on the Committee 
through September 20, 2017. Applications received after September 20, 
2017 may not be considered during this membership application cycle, 
but may be considered for future membership cycles. The Act states: 
``Members shall be qualified by education, training, and experience to 
evaluate scientific and technical information related to the design, 
operation, maintenance, or use of the [Integrated Ocean Observing] 
System, or use of data products provided through the System.'' NOAA 
encourages individuals with expertise in oceanographic data, products, 
and services; coastal management; fisheries management; coastal and 
marine spatial planning; geodesy; water levels; and other science-
related fields to submit applications for Committee membership. To 
apply for membership on the Committee, applicants should submit a 
resume as indicated in the ADDRESSES section. NOAA is an equal-
opportunity employer.

DATES: Application materials should be sent to the address, email 
address, or fax number specified and must be received by September 20, 
2017 for consideration in this membership cycle.

ADDRESSES: Submit an application for Committee membership, in the form 
of a resume, to Regina Evans via mail, fax, or email. Mail: 1315 East-
West Highway, Station 2605, Silver Spring, MD 20910; Fax: 301-713-3281; 
Email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Regina Evans, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Station 2605, Silver Spring, MD 20910; Telephone: (240) 533-9468, Fax: 
301-713-3281; Email: [email protected].

[[Page 28481]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice responds to the ICOOS Act of 
2009 (Pub. L. 111-11, section 12304), which requires the Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to solicit nominations 
for Committee membership. The Committee will advise the NOAA 
Administrator or Interagency Ocean Observation Committee on matters 
related to the responsibilities and authorities set forth in section 
12302 of the ICOOS Act of 2009 and other appropriate matters as the 
Under Secretary refers to the Committee for review and advice.
    The United States Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory 
Committee will provide advice on:
    (a) Administration, operation, management, and maintenance of the 
System;
    (b) Expansion and periodic modernization and upgrade of technology 
components of the System;
    (c) Identification of end-user communities, their needs for 
information provided by the System, and the System's effectiveness in 
disseminating information to end-user communities and to the general 
public; and
    (d) Any other purpose identified by the Under Secretary of Commerce 
for Oceans and Atmosphere or the Interagency Ocean Observation 
Committee.
    The Committee's voting members will be appointed by the Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. Members shall be 
qualified by education, training, and experience to evaluate scientific 
and technical information related to the design, operation, 
maintenance, or use of the System, or the use of data products provided 
through the System. Members are selected on a standardized basis, in 
accordance with applicable Department of Commerce guidance. Members 
will be appointed for three-year terms, renewable once. One Committee 
member will be designated by the Under Secretary as chairperson. Full-
time officers or employees of the United States may not be appointed as 
a voting member. Members will be appointed as special Government 
employees (SGEs) for purposes of section 202(a) of title 18, United 
States Code. Members serve at the discretion of the Under Secretary and 
are subject to government ethics standards. Members of the Committee 
will not be compensated for service on the Committee, but they may be 
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
accordance with subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
Code.
    The Committee will meet at least once a year, and at other times at 
the call of the Under Secretary, the Interagency Ocean Observation 
Committee, or the Committee Chairperson. The Committee has 
approximately thirteen voting members. This solicitation requests 
candidate applications for up to thirteen full voting member vacancies. 
Some voting members whose terms expire August 15, 2018 may be 
reappointed for a second term if eligible.
    If an applicant submitted a resume application for the 2015 Federal 
Register Notice for IOOS Advisory Committee membership solicitation, 
and is still interested in being considered for membership on the 
Committee, the applicant needs to confirm his or her interest by 
contacting Regina Evans as indicated in the ADDRESSES section. An 
applicant who is still interested, may either request that his or her 
2015 resume application be resubmitted, or he or she may choose to 
submit a current resume application for the 2018 selection process.

Individuals Selected for Committee Membership

    Upon selection and agreement to serve on the United States 
Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory Committee, one becomes a 
Special Government Employee (SGE) of the United States Government. An 
SGE is an officer or employee of an agency who is retained, designated, 
appointed, or employed to perform temporary duties, with or without 
compensation, for not to exceed 130 days during any period of 365 
consecutive days, either on a full-time or intermittent basis. After 
the membership selection process is complete, applicants who are 
selected to serve on the Committee must complete the following actions 
before they can be appointed as a Committee member:
    (a) Background Check (on-line Background Check process and 
fingerprinting conducted through NOAA Workforce Management); and
    (b) Confidential Financial Disclosure Report: As an SGE, a 
Confidential Financial Disclosure Report is required to be filed 
annually to avoid involvement in a real or apparent conflict of 
interest. This form can be found at the following Web site: http://www.usoge.gov/forms/form_450.aspx.

    Dated: June 2, 2017.
Carl Gouldman,
Director, U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System.
[FR Doc. 2017-13031 Filed 6-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P