[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 88 (Tuesday, May 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 19904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09268]



[[Page 19904]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice of Development of an Experimental Ocean Economy Satellite 
Account (To Define and Measure the Economic Impact of Ocean and Great 
Lakes Related Activities)

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

ACTION: Advance notice of development of a satellite account to define 
and measure the ocean economy; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is 
soliciting comments from the public on the development of a new set of 
national statistics that would provide information on the economic 
activity generated by ocean related transactions in the United States.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than 60 days after 
publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments via email to [email protected]. 
Comments sent by any other method or after the comment period may not 
be considered. All comments are a part of the public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Quigley, Economist, Office for 
Coastal Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
Department of Commerce, 2234 S Hobson Ave., North Charleston, South 
Carolina 29405; phone: (843) 740-1155 or via email at 
[email protected].
    A summary document of the activities to be measured by the OESA and 
the estimated ocean-related portions of these activities can be viewed 
and downloaded on the internet at https://coast.noaa.gov/data/digitalcoast/pdf/oesa.pdf.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are 
developing the Experimental Ocean Economy Satellite Account (OESA). 
This satellite account will provide a more detailed measurement of the 
role of the oceans and Great Lakes (herein referred to as ``ocean'') in 
contributing to the annual output of goods and services in the United 
States. NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in climate, 
weather, oceans, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information 
with others, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems 
and resources. BEA produces and maintains the national income and 
product accounts.
    The Experimental OESA provides a first-of-its-kind look at the U.S. 
ocean economy. While BEA's current gross domestic product (GDP) 
statistics already embed economic activity associated with the ocean, 
the Experimental OESA separately identifies and highlights these 
activities in a way that is not possible with current statistics. 
Ultimately, creation of the OESA provides detailed data that will 
deepen the public's understanding of the economic impact of the ocean 
on the U.S. economy. The Experimental OESA also informs decision-makers 
and improves governance and long-term management of ocean and coastal 
areas. The first major step is to define the range of activities 
encompassed by the ocean economy, identify data useful for quantifying 
those activities, and determine the calculations used to estimate the 
portion of the activities that are ocean related.
    NOAA developed a draft list of activities to be measured by the 
OESA. A summary document (coast.noaa.gov/data/digitalcoast/pdf/oesa.pdf) has outlined detailed information about these activities and 
the data and calculations used to estimate the ocean related portion of 
that activity.
    After NOAA finalizes these activities, data and calculations, NOAA 
and BEA will create prototype national-level economic activities that 
could include measures of gross output, value added, compensation of 
employees, and employment in the ocean economy (see BEA's website for 
definitions). The accuracy of these national level estimates will 
depend on the robustness of the data and methods used to inform 
decisions about which economic activities should be included in the 
accounts. Comments and data sources submitted in response to this 
notice will be used to improve the accuracy of these estimates.
    NOAA invites comments from the public, private industry, state and 
local governments, non-profit organizations, and other interested 
parties. In particular, we are interested in feedback regarding the 
following:
    1. What ocean related activities and items should be considered for 
measurement in the OESA?
    2. What types of statistics would potential users of the OESA like 
to see presented in the account in addition to output, value added, 
employment, and compensation?
    3. What data sets (please provide links and sources) could 
supplement NOAA and BEA's core statistics to help determine the ocean-
related and non ocean-related shares of economic activity in the OESA?
    4. What data sets (please provide links and sources) could be used 
to disaggregate national data to the state and local level?

    Dated: April 29, 2019.
Keelin Kuipers,
Acting Director, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal Domestic 
Assistance Catalog 11.419, Coastal Zone Management Program 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-09268 Filed 5-6-19; 8:45 am]
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