[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 198 (Tuesday, October 13, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64448-64449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22413]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Request for Information; Implementation Plan for the National 
Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States 
Exclusive Economic Zone

AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice of public comment.

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SUMMARY: On behalf of the Ocean Policy Committee, Ocean Science and 
Technology Subcommittee, and the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy (OSTP) and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) as Co-
Chairs of the Ocean Policy Committee, the National Ocean Mapping, 
Exploration, and Characterization Council (NOMEC Council) requests 
input from all interested parties on the development of an 
Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, 
and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (U.S. 
EEZ)(``National Strategy''). Through this Request for Information 
(RFI), the NOMEC Council seeks input from the public to recommend 
exploration and characterization priorities to be included in the 
Implementation Plan for the National Strategy.

DATES: Comments must be received by October 30, 2020 November 12, 2020.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the National Strategy may be downloaded or viewed 
at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/20200611-FINAL-STRATEGY-NOMEC-Sec.-2.pdf Responses should be submitted via email 
to [email protected]. Include ``Public Comment on

[[Page 64449]]

Exploration Priorities for the Implementation Plan'' in the subject 
line of the message. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, 
address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise 
sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender is publicly 
accessible. NOAA will accept anonymous comments. Clearly indicate which 
section and page number, if applicable, submitted comments pertain to. 
All submissions must be in English. Please note that the U.S. 
Government will not pay for responsible preparation, or for the use of 
any information contained in the response.
    Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Respondent needs 
not reply to all questions listed. For all submissions, clearly 
indicate which questions are being answered. Email attachments will be 
accepted in plain text, Microsoft Word, or Adobe PDF formats only. Each 
individual or institution is requested to submit only one response. 
OSTP may post responses to this RFI, without change, on a Federal 
website. NOAA, therefore, requests that no business proprietary 
information, copyrighted information, or personally identifiable 
information be submitted in response to this RFI. 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: National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, 
and Characterization (NOMEC) Council Co-Chairs; Dr. Alan Leonardi, 
NOAA, [email protected], 301-734-1016; RDML Shepard Smith, NOAA, 
[email protected], 202-510-5561; Dr. John Haines, USGS, 
[email protected], 703-648-6422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum, 
Ocean Mapping of the United States Exclusive Economic Zone and the 
Shoreline and Nearshore of Alaska, 84 FR 64699 (Nov. 19, 2020), the 
National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council 
(NOMEC Council), on behalf of the Director of the OSTP and the Chairman 
of the CEQ, in their capacity as Co-Chairs of the Ocean Policy 
Committee, working through its Ocean Science and Technology 
Subcommittee and in coordination with the Administrator of NOAA, are 
developing an Implementation Plan for the National Strategy. The NOMEC 
Council has commenced development of the Implementation Plan and is 
soliciting public input through this RFI to obtain information from a 
wide range of stakeholders, including academia, private industry, and 
other relevant organizations and institutions. The public input 
provided in response to this RFI will inform the NOMEC Council as it 
continues to identify strategic priorities for Exploration and 
Characterization within the Implementation Plan.

Questions To Inform Development of the Implementation Plan

    Through this RFI, the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and 
Characterization Council seeks responses to the following questions to 
inform the Exploration and Characterization priorities for an 
Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Ocean Mapping, 
Exploration, and Characterization.
    1. NOMEC Strategy Goal 3.1 ``Identify Strategic Priorities'' 
describes the need for strategic ocean exploration and characterization 
priorities and lists some examples. What do you feel are the most 
important strategic national priorities for exploration and 
characterization efforts in the deep sea (depth >40 m)? These can be 
specific geographic areas within the U.S. EEZ or thematic/topical issue 
priorities.
    2. What are the most important questions for exploration and 
characterization to address?
    3. What are the most important data variables that need to be 
measured, and what are the most valuable physical samples to collect; 
to conduct baseline exploration and characterization?
    4. What novel or established tools, platforms, and technologies 
could advance our capability to explore, and characterize the U.S. EEZ 
more efficiently and effectively? To the extent innovative capabilities 
already exist, but are not being effectively used, what are the 
barriers to adopting them? How can these barriers be overcome?
    5. Deep waters within the U.S. EEZ host a wide variety of habitats 
and geomorphological features (e.g., continental shelves, canyons, 
seamounts, trenches, abyssal plains, and mesopelagic and bathypelagic 
zones of the water column). Which ones of these do you think are most 
important to explore to address the priority questions you identified 
above?
    6. How can artificial intelligence and machine learning be used to 
guide planning, execution, and analysis of exploration and 
characterization activities?
    7. How should the data generated by implementation of the Strategy 
be managed so that it is most accessible and useful (file formats, 
compatibility, etc.) to public and private sectors?

    Dated: September 24, 2020.
David Holst,
Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, Office of Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-22413 Filed 10-9-20; 8:45 am]
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