[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 239 (Friday, December 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80026-80027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27344]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Notice To Suspend Applications for Certification for Printing 
NOAA Nautical Charts and Publications

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


ACTION: Notice to suspend accepting new applications for certification 
for printing and distribution of NOAA nautical charts and the United 
States Coast Pilot, and to update the public on digital distribution of 
NOAA's products.

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SUMMARY: The federal government ceased printing of paper nautical 
charts in April 2014. Since then, the Office of Coast Survey has 
successfully transitioned the printing of paper nautical charts to the 
private sector and, since the Federal Register Notice of January 2, 
2014, has certified more than three dozen companies to print and sell 
NOAA nautical charts and the United

[[Page 80027]]

States Coast Pilot[supreg]. This transition has resulted in a broad 
market providing product differentiation with optional value-added 
features. However, Coast Survey is in the process of reducing the 
amount of traditional NOAA paper nautical products that it maintains as 
it moves to facilitating a method from which paper charts can be 
derived from the NOAA's electronic navigational charts (NOAA 
ENC[supreg]) found on website: https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/charts/noaa-enc.html. Within the next five years, the number of unique charts 
that will be available for vendors to print will be reduced by roughly 
60%. Coast Survey recognized that a hold on accepting new applications 
must be put in place until the final number of traditional paper charts 
that NOAA will maintain is determined. The plan for transitioning away 
from the traditional NOAA paper charts is available in the ``Sunsetting 
Traditional NOAA Paper Charts'' document found on the following 
website: https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/docs/raster-sunset.pdf.
    To maintain a healthy market that meets the needs of recreational 
and commercial mariners, Coast Survey is suspending the certifications 
for new, non-certified printers of charts while continuing to maintain 
certification of printers who continue to meet standards as provided 
under their current agreements. There are currently eight certified 
printers of the Coast Pilot. Coast Survey feels the market can bear no 
more that 10 of these printers. Once there are 10 certified printers of 
the Coast Pilot, Coast Survey will suspend the certifications for new, 
non-certified printers of the Coast Pilot.

DATES: Send comments on or before February 9, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments can be submitted online to the Office of Coast 
Survey's inquiry system, ASSIST, at the following site https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/customer-service/assist/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Kroll, Deputy Chief, 
Navigation Services Division, NOAA's Office of Coast Survey at 
[email protected], 240-533-0063

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA privatized the printing of nautical 
charts in October 2013. In January 2014, Coast Survey started 
soliciting private companies to apply for NOAA certification to print, 
sell, and distribute paper nautical charts that NOAA's National Ocean 
Service considered ``published'', and that therefore meet carriage 
requirements. After review, Coast Survey certifies applicants who meet 
all NOAA chart standards.
    At the time of Coast Survey's January 2014 solicitation, NOAA had 
two certified printing agents. As of October 29, 2020, NOAA had 36 
certified agents found here, https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/print-agents.html#paper-charts, with two additional 
companies under review.
    Coast Survey has concluded that the current certified printers are 
meeting market needs, and that the companies with pending applications 
for certification will adequately fill any additional market openings. 
Therefore, until further notice, Coast Survey will not accept any new 
applications for certification, except for printers of the Coast Pilot 
until 10 Coast Pilot printers has been achieved.
    Coast Survey began the transition away from traditional paper 
products and considers the NOAA ENC as its primary product to meet 
navigation needs, and makes the following resources available:
    1. NOAA's electronic navigational charts (NOAA ENC[supreg]) 
(https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/charts/noaa-enc.html) are available 
for free download.
    2. See Coast Survey's plan to improve the ENC, ``Transforming the 
NOAA ENC.'' (https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/docs/enc-transformation.pdf).
    3. United States Coast Pilot (https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/coast-pilot/index.html) is available online in a digital 
format.
    4. NOAA's Custom Chart tool (https://devgis.charttools.noaa.gov/pod/) gives the user the ability to create and download charts based on 
your own scale, extent, and paper size settings.
    The National Charting Plan outlines several improvements to chart 
content (https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/charts/docs/NCP-1-pager-v2.pdf).

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

Shepard M. Smith,
Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-27344 Filed 12-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P