[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 165 (Monday, August 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 58560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18525]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Request for Public Comment on Draft Hydrographic Survey 
Specifications and Deliverables

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

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) 
Office of Coast Survey (OCS) requests public comment from all 
interested parties on a draft of the newly-revised Hydrographic Survey 
Specifications and Deliverables document (HSSD). The HSSD has been 
rewritten to be more forward looking with respect to new and developing 
technologies, best facilitate the use of automated tools, and better 
integrate with the S-100 based products and the National Bathymetric 
Source (NBS), which is the OCS database for best-available bathymetry. 
Additionally, the revised HSSD will better accommodate the increasing 
amounts of hydrographic data obtained from external sources, with 
metadata tags to denote data quality and universal data licenses to 
define terms of use, which will result in more streamlined, 
standardized workflows. Numerous subject matter experts collaborated to 
modernize the HSSD so that it best supports OCS as a data-driven 
organization.

DATES: Comments must be received via email by 5 p.m. ET on October 12, 
2023.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the revised HSSD may be downloaded or viewed at: 
https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/docs/standards-and-requirements/specs/HSSD_2023-2-02.pdf.
    All comments must be submitted by email to [email protected] by 5 
p.m. ET on October 12, 2023.
    Instructions: Please include ``Public Comment on Revised HSSD'' in 
the subject line of the email message. If applicable, clearly indicate 
the HSSD section and page number to which submitted comments pertain. 
All submissions must be in English. 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 comment. 
Please note that the U.S. Government will not pay for response 
preparation or the use of any information contained in the response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Matt Wilson, NOAA Office of Coast Survey, at 
[email protected], (757) 828-6915.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Coast and Geodetic 
Survey Act, 33 U.S.C. 883 et seq., and the Hydrographic Services 
Improvement Act, 33 U.S.C. 892 et seq., NOAA promulgates standards and 
specifications for hydrographic data in the HSSD in order to ensure 
safe and efficient navigation in support of our maritime economy. NOAA 
has revised the HSSD to better accommodate new and developing 
technologies and increasing amounts of externally-sourced hydrographic 
data submissions. The revised HSSD facilitates more streamlined 
workflows via critical metadata tags and universal data licenses, and 
is better integrated with the NBS program, for a more efficient means 
of product generation and public access to our national bathymetry.
    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 883 et seq.; 33 U.S.C. 892 et seq.

RDML Benjamin K. Evans,
Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-18525 Filed 8-25-23; 8:45 am]
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