[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 179 (Monday, September 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63938-63939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20145]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 2307014-0168; RTID 0648-XV193]


Request for Information on Equitable Delivery of Climate 
Services; Comment Period Extension

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Request for information; comment period extension.

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SUMMARY: On July 21, 2023, The U.S. Department of Commerce 
(Department), via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA), announced a Request for Information (RFI) on how to enhance 
NOAA's delivery of climate data, information, science, and tools 
(``climate services'') and ensure that this delivery is equitable and 
accounting for the needs and priorities of a diverse set of user 
communities as they engage in climate preparedness, adaptation, and 
resilience planning. Building on the work that NOAA is already doing to 
prepare communities for increasing climate impacts, the input from this 
RFI will be used to create an Action Plan that will inform more 
equitable and inclusive design, production, and delivery of climate 
services for users of all disciplines and backgrounds. Written comments 
were due by September 21, 2023. Under the unique circumstances of the 
timing of the publication of the Federal Register notice, NOAA has 
decided to extend the public comment period by 30 days, to October 21, 
2023.

DATES: The public comment period for this action, published on July 20, 
2023 (88 FR 46773), has been extended from September 21, 2023 to 
October 21, 2023. Written comments and information must be received no 
later than October 21, 2023.
    NOAA will host additional virtual public listening sessions during 
the month of October for participants to provide comments. See 
ADDRESSES below for more information on dates, times, and registration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document by any of the 
following methods:
     Email Submission: Interested individuals and organizations 
should submit written or recorded comments by email to 
[email protected]. If submitting via email, include the title of 
this RFI, ``Request for Information on Equitable Delivery of Climate 
Services'' in the subject line of the email. Attachments will be 
accepted in plain text, Microsoft Word, or Adobe PDF, or recorded 
formats only, not to exceed a file size of 25 MB. If comments are 
submitted via recording, they must be in .mpg, mpeg, or .wav file 
formats. All comments submitted via email in recorded format will be 
transcribed.
     Electronic Submission: Comments may also be submitted in 
writing only via https://www.regulations.gov. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and enter the title of this action, ``Request for 
Information on Equitable Delivery of

[[Page 63939]]

Climate Services'' in the Search box. Click the ``Comment'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. Enter 
``N/A'' in required fields if you wish to remain anonymous.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Ella Clarke, Room 58010/
HCHB, 1401 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20230. Include the 
title of this RFI, ``Request for Information on Equitable Delivery of 
Climate Services'' in the written response.
     Public Listening Sessions: Provide oral comments during 
virtual public listening sessions, as described under DATES. 
Registration details and additional information about how to 
participate in these public listening sessions is available at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/equitable-climate-service-delivery-2404789.
    Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Respondents need 
not reply to all questions listed. Each individual or institution is 
requested to submit only one response. All comments received are part 
of the public record and may be posted, without change, on NOAA's 
website at https://www.noaa.gov and on https://www.regulations.gov. 
Commenters should include the name of the person and/or organization 
filing the comment. All identifying information (e.g., name, email 
address) submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly 
accessible. NOAA, therefore, requests that no business proprietary 
information, copyrighted information, or sensitive personally 
identifiable information be submitted in response to this RFI. Comments 
will be accepted in English and Spanish. Comments submitted in Spanish 
will be translated to English for public posting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ella Clarke, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, (771) 216-1352; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 20, 2023, NOAA announced its Request 
for Information on Equitable Delivery of Climate Services to gather 
feedback on how to enhance the Agency's delivery of climate services 
and ensure that this delivery is equitable and accounting for the needs 
and priorities of a diverse set of user communities. During this time, 
NOAA hosted listening sessions for interested parties to provide 
comments in real time. NOAA received feedback from multiple sources on 
the challenging timing of listening sessions and the bulk of the 
comment period taking place during the summer months, which made it 
harder for a broad swath of respondents to provide substantive 
comments. In response to this feedback and to ensure increased access 
and ability to respond to the RFI, NOAA has decided to extend the 
comment period by 30 days, to October 21, 2023, and hold two additional 
public listening sessions during this time. NOAA does not anticipate 
that the comment period extension will delay the intended Action Plan 
release. NOAA refers the reader to the July 20, 2023 Federal Register 
notice (88 FR 46773) for background information concerning the Request 
for Information on Equitable Delivery of Climate Services. For 
additional information, please visit: https://www.noaa.gov/stories/noaa-seeks-public-comment-to-inform-more-equitable-climate-service-delivery.

Jainey Kumar Bavishi,
Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere and Deputy Administrator, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-20145 Filed 9-15-23; 8:45 am]
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