[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53395-53396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14005]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard 
Solicitation for Revisions

AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment 
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before August 26, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0799 in the subject line of your 
comments. All comments received are part of the public record and will 
generally be posted on https://www.regulations.gov without change. Do 
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Matt Dornback, Environmental Scientist, NOAA Office for Coastal 
Management, 1305 East West Hwy., Silver Spring, MD 20910, 302-648-5717, 
and [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This is a request for renewal of an approved information 
collection. NOAA's Office for Coastal Management (OCM) is proposing a 
renewal for information collection that allows interested parties to 
submit requests for revisions to update the Coastal and Marine 
Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS). CMECS was approved by the 
Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) in August 2012 and provides a 
national standard for consistent descriptions of coastal and marine 
ecological features. The FGDC requires periodic reviews and maintenance 
of federal standards. Collection of information from users is critical 
to this process.
    The primary uses of CMECS are in mapping and classifying the 
geological, physical, biological, and chemical components of the 
environment. Among other applications, the CMECS framework can be used 
to integrate data from disparate sources, facilitate comparisons among 
sites, and organize data for regional assessment. Since its publication 
in 2012, the CMECS has been used to characterize habitats ranging from 
coastal wetlands and estuaries to the deep ocean and at local to global 
scales. Benefits of CMECS include: data collected by different sensors 
and methods can be integrated into a single database; all the physical, 
biological, and chemical-forcing functions that collectively determine 
a habitat type can be captured; and the system has the flexibility to 
accommodate new units as additional information becomes available.
    The CMECS was developed as a dynamic standard to allow periodic 
revisions to continue to meet the needs of the user community and as 
such, the CMECS can be updated to accommodate the requirements of 
evolving scientific practices, technology, and coastal and marine 
resource management. The review process allows the CMECS to retain its 
consistency, credibility, and rigor through periodic reviews and an 
orderly, authoritative, and transparent updating process as required by 
the Federal Geographic Data Committee. Anyone can propose changes, 
which can include minor edits, such as grammatical or typographical 
corrections, clarifications of definitions and meaning, or more 
substantial changes to the hierarchy within components. We are 
soliciting recommendations for revisions to the CMECS through a form to 
be posted on the CMECS website. All recommendations collected will be 
reviewed and revisions will be made to

[[Page 53396]]

the CMECS to reflect those recommendations found to be valuable for 
implementation of the CMECS and supportive of the user community needs.
    Information is compiled quarterly by the CMECS Implementation 
Working Group, an interagency group of CMECS technical experts. This 
information is used to assess needs for revisions to the CMECS. 
Information is not disseminated to the public.

II. Method of Collection

    This information is collected by an electronic form posted on the 
CMECS website. However, we also accept paper format for anyone unable 
to access the form through the internet. Some follow up interviews may 
occur to better understand recommendations as needed.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0799.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular (Extension of current information 
collection.)
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local, or 
Tribal government; Federal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 100.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: 0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: The FGDC requires periodic reviews and maintenance 
of federal standards. Collection of information from users is critical 
to this process.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-14005 Filed 6-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P