[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 215 (Monday, November 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 68791]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28731]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Availability for Public Comment on the Interagency 
Ocean Observing Committee Draft Certification Criteria for Non-Federal 
Asset Integration Into IOOS

AGENCY: National Science Foundation (NSF).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation publishes this notice on 
behalf of the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) to 
announce a 60-day public comment period for non-federal asset 
certification criteria. This draft certification criteria will be used 
to establish eligibility for non-federal assets to be integrated into 
the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observation System (IOOS) and to ensure 
compliance with all applicable standards and protocols. This criteria 
was developed in response to a requirement in the Integrated Coastal 
Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3601-3610) and is 
applicable to all non-federal assets as defined in the Act, including 
Regional Information Coordination Entities (RICEs).

DATES: Written, faxed or emailed comments must be received no later 
than 5 p.m. eastern standard time on January 6, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The IOOC draft certification criteria is available for 
review from the IOOC Web site URL: http://www.iooc.us. For the public 
unable to access the internet, printed copies can be requested by 
contacting the IOOC Support Office at the address below. The public is 
encouraged to submit comments electronically to 
certification@oceanleadership.org. If you are unable to access the 
Internet, comments may be submitted via fax or regular mail. Faxed 
comments should be sent to (202) 332-8887 with Attn: IOOC Support 
Office. Comments may be submitted in writing to the Consortium for 
Ocean Leadership, Attention: IOOC Support Office, 1201 New York Avenue 
NW., 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this 
notice, please contact the IOOC Support Office, telephone: (202) 787-
1622; Email: certification@oceanleadership.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 30 March 2009, President Barack Obama 
signed into law the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act 
of 2009. Among the requirements in the Act is a directive to the IOOC 
to ``develop contract certification standards and compliance procedures 
for all non-Federal assets, including regional information coordination 
entities, to establish eligibility for integration into the System and 
to ensure compliance with all applicable standards and protocols 
established by the Council, and ensure that regional observations are 
integrated into the System on a sustained basis.'' The IOOC chartered 
two working groups consisting of subject matter experts on IOOS data 
partners and regional entities to draft recommended certification 
criteria. The recommended criteria were approved by the IOOC on 20 
October 2011 and further information on the specific criteria can be 
obtained by contacting the IOOC Support Office as directed in the 
section above.
    The IOOC is the federal interagency group established to lead the 
interagency planning and coordination of ocean observing activities 
including IOOS, and is represented by federal agencies, with NOAA 
identified as the lead federal agency by for IOOS implementation and 
administration.

    Dated: November 2, 2011.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2011-28731 Filed 11-4-11; 8:45 am]
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