[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 106 (Thursday, June 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35398-35400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13010]
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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Request for Information on the Development of the 2017 National
Plan for Civil Earth Observations
AGENCY: Office of Science and Technology Policy.
ACTION: Notice of Request for Information (RFI).
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SUMMARY: On behalf of the U.S. Group on Earth Observations (USGEO), a
Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)
Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability
(CENRS), the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)
requests input from all interested parties regarding recommendations
for the development of the 2017 National Plan for Civil Earth
Observations (``National Plan'', or ``Plan''). An electronic template
with questions will be posted at www.usgeo.gov. Comments of up to
approximately 2,000 characters per question are requested and must be
received by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), July 1, 2016 to be
considered. The public input provided in response to this Notice will
inform the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) as it works
with Federal agencies and other stakeholders to develop this Plan.
DATES: Responses must be received by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard
Time), July 1, 2016, to be considered.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods. The
first method is preferred by OSTP.
Downloadable form: To aid in information collection and
analysis, the
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Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) encourages responses to
be provided by filling out the downloadable form located at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/library/shareyourinput and
emailing that form, as an attachment, to [email protected]. Please
include ``National Plan for Civil Earth Observations'' in the subject
line of the message.
Fax: (202) 456-6071. On the cover page, please state
``National Plan for Civil Earth Observations, attn: Timothy Stryker''.
Mail: Office of Science and Technology Policy, 1650
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC, 20504. Information submitted
by postal mail should be postmarked by July 1, 2016.
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. OSTP may post responses to this
RFI without change, online. OSTP therefore requests that no business
proprietary information, copyrighted information, or personally
identifiable information be submitted in response to this RFI. Please
note that the U.S. Government will not pay for response preparation, or
for the use of any information contained in the response.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy Stryker, Director, U.S. Group
on Earth Observations Program, OSTP. 202-419-3471
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The U.S. Government is the world's largest single provider of civil
environmental and Earth-system data. These data are derived from Earth
observations collected by numerous Federal agencies and partners in
support of their missions and are critical to the protection of human
life and property, economic growth, national and homeland security, and
scientific research.
Federal investments in Earth-observation activities ensure that
decision makers, businesses, first responders, farmers, and a wide
array of other stakeholders have the information they need about
climate and weather; natural hazards; land-use change; ecosystem
health; water; natural resources; and other characteristics of the
Earth system. Taken together, Earth observations provide the
indispensable foundation for meeting the Federal Government's long-term
sustainability objectives and advancing the Nation's societal,
environmental, and economic well-being.
As the Nation's capacity to observe the Earth system has grown,
however, so has the operating complexity of sustaining and coordinating
civil Earth-observation research, operations, and related activities.
To address these growing complexities, in October 2010, Congress
charged the Director of OSTP with establishing a mechanism to ensure
greater coordination of the research, operations, and activities
relating to civil Earth observations, including the development of a
triennial strategic implementation plan and a process for external
independent advisory input (see the National Aeronautics and Space
Authorization Act of 2010, Public Law 111-267, Section 702). In
response, OSTP coordinated the first-ever Earth Observations Assessment
(EOA 2012), a snapshot of the current portfolio of Earth-observing
systems and surveys used to meet key Federal civil objectives across
thirteen thematic Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs), and released the
National Strategy for Civil Earth Observations in April 2013 (``the
National Strategy'', see http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/nstc_2013_earthobsstrategy.pdf).
OSTP subsequently developed and released the first National Plan
for Civil Earth Observations with support of the USGEO Subcommittee in
July 2014 (``the 2014 National Plan'', see https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/NSTC/2014_national_plan_for_civil_earth_observations.pdf). Based in large
part on the results of EOA 2012, the 2014 National Plan established
priorities and supporting actions for advancing our civil Earth-
observations capabilities and ensuring stable, continuous, and
coordinated Earth-observation capabilities for the benefit of society.
The 2016 Earth Observation Assessment (EOA 2016), the second
iteration of the assessment process, is nearing completion. Conducted
by the Assessment Working Group of the U.S. Group on Earth Observations
(USGEO) Subcommittee, EOA 2016 will provide foundational input for OSTP
to use when developing the second National Plan for Civil Earth
Observations (``Plan''). In addition, other USGEO Subcommittee
activities, including an interagency satellite needs-collection
process, U.S. engagement in the intergovernmental Group on Earth
Observations (GEO) and efforts to advance the discoverability,
accessibility, and usability of Earth-observation data products across
the Federal Government, will inform the development of the Plan.
As EOA 2016 nears completion, OSTP has commenced the development of
the Plan and is seeking public advisory input on this process through
this RFI. The public input provided in response to this RFI will inform
OSTP and USGEO as they work with Federal agencies and other
stakeholders to develop the Plan. Following the receipt and review of
responses to this RFI, OSTP also intends to host a public meeting as an
additional way to collect individual, actionable feedback. This meeting
will feature Federal and non-Federal participants and allow for focused
discussions on specific questions related to the priorities and
supporting actions outlined in the first National Plan.
Questions To Inform Development of the National Plan
Through this RFI, OSTP seeks responses to the following questions:
1. What services do you provide or research do you do using Federal
Earth observation data and information products? Please provide
specific examples.
2. What decisions do you make or support using Federal Earth
observation data and information products? Please provide specific
examples.
3. In the areas listed below, where has the Federal Government been
the most, or least, successful and why? Please provide specific
examples. You do not need to provide responses to all listed areas--
please focus on those most relevant to your work.
a. Improving spatial and temporal resolution, sample density, and
geographic coverage of measurements from Earth observation systems.
b. Developing and deploying new Earth observation systems that
address user needs.
c. Improving the discoverability, accessibility, and usability of
Earth observation data, model output, and derived information products.
4. One important policy goal for Federal agencies has been to
improve external users' ability to find, access, and use Earth
observation data and information products. In which of these three
areas (finding, accessing, or using) have you witnessed improvements,
if any? Please provide specific examples.
5. In the areas listed below, what could the Federal Government do
to improve the Earth observations that you rely on? Please provide
specific examples. You do not need to provide responses to all listed
areas--please focus on those most relevant to your work.
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a. Maintain current observing systems.
b. Incrementally improve or upgrade current observing systems.
c. Develop new observing systems with significantly enhanced
measurement capabilities.
d. Develop new agency practices to improve the discoverability,
accessibility, and usability of Earth observation data.
6. On what emerging technologies, techniques, and management
practices should the Federal Government focus attention in the next few
years to enhance public services, research in the public interest, and
fundamental scientific inquiry?
7. What types of partnerships with Federal agencies, such as those
listed below, show the most promise to address current gaps in Earth
observation coverage and related service provision? Please provide
specific examples. You do not need to provide responses to all listed
areas--please focus on those most relevant to your work. You are also
free to discuss other types of partnerships that are not listed below.
a. Cooperative research and development agreements.
b. Challenges and prizes.
c. Joint ventures for Earth observation system development and
operations.
d. Citizen science and crowdsourced observations.
8. Is your organization concerned about a potential shortage of
workers in the United States who are trained to develop, understand, or
use Earth observation data and geospatial information? Please provide
specific concerns.
9. What, if any, do you believe were the key accomplishments of the
first National Plan and what impact did the National Plan have, if any,
on your organization? Please provide specific examples.
10. The first National Plan identified eight Supporting Actions
(pp. 20-27) required to maximize the benefits derived from the Nation's
Earth observations. In priority order, they are:
Action 1: Coordinate and Integrate Observations
Action 2: Improve Data Access, Management, and Interoperability
Action 3: Increase Efficiency and Cost Savings
Action 4: Improve Observation Density and Sampling
Action 5: Maintain and Support Infrastructure
Action 6: Explore Commercial Solutions
Action 7: Maintain and Strengthen International Collaboration
Action 8: Engage in Stakeholder-Driven Data Innovation
Of the actions listed above most relevant to your work, where has
the Federal Government been the most, or least, successful, and why?
Please provide specific examples.
Ted Wackler,
Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-13010 Filed 6-1-16; 8:45 am]
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