NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan Part II: Regional Priorities Draft, 17838-17839 [06-3339]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 67 / Friday, April 7, 2006 / Notices
when such contracts are the most cost
effective method of conducting these
functions. This policy documents the
framework and conditions under which
contracting will be employed to ensure
an open and consistent approach. To
support this policy, NOAA will
maintain a dialogue with private sector
organizations and constituent groups.
For the purposes of this policy, the term
‘‘hydrographic services’’ is defined in
the HSIA to include ‘‘the management,
maintenance, interpretation,
certification, and dissemination of
bathymetric, hydrographic, geodetic,
geospatial, geomagnetic, and tide and
current information, including the
production of nautical charts, nautical
information databases, and other
products derived from hydrographic
data.’’
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
Policy
NOAA will acquire hydrographic
services from qualified sources in
accordance with applicable Federal
Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and as
authorized and directed under the Act
of 1947 and the HSIA, including use of
the Federal Property and Administrative
Services Act of 1949, 40 U.S.C. 1101–
1104, when appropriate. Commonly
known as the ‘‘Brooks Act,’’ these
contracting procedures are used in
certain situations where the professional
nature of the services to be procured
requires that potential contractors have
specialized technical expertise.
NOAA may determine that a
particular surveying or mapping activity
is inherently governmental. NOAA
surveying and mapping activities
considered inherently governmental in
nature may include services necessary
to: (1) Monitor the quality of NOAA
products; (2) promulgate and promote
national and international technical
standards and specifications; (3)
conduct basic research and
development and ensure the rapid
transfer to the private sector of the
derived technology; (4) maintain the
Federal geodetic and navigational
databases necessary to support safe and
efficient marine operations; (5) support
coastal stewardship ecosystem
applications; and (6) support Maritime
Domain Awareness and Homeland
Security preparation and response,
including maintaining a response
capability to provide emergency
services and support in response to
natural and manmade disasters and
other unforeseen requirements. To carry
out the above activities, and to
adequately monitor contracted services,
NOAA will maintain a core capability of
field and office expertise.
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The government’s interests and
responsibilities for surveying and
mapping vary broadly, and experience
has shown that maintaining flexibility is
essential in responding to the Nation’s
changing needs for updated surveying
and mapping data. Therefore, NOAA
may task qualified commercial sources
to conduct surveying and mapping
services in any part of the U.S.
Exclusive Economic Zone for any
NOAA mission-related purpose,
irrespective of pre-defined priority
categories such as those documented in
the NOAA Hydrographic Surveying
Priorities.
Ancillary Statements and Actions
As recommended by the HSRP,
NOAA will continue to utilize a mix of
in-house and private-sector resources to
accomplish its hydrographic services
missions. Costs and productivity will be
closely monitored within each category
(i.e., public and private) to ensure best
use of hydrographic services resources.
NOAA will also seek to determine the
optimal resource allocation between inhouse and private-sector resources
based on the strength of the
governmental interest, the total
requirement for mapping and charting
services, and the particular operational
capabilities of either government or
private-sector resources that may make
one more suitable.
NOAA will continue to examine ways
to improve its contracting process, such
as methods of minimizing the turnover
frequency of contracting personnel and
for reducing the length of time required
to award contracts and task orders.
NOAA will maintain its offer of
debriefings to successful and
unsuccessful hydrographic services
contractors after final selection has
taken place. The purpose of these
debriefings is to assist contractors with
identifying significant weaknesses or
deficiencies in their submissions.
NOAA is also exploring the
establishment an Ocean and Coastal
Mapping Training Center. The Training
Center was initially conceived as a
curriculum to support NOAA’s in-house
hydrographic surveying training
requirements. But NOAA now
recognizes value in broadening the
Center’s scope to include training for
NOAA and private sector contractors in
techniques, standards, and technologies
that support NOAA’s many shoreline,
coastal, and ocean mapping activities.
This concept builds an NOAA’s annual
Hydrographic Training and Field
Procedures Workshops currently held
for NOAA personnel and its
hydrographic services contractors to
train and trade valuable lessons learned
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from surveying experience. Such
training would be beneficial to current
or prospective NOAA contractors
seeking to strengthen their proposal
submissions. To view Appendix A, B, or
C; the 1996 National Ocean Service
Contracting Policy; the Brooks Act, or
the Acts authorizing NOAA Navigation
Services programs, visit https://nautical
charts.noaa.gov/ocs/hsrp/archive/
library.htm.
Dated: March 28, 2006.
Roger L. Parsons,
Director, Office of Coast Survey, National
Ocean Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 06–3340 Filed 4–6–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–JE–M
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan
Part II: Regional Priorities Draft
Coral Reef Conservation
Program, NOAA, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice and request for public
comment.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
publishes this notice to announce the
availability of the Draft NOAA Coral
Ecosystem Research Plan Part II:
Regional Priorities for public comment.
The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem
Research Plan is being developed by the
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
to set priorities and guide NOAAsupported coral ecosystem research for
fiscal years 2006 to 2010, including
research conducted through extramural
partners, grants, and contracts. The
Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research
Plan covers all coral reef ecosystems
under the jurisdiction of the United
States and the Pacific Freely Associated
States; and is written for a broad
audience, including resource managers,
scientists, policy makers, and the
public.
DATES: Comments on this draft
document must be submitted by May 8,
2006.
ADDRESSES: The Draft NOAA Coral
Ecosystem Research Plan Part II:
Regional Priorities will be available at
the following location https://www.
nurp.noaa.gov/Docs/NOAA_
CoralResearchPlanPartII_FRN.pdf
The public is encouraged to submit
comments on the Draft NOAA Coral
Ecosystem Research Plan Part II:
Regional Priorities electronically to
E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM
07APN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 67 / Friday, April 7, 2006 / Notices
coral.researchplan@noaa.gov. For
comments who do not have access to a
computer, comments on the document
may be submitted in writing to: NOAA
Research, c/o Kimberly Puglise, NOAA’s
Undersea Research Program, 1315 EastWest Highway R/NURP, Silver Spring,
Maryland 20910.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kimberly Puglise by mail at NOAA’s
Undersea Research Program, 1315 EastWest highway R/NURP, Silver Spring,
Maryland 20910 or phone (301) 713–
2427 ext. 199 or e-mail at coral.research
plan@noaa.gov.
NOAA is
publishing this notice to announce the
availability of the Draft NOAA Coral
Ecosystem Research Plan Part II:
Regional Priorities for public comment.
The draft plan will be posted for public
comment on April 7, 2006. All
interested parties are encouraged to
provide comments. The Draft NOAA
Coral Ecosystem Research Plan Part II:
Regional Priorities is being issued for
comment only and is not intended for
interim use. Suggested changes will be
incorporated, where appropriate, in the
final version.
The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem
Research Plan is being developed by the
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
to set priorities and guide NOAAsupported coral ecosystem research for
fiscal years 2006 to 2010, including
research conducted through extramural
partners, grants, and contracts. The
Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research
Plan covers all coral reef ecosystems
under the jurisdiction of the United
States and the Pacific Freely Associated
States; and is written for a broad
audience, including resource managers,
scientists, policy makers, and the
public.
The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem
Research Plan consists of two sections:
(1) Part I: National Priorities; and (2)
Part II: Regional Priorities. At this time,
we are requesting your comments solely
on the Part II: Regional Priorities Draft.
Part I of the Plan is national in scope
and identifies: the role of research in
management, including a review of the
major stressors and threats facing coral
reef ecosystems and an overview of
stressor-associated research priorities;
the role of mapping and monitoring in
management-driven research programs;
a discussion of the tools and
technologies necessary to conduct
research and to manage ecosystems; a
discussion of the importance of
transferring science and technology into
operations; and the importance of using
strategic outreach and education to
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:13 Apr 06, 2006
Jkt 208001
translate research results to improve
management decisions.
Part II of the Plan is regional in scope
and reviews the major stressors for coral
ecosystems in each region under the
jurisdiction of the United States and the
Pacific Freely Associated States;
identifies key management objectives
specific to each region; and the research
priorities for fiscal years 2006 to 2010 to
help address the stated management
objectives in each region. Part II is
divided into the following regions:
Florida with subsections for the Florida
Keys, Southeast Florida, and the West
Florida Shelf (also known as the Eastern
Gulf of Mexico); Flower Garden Banks;
Puerto Rico; the U.S. Virgin Islands;
Navassa Island; the Hawaiian Islands
with subsections for the Main and
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands;
American Samoa; the Commonwealth of
the Northern Marianas Islands; Guam;
the U.S. Pacific Remote Insular Areas,
which includes Midway Atoll, Rose
Atoll, Wake Atoll, Johnston Atoll,
Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, Jarvis
Island, Howland Island, and Baker
Island; and the Pacific Freely Associated
States with subsections for the Republic
of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of
Palau, and the Federated States of
Micronesia.
NOAA welcomes all comments on the
content of the Draft NOAA Coral
Ecosystem Research Plan Part II:
Regional Priorities. We also request
comments on any inconsistencies
perceived within the document, and
possible omissions of important topics
or issues. For any shortcoming noted
within the draft documents, please
propose specific remedies.
Please adhere to the instructions
detailed below for preparing and
submitting your comments on the Draft
NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan
Part II: Regional Priorities. Using the
format guidance described below will
facilitate the processing of reviewer
comments and assure that all comments
are appropriately considered. Please
format your comments into the
following three sections: (1) Background
information about yourself (optional);
(2) overview or general comments; and
(3) specific comments. Section one may
include background information about
yourself including: your name(s),
organization(s), area(s) of expertise, and
contact information, such as mailing
address, telephone and fax numbers,
and e-mail address(s). Section two
should consist of overview or general
comments on the document and should
be numbered. Section three should
consist of comments that are specific to
particular pages, paragraphs, or lines in
the document and should identify the
PO 00000
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17839
page and line numbers to which they
apply. Please number and print
identifying information at the top of all
pages.
Public comments may be submitted
from April 7, 2006, through May 8,
2006.
Dated: April 3, 2006.
David Kennedy,
Manager, Coral Reef Conservation Program.
[FR Doc. 06–3339 Filed 4–6–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–JE–M
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[No. DoD–2006–OS–0060]
Proposed collection: Comment
Request
Defense Finance and
Accounting Service, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In compliance with section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the Defense
Finance and Accounting Service
announces the proposed extension of a
public information collection and seeks
public comment on the provisions
thereof. Comments are invited on: (a)
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden of the proposed
information collection: (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity
of the information to be collected; and
(d) ways to minimize the burden of the
information collection on respondents,
including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
DATES: Consideration will be given to all
comments received by June 6, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by docket number and title,
by any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Federal Docket Management
System Office, 1160 Defense Pentagon,
Washington, DC 20301–1160.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name and
docket number for this Federal Register
document. The general policy for
comments and other submissions from
members of the public is to make these
submissions available for public
viewing on the Internet at
E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM
07APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 67 (Friday, April 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17838-17839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-3339]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan Part II: Regional Priorities
Draft
AGENCY: Coral Reef Conservation Program, NOAA, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice and request for public comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
publishes this notice to announce the availability of the Draft NOAA
Coral Ecosystem Research Plan Part II: Regional Priorities for public
comment. The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan is being
developed by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program to set priorities
and guide NOAA-supported coral ecosystem research for fiscal years 2006
to 2010, including research conducted through extramural partners,
grants, and contracts. The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan
covers all coral reef ecosystems under the jurisdiction of the United
States and the Pacific Freely Associated States; and is written for a
broad audience, including resource managers, scientists, policy makers,
and the public.
DATES: Comments on this draft document must be submitted by May 8,
2006.
ADDRESSES: The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan Part II:
Regional Priorities will be available at the following location https://
www.nurp.noaa.gov/Docs/NOAA_ CoralResearch PlanPartII --FRN. pdf
The public is encouraged to submit comments on the Draft NOAA Coral
Ecosystem Research Plan Part II: Regional Priorities electronically to
[[Page 17839]]
coral. researchplan @noaa. gov. For comments who do not have access to
a computer, comments on the document may be submitted in writing to:
NOAA Research, c/o Kimberly Puglise, NOAA's Undersea Research Program,
1315 East-West Highway R/NURP, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Puglise by mail at NOAA's
Undersea Research Program, 1315 East-West highway R/NURP, Silver
Spring, Maryland 20910 or phone (301) 713-2427 ext. 199 or e-mail at
coral.research plan@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA is publishing this notice to announce
the availability of the Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan Part
II: Regional Priorities for public comment. The draft plan will be
posted for public comment on April 7, 2006. All interested parties are
encouraged to provide comments. The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research
Plan Part II: Regional Priorities is being issued for comment only and
is not intended for interim use. Suggested changes will be
incorporated, where appropriate, in the final version.
The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan is being developed by
the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program to set priorities and guide
NOAA-supported coral ecosystem research for fiscal years 2006 to 2010,
including research conducted through extramural partners, grants, and
contracts. The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan covers all
coral reef ecosystems under the jurisdiction of the United States and
the Pacific Freely Associated States; and is written for a broad
audience, including resource managers, scientists, policy makers, and
the public.
The Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research Plan consists of two
sections: (1) Part I: National Priorities; and (2) Part II: Regional
Priorities. At this time, we are requesting your comments solely on the
Part II: Regional Priorities Draft.
Part I of the Plan is national in scope and identifies: the role of
research in management, including a review of the major stressors and
threats facing coral reef ecosystems and an overview of stressor-
associated research priorities; the role of mapping and monitoring in
management-driven research programs; a discussion of the tools and
technologies necessary to conduct research and to manage ecosystems; a
discussion of the importance of transferring science and technology
into operations; and the importance of using strategic outreach and
education to translate research results to improve management
decisions.
Part II of the Plan is regional in scope and reviews the major
stressors for coral ecosystems in each region under the jurisdiction of
the United States and the Pacific Freely Associated States; identifies
key management objectives specific to each region; and the research
priorities for fiscal years 2006 to 2010 to help address the stated
management objectives in each region. Part II is divided into the
following regions: Florida with subsections for the Florida Keys,
Southeast Florida, and the West Florida Shelf (also known as the
Eastern Gulf of Mexico); Flower Garden Banks; Puerto Rico; the U.S.
Virgin Islands; Navassa Island; the Hawaiian Islands with subsections
for the Main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands; American Samoa; the
Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands; Guam; the U.S. Pacific
Remote Insular Areas, which includes Midway Atoll, Rose Atoll, Wake
Atoll, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, Jarvis Island,
Howland Island, and Baker Island; and the Pacific Freely Associated
States with subsections for the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the
Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
NOAA welcomes all comments on the content of the Draft NOAA Coral
Ecosystem Research Plan Part II: Regional Priorities. We also request
comments on any inconsistencies perceived within the document, and
possible omissions of important topics or issues. For any shortcoming
noted within the draft documents, please propose specific remedies.
Please adhere to the instructions detailed below for preparing and
submitting your comments on the Draft NOAA Coral Ecosystem Research
Plan Part II: Regional Priorities. Using the format guidance described
below will facilitate the processing of reviewer comments and assure
that all comments are appropriately considered. Please format your
comments into the following three sections: (1) Background information
about yourself (optional); (2) overview or general comments; and (3)
specific comments. Section one may include background information about
yourself including: your name(s), organization(s), area(s) of
expertise, and contact information, such as mailing address, telephone
and fax numbers, and e-mail address(s). Section two should consist of
overview or general comments on the document and should be numbered.
Section three should consist of comments that are specific to
particular pages, paragraphs, or lines in the document and should
identify the page and line numbers to which they apply. Please number
and print identifying information at the top of all pages.
Public comments may be submitted from April 7, 2006, through May 8,
2006.
Dated: April 3, 2006.
David Kennedy,
Manager, Coral Reef Conservation Program.
[FR Doc. 06-3339 Filed 4-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-M
