Technical Inputs and Assessment Capacity on Topics Related to 2013 U.S. National Climate Assessment, 41217-41219 [2011-17379]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 134 / Wednesday, July 13, 2011 / Notices
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BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[Docket No. #110614333–1333–01]
Technical Inputs and Assessment
Capacity on Topics Related to 2013
U.S. National Climate Assessment
Office of Oceanic and
Atmospheric Research (OAR) National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Department of
Commerce (DOC).
Request for Information: Technical
Inputs and Assessment Capacity Related
to Regional, Sectoral, and Cross-Cutting
Assessments for the 2013 U.S. National
Climate Assessment (NCA) Report and
the Ongoing NCA Process.
ACTION: Request for information.
AGENCY:
This request for information
(RFI) seeks comments and expressions
of interest from the public in providing
technical inputs and/or offering
assessment capacity on topics related to
National Climate Assessment (NCA)
regional, sectoral, and cross-cutting
topics proposed for the 2013 NCA report
and the ongoing NCA process. More
information on the NCA process,
including the strategic plan, proposed
report outline, and information about
the National Climate Assessment
Development and Advisory Committee
(NCADAC), can be found at https://
assessment.globalchange.gov.
Teams of experts and/or individuals
in climate-related fields (‘‘teams’’)
interested in providing inputs to the
NCA are encouraged to review the
‘‘Potential Technical Inputs and
Assessment Capacities’’ and ‘‘Suggested
Best Practices’’ available online at
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:36 Jul 12, 2011
Jkt 223001
https://www.globalchange.gov/what-wedo/assessment/backgroundprocess/
notices and to prepare a short
expression of interest (EOI) describing
their anticipated inputs. All EOIs
submitted in response to this notice
must include a primary point of contact
and contact information (phone number,
mailing address, e-mail address, Web
site if applicable, institutional
affiliation(s) if applicable). In addition,
it is recommended that EOIs include the
specific NCA topic(s) of interest, a short
description of the input(s) the team
intends to provide, and background
information about the team and
sponsoring organization.
A full draft of the NCA report is
anticipated by mid-2012, so that
scientific and subject-matter experts and
the broader public will have sufficient
time to review the draft and provide
comments to the NCADAC on its
content. A full year is planned to review
and revise the report, with a planned
release in mid-2013. Technical inputs
should be provided well in advance of
these deadlines, with target dates for
activities and inputs as follows:
• Now–Summer 2011: Expressions of
interest; Initial work plans.
• Now–Fall 2011: Teams conduct
activities (workshops, literature reviews,
modeling runs, etc.).
• December 2011–February 1, 2012:
Initial inputs, including draft reports.
• March 1, 2012: Final inputs,
including full reports.
• After March 1, 2012: Continued
development and delivery of ongoing
assessment capacity.
While the NCADAC welcomes inputs to
the NCA, it is not able to make
commitments about how these inputs
will be used in the 2013 NCA report. In
addition, neither the US Global Change
Research Program (USGCRP) nor the
NCADAC are responsible for funding
the work of teams that choose to provide
inputs. This notice pertains only to the
underlying data, reports, other technical
inputs, and assessment capacities
offered to the NCA, and not to the
writing of the 2013 NCA report, which
is under the purview of the NCADAC.
Although the emphasis in this RFI is on
contributions made in time for the 2013
NCA report, contributions that are not
received in time for the report will be
retained and may be used in the
ongoing, sustained assessment process.
Some assessment contributions may be
specifically targeted to such an ongoing
process.
All submissions will be provided to
the NCADAC. Ultimately, technical
inputs that are determined to meet
information quality and scientific rigor
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
41217
standards (expected to be developed by
the NCADAC in the coming months)
may be posted in the publicly-accessible
NCA online database. In the interim,
teams are encouraged to review Federal
information quality requirements
(available from https://
www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/
omb/fedreg/reproducible2.pdf ) for
general guidance.
Response Instructions: General
comments and expressions of interest
should be submitted via e-mail to Emily
Therese Cloyd, NCA Public
Participation and Engagement
Coordinator, at ecloyd@usgcrp.gov. The
suggested format for the expressions of
interest is described below.
Comments and expressions of interest
may be submitted at any time and will
be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Responses to this notice cannot be
accepted by the government to form a
binding contract or issue a grant.
Information obtained as a result of this
request may be used by the government
for program planning on a nonattribution basis. Do not include any
information that might be considered
proprietary or confidential.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any
questions about the content of this
request should be sent to Emily Therese
Cloyd, NCA Public Participation and
Engagement Coordinator, US Global
Change Research Program Office, 1717
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Suite 250,
Washington, DC 20006, Telephone (202)
223–6262, Fax (202) 223–3065, e-mail
ecloyd@usgcrp.gov. For more
information about the NCA process,
including the strategic plan, proposed
report outline, and information about
the NCADAC, please visit https://
assessment.globalchange.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background. The National Climate
Assessment (NCA) is being conducted
under the auspices of the U.S. Global
Change Research Program (USGCRP),
pursuant to the Global Change Research
Act of 1990, Section 106, which requires
that: ‘‘On a periodic basis (not less
frequently than every 4 years), the
Council [the National Science and
Technology Council], through the
Committee [the Global Change Research
Committee], shall prepare and submit to
the President and Congress an
assessment which—
1. Integrates, evaluates, and interprets
the findings of the [USGCR] Program
and discusses the scientific
uncertainties associated with such
findings;
2. Analyzes the effects of global
change and the natural environment,
agriculture, energy production and use,
E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM
13JYN1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
41218
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 134 / Wednesday, July 13, 2011 / Notices
land and water resources,
transportation, human health and
welfare, human social systems, and
biological diversity; and
3. Analyzes current trends in global
change, both human-induced and
natural, and projects major trends for
the subsequent 25 to 100 years.’’
Previous NCA reports have been built
largely around Federal agency-led
studies and technical reports and have
primarily drawn on the peer-reviewed
literature, but have also in special cases
included unique data collections or
technical inputs from various outside
sources. These inputs, including the
agency-led Synthesis and Assessment
Products (2006–2009), have informed
the Federal advisory committees that
produced integrated, comprehensive
NCA reports in 2000 and 2009. With
this notice, the National Assessment
Development and Advisory Committee
(NCADAC) is specifically seeking
contributions of technical inputs and/or
offers of assessment capacity from nonFederal sources.
Although the 2013 NCA report and
subsequent reports will continue to
depend heavily on Federal agency
leadership and corresponding technical
reports, the NCADAC recognizes and
seeks to leverage the important and
growing distributed science capabilities
and core competencies across the U.S.
Indeed, it is a goal of the NCA process
to increase assessment capacity both
within and outside of the Federal
government. Expertise within state and
local governments, non-governmental
organizations, impacted communities,
professional societies, and private
industry represent currently untapped
assets and diverse scientific and
technical perspectives, especially as
they relate to the value of climate and
global change information for decision
making. Managing and reconciling such
diverse viewpoints will not be easy, but
ultimately, if done correctly and well,
will result in future NCA reports that
are better informed and more useful for
decision makers both inside and outside
of Federal government. The inputs
requested here will become a resource
to be considered by the NCADAC and
should not be confused with the
chapters of the NCA report itself. All
inputs received, including both
technical inputs and offers of
assessment capacity, will be made
available to the NCADAC. The USGCRP
cannot arrange for or provide funding to
support the work of teams that express
interest in providing inputs to the NCA.
A full draft of the NCA report is
anticipated by mid-2012, so that
scientific and subject-matter experts and
the broader public will have sufficient
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:36 Jul 12, 2011
Jkt 223001
time to review the draft and provide
comments to the NCADAC on its
content. A full year is planned to review
and revise the report, with a planned
release in mid-2013. Technical inputs
should be provided well in advance of
these deadlines, with target dates for
activities and inputs as follows:
• Now–Summer 2011: Expressions of
interest; Initial work plans.
• Now–Fall 2011: Teams conduct
activities (workshops, literature reviews,
modeling runs, etc.).
• December 2011–February 1, 2012:
Initial inputs, including draft reports.
• March 1, 2012: Final inputs,
including full reports.
• After March 1, 2012: Continued
development and delivery of ongoing
assessment capacity.
Teams are encouraged to provide their
inputs as quickly as possible (i.e., ahead
of these target dates), to facilitate review
by the NCADAC. Failure to provide
inputs in a timely way means that the
information may not be considered in
the preparation of the 2013 report,
although it could still be considered
with respect to subsequent assessment
products or be made available online as
an NCA resource if documentation
requirements have been met.
For more information on the NCA
process, including the strategic plan,
proposed report outline, and
information about the NCADAC, please
visit https://
assessment.globalchange.gov.
Request for Expressions of Interest.
Teams of experts and/or individuals in
climate-related fields (‘‘teams’’) are
invited to submit expressions of interest
(EOI) in providing technical inputs and/
or offering assessment capacity
(collectively ‘‘inputs’’) on one or more
topics related to National Climate
Assessment regional, sectoral, and
cross-cutting topics proposed for the
2013 report and to the ongoing NCA
process. The full list of topics proposed
for the report and information about the
ongoing NCA process is available from
https://www.globalchange.gov/what-wedo/assessment/backgroundprocess.
Teams are encouraged to maximize
transparency, openness, and
information quality in their inputs. Only
inputs centered on documented
evidence, expert elicitation, and
defensible scientific foundations are
likely to be considered by the NCADAC.
Peer reviewed literature and public data
sources should be cited to the maximum
extent feasible. Any data that are used
in these inputs need to be publicly
available, the analyses and approaches
should be documented, and the
conclusions able to be confirmed by
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Fmt 4703
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independent scientific evaluation
processes. Ultimately, such inputs will
help populate an online database of
NCA-related activities and products,
which will be made available to the
NCADAC and to the general public.
Teams are encouraged to also publish
their inputs via other methods (e.g., in
scientific or technical journals).
Teams interested in providing inputs
to the NCA are encouraged to review the
‘‘Potential Technical Inputs and
Assessment Capacities’’ and ‘‘Suggested
Best Practices’’ available online at
https://www.globalchange.gov/what-wedo/assessment/backgroundprocess/
notices and to prepare a short EOI (up
to but not exceeding two pages, plus a
list of key participants and affiliations)
describing their anticipated inputs. All
EOIs submitted in response to this
notice must include a primary point of
contact and contact information (phone
number, mailing address, e-mail
address, Web site if applicable,
institutional affiliation(s) if applicable).
In addition, it is recommended that
EOIs include:
• NCA topic(s) of interest, including
Æ Scope and specific range of issues
to be addressed (reference NCA report
outline topics and/or NCA objectives).
Æ Spatial and temporal scales as
appropriate.
Æ Plans for developing and/or using
scenarios that will frame the analysis.
• A short description of the specific
input(s) that the team intends to provide
(see ‘‘Potential Technical Inputs and
Assessment Capacities’’ available online
at https://www.globalchange.gov/whatwe-do/assessment/backgroundprocess/
notices), including the ability to provide
adequate resources to support the
creation of these inputs in a timely
manner
• Background information about the
team and sponsoring organization(s)
Æ Team members.
■ Names and affiliations.
■ Short biographies (preferably 1
paragraph each, no more than 1 page per
person) of key team members, including
areas of expertise, previous assessment
experience, and current role in the
climate/global change arena.
Æ Sponsoring organization(s), if
appropriate.
■ Short history and mission.
■ Current role in the climate/global
change arena.
■ Number and type of members,
stakeholders, or general public served
by the organization.
■ Typical scale(s) at which the
organization works and/or has expertise
(international, national, regional/state,
or local).
E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 134 / Wednesday, July 13, 2011 / Notices
■ Type of organization (government,
private sector, non-profit, academia,
etc.).
EOIs should be submitted via e-mail to
Emily Therese Cloyd, NCA Public
Participation and Engagement
Coordinator, at ecloyd@usgcrp.gov. Ms.
Cloyd will direct EOIs, as appropriate,
to NCA coordinators for the relevant
topics and to appropriate members of
the NCADAC. Teams may also contact
Ms. Cloyd with additional questions or
comments about the NCA report and
process.
EOIs may be submitted at any time
and will be reviewed on a rolling basis;
teams should expect acknowledgement
of receipt of their EOI within two weeks
of submission. EOIs will be shared with
the NCADAC. EOIs will not be used as
pre-approval mechanisms for the
submission of inputs; any feedback
provided on submitted EOIs will be
primarily aimed at ensuring inputs will
be responsive to the needs of the NCA.
EOIs will allow the NCADAC to
anticipate contributions from teams and
facilitate coordination and cooperation
across teams that express interest in
similar topics. The purpose of the EOIs
and any subsequent involvement of
NCA staff and the NCADAC is not to
constrain the efforts of teams, but rather
to improve coverage, identify gaps, and
reduce redundancies amongst all of the
inputs. Ultimately, the inputs remain
the work of the teams that produce them
and will be presented as such to the
NCADAC.
Dated: July 6, 2011.
Terry Bevels,
Deputy Chief Financial Officer/Chief
Administrative Officer, Office of Oceanic and
Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011–17379 Filed 7–12–11; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Reserve Forces Policy Board (RFPB);
Cancellation of Meeting
Department of Defense; Office
of the Secretary of Defense Reserve
Forces Policy Board.
ACTION: Notice of advisory committee
meeting cancellation.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY:
On June 16, 2011 (76 FR
35191), the Department of Defense
Reserve Policy Board announced a
meeting to be held July 26–27, 2011,
from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the
Pentagon in conference room 3E863.
Pursuant to the Federal Advisory
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:36 Jul 12, 2011
Jkt 223001
Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C.,
Appendix, as amended), the Sunshine
in the Government Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C.
552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102–
3.150, the Department of Defense
announces that the Federal advisory
committee meeting is cancelled due to
a lack of a quorum with the exception
of an administrative work meeting that
will be conducted on July 26, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
LtCol Kenneth Olivo, Designated
Federal Officer, (703) 697–4486 (Voice),
(703) 693–5371 (Facsimile),
RFPB@osd.mil. Mailing address is
Reserve Forces Policy Board, 7300
Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC
20301–7300. Web site: https://
ra.defense.gov/rfpb/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Agenda: An administrative work
meeting will be conducted on July 26,
2011.
Meeting Accessibility: Pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 552b, as amended, and 41 CFR
102–3.140 through 102–3.165, this
administrative meeting is not open to
the public.
Written Statements: Pursuant to 41
CFR 102–3.105(j) and 102–3.140, the
public or interested organizations may
submit written statements to the
membership of the Reserve Forces
Policy Board at any time or in response
to the stated agenda of a planned
meeting. Written statements should be
submitted to the Reserve Forces Policy
Board’s Designated Federal Officer. The
Designated Federal Officer’s contact
information can be obtained from the
GSA’s FACA Database—https://
www.fido.gov/facadatabase/public.asp.
Written statements that do not pertain
to a scheduled meeting of the Reserve
Forces Policy Board may be submitted
at any time. However, if individual
comments pertain to a specific topic
being discussed at a planned meeting
then these statements must be submitted
no later than five business days prior to
the meeting in question. The Designated
Federal Officer will review all
submitted written statements and
provide copies to all the committee
members.
Dated: July 7, 2011.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2011–17557 Filed 7–12–11; 8:45 am]
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41219
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Board of Regents of the Uniformed
Services University of the Health
Sciences
Department of Defense;
Uniformed Services University of the
Health Sciences.
ACTION: Quarterly meeting notice.
AGENCY:
Under the provisions of the
Federal Advisory Committee Act of
1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended)
and the Sunshine in the Government
Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as
amended), this notice announces the
following meeting of the Board of
Regents of the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences
(USU).
SUMMARY:
Tuesday, August 9, 2011.
8 a.m. to 11 a.m. (Open Session)
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Closed Session)
ADDRESSES: Everett Alvarez Jr. Board of
Regents Room (D3001), Uniformed
Services University of the Health
Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road,
Bethesda, Maryland 20814.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Janet S. Taylor, Designated Federal
Officer, 4301 Jones Bridge Road,
Bethesda, Maryland 20814; telephone
301–295–3066. Ms. Taylor can also
provide base access procedures.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of the Meeting: Meetings of
the Board of Regents assure that USU
operates in the best traditions of
academia. An outside Board is
necessary for institutional accreditation.
Agenda: The actions that will take
place include the approval of minutes
from the Board of Regents Meeting held
May 20, 2011; acceptance of reports
from working committees;
recommendations regarding the
approval of faculty appointments and
promotions in the School of Medicine
and the Graduate School of Nursing;
and recommendations regarding the
awarding of master’s and doctoral
degrees in the biomedical sciences and
public health. The President, USU will
also present a report. These actions are
necessary for the University to pursue
its mission, which is to provide
outstanding health care practitioners
and scientists to the uniformed services.
Meeting Accessibility: Pursuant to
Federal statute and regulations (5 U.S.C.
552b, as amended, and 41 CFR 102–
3.140 through 102–3.165) and the
availability of space, most of the
meeting is open to the public. Seating is
on a first-come basis. Members of the
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 134 (Wednesday, July 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41217-41219]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17379]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 110614333-1333-01]
Technical Inputs and Assessment Capacity on Topics Related to
2013 U.S. National Climate Assessment
AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce
(DOC).
Request for Information: Technical Inputs and Assessment Capacity
Related to Regional, Sectoral, and Cross-Cutting Assessments for the
2013 U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA) Report and the Ongoing NCA
Process.
ACTION: Request for information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This request for information (RFI) seeks comments and
expressions of interest from the public in providing technical inputs
and/or offering assessment capacity on topics related to National
Climate Assessment (NCA) regional, sectoral, and cross-cutting topics
proposed for the 2013 NCA report and the ongoing NCA process. More
information on the NCA process, including the strategic plan, proposed
report outline, and information about the National Climate Assessment
Development and Advisory Committee (NCADAC), can be found at https://assessment.globalchange.gov.
Teams of experts and/or individuals in climate-related fields
(``teams'') interested in providing inputs to the NCA are encouraged to
review the ``Potential Technical Inputs and Assessment Capacities'' and
``Suggested Best Practices'' available online at https://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/backgroundprocess/notices
and to prepare a short expression of interest (EOI) describing their
anticipated inputs. All EOIs submitted in response to this notice must
include a primary point of contact and contact information (phone
number, mailing address, e-mail address, Web site if applicable,
institutional affiliation(s) if applicable). In addition, it is
recommended that EOIs include the specific NCA topic(s) of interest, a
short description of the input(s) the team intends to provide, and
background information about the team and sponsoring organization.
A full draft of the NCA report is anticipated by mid-2012, so that
scientific and subject-matter experts and the broader public will have
sufficient time to review the draft and provide comments to the NCADAC
on its content. A full year is planned to review and revise the report,
with a planned release in mid-2013. Technical inputs should be provided
well in advance of these deadlines, with target dates for activities
and inputs as follows:
Now-Summer 2011: Expressions of interest; Initial work
plans.
Now-Fall 2011: Teams conduct activities (workshops,
literature reviews, modeling runs, etc.).
December 2011-February 1, 2012: Initial inputs, including
draft reports.
March 1, 2012: Final inputs, including full reports.
After March 1, 2012: Continued development and delivery of
ongoing assessment capacity.
While the NCADAC welcomes inputs to the NCA, it is not able to make
commitments about how these inputs will be used in the 2013 NCA report.
In addition, neither the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) nor
the NCADAC are responsible for funding the work of teams that choose to
provide inputs. This notice pertains only to the underlying data,
reports, other technical inputs, and assessment capacities offered to
the NCA, and not to the writing of the 2013 NCA report, which is under
the purview of the NCADAC. Although the emphasis in this RFI is on
contributions made in time for the 2013 NCA report, contributions that
are not received in time for the report will be retained and may be
used in the ongoing, sustained assessment process. Some assessment
contributions may be specifically targeted to such an ongoing process.
All submissions will be provided to the NCADAC. Ultimately,
technical inputs that are determined to meet information quality and
scientific rigor standards (expected to be developed by the NCADAC in
the coming months) may be posted in the publicly-accessible NCA online
database. In the interim, teams are encouraged to review Federal
information quality requirements (available from https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/fedreg/reproducible2.pdf )
for general guidance.
Response Instructions: General comments and expressions of interest
should be submitted via e-mail to Emily Therese Cloyd, NCA Public
Participation and Engagement Coordinator, at ecloyd@usgcrp.gov. The
suggested format for the expressions of interest is described below.
Comments and expressions of interest may be submitted at any time
and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Responses to this notice cannot be accepted by the government to
form a binding contract or issue a grant. Information obtained as a
result of this request may be used by the government for program
planning on a non-attribution basis. Do not include any information
that might be considered proprietary or confidential.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any questions about the content of
this request should be sent to Emily Therese Cloyd, NCA Public
Participation and Engagement Coordinator, US Global Change Research
Program Office, 1717 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Suite 250, Washington, DC
20006, Telephone (202) 223-6262, Fax (202) 223-3065, e-mail
ecloyd@usgcrp.gov. For more information about the NCA process,
including the strategic plan, proposed report outline, and information
about the NCADAC, please visit https://assessment.globalchange.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background. The National Climate Assessment (NCA) is being
conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Global Change Research Program
(USGCRP), pursuant to the Global Change Research Act of 1990, Section
106, which requires that: ``On a periodic basis (not less frequently
than every 4 years), the Council [the National Science and Technology
Council], through the Committee [the Global Change Research Committee],
shall prepare and submit to the President and Congress an assessment
which--
1. Integrates, evaluates, and interprets the findings of the
[USGCR] Program and discusses the scientific uncertainties associated
with such findings;
2. Analyzes the effects of global change and the natural
environment, agriculture, energy production and use,
[[Page 41218]]
land and water resources, transportation, human health and welfare,
human social systems, and biological diversity; and
3. Analyzes current trends in global change, both human-induced and
natural, and projects major trends for the subsequent 25 to 100
years.''
Previous NCA reports have been built largely around Federal agency-
led studies and technical reports and have primarily drawn on the peer-
reviewed literature, but have also in special cases included unique
data collections or technical inputs from various outside sources.
These inputs, including the agency-led Synthesis and Assessment
Products (2006-2009), have informed the Federal advisory committees
that produced integrated, comprehensive NCA reports in 2000 and 2009.
With this notice, the National Assessment Development and Advisory
Committee (NCADAC) is specifically seeking contributions of technical
inputs and/or offers of assessment capacity from non-Federal sources.
Although the 2013 NCA report and subsequent reports will continue
to depend heavily on Federal agency leadership and corresponding
technical reports, the NCADAC recognizes and seeks to leverage the
important and growing distributed science capabilities and core
competencies across the U.S. Indeed, it is a goal of the NCA process to
increase assessment capacity both within and outside of the Federal
government. Expertise within state and local governments, non-
governmental organizations, impacted communities, professional
societies, and private industry represent currently untapped assets and
diverse scientific and technical perspectives, especially as they
relate to the value of climate and global change information for
decision making. Managing and reconciling such diverse viewpoints will
not be easy, but ultimately, if done correctly and well, will result in
future NCA reports that are better informed and more useful for
decision makers both inside and outside of Federal government. The
inputs requested here will become a resource to be considered by the
NCADAC and should not be confused with the chapters of the NCA report
itself. All inputs received, including both technical inputs and offers
of assessment capacity, will be made available to the NCADAC. The
USGCRP cannot arrange for or provide funding to support the work of
teams that express interest in providing inputs to the NCA.
A full draft of the NCA report is anticipated by mid-2012, so that
scientific and subject-matter experts and the broader public will have
sufficient time to review the draft and provide comments to the NCADAC
on its content. A full year is planned to review and revise the report,
with a planned release in mid-2013. Technical inputs should be provided
well in advance of these deadlines, with target dates for activities
and inputs as follows:
Now-Summer 2011: Expressions of interest; Initial work
plans.
Now-Fall 2011: Teams conduct activities (workshops,
literature reviews, modeling runs, etc.).
December 2011-February 1, 2012: Initial inputs, including
draft reports.
March 1, 2012: Final inputs, including full reports.
After March 1, 2012: Continued development and delivery of
ongoing assessment capacity.
Teams are encouraged to provide their inputs as quickly as possible
(i.e., ahead of these target dates), to facilitate review by the
NCADAC. Failure to provide inputs in a timely way means that the
information may not be considered in the preparation of the 2013
report, although it could still be considered with respect to
subsequent assessment products or be made available online as an NCA
resource if documentation requirements have been met.
For more information on the NCA process, including the strategic
plan, proposed report outline, and information about the NCADAC, please
visit https://assessment.globalchange.gov.
Request for Expressions of Interest. Teams of experts and/or
individuals in climate-related fields (``teams'') are invited to submit
expressions of interest (EOI) in providing technical inputs and/or
offering assessment capacity (collectively ``inputs'') on one or more
topics related to National Climate Assessment regional, sectoral, and
cross-cutting topics proposed for the 2013 report and to the ongoing
NCA process. The full list of topics proposed for the report and
information about the ongoing NCA process is available from https://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/backgroundprocess.
Teams are encouraged to maximize transparency, openness, and
information quality in their inputs. Only inputs centered on documented
evidence, expert elicitation, and defensible scientific foundations are
likely to be considered by the NCADAC. Peer reviewed literature and
public data sources should be cited to the maximum extent feasible. Any
data that are used in these inputs need to be publicly available, the
analyses and approaches should be documented, and the conclusions able
to be confirmed by independent scientific evaluation processes.
Ultimately, such inputs will help populate an online database of NCA-
related activities and products, which will be made available to the
NCADAC and to the general public. Teams are encouraged to also publish
their inputs via other methods (e.g., in scientific or technical
journals).
Teams interested in providing inputs to the NCA are encouraged to
review the ``Potential Technical Inputs and Assessment Capacities'' and
``Suggested Best Practices'' available online at https://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/backgroundprocess/notices
and to prepare a short EOI (up to but not exceeding two pages, plus a
list of key participants and affiliations) describing their anticipated
inputs. All EOIs submitted in response to this notice must include a
primary point of contact and contact information (phone number, mailing
address, e-mail address, Web site if applicable, institutional
affiliation(s) if applicable). In addition, it is recommended that EOIs
include:
NCA topic(s) of interest, including
[cir] Scope and specific range of issues to be addressed (reference
NCA report outline topics and/or NCA objectives).
[cir] Spatial and temporal scales as appropriate.
[cir] Plans for developing and/or using scenarios that will frame
the analysis.
A short description of the specific input(s) that the team
intends to provide (see ``Potential Technical Inputs and Assessment
Capacities'' available online at https://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/backgroundprocess/notices), including the ability to
provide adequate resources to support the creation of these inputs in a
timely manner
Background information about the team and sponsoring
organization(s)
[cir] Team members.
[squf] Names and affiliations.
[squf] Short biographies (preferably 1 paragraph each, no more than
1 page per person) of key team members, including areas of expertise,
previous assessment experience, and current role in the climate/global
change arena.
[cir] Sponsoring organization(s), if appropriate.
[squf] Short history and mission.
[squf] Current role in the climate/global change arena.
[squf] Number and type of members, stakeholders, or general public
served by the organization.
[squf] Typical scale(s) at which the organization works and/or has
expertise (international, national, regional/state, or local).
[[Page 41219]]
[squf] Type of organization (government, private sector, non-
profit, academia, etc.).
EOIs should be submitted via e-mail to Emily Therese Cloyd, NCA Public
Participation and Engagement Coordinator, at ecloyd@usgcrp.gov. Ms.
Cloyd will direct EOIs, as appropriate, to NCA coordinators for the
relevant topics and to appropriate members of the NCADAC. Teams may
also contact Ms. Cloyd with additional questions or comments about the
NCA report and process.
EOIs may be submitted at any time and will be reviewed on a rolling
basis; teams should expect acknowledgement of receipt of their EOI
within two weeks of submission. EOIs will be shared with the NCADAC.
EOIs will not be used as pre-approval mechanisms for the submission of
inputs; any feedback provided on submitted EOIs will be primarily aimed
at ensuring inputs will be responsive to the needs of the NCA. EOIs
will allow the NCADAC to anticipate contributions from teams and
facilitate coordination and cooperation across teams that express
interest in similar topics. The purpose of the EOIs and any subsequent
involvement of NCA staff and the NCADAC is not to constrain the efforts
of teams, but rather to improve coverage, identify gaps, and reduce
redundancies amongst all of the inputs. Ultimately, the inputs remain
the work of the teams that produce them and will be presented as such
to the NCADAC.
Dated: July 6, 2011.
Terry Bevels,
Deputy Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer, Office of
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-17379 Filed 7-12-11; 8:45 am]
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