Arctic Research Commission – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to public law, which states that any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Commission shall be filled, after notice of the vacancy is published in the Federal Register, in the manner in which the original appointment was made, for the remainder of the unexpired term. This notice is published to comply with the aforesaid requirement.

The U.S. Arctic Research Commission is drafting its biennial report to the President an Congress on goals for the U.S. Arctic research program, due in January 2007. This notice is an invitation to the Arctic research community and the public at large to provide recommendations to the Commission for consideration in its ``Report on Goals and Objectives 2007.'' Arctic research is conducted by 15 agencies of the United States government and is coordinated by the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) chaired by the National Science Foundation. Recent focus of U.S. Arctic research spans a number of goals and objectives including the study of Arctic climate change, geophysics, health of Arctic ecosystems, health of Arctic residents, assessment of Arctic resources, and studies of Arctic infrastructure. Under the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984, the seven citizen members of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission provide goals for that program which, if approved by the President, are incorporated into the nation's five year Arctic Research Plan. In its last report in 2005, submitted to the President and Congress, the Commission sought five broad research objectives for programs integrated across Federal agencies. The Commission also made specific recommendations to Federal agencies for work within their own programs, for international coordination of research and for investment in Arctic research infrastructure. The public is invited to participate in the Commission's formulation of its recommendations for the 2007 Goals Report. We invite your comments and recommendations regarding the future U.S. Arctic research program and the Arctic research priorities of the Federal agencies. Comments should be addressed to Kathy Farrow at the Commission offices by e-mail at k.farrow@arctic.gov (in the subject line please insert ``goals report'') or by fax 1-703-525-0114, and should be received at the Commission's Arlington, Virginia office by no later than 1 July 2006. The Commission will meet to hear public comment and invited testimony regarding the future U.S. Arctic research program on the following dates: