Office of Science and Technology Policy 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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), requests comment on the draft Common Framework for Earth-observation data (referred to in this document as ``the Common Framework''). The draft Common Framework will be posted at https://www.whitehouse.gov/ administration/eop/ostp/library/shareyourinput. Comments of approximately five pages or less in length (up to 20,000 characters) are requested and must be received by 8 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), January 15, 2016 to be considered. The public input provided in response to this Notice will inform USGEO as it works to develop the Common Framework.

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council and in collaboration with the European Commission, will host meetings for the U.S.-EU Communities of Research (CORs) on the topic of environmental, health, and safety issues related to nanomaterials (nanoEHS) between the publication date of this Notice and September 30, 2016. The CORs are a platform for scientists to develop a shared repertoire of protocols and methods to overcome research gaps and barriers. The co-chairs for each COR will convene meetings and set meeting agendas with administrative support from the European Commission and the NNCO.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to seek suggestions for Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenges for the Next Decade: Ambitious but achievable goals that harness nanoscience, nanotechnology, and innovation to solve important national or global problems and have the potential to capture the public's imagination. This RFI is intended to gather information from external stakeholders about potential grand challenges that will help guide the science and technology priorities of Federal agencies, catalyze new research activities, foster the commercialization of nanotechnologies, and inspire different sectors to invest in achieving the goals. Input is sought from nanotechnology stakeholders including researchers in academia and industry, non-governmental organizations, scientific and professional societies, and all other interested members of the public.

Advanced sequencing technologies have illuminated vast networks of microorganisms that drive essential functions in all environments on Earth. The study of these communities of microorganisms, or microbiomes, is nascent, and the potential of microbiome research has only begun to be tapped. Primary to achieving this potential is a functional understanding of microbiomes, which would be greatly advanced by addressing fundamental questions common to all fields of microbiome research; developing platform technologies useful to all fields; and identifying gaps in training or fields of research that should be addressed. The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is interested in developing an effort to unify and focus microbiome research across sectors. The views of stakeholdersacademic and industry researchers, private companies, and charitable foundationsare important to inform an understanding of current and future needs in diverse fields.

The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has a legal mandate to conduct a National Climate Assessment (NCA) not less frequently than every four years. Under its current decadal strategic plan (https://go.usa.gov/3qGU4), USGCRP is building sustained assessment capacity to support the Nation's ability to understand, anticipate, and respond to global change impacts and vulnerabilities. The recent Third NCA process and resulting 2014 Report (https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/) provide a foundation for subsequent activities and reports under the sustained assessment process. More broadly, climate assessments increasingly involve participation and leadership by state, local, and tribal governments as well as the private sector. Noting these developments in the climate assessment landscape, USGCRP seeks ideas about (1) what scientific information on climate change, impacts, and responses would be of most value to inform future assessment activities; (2) how to effectively communicate climate change assessment information; and (3) what mechanisms could be used to more effectively connect to other assessment-related efforts. Public responses to these questions will be evaluated and, if appropriate, used to inform the structure and content of USGCRP's sustained National Climate Assessment process. Updates on the sustained assessment will be posted on the NCA Web site (https:// assessment.globalchange.gov) as they are available.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy published a document in the Federal Register Notice, 2015-05906, on March 16, 2015, pages 13639-13641, concerning a Request for Public Comment on the Impact of the Select Agent Regulations. The document contains incorrect dates as we wish to extend the comment period to April 10, 2015, 5 p.m. ET.

Public comment is requested on the impact that the Select Agent Regulations have had on science, technology, and national security, and on the benefits, costs, and limitations of these regulations. Drawing on these comments and other information available to it, a Fast Track Action Committee under the Committee on Homeland and National Security of the National Science and Technology Council will review the impacts and consider options to address the identified challenges or gaps concerning those regulations. Comments of up to three pages or fewer (12,000 characters) are requested and must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on March 30, 2015 to be considered.