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

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), will hold a series of webinars focusing on the experiences, successes, and challenges for small- and medium-sized businesses working in nanotechnology and on issues of interest to the business community. The first webinar in the series will be held Thursday, January 15, 2015.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit input from interested parties on: (1) The current and near-term state of microsatellite technologies, and (2) whether microsatellite systems will be capable of meeting current and future civil Earth- observing needs. Public input provided in response to this RFI will inform the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) as to the state of technologies associated with microsatellites to meet the Nation's civil Earth observational requirements.

On February 22, 2013, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published a 60-day public notice in the Federal Register (Federal Register Volume 78, Number 36, Docket No. 2013-04127) to invite public comment on the proposed United States Government Policy for Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern (hereafter, Policy for Institutional DURC Oversight or Policy). This Notice responds to comments received during this 60-day public notice, sets forth final changes to the Policy for Institutional DURC Oversight, and implements the final Policy for Institutional DURC Oversight. The Policy for Institutional DURC Oversight will be updated, as needed, following domestic dialogue, international engagement, and input from interested communities including scientists, national security officials, and global health specialists and announced in the Federal Register and at https://www.phe.gov/s3/dualuse.

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), will hold a technical interchange meeting entitled ``Realizing the Promise of Carbon NanotubesChallenges, Opportunities and the Pathway to Commercialization'' on September 15, 2014. The meeting will be sponsored by the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) and co-sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The objectives of this meeting are to identify, discuss, and report the technical barriers preventing the production of carbon nanotube-based materials with electrical and mechanical properties approaching theoretical values, and to explore ways to overcome these barriers. Obstacles preventing the full exploitation of the multifunctional nature of carbon nanotube materials will also be discussed. This one-day meeting will assemble some of the Nation's leading experts in carbon nanotube research and development, as well as executives and experts from the Federal government, academia, and private sector.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Economic Council request public comments to provide input into an upcoming update of the Strategy for American Innovation, which helps to guide the Administration's efforts to promote lasting economic growth and competitiveness through policies that support transformative American innovation in products, processes, and services and spur new fundamental discoveries that in the long run lead to growing economic prosperity and rising living standards. These efforts include policies to promote critical components of the American innovation ecosystem, including scientific research and development (R&D), technical workforce, entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, advanced manufacturing, and others. The strategy also provides an important framework to channel these Federal investments in innovation capacity towards innovative activity for specific national priorities. The public input provided through this notice will inform the deliberations of the National Economic Council and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, which are together responsible for publishing an updated Strategy for American Innovation.

This Request for Information (RFI) solicits input from the public regarding interagency research awards via competitive grants, contracts, or other vehicles provided by a Federal agency to a researcher at a Federal laboratory that is managed, owned, or operated by another Federal agency. Applicable research awards include extramural research awards awarded to intramural researchers in Federal laboratories. Federal laboratories include Government-Owned, Government-Operated laboratories (GOGOs) and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs). Research awards pay for research projects and supporting resources, including the salaries of the principal investigators. 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 best practices for agencies.

On June 14, 2013, the President issued a Memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies on the subject of spectrum policy (https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/06/14/ presidential-memorandum-expanding-americas-leadership-wireles s- innovatio). The Memorandum directs the White House Spectrum Policy Team to make recommendations regarding market-based or other approaches that could give departments and agencies greater incentive to share or relinquish spectrum, while protecting the mission capabilities of existing and future systems that rely on spectrum use. This notice solicits public input to inform the development of those recommendations.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit input from all interested parties regarding recommendations for the development of a National Plan for Civil Earth Observations (``National Plan''). 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.

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) and in collaboration with the European Commission, will hold the 2013 ``U.S.-EU Bridging NanoEHS Research Efforts'' joint workshop on December 2-3, 2013, in Arlington, Virginia. The workshop will bring together the U.S.-EU Communities of Research (CORs), which are a platform for scientists to develop a shared repertoire of protocols and methods to overcome research gaps and barriers and to address environmental, health, and safety questions about nanomaterials. The goal of this workshop is to publicize progress towards COR goals and objectives, clarify and communicate future plans, share best practices, and identify areas of cross-Community collaboration. NNCO and the European Commission will also host meetings for the CORs on the topic of environmental, health, and safety issues related to nanomaterials between the publication date of this Notice and September 30, 2014. The co-chairs for each COR will convene meetings and set meeting agendas with administrative support from the European Commission and the NNCO. The CORs were proposed at the first U.S.-EU workshop on Bridging NanoEHS Research Efforts, which was held in Washington, DC, in March 2011. Based on feedback from the workshop participants, the following six Communities were launched in 2012: Exposure through the Life Cycle, with Material Characterization Ecotoxicity Testing and Predictive Models, with Material Characterization Predictive Modeling for Human Health, with Material Characterization Databases and Ontologies Risk Assessment Risk Management and Control

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issues this final rule to implement the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as amended. This final rule implements the requirement of the FOIA by setting forth procedures for requesting access to, and making disclosures of, information contained by OSTP. This final rule contains provisions to comply with the President's January 21, 2009, Executive Memoranda on ``The Freedom of Information Act'' and ``Transparency and Open Government,'' and Attorney General Holder's March 19, 2009, Memorandum on ``The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).'' In addition, this rule reflects OSTP's policy and practices and reaffirms its commitment to provide the fullest possible disclosure of records to the public.

The United States Government (USG) invites comments on the proposed United States Government Policy for Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern. The proposed Policy establishes institutional review and oversight requirements for certain categories of life sciences research at institutions that accept Federal funding for such research. These requirements are intended to address risks of dual use research not addressed under existing Federal regulations or guidelines. Requirement for compliance with this Policy, once finalized, will be incorporated by Federal funding agencies in accordance with their relevant statutory authorities, into the terms and conditions of awards with funded institutions that conduct research falling into the categories identified in the Policy. The public input provided through this Notice will inform future deliberations and issuance of a final Policy.

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), will hold a webinar on September 20, 2012 to provide an open forum to answer questions and hear suggestions related to the National Nanotechnology Initiative's (NNI) public Web site, Nano.gov. Nano.gov, the primary mechanism for public engagement, was redesigned in April 2011. NNCO is seeking public comment and recommendations on potential updates to, improvements on, and opportunities for public engagement through Nano.gov.

With this document, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is proposing to issue regulations implementing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The proposed regulations contain provisions to comply with the President's January 21, 2009, Executive Memoranda on ``The Freedom of Information Act'' and ``Transparency and Open Government,'' as well as Attorney General Holder's March 19, 2009, Memorandum on ``The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).'' In addition, the regulations reflect OSTP's policy and practices and reaffirm its commitment to provide the fullest possible disclosure of records to the public.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a conference call of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. The purpose of this conference call is to discuss PCAST's report on undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for an open regional meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), Working Group on Advanced Manufacturing, and describes the functions of the Council and its Working Group.

The RFI is being corrected to change the response date to January 2, 2012 to reflect a 60 day response time. The RFI was published in the Federal Register, Volume 76, Number 214, on November 4, 2011, pages 68517-68518. In accordance with Section 103(b)(6) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (ACRA; Pub. L. 111-358), this Request for Information (RFI) offers the opportunity for interested individuals and organizations to provide recommendations on approaches for ensuring long-term stewardship and encouraging broad public access to unclassified digital data that result from federally funded scientific research. The public input provided through this Notice will inform deliberations of the National Science and Technology Council's Interagency Working Group on Digital Data. Release Date: November 3, 2011. Response Date: January 2, 2012.

In accordance with Section 103(b)(6) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (ACRA; Pub. L. 111-358), this Request for Information (RFI) offers the opportunity for interested individuals and organizations to provide recommendations on approaches for ensuring long-term stewardship and encouraging broad public access to unclassified digital data that result from federally funded scientific research. The public input provided through this Notice will inform deliberations of the National Science and Technology Council's Interagency Working Group on Digital Data. Release Date: November 3, 2011. Response Date: January 12, 2012.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit input from all interested parties regarding recommendations for harnessing biological research innovations to meet national challenges in health, food, energy, and the environment while creating high-wage, high-skill jobs. The public input provided through this Notice will inform the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) as it works with Federal agencies and other stakeholders to develop a National Bioeconomy Blueprint.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for an open regional meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), Working Group on Advanced Manufacturing, and describes the functions of the Council and its Working Group.

The Subcommittee on Forensic Science (SoFS) of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC's) Committee on Science will host a public forum in collaboration with the International Association for Identification (IAI) 96th International Educational Conference. The role of the SoFS is to coordinate Federal activities and advise the Executive Office of the President on national efforts to improve forensic science and its application in America's justice system. This special session will serve to provide the public with the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments on issues related to Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) latent print interoperability.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a partially closed meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a partially closed meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App.

On July 19, 2010, President Obama signed Executive Order 13547 establishing a National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, our Coasts, and the Great Lakes (``National Policy''). That Executive Order adopts the Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force (``Final Recommendations'') and directs Federal agencies to take the appropriate steps to implement them. The Executive Order creates an interagency National Ocean Council (NOC) to strengthen ocean governance and coordination, identifies nine priority actions for the NOC to pursue, and adopts a flexible framework for effective coastal and marine spatial planning to address conservation, economic activity, user conflict, and sustainable use of the ocean, our coasts and the Great Lakes. Purpose: The NOC is announcing its intent to prepare strategic action plans for the nine priority objectives identified in the Final Recommendations and is requesting input on the development of these strategic action plans. (For general information about the NOC and a copy of Executive Order 13547 and the Final Recommendations, please see: https://www.WhiteHouse.gov/oceans). Public comments will inform the preparation of the strategic action plans. All comments will be collated and posted on the NOC Web site. Public Comment: The NOC is seeking public input as it develops the strategic action plans for the priority objectives. To be considered during the development of the draft strategic action plans, comments should be submitted by April 29, 2011. Draft strategic action plans will be released for public review in the summer of 2011, allowing additional opportunity for the public to provide comments. Plans are expected to be completed by the end of 2011. In this public comment period, the NOC is interested in comments that address the opportunities, obstacles, and metrics of progress relevant to each of the priority objectives. Comments should take into account that the strategic action plans should address the key areas identified in the Final Recommendations, including, as appropriate, the importance of integrating local, regional, and national efforts. The NOC is requesting responses to the following questions for each of the priority objectives: What near-term, mid-term, and long-term actions would most effectively help the Nation achieve this policy objective? What are some of the major obstacles to achieving this objective; are there opportunities this objective can further, including transformative changes in how we address the stewardship of the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes? What milestones and performance measures would be most useful for measuring progress toward achieving this priority objective? Comments should be submitted electronically at https:// www.WhiteHouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/comment or can be sent by mail to: National Ocean Council, 722 Jackson Place, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

The Aeronautics Science and Technology Subcommittee (ASTS) of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Committee on Technology will hold a public meeting to review and discuss the National Aeronautics RDT&E Infrastructure Plan. Executive Order (E.O.) 13419National Aeronautics Research and Developmentsigned December 20, 2006, calls for the development of this plan. The plan is guided by both the National Aeronautics Research and Development (R&D) Policy and the National Aeronautics Research and Development Plan that were developed by the NSTC in consonance with E.O. 13419. Dates and Addresses: The meeting will be held in conjunction with the 49th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting at the Orlando World Center Marriott, 8701 World Center Drive, Orlando, Florida 32821 on Friday, January 7, 2011, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Crystal Ballroom A. Information regarding the 49th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting is available at the: https://www.aiaa.org Web site. Note: Persons solely attending this ASTS public meeting do not need to register for the AIAA Conference and Exhibit to attend this public meeting. There will be no admission charge for persons solely attending the public meeting. Seating is limited and will be on a first come, first served basis.