[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35219-35220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15937]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG367


NOAA's Implementation of the Department of Commerce 2018-2022 
Strategic Plan; Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Under Secretary of Commerce (USEC) for Oceans 
and Atmosphere is holding multiple listening sessions to provide 
information and receive stakeholder input regarding implementation of 
the Department of Commerce's 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. Focal topics 
will be implementation of the Weather Research and Forecasting 
Innovation Act of 2017, reducing the seafood trade deficit, supporting 
maritime commerce, fisheries, recreation and tourism. The listening 
sessions will include presentations and time for stakeholder input into 
the development of priority objectives. The meeting topics are 
described under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of the notice.

DATES: The meetings will be held between August and November 2018. For 
specific dates and times, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: Meeting address: The meetings will be held in Norman, OK; 
Juneau, AK; St. Petersburg, FL; Madison, WI; Charleston, SC; Seattle, 
WA; San Diego, CA and Durham, NC. For specific locations, see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Kay Roberts, Director of 
Communications, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; 
telephone: 202-482-6090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) has several initiatives underway to support the 
Department of Commerce (DOC) 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. NOAA will 
address the priority of reducing extreme weather impacts through the 
implementation of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act 
(Act). Among other requirements, the Act directs NOAA to improve 
seasonal and sub-seasonal forecasts, an area of forecasting that 
presents significant opportunity for improvement. NOAA is also 
interested in ideas to expand marine aquaculture across the United 
States as a means of creating quality jobs in coastal communities and 
reducing the seafood trade deficit. Other aspects to support domestic 
fisheries include reducing regulatory burden for wild-caught fisheries, 
implementing and enforcing recent regulations that establish minimum 
standards for imported seafood, and increasing foreign market access 
for U.S. seafood products. NOAA is also interested in pursuing efforts 
to support commerce through expanding precision maritime navigation 
products, ecotourism through the National Marine Sanctuaries Program, 
and harnessing the deep sea through ocean exploration. NOAA also 
intends to re-energize the National Oceanographic Partnership Program--
a federal program that facilitates public-private partnerships to fund 
marine research.
    For the listening sessions, the Office of Under Secretary of 
Commerce (USEC) for Oceans and Atmosphere will present background on 
these ideas and solicit comment from stakeholders. The focus of each 
public meeting and structure of public comment will be at the 
discretion of the presenters and NOAA staff. The USEC schedule, 
location, and agenda for the following eight meetings are as follows 
with exact times and locations to be released at least 14 days in 
advance of the events at http://www.noaa.gov/stories/noaa-starts-nationwide-listening-sessions:

[[Page 35220]]

Meetings: Schedule, Location, and Agenda

1. Thursday, August 30, Norman, OK

    Agenda: To discuss implementation of The Weather Act, including the 
development of a community-based weather model.

2. Friday, August 31, Juneau, Alaska

    Agenda: To discuss opportunities to reduce the nation's seafood 
trade deficit, and promote marine commerce and tourism.

3. Monday, September 10, St. Petersburg, Florida

    Agenda: To discuss advancing commercial and recreational fisheries, 
technology development and tourism.

4. Wednesday, September 12, Madison, Wisconsin

    Agenda: To discuss implementation of The Weather Act, including the 
development of a community-based weather model.

5. Thursday, October 4, Seattle, Washington

    Agenda: To discuss implementation of The Weather Act, including the 
development of a community-based weather model.

6. Tuesday, October 23, Charleston, SC

    Agenda: To discuss opportunities to improve the efficiency of U.S. 
ports, reduce the seafood trade deficit, and expand exploration of the 
nation's Exclusive Economic Zone.

7. Thursday, November 1, Durham, NC

    Agenda: To discuss implementation of The Weather Act, including the 
development of a community-based weather model, opportunities to reduce 
the nation's seafood trade deficit, and ocean exploration.

8. Friday, November 9, San Diego, California

    Agenda: To discuss opportunities to improve the efficiency of U.S. 
ports, promote domestic aquaculture production, and expand exploration 
of the nation's Exclusive Economic Zone.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Julie Kay Roberts; 202-482-6090, 
at least 10 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.

    Dated: July 20, 2018.
Tim Gallaudet,
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Acting 
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-15937 Filed 7-24-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-12-P