The National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council (NOMEC Council), a group of federal agencies established to carry out the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone, requests your input on developing an Implementation Plan and setting strategic priorities for the effort to map the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by 2040 and explore and characterize strategic areas.
Target Audience:
The NOMEC Council seeks input from non-federal stakeholders interested mapping, exploration, and characterization from all sectors, including academia, non-profit, industry, community partners, and other stakeholders.
Request for Comments by November 12 and two Federal Register Notices:
Please email letters and comments to: nomec.execsec@noaa.gov.
You are encouraged to provide advance comments via email on the development of the NOMEC Implementation Plan and the strategic priorities. Please submit comments with subject line “Public Comment on Implementation Plan for the National Strategy” for request #1 and subject line, “Public Comment on Exploration Priorities for the Implementation Plan” for request #2.
- Implementing a National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the U.S. EEZ – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a notice stating that the NOMEC Council requests input from all interested parties on the development of an Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the U.S. EEZ (“National Strategy”). Input should be provided by November 12, 2020. 85 Fed. Reg. 64446 (10/13/20)
- Strategic priorities for mapping, exploring, and characterizing the U.S. EEZ -NOAA issued a second notice stating that the NOMEC Council requests input from all interested parties on the strategic priorities to be included in the Implementation Plan for the National Strategy. Input should be provided by November 12, 2020. 85 Fed. Reg. 64448 (10/13/20) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/10/13/2020-22413/request-for-information-implementation-plan-for-the-national-strategy-for-mapping-exploring-and.
Register to attend the Virtual Public Listening Sessions:
- Session 1, Nov 16, 2-3:30pm EST: Ocean Exploration and Characterization
Register: https://nsf.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItfumsqDwoGIDLdHYa_l4ASgzeK_mWmwI
- Session 2, Nov 18, 2-3:30pm EST: Ocean Mapping
Register: https://nsf.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIscemqqjkuGj4ou4-EL5AZJ6f8pZJw0Sc
Background:
In November 2019, the United States issued the Presidential Memorandum on Ocean Mapping of the United States Exclusive Economic Zone and Shoreline and Nearshore of Alaska. Section 2 calls for Federal agencies to develop a strategy to conduct ocean mapping, exploration, and characterization exercises to meet the mandate to map the entire U.S. EEZ by 2040 and explore and characterize priority areas. Following this directive, in June of 2020, the White House released the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone. This document sets forth a National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), for enhancing opportunities for collaboration among interagency and non-United States Government entities with respect to those activities, and creates the NOMEC Council. Public input is essential for developing the Implementation Plan to carry out the goals and objectives outlined in the National Strategy. The first federal register notice seeks input on the Implementation Plan to carry out the national strategy and the second federal register notice solicits input on the strategic priorities for exploration and characterization activities.
Public comments and questions can be addressed to nomec.execsec@noaa.gov.