Notice2023-10456
United States Ocean Acidification Action Plan Call for Public Comment
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 17, 2023
Issuing agencies
State Department
Abstract
The Department of State and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be accepting public comments on the proposed scope for the upcoming United States Ocean Acidification Action Plan (OA-AP). Drafting a national OA-AP is a commitment made by all members of the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance). The document will highlight our leadership in reducing carbon emissions, strengthening monitoring, research and coordination research efforts, and investing in adaptive measures.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 95 (Wednesday, May 17, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 17, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 31578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10456]
[[Page 31578]]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 12071]
United States Ocean Acidification Action Plan Call for Public
Comment
ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of State and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) will be accepting public comments on the proposed
scope for the upcoming United States Ocean Acidification Action Plan
(OA-AP). Drafting a national OA-AP is a commitment made by all members
of the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA
Alliance). The document will highlight our leadership in reducing
carbon emissions, strengthening monitoring, research and coordination
research efforts, and investing in adaptive measures.
DATES: The comment period will be open for 30 days from the publication
of this notice. Guidance on how to submit comments and the proposed
content for the OA-AP are below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about the United
States OA-AP, contact Meaghan Cuddy at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#84c7f1e0e0fdc9d6c4f7f0e5f0e1aae3ebf2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3e7d4b5a5a47736c7e4d4a5f4a5b10595148">[email protected]</span></a> or at (202)
340-3272.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States joined the OA Alliance at
the UN Ocean Conference in June 2022. The OA Alliance is a voluntary
coalition that works to build international momentum for actions that
address the causes of ocean acidification (OA), increase research and
monitoring efforts, and advance the resilience of coastal communities.
The Department of State and NOAA co-lead for U.S. national membership
in the OA Alliance and have been working with the OA Alliance
secretariat to develop a plan for drafting the U.S. OA-AP.
Recently, the United States released its first-event Ocean Climate
Action Plan (OCAP), which details ongoing and planned Federal ocean-
based climate mitigation and adaptation activities and recommends new
or enhanced ocean science and policy actions to tackle climate change.
The OA-AP is designed to be a complementary component of the OCAP,
addressing one of the key impacts on the ocean from anthropogenic
carbon emissions.
In advance of drafting the OA-AP, the Department of State and NOAA
are seeking public comment on the scope of the plan. The U.S. OA-AP
will be drafted with input and feedback from the U.S. Federal
Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification, which includes 14
U.S. Federal agencies.
The proposed scope of the document includes the following areas:
(1) A brief overview of the cause of OA and its impacts; (2) A brief
overview of the national-level framework of policies, programs, and
actions implemented by federal agencies to reduce carbon emissions,
coordinate research and monitoring efforts, and adapt to OA, along with
remaining challenges; (3) a brief overview of subnational efforts to
address OA, particularly by subnational U.S. members for the OA
Alliance; (4) Proposed and/or planned future federal actions and goals
to address ocean acidification and its root causes; and (5) New ideas
for engagement at the international level to support global research,
monitoring, adaptation, and carbon reduction efforts to address the
impacts of OA, giving recognition to what can't be solved without
international engagement.
The OA-AP is intended to be a short, high-level document that
highlights the overall general direction for U.S. response to OA. It
will, by design, not include all potential U.S. actions, but serve as a
general roadmap to the United States' strategy to address OA through
comprehensive policy across the interagency and at multiple levels of
management. We are requesting input on what new directions the US
should consider, within reason, in how we are addressing ocean
acidification both nationally and internationally. Public comments
should address: (1) The general proposed scope of the OA-AP, and/or (2)
Suggestions for ambitious national-level policy, technical, scientific,
or management actions to be included in the OA-AP. It is recommended
that comments are limited to 500 words. Please note that public
suggestions for action are not guaranteed to be included in the final
OA-AP. Comments can be submitted in writing to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8bc8feefeff2c6d9cbf8ffeaffeea5ece4fd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="66251302021f2b3426151207120348010910">[email protected]</span></a>.
The OA Alliance was launched at the 2016 Our Ocean Conference by
the Pacific Coast Consortium, a consortium of governments including
British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California, with the
consulting firms Cascadia Policy Solutions and Ross Strategic serving
as facilitators. It now includes country members as well, including
Chile, Norway, France, Canada, Sweden, and the United States. The
United States, as a global leader in OA research, vulnerability
assessments, modeling, technology development, scientific capacity
building, and adaptation, joined the OA Alliance for the purpose of
supporting international collaboration to understand and combat OA.
Drafting and releasing the U.S. national action plan will provide a
model for other OA Alliance members seeking to integrate OA research,
monitoring, and adaptation efforts across their governments. Additional
information about the OA Alliance can be found at <a href="https://www.oaalliance.org/">https://www.oaalliance.org/</a>.
Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2656.
Elizabeth Kim,
Director, Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2023-10456 Filed 5-16-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P
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