[Federal Register: July 14, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 135)]
[Notices]
[Page 40300-40301]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14jy08-34]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 080612761-8762-01]
Draft of the Education Strategic Plan for NOAA: Engaging
Educators, Students and the Public To Meet NOAA's Mission Goals
AGENCY: Education Council, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is
revising its Education Strategic Plan (Plan). NOAA recently received
broad legislative authority from Congress through the America COMPETES
Act to develop, support, promote, and coordinate education activities
to enhance public awareness and understanding of the ocean, coastal,
Great Lakes, and atmospheric science. The draft Plan establishes goals
for NOAA education for the next twenty years as specified by the
America COMPETES Act. NOAA encourages all stakeholders and users to
review the Plan and provide comments.
DATES: Comments on this draft Plan must be received by 5 p.m. EDT on
August 29, 2008.
ADDRESSES: The draft Plan will be available on the following Web site
http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/draft_ed_plan.html.
Comments should be submitted electronically by e-mailing to
Education.Plan@noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Storck, Education Analyst, NOAA
Office of Education, Phone: 202-482-2226, e-mail:
Steve.Storck@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout its two-hundred year history, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has imparted
scientific knowledge of the Earth's natural systems to benefit society.
During this time, education was guided by the vision of leadership, the
findings of researchers, the mandates of legislation for programs
within NOAA, and to respond to the needs of society.
In 2007, Congress officially recognized the role of education in
NOAA with the passage of the America COMPETES Act (Pub. L. 110-69).
This legislation mandates NOAA to ``conduct, develop, support, promote,
and coordinate formal and informal educational activities at all levels
to enhance public awareness and understanding of ocean, coastal, Great
Lakes, and atmospheric science and stewardship by the general public
and other coastal stakeholders, including underrepresented groups in
ocean and atmospheric science and policy careers. In conducting those
activities, the Administrator shall build upon the educational programs
and activities of the agency.
The Administrator, appropriate National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration programs, ocean atmospheric science and education
experts, and interested members of the public shall develop a science
education plan setting forth education goals and strategies for the
Administration, as well as programmatic actions to carry out such goals
and priorities over the next 20 years, and evaluate and update such
plan every 5 years.''
In support of these priorities, the legislation provides a mandate
for the entire NOAA community to advance education efforts, focus them,
coordinate them, and engage a broad community of partners in creating
an environmentally literate society and a skilled workforce of
scientists, managers and administrators in support of a sustainable
economic future.
NOAA is revising its Education Strategic Plan as specified in the
America COMPETES Act.
The Plan was developed through a collaborative effort led by
educators across NOAA to guide the implementation of this new mandate
and to advance the long standing educational mission of the agency.
NOAA welcomes all comments on the content of the draft Plan and
requests comments on any inconsistencies perceived within the Plan, and
possible omissions of important topics or issues. This draft Plan is
being issued for comment only and is not intended for interim use. For
any shortcoming noted within the draft Plan, please propose specific
remedies. Suggested changes will be incorporated where appropriate, and
a final Plan will be posted on the NOAA Web site.
Please follow the format guidance for preparing and submitting
comments. Using the format guidance will facilitate the processing of
comments and assure that all comments are appropriately considered.
[[Page 40301]]
Overview comments should be provided first and should be numbered.
Comments that are specific to particular pages, paragraphs or lines of
the section should identify the page and line numbers to which they
apply. Please number each page of your comments.
Dated: July 8, 2008.
Louisa Koch,
Director of Education, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-16039 Filed 7-11-08; 8:45 am]
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