[Federal Register: September 23, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 183)]
[Notices]               
[Page 48521]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23se09-33]                         

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COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

 
 Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force--Interim Report

AGENCY: Council on Environmental Quality.

ACTION: Notice of Availability, ``Interim Report of the Interagency 
Ocean Policy Task Force.''

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SUMMARY: On June 12, 2009, the President established an Interagency 
Ocean Policy Task Force, led by the Chair of the Council on 
Environmental Quality. The President's memorandum charged the Task 
Force with, within 90 days, developing recommendations that include: 
(1) A national policy for the oceans, our coasts, and the Great Lakes; 
(2) a United States framework for policy coordination of efforts to 
improve stewardship of the oceans, our coasts, and the Great Lakes; and 
(3) an implementation strategy that identifies and prioritizes a set of 
objectives the United States should pursue to meet the objectives of a 
national policy.
    On September 10, 2009, the Task Force submitted its interim report 
to the President addressing the first three tasks outlined above. To 
allow for additional public engagement and comment before the President 
makes any final decision on the interim report, the Task Force is 
issuing it for a 30-day public comment period.

DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before October 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES: The Task Force Interim Report is available at http://
www.whitehouse.gov/oceans.
    Comments on the Task Force Interim Report should be submitted 
electronically to http://www.whitehouse.gov/oceans or in writing to the 
Council on Environmental Quality, Attn: Michael Weiss, 722 Jackson 
Place, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Weiss, Deputy Associate 
Director for Ocean and Coastal Policy, at (202) 456-6224.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 12, 2009, President Obama issued a 
Memorandum to the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies that 
established an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by the Chair of 
the Council on Environmental Quality. That Presidential memo charged 
the Task Force with, within 90 days, developing recommendations that 
include:
    1. A national policy that ensures the protection, maintenance, and 
restoration of the health of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems 
and resources, enhances the sustainability of ocean and coastal 
economies, preserves our maritime heritage, provides for adaptive 
management to enhance our understanding of and capacity to respond to 
climate change, and is coordinated with our national security and 
foreign policy interests. The recommendation should prioritize 
upholding our stewardship responsibilities and ensuring accountability 
for all of our actions affecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes 
resources, and be consistent with international law, including 
customary international law as reflected in the 1982 United Nations 
Convention on the Law of the Sea.
    2. A United States framework for policy coordination of efforts to 
improve stewardship of the oceans, our coasts, and the Great Lakes. The 
Task Force should review the Federal Government's existing policy 
coordination framework to ensure integration and collaboration across 
jurisdictional lines in meeting the objectives of a national policy for 
the oceans, our coasts and the Great Lakes. This will include 
coordination with the work of the National Security Council and 
Homeland Security Council as they formulate and coordinate policy 
involving national and homeland security, including maritime security. 
The framework should also address specific recommendations to improve 
coordination and collaboration among Federal, State, tribal and local 
authorities, including regional governance structures.
    3. An implementation strategy that identifies and prioritizes a set 
of objectives the United States should pursue to meet the objectives of 
a national policy for the oceans, our coasts, and the Great Lakes.
    The Task Force was also charged with, within 180 days, developing a 
recommended framework for effective coastal and marine spatial 
planning.
    On September 10, 2009, the Task Force submitted its interim report 
to the President addressing the first three tasks laid out in the 
President's Memorandum. To allow for additional public engagement and 
comment before the President makes any final decision on the interim 
report, the Task Force is issuing it for a 30-day public comment 
period. Though the main focus of the Task Force now turns to developing 
a recommended framework for effective coastal and marine spatial 
planning, due to the President by December 9, 2009, the Task Force 
anticipates that the Interim Report will be refined as the Task Force 
receives further thoughtful input from the public. With this continued 
public participation, the Task Force will be able to provide the 
President with the best possible final recommendation.
    Public comments are requested on or before October 17, 2009.

    September 17, 2009.
Nancy Sutley,
Chair, Council on Environmental Quality.
[FR Doc. E9-22868 Filed 9-22-09; 8:45 am]

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