[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 23, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 48521]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-22868]
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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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