Public-Private Use Policy

Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology/Interagency Ocean Observation Committee Public-Private Use Policy

Below is a diagram outlining the final Public Private Use Policy process (click to enlarge).

SUMMARY: The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Program with the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology and the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (JSOST-IOOC) announced a 60-day public comment period for the Public-Private Use Policy mandated by the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009.  The process defines outlines how the IOOC will use make decisions about the roles of the federal government, the States, regional information coordination entities, the academic community and the private sector in providing IOOS environmental information, products, technologies and services to end-user communities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this notice, please contact the IOOC Support Office, telephone: 202-787-1622; E-mail: iooc [at] oceanleadership [dot] org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 30 March 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observing Act of 2009.  Among the requirements in the Act is a directive to the National Ocean Research Leadership Council (NORLC) to develop a Public-Private Use Policy. In April 2007 the NORLC jointly agreed with the Committee on Ocean Policy supporting body, the Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI), to allow future actions taken by ICOSRMI to be deemed actions of the NORLC for the purpose of maintaining interagency progress. The IOOC is the federal interagency group established to lead the interagency planning and coordination of ocean observing activities including IOOS, is represented by seventeen federal agencies, with NOAA identified as the lead federal agency by the Administration. As defined in the charter, the purpose of the IOOC is to advise and assist JSOST on matters relating to all aspects of ocean observations within the scope of an end-to-end concept of ocean observations.  The JSOST is under the governance of the NORLC and by the April 2007 agreement the ICOSRMI.