Coastal and Marine Ecological
Classification Standard Solicitation for Revisions
Extension without change of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
11/05/2024
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
12/31/2024
100
100
100
100
0
0
This is a request for renewal of an
approved information collection. NOAA’s Office for Coastal
Management (OCM) is proposing a renewal for information collection
that allows interested parties to submit requests for revisions to
update the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard
(CMECS). CMECS was approved by the Federal Geographic Data
Committee (FGDC) in August 2012 and provides a national standard
for consistent descriptions of coastal and marine ecological
features. The FGDC requires periodic reviews and maintenance of
federal standards. Collection of information from users is critical
to this process. The primary uses of CMECS are in mapping and
classifying the geological, physical, biological, and chemical
components of the environment. Among other applications, the CMECS
framework can be used to integrate data from disparate sources,
facilitate comparisons among sites, and organize data for regional
assessment. Since its publication in 2012, the CMECS has been used
to characterize habitats ranging from coastal wetlands and
estuaries to the deep ocean and at local to global scales. Benefits
of CMECS include: data collected by different sensors and methods
can be integrated into a single database; all the physical,
biological, and chemical-forcing functions that collectively
determine a habitat type can be captured; and the system has the
flexibility to accommodate new units as additional information
becomes available. The CMECS was developed as a dynamic standard to
allow periodic revisions to continue to meet the needs of the user
community and as such, the CMECS can be updated to accommodate the
requirements of evolving scientific practices, technology, and
coastal and marine resource management. The review process allows
the CMECS to retain its consistency, credibility, and rigor through
periodic reviews and an orderly, authoritative, and transparent
updating process as required by the Federal Geographic Data
Committee. Anyone can propose changes, which can include minor
edits, such as grammatical or typographical corrections,
clarifications of definitions and meaning, or more substantial
changes to the hierarchy within components. We are soliciting
recommendations for revisions to the CMECS through a form to be
posted on the CMECS website. All recommendations collected will be
reviewed and revisions will be made to the CMECS to reflect those
recommendations found to be valuable for implementation of the
CMECS and supportive of the user community needs. Information is
compiled quarterly by the CMECS Implementation Working Group, an
interagency group of CMECS technical experts. This information is
used to assess needs for revisions to the CMECS. Information is not
disseminated to the public.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.