Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Department of Commerce will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on September 10, 2025 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.
Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
Title: Regional Coastal Observing Systems (RCOS).
OMB Control Number: 0648-0672.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular submission [reinstatement with minor administrative change to update name of the program and reduce burden hours]. ( printed page 30287)
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal government; Federal government.
Number of Respondents: 11.
Average Hours per Response: 75 hours.
Total Annual Burden Hours: 300.
Needs and Uses: This is a request for reinstatement of a previously approved information collection. The specific information collected has not changed since the original collection. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a national-regional partnership working to provide new tools and forecasts to improve safety, enhance the economy, and protect our environment. The Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-11) (ICOOS Act), as amended by the Coordinated Ocean Observations and Research Act of 2020 (COORA) (Pub. L. 116-271, Title I) (33 U.S.C. 3601-3610), directed the President, acting through the National Ocean Research Leadership Council, to establish a National Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System (System). 33 U.S.C. 3603(a). The ICOOS Act directs NOAA, as the lead Federal agency for implementing and administering the System, to “promulgate program guidelines—to certify and integrate regional associations into the System.” 33 U.S.C. 3603(c)(3)(C).
In response to the ICOOS Act's mandate, NOAA promulgated final regulations identifying program guidelines for the compliance procedures and requirements for certifying Regional Information Coordination Entities (RICEs), now known as Regional Coastal Observing Systems (RCOS). 15 CFR 997.1-997.26. The program guidelines identify the process and requirements for certifying the RCOSs. Submission of an application by an organization for certification as a RCOS is voluntary, and there is no deadline for an entity to submit an application to be certified. The organization's application is used to collect information required by IOOS's regulations in order for IOOS to certify the organization as an RCOS and integrate it into the System. When certified, RCOSs are integrated into the System through a memorandum of agreement with NOAA and for the purposes of determining that liability arising from the dissemination and use of observation data shall be considered part of NOAA, and, with respect to tort liability, designated employees of the RCOS will be deemed to be an employee of the Federal government.
RCOSs operate regional observing networks throughout the United States, including the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean, and have implemented specific practices in regard to data collection, governance, and management. They must submit rigorous documentation of these practices to the IOOS offices for review and verification. This vetting process is thorough and requires a collaborative relationship between the organization and the IOOS Program staff.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal government; Federal government.
Frequency: Once every five years.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority:33 U.S.C. 3601-3610; 15 CFR 997.1-997.26.
This information collection request may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number 0648-0672.
Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Compliance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.