Notice of the National Ocean Service's Discontinuation of the Production and Distribution of the Ocean Features Analysis (OFA), Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Analysis, and Surface Feature Tracking (SFT) Analysis as NOS Products

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Notice of the National Ocean Service's Discontinuation of the

Production and Distribution of the Ocean Features Analysis (OFA), Sea

Surface Temperature (SST) Analysis, and Surface Feature Tracking (SFT)

Analysis as NOS Products

AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National

Ocean Service is announcing that, effective immediately, NOS is no

longer producing and distributing the Ocean Features Analysis (OFA),

Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Analysis, and Surface Feature Tracking

(SFT) Analysis products.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Barazotto, NOAA/Office of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Silver

Spring, MD (301) 713-2981.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since 1975, NOAA/NOS has produced the OFA

for area covering the East Coast of the U.S. and Gulf of Mexico. The

graphical analyses were produced five times per week and distributed

via radio facsimile, subscription facsimile, and autopolling facsimile.

Since 1993, NOAA/NOS has produced high resolution SST analyses for

an area covering the East Coast of the U.S. The analyses were produced

twice per week and distributed via radiofacsimile and autopolling

facsimile.

Since 1994, NOAA/NOS has produced SFT analyses for areas covering

the East Coast of the U.S. and Gulf of Mexico. The analyses were

produced once per week and distributed via autopolling facsimile. The

OFA, SST and SFT products were also available via NOS' Ocean Product

Branch's (OPB) Homepage on the World Wide Web of the Internet.

Over the past several years, there has been a gradual decrease in

the funds available to support activities such as the OFA. In FY 1996,

the budget line item that provides the source of revenue to support the

production of the OFA and related products will sustain a 33% reduction

in available funds. Consequently, NOS has terminated the production and

distribution of OFA, SST and SFT products, effective October 1, 1995.

In addition to the termination of this product line, the office that

produces these products, OPB, was disestablished. The termination of

the OFA and OPB are only two of several painful consequences resulting

from FY 1995 and FY 1996 budget reductions.

The primary reason that NOS decided to terminate this suite of

products, in response to its budget reductions, is that there are

several government-produced oceanographic analyses, produced for

different missions, that can be made available to the public as

replacements for the OPB's products. For example, the Naval

Oceanographic Office produces an OFA to satisfy its warfighting mission

needs, and the National Hurricane Center produces both OFA and SST

analyses to satisfy its life and property hurricane warning and

forecast mission. A secondary consideration was the concern expressed

by private sector organizations that these analysis products competed

with value-added services and products that are produced and

distributed for profit.

Although NOS will terminate this product line, Attachment 1 lists

those government offices that currently either produce or distribute

similar or related products. In addition, there are several private

sector value-added companies that have related products and/or

services. Attachment 2 lists private sector companies known to NOS that

provide oceanographic value-added services and/or products.

NOS is publishing this notice consistent with section 8a(6)(j) of

Office

[[Page 56320]]

of Management and Budget Circular A-130. Anyone with questions or

comments regarding the above subject or private printers and

distributors wishing more information should write, fax or e-mail to:

NOAA, National Ocean Service Attn: Office of Ocean and Earth Sciences,

N/OES, 1305 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910, fax 301-713-

4392.

Dated: October 31, 1995.

David Evans,

Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal

Zone Management.

Attachment (1)--Known Alternative Government Sources of Ocean Analysis

Information

1. Sea Surface Temperature--global, regional, local at various

resolutions depending on location (14km, 50km, and 100km)

NOAA/NESDIS, 4401 Suitland Road, Room 2039, Suitland Federal

Center, FOB #4, Suitland, MD 20233-0001, Point of Contact: Mr. John

Sapper (301) 457-5195

National Hurricane Center, 11691 S.W. 17th Street, Miami, FL

33165-2149, Point of Contact: Dr. Steven Baig (305) 229-9901

Weather Service Forecast Office, 21 Grace Hopper Avenue, Stop 5,

Monterey, CA 93943-5505, Point of Contact: Mr. Ernest Daghir (408)

656-1716

2. Ocean Thermal Structure Analysis (Ocean Features Analysis) for

various areas such as Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Stream, etc.

Naval Atlantic Meteorology and Oceanography Center, 9141 Third

Avenue, Naval Air Station, Norfolk, VA 23511-2394, Point of Contact:

Mr. Chuck Weigand (804) 444-4913, (Product available via radio

facsimile)

Naval Oceanographic Office (Code N2211), 1002 Balch Boulevard,

Stennis Space Center, MS 39522, Point of Contact: Mr. Tom Sandidge

(601) 688-4401

National Hurricane Center, 11691 S.W. 17th Street, Miami, FL

33165, Point of Contact: Dr. Steven Baig (305) 229-9901, Fax (305)

229-9901

3. Retrospective Ocean Thermal Structure Analysis and Sea Surface

Temperature Analysis for various areas and resolutions globally,

regionally, and locally.

NOAA/NESDIS, National Climatic Data Center, Federal Building,

Asheville, NC 28801, Point of Contact: Mr. Tom Ross (704) 271-4994

ext 181

Attachment (2)--Value-Added Companies Known to NOS That Provide

Oceanographic Products

(Should NOS become aware of additional sources, they will be

identified in future announcements)

1. Weather and Marine USA Limited, 5049 Garfield Street N.W.,

Washington, DC 20016-3450, Attn: Dr. Lee Houchins (202) 966-5009

2. Weather Services Incorporated, 131A The Great Road, P.O. Box 890,

Bedford, MA 01730, Attn: Mr. Ken Campbell (617) 275-8860

3. Bob Rice's Weather Window, 842 Sterling Road, Lancaster, MA

01523, Attn: Mr. Bob Rice (508) 365-3800

4. Offshore Services, 339 Herbertville Road, Bricktown, NJ 08724,

Attn: Mr. Lenny Belcaro (908) 840-4900

5. Ocean Imaging, 201 Lomas Sante Fe Drive, Suite 370, Solana Beach,

CA 92075, Attn: Mr. Mark Hess (619) 792-8529

6. Sea Space, 9240 Trade Place, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92126,

Attn: Dr. Robert Bernstein (619) 450-9542

7. ROFFS Ocean Fishing, 2871 S.W. 69th Court, Miami, FL 33155, Attn:

Dr. Mitch Roffer (305) 262-8336 or (800) 677-7633

8. Gulf Weather Corporation, MTTC Building 1103, Stennis Space

Center, MS 39529, Attn: Mr. Frank Schatzle (601) 688-3397

[FR Doc. 95-27653 Filed 11-7-95; 8:45 am]

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