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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...COMMENT REQUEST...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
235 PM EDT MON MAY 3 2004

TO:        FAMILY OF SERVICES /FOS/ SUBSCRIBERS...NOAA WEATHER
           WIRE SERVICE /NWWS/ SUBSCRIBERS...EMERGENCY MANAGERS
           WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK /EMWIN/
           SUBSCRIBERS...NOAAPORT SUBSCRIBERS...OTHER NATIONAL
           WEATHER SERVICE /NWS/ CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS...NWS
           EMPLOYEES

FROM:      EDWARD JOHNSON
           OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICY
           NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS
                    
SUBJECT:   UPDATED:  NOAA/NWS PROPOSED POLICY ON PARTNERSHIPS IN
           THE PROVISION OF WEATHER ...WATER ...CLIMATE AND RELATED
           ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION: PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
           EXTENDED FROM MAY 14 2004 TO JUNE 30 2004

REFER TO:  PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT SENT 2/19/04...SIMILAR
           SUBJECT

ON FEBRUARY 19 2004...THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 
ADMINISTRATION /NOAA/ SENT OUT A PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 
ANNOUNCING A PERIOD OF PUBLIC COMMENT ON ADOPTING A POLICY 
REGARDING THE INFORMATION ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE /NWS/ AND POTENTIALLY OTHER NOAA PROGRAMS.  THIS NEW 
PROPOSED POLICY IS INTENDED TO STRENGTHEN THE EXISTING 
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT...ACADEMIA AND THE PRIVATE 
SECTOR...WHICH PROVIDES THE NATION WITH HIGH QUALITY WEATHER... 
WATER...CLIMATE AND RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION.  

THE PERIOD DURING WHICH COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED IS BEING 
EXTENDED UNTIL JUNE 30 2004 TO ALLOW A MORE COMPLETE DIALOGUE ON 
THE PROPOSED POLICY.

THE PROPOSED POLICY RESPONDS TO RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL'S /NRC/ STUDY "FAIR WEATHER: EFFECTIVE
PARTNERSHIPS IN WEATHER AND CLIMATE SERVICES".  THE NRC STUDY
IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR A POLICY THAT WOULD RECOGNIZE ADVANCES IN
TECHNOLOGY AND THE ENACTMENT OF RELEVANT LAWS AND POLICIES...
PARTICULARLY THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1996...
44 USC PART 45...AND OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET /OMB/ 
CIRCULAR NO. A-130..."MANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL INFORMATION 
RESOURCES"...61 FR 6428 /FEBRUARY 20 1996/...WHICH OCCURRED 
SUBSEQUENT TO THE PREVIOUS NWS PARTNERSHIP POLICY ISSUED IN 1991.

SEE BELOW FOR ONLINE AVAILABILITY OF THE NRC STUDY AND OMB 
CIRCULAR NO. A-130.

YOU MAY ACCESS THE DRAFT NOAA/NWS POLICY STATEMENT AND PROVIDE 
COMMENTS UNTIL JUNE 30 2004 AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESS /USE 
LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

        HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/FAIRWEATHER/POLICY.PHP

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE NOAA/NWS POLICY IS AVAILABLE AT 
/USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

        HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/FAIRWEATHER/

NRC'S STUDY "FAIR WEATHER: EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS IN WEATHER AND 
CLIMATE SERVICES" WAS PUBLISHED IN 2003 BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY
PRESS...AND IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/: 

          HTTP://BOOKS.NAP.EDU/CATALOG/10610.HTML/

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET /OMB/ CIRCULAR NO. A-130...
"MANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL INFORMATION RESOURCES"...61 FR 6428... 
DATED FEBRUARY 20 1996...IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE LOWER CASE 
LETTERS/:

    HTTP://WWW.WHITEHOUSE.GOV/OMB/CIRCULARS/A130/A130TRANS4.HTML/

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...CONTACT:

      PETER WEISS
      OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICY
      SILVER SPRING MARYLAND
      PHONE:  301-713-0258...EXT 142

THIS AND OTHER NOTIFICATION MESSAGES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT /USE 
LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

        HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM

THIS PARTICULAR MESSAGE IS LISTED AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE...ABOVE 
THE SERVICE CHANGE NOTICE AND TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION NOTICE
BOX.

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