Rules and Regulations. Final rule

Agency: National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce
Action: Final rule
Citation: FR Doc. 2026-07250 · RIN 0648-BN98 · Docket No: 260223-0053 · 15 CFR 950

Summary

In this final rule, NESDIS establishes an updated schedule of fees for special access to NOAA data, information, and related products and services. NOAA continues to make its environmental data available to the public without any fee in most instances consistent with Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. ). NOAA disseminates this data without any fee primarily via NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information's (NCEI) Archive, Comprehensive Large Array-Data Stewardship System (CLASS), and partners such as the NOAA Open Data Dissemination Program. NESDIS is revising the fee schedule that has been in effect since 2023 to ensure that the fees accurately reflect the costs of providing access to the environmental data, information, and related products and services.

Dates

Effective May 14, 2026.

Supplementary Information

Background NESDIS operates NOAA's NCEI. Through NCEI, NESDIS provides and ensures timely access to global environmental data from satellites and other sources, provides information services, and develops science products. NOAA makes these resources available at no fee and under an open license, consistent with the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. ). NESDIS maintains some 1,300 databases containing over 2,400 environmental variables at NCEI and 7 World Data Centers. These centers respond to over 2,000,000 requests for these data and products annually from over 70 countries, the vast majority of which are fulfilled at no fee to the requestor via NOAA CLASS. Other users can access NOAA environmental data online using the NOAA OneStop. This collection of environmental data and products is growing rapidly, both in size and sophistication, and as a result the associated costs have increased. If the freely available services are unable to meet users' needs, users have the ability to access the special data products described in the table below offline, online, and through the NESDIS e-Commerce System (NeS) online store. NOAA's ability to provide these special data, information, products, and services depends on user fees. New Fee Schedule NESDIS is authorized under 15 U.S.C. 1534 to assess fees, up to fair market value, depending upon the user and intended use, for access to environmental data, information, and products derived from, collected, and/or archived by NOAA. In this final rule, NESDIS establishes a new schedule of fees for access to these special data, information, and related products and services. NESDIS is revising the fee schedule that has been in effect since 2023 to ensure that the fees accurately reflect the costs of providing access to the environmental data, information, and related products and services. The new fee schedule lists both the current fee charged for each item and the new fee to be charged to users that will take effect beginning May 14, 2026. The schedule applies to the listed services provided by NESDIS on or after May 14, 2026, except for products and services covered by a subscription agreement in effect as of May 14, 2026 that extends beyond May 14, 2026. In those cases, the increased fees will apply upon renewal of the subscription agreement or at the earliest amendment date provided by the agreement. NESDIS will continue to review these user fees periodically and will revise such fees as necessary. Any future changes in the user fees and their effective date will be announced through notice in the Federal Register . Classification This rule has been determined not to be significant for purposes of Executive Order (E.O.) 12866. This proposed rule is not an E.O. 14192 regulatory action because this rule is not significant under E.O. 12866. The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) requiring notice of proposed rulemaking and the opportunity for public participation are inapplicable because this rule falls within the public property exception of subparagraph (a)(2) of section 553, as it relates only to the assessment of fees, as authorized by 15 U.S.C. 1534. Further, no other law requires that a notice of proposed rulemaking and an opportunity for public comment be given for this rule. Because a notice of proposed rulemaking and an opportunity for public comment are not required to be given for this rule under 5 U.S.C. 553 or by any other law, the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq. ) are not applicable. This proposed rule contains no information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. List of Subjects in 15 CFR Part 950 Organization and functions (Government agencies). David Holst, Chief Financial Officer, National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service. For the reasons set forth above, NESDIS amends 15 CFR part 950 as follows: PART 950—ENVIRONMENTAL DATA AND INFORMATION 1. The authority citation for part 950 continues to read as follows: Authority: (5 U.S.C. 552, 553). Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970. 2. Revise Appendix A to part 950 to read as follows: Appendix A to Part 950—Schedule of User Fees for Access to NOAA Environmental Data Name of product/data/publication/information/service NOAA National Center for Environmental Information Current fee New fee Department of Commerce Certification $168.00 $170.00 General Certification 146.00 148.00 Paper Copy 11.00 11.00 Data Poster 15.00 25.00 Shipping Service 12.00 12.00 Rush order fee 73.00 73.00 Super Rush Order Fee 124.00 124.00 Foreign Handling Fee 55.00 54.00 NEXRAD Doppler radar Color Prints 29.00 30.00 Paper Copy from Electronic Media 11.00 12.00 Offline In-Situ Digital Data 125.00 122.00 Satellite Image Product 82.00 85.00 Offline Satellite, Radar, and Model Digital Data (average unit size is 1 terabyte) 612.00 () Conventional CD-ROM/DVD 104.00 107.00 Specialized CD-ROM/DVD 226.00 217.00 CD-ROM/DVD Copy, Offline 84.00 83.00 CD-ROM/DVD Copy, Online Store 39.00 36.00 Order Handling/Quality Check 26.00 22.00 Non-Digital Order Consultation 14.00 8.00 Digital Order Consultation 34.00 24.00 Single Orbit OLS & Subset 20.00 () Single Orbit OLS & Subset, Additional Orbits 7.00 () Global Nighttime Lights Monthly Composite—one satellite 9,988.00 () High Definition Geomagnetic Model 26,714.00 29,539.00 High Definition Geomagnetic Model—Real Time (HDGM-RT) 34,793.00 38,405.00 Expedited Shipping Service 29.00 29.00 * Indicates a product is no longer offered due to lack of public interest. [FR Doc. 2026-07250 Filed 4-13-26; 8:45 am]