Policy and Budget Update

Kevin WheelerOctober 15, 2009

Budget Update

Appropriations Update

• Currently under a CR through October 31st

• Only 1 bill signed into law (Legislative Branch)• House passed all 12 bills – Senate passed 7• House and Senate have negotiated conference reports for

Agriculture and Energy & Water Spending bills.

Amendments to the CJS Bill• Hutchison Amendment – would transfer $172 million from

NOAA operations to state law enforcement program.• Vitter Amendment – would block Commerce from issuing

any of the offshore aquaculture permits until it completes a new assessment of offshore fish farms.

• Coburn Amendment - block funding for the political science program at the National Science Foundation.

FY10 NSF

• House Report notes that the projected 3% FY10 request is insufficient and should be 7%

• House Bill accelerates the increase in grad research fellows from 1,654 to 2,000 (with plus up of $14 million)

• House bill provides funds consistent with the FORAM act to research the causes and solutions to acidification

$ (in millions) FY09 Pres Req. House Senate

NSF Total 6,490 7,045 6,937 6,920

Research &RA 5,183 5,733 5,642 5,618

GEO 807 909

OCE 330 359

Education 845 858 863 858

MREFC 152 117 114 122

NOAA FY09 Req. House SenateTotal 4,374 4,484 4,603 4,773OAR 397 394 427 420Ocean & Coastal Research 123 107 114 120Sea Grant 55 55 59 63NURP/OE 27 28 31 32Competitive Climate Resrc 132 144 149 144NOS 497 463 482 512NCCOS 53 52 49 54Ocean Assessment Prog 95 83 90 108IOOS Grants 20 15 20 28Ocean & Coastal Mngmt 155 148 155 153NMFS 754 891 916 872NWS 848 867 857 889NESDIS 1,178 1,429 1,468 1,408Education 46 21 31 35

NOAA Report Language - House

• NOAA is directed to report on the feasibility of establishing a cooperative institute for coral reef research

• $5 million climate forecasting research grant competition - that is open to all researchers at universities, private sector entities and NOAA and other governmental labs

• $12 million - regional climate assessments through RISA

• $7 million above request for competitive education grants

• Deletes 50/50 NOAA/DoD funding split for NPOESS

NOAA Report Language - Senate

IOOS • The Communities vision for IOOS is larger than NOAAs

and NOAA needs a more holistic budget request• $3 million for sensor technology – and requests a report

for the establishment of a cooperative institute• $4.5 million for a competitive extramural super region test

bed for data integration and dissemination in the Gulf and Atlantic

Ocean Health Initiative - disappointed with the reduction in this program and expects a more reasonable request

Education – provides additional $7 million for competitive education grants – of which $2.5 is for zoos and aquaria

NPOESS – is a program with low probability of success – NOAA needs to regain control of this unwieldy program

FY10 NASA

• House & Senate – concerned about NASA’s management of its budget, its financial recordkeeping and reporting

• House & Senate supports development of Tier I missions• House directs NASA to work with NOAA for a FY11

budget to build and fly an operational scatterometer• Senate supports development of Tier 2&3 missions

Program FY09 Req. House SenateTotal NASA 17,782 18,686 18,203 18,686Science 4,503 4,477 4,496 4,517Earth Science 1,380 1,405 1,443 1,405Earth System Missions 899 716 731 721NPOESS 57 113 113 113Education 169 126 175 140

FY10 DoD

Program FY09 Req House SenateTotal Navy RDT&E 19,764 19,271 20,197 19,1496.1 Basic Research 547 531 548 544 University Research 109 100 104 1036.2 Applied Research 776 594 656 699 Ocean War Enviro Resrch 49 54 52

6.3 Advanced Research 836 721 767 752

Interior – EPA - Energy

Program FY09 Req House Senate Conf.Interior 10,076 10,980 10,973 11,097

USGS 1,044 1,098 1,106 1,104

Biological Res. 185 199 202 202

Climate Change 41 58 58 58

MMS Offshore 166 196 196 197

Renewable 0 21 21 21

Resource Eval 34 34 34 35

EPA 7,636 10,486 10,570 10,157

Science & Tech 790 842 850 843

Energy 26,967 28,407 2,6879 27,398 27,285Office of Science 4,773 4,942 4,944 4,899 4,904

Legislative Update

Authorizing Legislation

• Climate Change (Cap-and-trade & Climate Services)• Energy Bills• Algal Bloom Research Act

• Oceans-21 (Farr) / Big Ocean Bill (Boxer)• NOAA Organic Act• Marine Sanctuaries Reauthorization• Coastal Zone Management Act Reauthorization• Law of the Sea Convention• Aquaculture• Marine Mammal Protection Act• Invasive Species / Ballast Water

Algal Bloom Research Act

Similarities• Development of Regional Research and Action Plans• Mandate progress report on Gulf hypoxia• Est. National Harmful Algal Bloom & Hypoxia ProgramDifferences• H.R.3650 calls for an integrated assessment of hypoxia in

the coastal and estuarine water in the pacific NW• S.952 calls for NOAA to maintain and enhance existing

HABs and hypoxia research programs• S.952 est. collaborative interagency freshwater pilot proj.• S.952 authorizes agencies to participate in interagency

financing “through an appropriate instrument”

Offshore Energy Development

Consolidated Land, Energy, & Aquatic Resources ActH.R.3534

Establish Ocean Resources Conservation & Assistance FundDedicates portion of OCS revenues to provide grants to

coastal states and regional collaboratives for protection, maintenance, and restoration of marine ecosystems.– Development & Implementation of comprehensive,

science-based plans for monitoring and managing;– Activities to improve ecosystem resilience to climate

change and ocean acidification;– Planning and managing coastal development to

minimize coastal hazards; and– Research, assessment and monitoring.

Offshore Energy Development

The American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009S.1462

• Est. renewable energy standard – utilities 15% by 2021• Promotes energy efficiency (manufacturing & consumer)• Doubles U.S. investment in DoE innovation and

technology R&D (from $3.28 B to $6.56 B in 2013)

• Mandates complete inventory and analysis of resources in the Atlantic, Gulf and Alaska (including alternative energy)

• Opens Eastern GoM to leasing for oil & gas (>45 miles)

• Est. national indemnity program through DoE for up to 10 commercial-scale carbon capture & sequestration projects

GHG Emission Caps

H.R.2454Waxman-Markey

S.1733Boxer-Kerry

2020: 17% below 2005

2050: 83% below 2005

2012: 3% below 2005

2020: 20% below 2005

2030: 42% below 2005

2050: 83% below 2005

Cap and Trade Adaptation Allocations

Corps of Engineers

7.5%

DOI – Tribal Wildlife 3%

Commerce 5%

LWCF 12%

EPA 7.5%

State Wildlife Agencies

32.5%

DOI – Coop Grants 5%

State Coastal Agencies 6%

Forest Service 5%

DOI 17%

Climate Change Adaptation Policysimilarities between House & Senate bills

• Create National Climate Change and Wildlife Center in USGS and a National Climate Service in NOAA– Est. Science Advisory Panel to advise both USGS and

NOAA on the state of science and research priorities

• Est. a Federal National Climate Change Panel– Charged with developing a climate change strategy

• Mandate Federal & State Resource Adaptation Plans

• Est. National Fish and Wildlife Habitat and Corridors Information Program and a Coastal and GL State Adaptation Programs

Additional House Provisions• OSTP to lead an interagency development of a National

Climate Service and survey for the need for a Service

• NSF, NOAA and NAS to conduct studies including ice melt and hurricane frequency and intensity

• Est. of a Regional Climate Centers Program within NOAA– Maintain a network of 6 Regional Climate Centers to

work cooperatively with the State Climate Offices– Create Regional Integrated Science and Assessment

Teams as multi-institutional partnerships

Climate Service Provisions

• Est. National Climate Advisory Committee• Est. Climate Service Entity within NOAA

• H.R.2454 requires OSTP to lead an interagency effort to develop a NCS outside of NOAA’s program

• Senate bill establishes a Federal Climate Service Board within the GCRP– OSTP, CEQ, GCRP, NCS, and agency heads– Tasked with assessing federal capabilities,

developing strategy & defining agency roles

• H.R.2454 maintains and enhances RISA teams• Senate est. regional climate service enterprise with

fed products/services, non-fed R&D, and state climate services

National Ocean Policy

National Ocean Policy… it is the policy of the U.S. to:

1. Healthy and Resilient Ocean, Coasts and Great Lakes• Protect and restore the health and biodiversity• Improve resiliency of ecosystems• Bolster sustainable use of land to improve marine ecosystems• Use science to inform decisions and adapt to changing enviro

2. Safe and Productive Ocean, Coasts and Great Lakes• Support sustainable and productive uses of the ocean• Respect and preserve our Nation’s maritime heritage• Exercise rights in accordance with international law

3. Understood and Treasured Ocean, Coasts and GL• Increase scientific understanding of marine ecosystems and

their relationships to humans• Improve understanding of changing enviro conditions• Foster public understanding of the value of the ocean

National Ocean PolicyNine Priority Objectives

How We Do Business:1. Ecosystem-Based Management2. Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning3. Inform Decisions and Improve Understanding4. Coordinate and Support Management

Areas of Special Emphasis:1. Resiliency & Adaptation to Climate Change & Ocean Acid2. Regional Ecosystem Protection & Restoration3. Water Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land4. Changing Conditions in the Arctic5. Ocean, Coastal and GL Observations & Infrastructure

NOP – Observations & Infrastructure

The Plan Should Address:• A nationally integrated system of ocean, coastal and GL

observing systems;

• Regional and national needs for ocean information, to gather specific data on key marine variables;

• The use of unmanned vehicles and remote sensing platforms and satellites to gather data on marine health;

• Capabilities and gaps of the oceanographic fleet; and

• DMAC and modeling systems for timely integration and dissemination of information products.

Ocean Leadership Recommendations?

Marine Spatial Planning Framework

• Recommendations for a framework for effective coastal and marine spatial planning that is a comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based approach that addresses conservation, economic activity, user conflict, and sustainable use of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources.

Science Requirements for MSP1. Defining and Analyzing Existing Conditions

• Physical, Geological, Chemical, Biological, and Human Parameters & Resolution

• Ecological data enhancements will depend on existing information sets and the specific MSP goals

• Biological sensors lag far behind physical & chemical2. Standardizing Data

• Need for QA/QC protocols – publicly available data• Integration of disparate data from various sources

3. Forecasting Future Conditions• MSP is a future-oriented process• Need for process studies to understand ecosystems

4. Monitoring and Evaluation Performance• Need to set outcome measures for MSP objectives• Requires sustained time-series data and analysis

support to determine if goals are being achieved

MSP Science Recommendations1. Ecosystem-Based Science

• Establish a National Biodiversity Program• Expand Ecosystem Structure & Function Research• Support Ocean Acidification Research Program

2. Ocean Observations• Development & deployment of ecological sensors into

ongoing observation systems• Expand sampling freshwater input, sediment load,

nutrients and chemical contaminants

• Conduct frequent topographic & shoreline bathymetric surveys

• Sustain long-term time-series satellite measurements

MSP Recommendations (cont)

3. Data Management– Develop permanent ocean cyber-infrastructure– Incorporate real-time data into Marine Cadastre– Develop standard protocols for data QA/QC– Expand numerical modeling capability

4. Governance– Est. Regional Science Advisory Committees &

Monitoring Working Groups– Est. national ocean fund to provide stable source of

revenues for sustained time-series ocean observations

MSP Questions from CEQ

1. What are the baseline data sets needed to support a coastal and marine spatial plan? What are the gaps?

2. How can we achieve standardization of data? What are the most useful scale/resolutions of the data and update timeframe?

3. What are your experiences with MSP? Recommended models?

4. What’s the impact of science observation technology on other uses?

5. How can MSP promote ecosystem health?

6. What do we want to see in/out of the final Framework?

Communications Update

New Staff HiresSarah Saunders

DirectorScience

Communications

Kris LudwigManager

Ocean DrillingCommunications

Updated Newsletter Format

New Websitewww.oceanleadership.org

September 2009 Statistics

• 26,152 visits – up 81%• 71,390 page views – up 46%• 63% new visits – up 30%• 2:45 minutes – avg. time on• 2.73 pages per visit

41%

40%

19%

Direct Traffic Search Engines Referring Sites