Program Update: Advocacy – March 2010
Filed under: Action,News & Resources,Policy,Program Updates - Advocacy
(Click to enlarge image) Senator Barbara Boxer (Credit: Will Ramos / Ocean Leadership)
Ocean Leadership’s 2010 Public Policy Forum
On March 10th, Ocean Leadership held its annual Public Policy Forum in the U.S. Capitol Building to discuss the most relevant ocean policy issues. With over 250 RSVPs (the largest number for this event), the room was filled for the entire day-long program and evening reception. The agenda included addresses by three senators: Senator Begich (D-Alaska), Senator Boxer (D-California), and Senator Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island).
Tom Karl, Director of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, gave a lunch briefing regarding NOAA’s proposed climate service and Shere Abbott, Associate Director at Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), concluded the Forum by discussing OSTP’s role in developing a national ocean policy. Between these speeches, three panels discussed sea-level rise, the Arctic system, and marine spatial planning. Each panel included experts from the federal agencies, congressional committees, and the academic research community. A summary report of the day’s discussions will be released in the near future.
Congressional Activities
March was a busy month on Capitol Hill as Congress wrestled with healthcare reform and continued work on the FY2011 Federal budget. Congressional committees discussed issues associated with NOAA’s restructuring of the National Polar-orbiting Operational Satellite System (NPOESS), the proposed NOAA Climate Service, STEM education initiatives, and fishery catch share programs as well as a fisheries enforcement scandal. Congressional committees also examined changes to NASA’s human space exploration programs that have raised the ire of certain members of Congress who have large human space flight support facilities in their districts.
In March, the House of Representatives passed legislation (H.R. 3650) expanding algal bloom research and a bill (H.R.3644) authorizing $145.7 million over the next five years for the Environmental Literacy Grant Program and the Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program. Meanwhile, the Senate Commerce Committee adopted legislation (S.1252) reauthorizing the Oceans and Human Health Act.
In addition to all of this Congressional action, President Obama’s decision this Wednesday to open more areas to offshore drilling has generated mixed reactions. The plan calls for exploration in areas from Delaware to off the coastline of central Florida, while keeping the East Coast from New Jersey northward closed to oil and gas development. Bristol Bay in Alaska would be kept closed to production, but the Chukchi and Beaufort seas might be opened to drilling after extensive studies. The entire West Coast, from the Canadian to Mexican borders, would be off-limits. It has been speculated that this announcement may broaden Senate support for climate and clean energy legislation.
