Associate Director for Research, Education and Marine Operations Recommendations for the Implementation and Operation of an Integrated Ocean Observing System Remarks to the Marine Navigation Services Community July 30, 2004 Kenneth W. Turgeon Associate Director for Research, Education and Marine Operations

USCOP Objective: To recommend a comprehensive national ocean policy that would provide for: Protection of life and property against natural and manmade hazards Responsible stewardship of ocean and coastal resources Protection of the marine environment and prevention of marine pollution Enhancement of marine-related commerce and transportation

USCOP Objective: To recommend a comprehensive national ocean policy that would provide for: Expansion of human knowledge of the marine environment Investment, development, improvement & application of marine technologies Close cooperation and partnering among federal agencies and the private sector Preserving the role of the US as a leader in ocean and coastal activities

USCOP Position on an IOOS The Commission strongly endorses creation and implementation of an Integrated Ocean Observing System The nation has the technology and the expertise to develop an IOOS, and its implementation is long overdue

Existing Situation Currently, the United States has more than forty coastal ocean observing systems, operated independently or jointly by various federal, state, industry, and academic entities – BUT THEY ARE NOT TIED TOGETHER They measure different variables at different scales for different purposes

USCOP Vision for an IOOS The Commission’s vision is for the IOOS to be the “saltwater” equivalent of our weather observing, forecasting and warning system We need an ocean observing system that satisfies real world needs, just as the National Weather Service does with its suite of environmental forecasts and warnings. Anything less will not garner the national support necessary to its success and maintenance over time. Admiral James D. Watkins Chair U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy

The Commission’s Vision for the IOOS is Strongly User Oriented To justify large federal investments in the IOOS, the system must result in tangible benefits for a broad and diverse user community, including the general public, scientists, resource managers, coastal managers, emergency responders, policy makers, private industry, educators, and officials responsible for homeland security

Critical Attributes of an IOOS Sustained over time Operational nowcasts & forecasts & warnings Partnership of government, industry, academia and others Utilizes land-based, water-based, air-based & space-based observation technologies Strong coastal component Provides timely generic & tailored information Broad user community incl. general public Regional/local, national & global coverage Linked to other Earth observing systems Transition of R&D to operations & products

IOOS is Really ISOCOOPS Observing and Prediction Integrated and Sustained Ocean and Coastal Operational Observing and Prediction System

Cost of an IOOS The Commission estimates the cost of operating an IOOS is on the order of $750 million per year; this includes dedicated satellite operations and data collection, assimilation and dissemination costs Economic, societal and environmental benefits will far outweigh the cost, but these benefits have not yet been fully calculated nor well articulated

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 1) The National Ocean Council should make development and implementation of a sustained, national Integrated Ocean Observing System a central focus of its leadership and coordination role.

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 2) Ocean.US, with NOC oversight, should be responsible for planning the national IOOS. NOAA should be the lead federal agency for implementing and operating the IOOS, with extensive interagency coordination and subject to NOC approval.

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 3) Congress should amend the National Oceanographic Partnership Act to formally establish Ocean.US, with a budget appropriate to carry out its mission. Ocean.US should report to the National Ocean Council’s (NOC’s) Committee on Ocean Science, Education, Technology, and Operations (COSETO).

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 4) Ocean.US should proactively seek input from coastal and ocean stakeholder communities to build cross-sector support for the IOOS and develop consensus about operational requirements

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 5) Ocean.US with NOC oversight should develop a set of core variables to be collected by all components of the national IOOS

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 6) Ocean.US should recommend priorities and long-term plans for space-based missions as an essential component of the national IOOS.

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 7) NOAA, NSF, Navy and NASA should require investigators who receive federal funding related to ocean research observatories, including the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative, to develop plans for transferring new technologies to an operational mode in the IOOS  

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 8) Congress should transfer NASA’s Earth environmental observing satellites, along with associated resources, to NOAA to achieve continued operations. NOAA and NASA should work together to ensure the smooth transition of each Earth environmental observing satellite after its launch.

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 9) Congress should fund the IOOS as a line item in NOAA’s budget, to be spent subject to NOC direction and approval. IOOS funds should be appropriated without fiscal year limitation. NOAA should develop a streamlined process for distributing IOOS funds to other federal and nonfederal partners. lined process for distributing IOOS funds to other federal and nonfederal partners.

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 10) The NOC should oversee coordination of the IOOS with other existing and planned terrestrial, watershed, atmospheric, and biological observation and information collection systems, with the ultimate goal of developing a national Earth Observing System.

USCOP IOOS Recommendations From the Preliminary Report 11) The National Ocean Council (NOC) should promote international coordination and capacity building in the field of global ocean observations