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Document 14 of 62.

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March 28, 2000, Tuesday

SECTION: PREPARED TESTIMONY

LENGTH: 6129 words

HEADLINE: PREPARED TESTIMONY OF DR. D. JAMES BAKER UNDER SECRETARY AND ADMINISTRATOR NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES CONSERVATION, WILDLIFE AND OCEANS

BODY:
Good morning Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for this opportunity to testify on the President's FY 2001 Budget Request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). My name is Dr. D. James Baker and I am the Under Secretary and Administrator of NOAA in the Department of Commerce.

Let me begin by saying that NOAA's responsibilities in the environmental assessment and prediction realm includes providing seasonal to interannual climate forecasts, predicting and assessing decadal to centennial change, and promoting safe navigation. The comprehensive system for acquiring our observations-from satellites and radar to ships and submersibles-provides critical data and reliable information needed for the safe conduct of daily life and the basic functioning of a modern society.

NOAA also has environmental stewardship responsibilities. To fulfill its mission, NOAA has initiated and continues to support strong cooperative efforts to protect living marine resources. These efforts include creative and effective partnerships with the states of Washington, Oregon, and California to protect and recover at-risk Pacific salmon and steelhead species-partnerships that promote the economic strength of our Nation and enhance recovery of at-risk species. NOAA continues to play an invaluable role in contributing to the Nation's economic and environmental health. Our products and services include seasonal climate predictions, long-term global change prognoses, environmental technologies, nautical charts, marine fisheries statistics and regulations, assessments of environmental changes, hazardous materials response information, and stewardship of the Nation's ocean, coastal, and living marine resources. Similarly, NOAA's strong support of fishery management programs has helped ensure the long-term sustainable harvest of valuable stocks of marine fish. For example, recent assessments of fisheries management actions to rebuild haddock stocks in New England indicate the stocks are recovering so well that harvest limits have been increased.

Mr. Chairman, I want to assure you that NOAA continues to be a world leader in climate research and forecasts, environmental monitoring and research, fisheries management, and sustainable use of the coast. This Subcommittee, by approving investments in these key areas, has helped us maintain that lead. NOAA's proposed FY 2001 budget is good -- good for NOAA, good for the Department of Commerce, and good for America!

This year marks the 30th anniversary of our Agency, and our slogan for this event, "Our seas and our skies - 30 years of excellence at NOAA," captures the essence of who we are and what we do. By tackling challenges from the deep ocean to the surface of the sun, NOAA is helping to make America and the word a healthier place to live.

I would like to begin my budget presentation with the following observation: in an era of smaller and leaner budgets, we believe our FY 2001 budget request is solid. Our request of $2.9 billion in total budget authority not only provides the financial means to achieve our mission, but also reflects our ongoing commitment to programs you, our constituents, and our Nation have deemed necessary and most valued. The FY 2001 budget request for NOAA reflects $2.9 billion in total budget authority, a 20% increase over the FY 2000 enacted budget authority.

Let me highlight some of the budget increases for critical infrastructure and support. The budget request includes funding to increase the number of days-at-sea by 140 for University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) ship time for critical data collection needs for the Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics (GLOBEC) and Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Bloom (ECOHAB) programs.

Our budget also includes $8.3 million in base funding to continue construction of the first acoustically quiet Fisheries Research Vessel that is essential for conducting the stock assessment surveys necessary to monitor species' abundance, recruitment, age composition, and responses to ecological changes and fisheries pressure to build sustainable fisheries. The collection of fisheries and marine mammal information at-sea is essential to the development of sensible regulations to govern commercial and recreational fishing activities. The FY 2001 President's request includes $53.3 million each year for FY 2002, FY 2003, and FY 2004 for the construction of the remaining three fisheries research vessels.

Also included in our FY 2001 budget are funds to continue the planning and design of a new state-of-the-art NMFS research facility near Juneau, Alaska; adjustments-to-base for pay related and inflationary cost increases, as well as for the FY 2001 pay raise for our Line Offices; and a $17.0 million increase to establish educational training relationships through a joint partnership with a consortium of Minority Serving Institutions(MSIs). These efforts would not only result in the education of new marine and environmental scientists, but would also assist many coastal communities in the development of new business and environmental engineering alternatives to support sustainable economic development; and funds to implement the Commerce Administrative Management System .(CAMS), which is critical to meeting NOAA's financial management requirements.

At NOAA, we know that performance is what counts! Therefore, our FY 2001 budget includes measures that will track results to the level of investment.

Our request also is predicated on the need to ensure the continued delivery of essential science, technology and services to the Nation. The President's Budget Request allows NOAA to perform an essential role in a number of Departmental, interagency and Presidential initiatives, including the: Lands Legacy Initiative; Climate Observations and Services Initiative; South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Initiative; Clean Water Initiative; implementation of the America's Ocean Future Report; and, building the capacity of the Nation's Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Let me take a moment to say a few words about some of these important activities.

LANDS LEGACY INITIATIVE

The Administration's historic Lands Legacy Initiative addresses some of the most serious challenges facing U.S. coasts and oceans. NOAA's FY 2001 budget requests an increase of $263.3 million to continue many critical environmental programs, including resources to significantly enhance the stewardship capabilities at the 12 National Marine Sanctuaries, the 25 National Estuarine Research Reserves, and the 33 Coastal Zone Management states.

Also included in our FY 200'1-Land Legacy request are additional funds for states to address polluted runoff and problems related to increased populations stressing the coastal regions. The initiative includes funds to maintain and protect our critical estuaries, as well as to map, monitor, and protect fragile coral reefs and implement priority recommendations of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. Funding is included to enhance the recovery of threatened and endangered coastal salmon, and provide grants to coastal states with existing offshore oil and gas production to protect and sustainably use coastal resources.

I now would like to outline some specific increases for this initiative:

Coastal Zone Management Act

CZM Grants

NOAA has requested an increase of $92.7 million in FY 2001 for the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program to provide grants and technical assistance to coastal states to systematically address the high cost impacts of rapidly increasing coastal populations, polluted runoff, deteriorating waterfront areas, and loss of coastal habitats. States have expressed concern in the past that there has not been enough resources to address polluted runoff, the leading cause of degradation in coastal waters. This budget urges that $25 million be provided to states for reducing polluted runoff.

NOAA's FY 2001 request also asks that $30 million of the total amount for CZM state grants be directed to implement community-based, environmentally protective solutions to combat the effects on coastal resources resulting from increased development and sprawl.

CZM Program Administration:

To fulfill the expanded responsibilities of the CZM Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Program, NOAA's FY 2001 budget requests: an increase of $2.1 million to support our responsibilities under the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA).

The Coastal Impact Assistance Fund:

The Coastal Impact Assistance Fund will provide resources to seven coastal states that have existing offshore oil and gas production. The seven states are: Alaska, Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The additional $100 million in new funding will be available for activities consistent with CZM plans to protect and sustainably use ocean and coastal, resources.

Polluted Runoff Grants

NOAA also requests an increase of $2.0 million to help states finish developing their Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control plans (Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, section 6217), as highlighted in the Clean Water Action Plan.

Coral Reef Conservation and Protection

In FY 2000, NOAA began to strengthen its capabilities to address the Nation's coral reef crisis. Working with state,, territorial, and local partners, the $9.0 million NOAA requests in FY 2001 new funding will support research, monitoring, and local-level projects to reduce human impacts and increase sustainable use of America's valuable coral reefs Which are priorities of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, and recommendations included in the America's Ocean Future report.

Of these additional funds, $4.0 million will allow NOS to improve understanding of reef health and focus on preventing reef-damage from vessel grounding, pollution, fishing, and other human impacts. $5.0 million of the increase will enable NMFS to develop,establish, monitor, and enforce coral reefs fishery reserves that may be critical to restoring valuable commercial and recreational fish species and protecting the habitats they depend upon.

National Marine Sanctuaries

NOAA requests an increase of $10.0 million for the Marine Sanctuary Program to improve and enhance the operations of the 12 existing National Marine Sanctuaries. Funds will be used for research, monitoring, education, and outreach at all of the sanctuaries. Enhancing the operating and technical capacity of sanctuaries will result in better protection for these special places that include coral reefs, endangered marine mammals, sensitive habitats and cultural resources. Continued funding of $3.0 million is provided in the PAC account for Sanctuaries to complete high priority projects, such as exhibits and research and visitor centers to provide landside windows into the natural and cultural wonders of the Sanctuaries. Funds will also be used to conduct collaborative education projects and to complete a comprehensive facilities plan that will prioritize needs and opportunities at individual sites.

National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRS)

NOAA requests an increase of $8.0 million for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. $6.0 million will be used to improve the ability of NOAA and its state partners to protect, conserve, and restore coastal habitats and biodiversity at the Nation's 25 existing Reserves, and the two new sites in development. This increase will help make all reserves fully functional to better sustain valuable habitat for fish and other marine species, improve water quality, educate the public, and provide important research opportunities. The increase also will complete assessment of biological resources at each site and implement the system-wide monitoring program critical to tracking the health of each reserve. This effort will address a! key recommendation of the 1999 interagency report, "Turning to the Sea: America's Ocean Future," to improve monitoring of the Nation's estuaries. Funding of $2.0 million is requested in the PAC account for state land acquisition and construction of research and visitor facilities.

Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund

Also as part of the Lands Legacy Initiative, NOAA requests $42.0 million in new funding to increase support for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. These funds will build on the FY 2000 appropriation to provide a total of $100 million that will be used to enhance the recovery of threatened and endangered coastal salmon by providing Federal funds to help share the costs of conservation actions by tribes, States and local communities. The increase will provide assistance in the conservation of Pacific salmon runs at risk of extinction in the western states of California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Funds provided to coastal tribes will not require matching funds, while those provided to States will have matching fund requirements. These new Federal resources will bolster lasting partnerships with tribal, State, and local governments in their effort toward Pacific salmon recovery and habitats restoration.

CLIMATE OBSERVATIONS AND SERVICES INITIATIVE

Mr. Chairman, as you and I both know, the atmosphere and the oceans are intricately connected as they relate to climate change and prediction. In the last few years, demand has significantly increased from the private sector, the academic research community, government agencies, and the general public to provide timely data and information about climate variability, climate change and trends in extreme weather events. To respond to these needs (as several recent National Research Council reports have pointed out), NOAA must take immediate steps to repair its deteriorating data and observational systems. At the same time, NOAA must find funds to pay for new observations and to develop more efficient and timely data infrastructure capabilities.

In FY 2001, NOAA requests $28.0 million in increases for the Climate Observations and Services Initiative. This initiative will support transitioning our current research efforts and knowledge into operational systems and products. To do this, NOAA will use some of the funds in this initiative to implement new ocean observations.

Ocean Observations

Improved understanding of ocean circulation and physics is fundamental to our ability to predict climate variability. Finer measurements of ocean data are needed to track climate shifts, understand the interaction of oceans and atmosphere and predict severe weather and the regional impacts of climate variability. This component of the initiative requires $9.0 million for NOAA to complete the U.S. portion of the global array of profiling floats (ARGO) for temperature and salinity. NOAA, with its international partners, will use these resources to construct, deploy and operate an array of profiling floats for data collection in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It will also deploy additional surface drifting buoys in the Southern Hemisphere and other under-sampled regions to complete the Global Drifter Array and improve and increase sampling from Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS).

NOAA will build upon current U.S. (NASA) and French (CNES) satellite altimetry programs, TOPEX and JASON, to ensure their continuity through the next decade. Studies of satellite systems and ground systems architecture, including orbits, will be performed that will ensure effective assimilation of altimetry into ocean models.

In conjunction with this, NOAA will upgrade global sea-level stations for satellite altimeter drift calibration and for monitoring of long- term trends. Most of these funds (up to $7.5 million) will be managed through the,National Ocean Partnership Program (NOPP).

MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS

As part of a Commerce-wide capacity building effort, NOAA requests $17.0 million to continue educational training relationships through a joint partnership with a consortium of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). These efforts will not only result in the education of new marine, atmospheric and environmental scientists, but also assist many coastal communities in the development of new business and environmental engineering alternatives to support sustainable economic development. There are four components to this Initiative:

- $10 million for the creation of three Cooperative Science Centers, one each in atmospheric, environmental and oceanic sciences. $5 million for the Environmental Entrepreneurship Program to provide funds to MSIs to support research for sustainable management in natural resource depleted environments. $1 million for the Graduate Scientist Program. This Program will focus on recruitment of minorities and provide funding for full-time academic training in .atmospheric, environmental and oceanic science (AEOS). $1 million for the Student Fellowship Program. This Program, a component of the larger DoC Student Fellowship Program, will target MSI students in their junior year who have an interest in AEOS. The program will provide scholarships during the junior and senior years to students who make a commitment to obtain degrees in the natural resources science and related management fields. Internships will be available at NOAA during their junior and senior year academic breaks.

In addition, the initiative will help to develop capacity at the consortium MSIs and allow these institutions to train a greater number of resource scientists and managers. This effort will provide the Department with a broader and more diverse pool of potential employees. Having additional trained natural resource managers will expand the overall scientific community and provide NOAA with additional sources of scientific data that would allow the agency to more effectively carry out its mission.

SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION INITIATIVE

NOAA's FY 2001 Budget Request includes an increase of $1.6 million to address issues related to the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration effort. The South Florida Initiative is an integrated effort among federal, tribal, state and non-governmental partners to halt the degradation and restore the function of the South Florida ecosystem.

As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers begins to implement major construction and re-routing of water flow through the South Florida ecosystem, downstream coastal resources will be affected. NOAA supports the portion of the South Florida Restoration Initiative exclusively devoted to restoring and protecting the coastal and marine portions of the South Florida ecosystem such as the fisheries habitat and coral reefs. Continued investment is necessary to restore and maintain the marine ecosystem and the associated economies of South Florida and the Florida Keys.

JASON

I would like to take this opportunity to point out our continued support for the JASON project, a private-public partnership, at a level of $2.0 million within the National Ocean 'Service. This is the first time that NOAA is requesting funding for this important effort to expand opportunities for learners of all ages by providing education about our valuable ocean resources through interactive technologies.

CLEAN WATER INITIATIVE

NOAA's FY 2001 budget requests an increase of $6.9 million to support the Administration's Clean Water Initiative. This Initiative will help protect coastal communities from polluted runoff. Polluted runoff is now the major source of coastal water pollution and one of the primary factors associated with outbreaks of harmful algal blooms (e.g., Pfiesteria) and the spread of hypoxic zones in U.S. coastal waters. NOAA's FY 2001 request will strengthen and enhance critical research, monitoring, resource trustee, and coastal management capabilities of the National Ocean Service required to address the sources of polluted runoff and symptoms of degraded coastal waters, including harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, and beach closings.

I would like to briefly outline new funding for programs under this initiative.

Harmful Algal Blooms

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are an expanding problem in all of our Nation's coastal areas. Over the past two decades, an estimated $1.0 billion in economic losses have occurred in coastal communities due to HABs such as red and brown tides, and Pfiesteria, that are associated with polluted waters. In FY 2001, the requested increase of $2.4 million will be used to work with states, universities, and' communities to conduct rapid monitoring and assessment response activities as a result of HAB outbreaks. In addition, these funds will improve overall understanding of HABs by improving the support provided to the interagency program, the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (Ecoa).

Polluted Runoff Grants

The FY 2001 budget requests an increase of $2.0 million to aid coastal states in completing and getting final approval of their polluted runoff programs. It will also support the development of the nonpoint pollution control program (section 6217) in the new CZM states through Polluted Runoff Grants. These grants are also counted as part of the Lands Legacy Initiative, along with an additional $2.0 million in state grants (Section 306/309 of the Coastal Zone Management Act), for a total of $4.0 million.

Coastal Protection and Restoration Program

In FY 2001, NOAA requests an increase of $0.5 million to enhance our Coastal Protection and Restoration Program managers' ability to address the impacts of hazardous waste sites on coastal water quality and NOAA trust resources more quickly and effectively. NOAA will be able to expedite restoration and cleanup of coastal natural resources without costly litigation, share NOAA's technical expertise, and create cost effective approaches for remediating waste site contamination as part of the Clean Water Initiative.

AMERICA'S OCEAN FUTURE INITIATIVE

This Initiative continues much of the work of last year's Year of the Ocean (YOTO) and Resource Protection Initiatives. NOAA's FY 2001 budget request an increase of $51.6 million to continue to focus on necessary actions designed to explore, protect and restore America's vital ocean resources.Highlighting the important role the ocean plays in the daily lives of all Americans, the Administration's 1999 interagency report, "Turning to the Sea: America's Ocean Future," introduced measures to promote new scientific insight into the oceans, sustain use of fisheries and other marine resources, provide new opportunities for economic growth, enhance overall coastal management, and protect fragile coastal communities and ecosystems, such as coral reefs, from damage and environmental degradation. The Report and this Initiative are a result of recommendations made at the National Ocean Conference to develop a coordinated, disciplined, long-term Federal ocean policy.

I would like to briefly outline our new funding request for programs under this Initiative.

Safe Navigation In FY 2001, NOAA requests an increase of $6.2 million to promote safe and efficient navigation. These resources will improve the competitiveness of U.S. ports and exports while lowering the risk of marine accidents and resulting pollution. In partnership with the private sector and local authorities, NOAA will focus on the quality assurance necessary to fully implement the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems (PORTS).

PORTS provide real-tune oceanographic data critical to safe efficient navigation, hazardous spill response, coastal flood warnings and other applications.

NOAA will continue to modernize the national spatial reference systems and continue progress on NOAA's electronic chart database, including accelerating shoreline mapping primarily through private sector contracts.Providing real-time oceanographic data and a complete suite of electronic charts with timely updates of hydrographic, shoreline and navigation data are key recommendations of the "Turning to the Sea: America's Ocean Future" report. Modernized, accurate positioning supports the PORTS program, electronic charts, other navigation-related programs and many economic sectors that depend on accurate location data.

Aquaculture

Wild fish stocks in the U.S. and around the world are dwindling. At the same time world demand for protein continues to rise. The U.S. incurred a $6.9 billion trade deficit in fisheries products in 1998. NOAA's FY 2001 budget requests $2.6 million to promote the development of an environmentally friendly and commercially viable domestic aquaculture industry. The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) will use $1.6 million for research and development of environmentally and economically sound aquaculture technologies through a peer reviewed competition to identify projects that will lead to business development.

NMFS will direct $1.0 million toward developing aquaculture standards that protect the environment, promoting ecologically-sound farming technologies, and addressing site selection criteria to assist those who plan to invest in aquaculture within federal waters. These funds will further the administration's ocean stewardship mission by protecting the environment while developing sustainable aquaculture.

Fisheries Stock Assessments, Conservation, and Management

In FY 2001, NOAA requests an increase of $11.9 million for Fisheries Stock Assessments, Conservation, and Management. Of this sum, $3.6 million will. be used to establish the National Observer Program and to augment current observer coverage to carry out mandates in the Magnuson Stevens Act. An increase of $3.0 million will be used to support work on fisheries oceanography. This increase supports programs to improve stock predictions by identifying and assessing critical environmental processes that control long-term trends in the Nation's fishery production. It also supports a network of biophysical moorings in the North Pacific Ocean. These moorings will provide data on key oceanographic indicators, and give greater insight into environmentally-induced shifts in the productivity of commercially important fish stocks.

Also included is an increase of $1.8 million to support field studies to refine essential fish habitat and reduce the impacts of commercial and recreational fishing gear on essential fish habitat. Further, NOAA requests an increase of $1.0 million to collect fisheries statistics and perform economic analyses required by the National Standard 8 of the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA). The analysis will include socioeconomic characteristics of commercial and recreational fishermen, economic values within fisheries, and vessel data within fisheries, all of which will improve the analytical capability to predict and monitor the economic and social consequences of management decisions.

Also requested is an increase of $2.5 million to develop a core economic data collection capacity within NMFS to determine economic consequences of various activities on participants in a fishery, including improved regulatory flexibility analyses.

Sea Floor Observatories

To implement the 1999 interagency report, "Turning to the Sea: America's Ocean Future," NOAA's FY 2001 budget requests an increase of $3.1 million for Sea Floor Observatories. This funding will help us to unravel deep-sea mysteries, discover, new opportunities in the ocean, and better understand how to protect marine resources. For example, these funds will launch a program to map and explore U.S. ocean waters with advanced underwater technology. It will expand activities at two existing shallow-water observatories, the Leo-15 - off of the coast of New Jersey, and the Aquarius in the Florida Keys.

Further, the increase will fund two new deep-sea observatories, one on the Pacific Juan deFuca Ridge and the other in the Gulf of Mexico. Finally, to better understand the contribution that ocean resources provide to the Nation's economy, funds will also be used to assess the economic value of the domestic ocean and coastal resources.

Fleet Replacement

Funds for new construction/conversion or repair to extend the life of a NOAA vessel are requested in the PAC account. In FY 2001, NOAA requests an increase of $8.0 million to reactivate, convert, and upgrade the NOAA vessel ADVENTUROUS to support fisheries research activities. The ADVENTUROUS, a modern T-AGOS class vessel acquired from the Navy, is currently inactive but can be converted to meet marine mammal survey and some high priority fisheries data collection requirements. (Note: $8.3 million is funded in the base budget to continue construction of a new acoustically quiet Fisheries Research Vessel (FRV).) This vessel is essential to conduct stock assessment surveys that monitor species' abundance, recruitment, age composition, and responses to ecological changes and fisheries management's goal to build sustainable fisheries. This $8.3 million is not part of NOAA's request for increased funding. In FY 2002, FY 2003, and FY 2004, NOAA requests one ship per year at a cost of $53.3 million each.

Acquisition of Data

NOAA's $1.8 million increase for Acquisition of Data supports the collection of hydrographic and coastal assessment data through days- at-sea for programs of significant national interest. These funds will support an additional 140 days-at-sea of University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) ship time needed to support ongoing and new ECOHAB program and Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics (GLOBEC) projects. This request implements a key recommendation of the Ocean Future report to increase research to understand the ongoing changes in ocean chemistry.

Resource Protection

NOAA requests an increase of $13.5 million for Resource Protection which includes $12.3 million in Endangered Species Act Recovery Planning and $1.2 million for Protected Species Management. The increase of $12.3 million will be used to implement programs to respond to the extinction crisis facing several highly endangered marine species and to expand efforts for Pacific and Atlantic Salmon. Included in this increase is $2.3 million to stem the decline of Pacific leatherback turtle and the northern Atlantic loggerhead turtle, Hawaiian monk seals, northern Atlantic and North Pacific fight whales, and Cook Inlet Beluga Whales, all of which are on the brink of extinction. This will be done through a combination of research, monitoring and management actions to determine the causes for the decline and to implement recovery measures.

This initiative also includes $9.0 million to continue the Administration's support for the recovery of endangered Pacific salmon by investing in the scientific underpinnings of this recovery program and monitoring its effectiveness, and $1.0 million to provide a solid foundation for conserving Atlantic salmon in Maine through a strong investment in research.

Protected Species Management also includes $0.2 million to monitor marine biodiversity to maintain healthier marine species and ecosystems through evaluating the threats and their impacts on habitats and biodiversity and $1.0 million for coral reef assessments and reduction of fishery impacts not included in the Lands Legacy initiative.

Fisheries and Marine Resource Enforcement

Enforcement is a key element of a credible management effort designed to support the growth and stability of the domestic fishing industry and protect our nation's living marine resources. NOAA requests an increase of $4.5 million for enforcement activities. This increase includes $1.3 million needed to expand current vessel monitoring programs, $0.2 million needed to provide additional enforcement activities associated with Endangered Species Act and marine mammal recovery efforts, $0.5 million for salmon related enforcement actions, and $2.5 million to establish cooperative enforcement programs between NMFS and the coastal states.

NOAA also has other programs of note that are important to meet immediate programmatic needs and longer-term strategic goals. These activities are not covered in the initiatives I have discussed.

Pacific Salmon Agreement

For example, NOAA requests a total of $70 million to implement the Pacific Salmon Agreement. This increase will provide $20 million to capitalize the Southern Boundary Restoration and Enhancement Fund, $20 million to the Northern Boundary and Transboundary Rivers Restoration fund and $20 million to the State of Washington to complete the Vessel License Buyback Program. This increase is not included as part of the Lands Legacy Initiative. An additional $10 million is in the NMFS base budget. The two endowment funds will be administered by the Pacific Salmon Commission for habitat, stock enhancement, science and salmon management initiatives in the U.S. and Canada.

Fisheries Habitat Restoration

NOAA is proposing an increase of $2 million for Fisheries Habitat Restoration. This additional funding will enable NOAA to increase the geographic scope of our restoration efforts and the number of projects that we are able to undertake with communities in partnership with public and private interests.

Sea Grant

In FY 2001, NOAA requests a $.6 million increase for the Sea Grant Program.. Sea Grant provides the major source of support for applied marine science research, including coastal and ocean engineering and management, fisheries and aquaculture, and marine related social sciences and law. Its university-based network of 29 programs conduct scientific research, provide education and training, and facilitate technology transfer to ensure stewardship and responsible use of our resources.

Through Sea Grant, NOAA forges a major link to the external academic community where a strong infrastructure and talented pool of scientists, engineers, educators, and outreach specialists can be tapped to meet Agency and Departmental missions. Such partnerships support the Administration's goal of a sustainable economy and environment.

Commerce Administrative Management System (CAMS) The full funding of CAMS is essential for NOAA to maintain a sound financial accounting system and to meet its statutory obligations under the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA) and the Chief Financial Officer Act (CFO Act). CAMS is also essential in making NOAA's programs successful. NOAA requests $15.8 million for CAMS in the PAC Account in order allow for continued production support. These funds will support the Accounts Payable, Small Purchases, and the Travel Modules.Our highest priority continues to be to ensure that critical services are provided and that employees are given the support necessary to meet their personal career goals as well as the NOAA mission. Therefore, NOAA's Total Budget Authority ATBs for all accounts in FY 2001 are $54.3 million. I would like to take this opportunity to applaud one such NOAA scientist, Susan Solomon, whom the White House recently awarded the 1999 National Medal of Science. She is the first NOAA scientist to be awarded this medal.

Conclusion

The challenge of investing strategically in the Nation's future is accompanied by the requirement to be more effective, to identify and realize opportunities for savings, and to focus the efforts of all levels of Government on what matters most to the American people. Our citizens are increasingly demanding proof of performance - documentation of the "bang for the buck" and NOAA's FY 2001 budget request includes measures which track results to the level of public investment.

Success in the 21st Century will depend more and more on partnerships and cooperative ventures that link business, industry, and universities with Federal, State and local governments and international parties. NOAA will continue to develop associations which most efficiently and economically leverage resources and talent and most effectively provide the means for successfully meeting program requirements.

The FY 2001 budget is an investment for the 21 st century, a step toward a more viable, economically sound, and ecologically sustainable future where environmental stewardship, assessment and prediction serve as keystones to enhancing economic prosperity and quality of life, better protecting lives and property, and strengthening U.S. trade.

Thank you again for the opportunity to appear. I would be pleased to respond to any questions members of the Subcommittee may have.

END

LOAD-DATE: March 29, 2000

Document 14 of 62.


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