NOAA ANNOUNCES FY
2001 BUDGET REQUEST
The Commerce Department's National Oceanic
and Atmospheric
Administration has requested $2.9 billion in total budget authority
for fiscal year 2001, a 20% increase, about $500 million over
the current budget.
In the year when NOAA
is celebrating it's 30th anniversary, the requested increase
will allow the agency to continue a mission critical to all Americans,
to assess and predict the weather and changes to our earth's
climate and to preserve and protect our coastal and living marine
resources.
"This budget request represents a
strong commitment by the Administration to NOAA's invaluable
role in contributing to the Nation's economic and environmental
health. As the population of the United States continues to grow,
it becomes more important for us to better manage and preserve
our natural resources, understand and predict weather patterns,
and comprehend the consequences of human influences on our environment,"
said D. James Baker,
NOAA administrator and under secretary for oceans and atmosphere.
NOAA's overall responsibilities are divided
into two main areas -- to assess and predict the environment,
which includes short-term weather warnings and forecasts, providing
seasonal climate forecasts as well as long-range climate assessments,
and promoting safe navigation. The second primary responsibility
is stewardship of U.S. coastal resources and protection of living
marine resources. This includes working with states to develop
plans to maintain and protect coastal ecosystems, supporting
cooperative efforts to preserve endangered fish populations such
as various salmon stocks in the Pacific northwest, and ensuring
the health and preservation of a wide variety of marine mammals.
NOAA plays a key role in many Presidential,
Departmental, and interagency initiatives, including the Lands
Legacy Initiative, the Natural
Disaster Reduction Initiative, the South
Florida Ecosystem Restoration Initiative, the Clean
Water Initiative, building the capacity of the Nation's Minority
Serving Institutions, the Climate Services and Observations Initiative,
and the implementation of the America's
Ocean Future Report.
NOAA's products and services provide vital
support to the domestic security and global competitiveness of
the United States, and positively impact the lives of our citizens
every day. A sample of these critical budget initiatives and
programs are described below:
- $110 million in increases to support the
programs that comprise the Natural Disaster Reduction Initiative,
including increases for sustaining the modernization of the National Weather Service,
research and new funding for satellites and data efforts.
- $265.8 million in increased support for
the Lands Legacy Initiative, which addresses some of the most
serious challenges facing U.S. coasts and oceans. The request
will increase funding for the National
Marine Sanctuaries and Estuarine
Research Reserves, as well as mapping and monitoring of fragile
coral reefs. The increase will also help address the effects
of polluted run-off in coastal areas, enhance the recovery of
threatened and endangered coastal salmon, and provide grants
to states for coastal zone management plans.
- $28 million to support the Climate
Observation and Services Initiative. Because it is critical
to provide timely data and information about climate and extreme
weather events, NOAA must act immediately to repair its deteriorating
data and observation systems while simultaneously developing
new capabilities.
- $42 million in new funds, as part of the
Lands Legacy Initiative, for the Pacific
Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. The money will be used to enhance
the recovery of threatened and endangered coastal salmon through
conservation measures funded jointly with tribes, States and
local communities.
- $60 million increase to implement the
Pacific Salmon Treaty.
- $51.6 million to continue the efforts
and momentum built at the National
Ocean Conference held in Monterey, Calif. in 1998 to develop
a coordinated, disciplined, long-term Federal ocean policy. These
funds will be used to support NOAA's efforts to promote safe
and efficient navigation, promote the development of environmentally
friendly and commercially viable aquaculture industries, increase
fisheries stock assessments and observer programs to carry out
the mandates in Magnuson-Stevens
Act; to map and explore U.S. ocean waters with advanced underwater
technology; to continue protection of threatened and endangered
marine species, and activate and upgrade a NOAA vessel to support
fishery research activities.
- $17 million to continue educational training
relationship through a joint partnership with a consortium of
minority serving institutions as part of a Commerce wide effort.
NOAA's FY 2001 budget request is available
on the Internet at
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/budget2001 |