BOSTON - Senator John Kerry today congratulated the Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) on its receipt of a $97.7 million
federal research grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The funding is part of the NSF's $331 million Ocean Observatories
Initiative. It will be used to build an ocean observation system of
buoys and robotic underwater vehicles in the waters off of Cape Cod,
that will allow researchers to improve the accuracy of weather
forecasts, more closely track the effects of climate change, and better
monitor commercial fisheries and red tide blooms.

WHOI is also receiving $10 million from the state.

"Our state is ranked #2 in green jobs, and this new funding will only
improve our ability to discover important breakthroughs on oceans and
climate change, while creating good jobs right here in Massachusetts,"
said Senator Kerry. "I commend the NSF for recognizing the stellar work
done by WHOI and providing it with the funding it needs to continue its
research. I also applaud Governor Patrick and Lt. Gov. Murray for
providing additional funding from the state to augment the award."

The awards are the largest in the history of WHOI and come nearly a year after it was forced to cut jobs because of a lack of federal financial
support.