Contact:  Lori Arguelles               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
          Tim Tomastik                 2/6/97

NOAA ANNOUNCES FY 1998 BUDGET

The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration today announced its FY 1998 budget, which is designed to help reach the Clinton Administration's goal of balancing the federal budget by the year 2002. The NOAA request of $2 billion reflects an increase of $78.5 million, a 4 percent increase over last year's request.

"This budget reflects the need to downsize the federal government, while at the same time preserving the Administration's priorities in sustaining investments in science and technology and environmental protection," said D. James Baker, Commerce Department under secretary for oceans and atmosphere. "We have carefully scrutinized NOAA's mission of prediction and protection in our natural environment, and used the President's priorities to determine how we can best distribute our budgetary resources."

These increases in priority program areas are offset by reductions in other areas totaling $174 million, which leaves the NOAA budget with a net increase of $78.5 million. Areas where savings are being realized include construction projects that have been completed and completion of the current series of polar satellites, along with reductions in some other programs.

"NOAA has always contributed to efforts to make government work smarter and we will continue to do so," Baker added. "Our investment in the convergence of civilian and military satellite programs is a prime example of how we can do more with less."

The Administration has proposed a new Capital Assets Acquisition Account, representing $503 million of NOAA's 1998 budget request, that will include funding for current projects. Also, advance appropriations of $723 million within this account have been requested for FY 99 to complete these projects.

"We believe that multi-year funding will provide the certainty to allow us to more effectively plan and manage these major acquisition projects. By providing the resources necessary to maintain essential services, facilitating continued progress in critical investment areas, and addressing statutory obligations, the President's FY98 request for NOAA affirms the importance of the agency's role in sustaining our nation's investment in science and technology and environmental protection," Baker said.

Highlights of the FY 98 budget include:

--$22.5 million increase for continued investments in a converged civilian and military polar orbiting satellite program, which will ultimately save taxpayers more than $1 billion over the life of the program.

--$66 million increase for continued development of next generation geostationary weather satellites that provide weather forecasters with vital information on severe weather events, including thunderstorms and hurricanes.

--$22 million increase for NOAA's role in the Clinton Administration's Clean Water initiative, which includes $18 million for state grants, technical assistance and demonstration projects under the Coastal Zone Management Act and $4 million for the Community-Right-to-Know Project on toxins.

--$16.6 million increase for restoring the health and wealth of America's fisheries and protecting species in danger of extinction, including West Coast salmon. Funds will also be used to carry out mandates under the newly authorized Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation Act.

--$5 million increase to ensure systems critical for production of climate forecasts that benefit all sectors of the economy by providing an advanced picture of likely weather patterns.

--$11 million for restoration to base funds to allow the National Weather Service to maintain functions necessary to perform its primary mission of forecasting weather to protect life and property.

--$17 million increase for deployment of the National Weather Service Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System, which will allow forecasters to integrate a variety of vital weather information in a glance.

--The transfer of the Aeronautical Charting Unit to the Federal Aviation Administration, which will be accomplished over a two-year time frame.

NOAA's FY 98 budget proposal is available in its entirety on NOAA's Internet web site at: http://www.noaa.gov

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