The consolidation of research laboratories in Boulder, Colo. into one entity and the creation of an associate administrator position to oversee all research within the agency are among the recommendations of a team charged to review the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s research enterprise. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The team, which has been working since October at the request of NOAA’s Science Advisory Board in response to Congressional language in the FY 2004 appropriations committee reports, delivered its final report to NOAA on Aug. 10. The six-member review team was led by Berrien Moore of the University of New Hampshire.

“The team has done an outstanding job in reviewing how and where NOAA conducts its research,” said Len Pietrafesa, chair of NOAA’s Science Advisory Board. “They have made recommendations for significant change to build a better NOAA.”

A major change was the recommendation to merge the research laboratories in Boulder, Colo. into one research unit. Congress asked NOAA to develop a plan for the laboratory consolidation. NOAA is completing an implementation plan for the consolidation.

The review team also recommended that long-term plans be developed for NOAA’s research. NOAA is working on a five-year research plan and a 20-year vision to address that recommendation.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through research to better understand atmospheric and climate variability and to manage wisely our nation's coastal and marine resources.

The Review Team’s Report on the Web: http://www.sab.noaa.gov and click on “Reports”