# Presentation: 042693

## The Report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy:Implications for NOAA and the Nation

**Richard W. Spinrad, Ph.D.**
**Assistant Administrator for Oceans and Coasts****Co-Chair, NOAA Ocean Council **

**NOAA Leadership Seminar     **
**August 25, 2004**

**Notes:**
I would like to add my welcome to all of you.  I hope the time you are spending here will prove to be worthwhile as you continue in your careers.

You are here because you have been identified as emerging leaders.  With leadership comes additional responsibilities.  One important responsibility—and a key to effective leadership—is to keep on top of current and big picture events that may impact your office, program and agency.  

Doing so can make the difference between a career of treating these inevitable outside influences as intrusions and problems or as opportunities for advancing your program’s goals and objectives. 

What you don’t know can hurt you.  The more you know and the sooner you know it, the more likely you  will be able to capitalize on external events and promote a  forward thinking, proactive agenda – and that is a big part of being an effective leader.

Today NOAA is faced with one of, if not the, biggest opportunity since its creation 34 years ago.  This opportunity is the report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy.

## U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy

- Oceans Act of 2000
- National Ocean Policy Recommendations

**Notes:**
Did you know that it was the recommendations of a similar major ocean commission—indeed the last such major ocean commission—that resulted in NOAA being created?  
It was almost 40 years ago that the Stratton Commission recommended the creation of NOAA. President Nixon acted upon the recommendation and NOAA was created in 1970.  
Today, a second presidential commission on the oceans is issuing a report.  Clearly, there is no other federal agency that stands to be impacted by this Commission’s report more than NOAA.
The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy was authorized by Congress in the Oceans Act of 2000.  President Bush appointed the 16 member Commission and it convened its first meeting on September 18, 2001.  
The Commission’s primary task was to make recommendations to the President and Congress for a comprehensive and coordinated national ocean policy.
For almost two-years the Commission convened public meetings and  made site visits all around the country.  It spent countless hours reviewing testimony of witnesses and developing its findings and recommendations.

On April 20, 2004, the Commission released its Preliminary Report for comment by the Governor’s and stakeholders.

## Preliminary Report

- 31 Issue-based Chapters
- 200 recommendations
- 50 NOAA recommendations
- 500+ pages without appendices

- Final Report is expected Mid-September 2004
- http://www.oceancommission.gov

**Notes:**
The potential impacts of the Commission’s report on NOAA are as numerous and diverse as the report itself.

Once the final report is issued—and that should be in September—the President has 90 days under the Oceans Act to issue a report to Congress stating the Administration’s views and proposals for implementation.  
Based on our best estimates, that report from the President would be due right around the holiday season.  The President’s report is being coordinated by the White House Council on Environmental Quality – CEQ.
NOAA, through the NOAA Ocean Council, has been tracking the Commission and advising NOAA leadership for well over a year.

## Process

**Products to NOAA HQ/CEQ: **
**Anticipatory     Binder**
**Governance Options**
**Talking Points**
**Priorities**
**Cost Estimates**
**Other...**

**April 20**

**NOAA Ocean Council**

**Notes:**
In July 2003, the NOAA Ocean Council obtained Vice Admiral Lautenbacher’s approval to serve as the lead for issues associated with U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy.
The Ocean Council has served as the lead for:
collecting NOAA expert advice
coordinating NOAA input
disseminating information to NOAA Headquarters and ultimately to the White House and the Administration.   

Process includes: Broad participation through the NOAA leads (details in the next slide)
Final products developed by the NOC:
Anticipatory Binder (**Reference to the large Anticipatory Phase Binder that was given and heartily accepted by the Admiral)
Governance Options
Talking Points
Priorities (for use in IOPG meeting)
Cost estimates
Other products as needed.

## NOAA Leads

| Chapter | NOAA Lead |
| --- | --- |
| 4: Ecosystem-based Management | Ned Cyr |
| 5: Regional Approach | NOAA Ocean Council |
| 6: MPAs | Jamie Hawkins |
| 8: Ocean Education | Marlene Kaplan |
| 9: Coastal Zone | Doug Brown |
| 10: Natural Hazards | Rollie Schmitten &    Doug Brown |
| 11: Conserving and Restoring Coastal habitat | Rollie Schmitten |
| 12: Sediments & Shorelines | Doug Brown |
| 13: Marine Commerce and Transportation | Rich Edwing &            Phil Kenul |
| 14: Coastal Water Pollution | Doug Brown &         Bruce Hicks |
| 15: Water Quality | Doug Brown |
| 16: Vessel Pollution | David Kennedy &        Phil Kenul |
| 17: Invasive Species | Dorn Carlson |

| Chapter | NOAA Lead |
| --- | --- |
| 18: Marine Debris | Dail Brown &              David Kennedy |
| 19: Fisheries | Jack Dunnigan, Dale Jones, & Bill Brennan |
| 20: Marine  Mammals and Endangered Marine Species | Laurie Allen &              Jack Dunnigan |
| 21: Corals | David Kennedy |
| 22: Marine Aquaculture | Linda Chaves |
| 23: Oceans and Human Health | Suzanne Bolton |
| 24: Offshore Energy and Other Mineral resources | Doug Brown &            Craig McLean |
| 25: Research | Rick Rosen, Craig Mc-Lean, Charlie Challstrom |
| 26: Integrated Ocean Observing System | Rick Spinrad &            Greg Withee |
| 27: Ocean Infrastructure and Technology Development | Nick Prahl |
| 28: Ocean Data and Information Systems | Greg Withee |
| 29:  International Ocean Science and Policy | Bill Brennan |
| 30: Funding Needs and Possible Sources | Doug Brown |

**Notes:**
 I see from your agenda that you are now all experts on the PPBES process.
 The NOC used the PPBES program matrix and goal structure as the primary mechanism for determining NOAA Leads for reviewing the Commission’s report and developing responses. 
Each lead is either a Program Manager, Goal-team Lead, or Council Chair.
This table also helps to illustrate the breadth of issues addressed by the Commission.  The Commission discusses broad topics of governance and ecosystem management as well as a range of program specific subjects, such as corals and aquaculture.

## NOAA’s Contribution to the USCOP Administration Response

- Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) leads Interagency Ocean Policy Group
- NOAA (all agencies) provides input to CEQ
- The President’s implementation plan developed by the Interagency Ocean Policy Group
- A NOAA Organic Act has been through this process and sent to Congress

**Notes:**
Note the title of this slide—NOAA is not issuing its own response to the Commission report.  NOAA, along with other Federal agencies, is contributing to the Administration’s overall response.

NOAA is providing its comments and input to CEQ 
CEQ has established an Interagency Ocean Policy Group
The Group has established several subcommittees on specific issues:  international, watersheds, water quality, energy and minerals . . .
NOAA has representatives on each of these groups.
In addition NOAA has 2 staff detailed to CEQ to assist in the development of the President’s report.
Andrew Larkin
Joe Hartenstine

One action already completed is the drafting and clearance of a new Organic Act for NOAA, which has been sent to and introduced in Congress as HR 4607.

## Preliminary Report

- Ecosystem-based Management
- Create a New National Ocean Policy Framework
- Strengthen Science and Meet Information Needs
- Enhance Ocean Education

- Cross-cutting Themes

**Notes:**
[Rick:  Starting with this Slide # 7 through Slide16, the intent is for you to move quickly—no more than 1 minute per slide and for some less than that.]

In the next few slides, I will highlight some of the issues covered in the Commission’s report.  I think this should make it clear why the report has the potential to mean a lot to NOAA in the coming years.

Ecosystem-based Management:
U.S. ocean policy should be grounded in an understanding of ecosystems
Management approach should reflect relationships among all ecosystem components
 I would note that this is consistent with NOAA’s existing Strategic Plan – one of NOAA’s four major goals is on ecosystems.

National Ocean Policy Framework:
Improve federal leadership and coordination
Strengthen agency structure for effective implementation of national ocean policy
Enhance opportunities for state, territorial, tribal, and local entities to develop regional goals & priorities, improve responses to regional issues, and improve coordination

Strengthen Science and Meet Information Needs:
Improve scientific understanding of the oceans and coasts
Enhance the nation’s ability to observe, monitor, and forecast ocean and coastal conditions to understand and respond to interactions among oceanic, atmospheric, and terrestrial processes

Enhance Ocean Education:
Improve decision makers’ understanding of the ocean
Cultivate a broad public stewardship ethic
Prepare a new generation of leaders on ocean issues

## A National Ocean Council

- Recommendation 4-1
- 	Congress should establish a *National Ocean Council* and a nonfederal *Presidential Council of Advisors on Ocean Policy* within the Executive Office of the President to provide enhanced federal leadership and coordination for the oceans and coasts....   ...by appointing an *Assistant to the President* to chair the Council.

**Notes:**

“....While Congress works to establish these components in law, the President should begin immediately to implement an integrated national ocean policy by establishing the National Ocean Council and Presidential Council of Advisors on Ocean Policy through an executive Order, and... by appointing an Assistant to the President to chair the Council.”

## Strengthening NOAA

- Recommendation 7-1
- 	Congress should pass an organic act that codifies the establishment and missions of NOAA...

**Notes:**
The act should ensure that NOAA’s structure is consistent with the principle’s of ecosystem-based management and with its primary functions of assessment, prediction, and operations; management; and research and education.

The Commission was explicit that it’s goal is to “Solidify NOAA’s role as the nation’s lead civilian ocean agency.”

Clearly, NOAA may be significantly impacted by these sorts of recommendations.

## Education

- Recommendation 8-3
- 	The NOAA, NSF, ONR, and NASA should strengthen their support of both formal and informal ocean-related education, including appropriate evaluation and assessments of these efforts.

## Integrated Ocean Observing System

- Recommendation 26-9
- 	Congress should fund the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) as a line item in the NOAA budget, to be spent subject to National Ocean Council direction and approval...

**Notes:**
 IOOS funds should be appropriated without fiscal year limitation.  NOAA should develop a streamlined process for distributing IOOS funds to other federal and nonfederal partners.  The Commission is clear that NOAA should serve as the lead Federal agency in developing an integrated ocean observing system.

## Ocean Infrastructure

- Recommendation 27-4
- 	Congress should establish a modernization fund for critical ocean infrastructure and technology needs....

**Notes:**
Spending priorities should be based on the National Ocean Council’s ocean and coastal infrastructure and technology strategy.

## Research

- Recommendation 25-1
- 	Congress should double the federal ocean and coastal research budget over the next five years, from the 2004 level of approximately $650 million to $1.3 billion per year.

## Fisheries

- Recommendation 19-15
- 	Congress should amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to affirm that fishery managers are authorized to institute dedicated access privileges [IFQs]...

**Notes:**
Congress should direct the National Marine Fisheries Service to issue national guidelines for dedicated access privileges that allow for regional flexibility in implementation

## Other Recommendation Topics

- Regional ocean councils
- Marine Protected Areas
- Non-point source pollution
- Habitat Restoration
- Marine Aquaculture
- Invasives
- Satellites
- International ocean science and policy

## Ocean Policy Trust Fund

- Recommendation 30-1
- 	Congress, with input from the NOC should establish an Ocean Policy Trust Fund in the U.S. Treasury...

**Notes:**
The Commission estimates that implementation of its recommendations would cost about $1.5 billion in new funds in the first year, ramping up to sustained increases of more than $3 billion by year three.  It proposes a Trust Fund to pay for this.

The Fund should be composed of unallocated revenues from outer continental shelf (OCS) oil and gas leasing and development, and resource rents assessed on new activities in federal waters.  Trust fund monies should be dispersed to coastal states and federal agencies to support improved ocean and coastal management commensurate with the nation’s new coordinated and comprehensive national ocean policy.

## Congress

- In anticipation of the Commission’s final report, about 18 ocean bills have been introduced in Congress
- The House and Senate have both held hearings on the Commission report
- Passage of major ocean legislation this year is unlikely
- The next Congress will be important for oceans and NOAA

**Notes:**
Congress has demonstrated significant interest in acting upon the Commission’s report.  
In addition to the Administration’s submission of a NOAA Organic Act, at least two other bills have been introduced to clarify NOAA’s mission and provide basic, organic authorities.  
One bill would transfer NOAA to Interior; another would make NOAA an independent agency.
Other major legislation outlines a broad national ocean policy based upon ecosystem-based management and other guiding principles.
There are also several bills focusing on specific activities that include:
Coral reefs, ocean mapping, ocean exploration, oceans and human health, ocean observing systems, and marine debris.

The breadth of the pending legislation indicates has major implications for NOAA on many levels, including how we are organized, our primary missions, where we are located within the government.

We don’t expect many of these bills to be enacted this year.  We do expect most, if not all, of them to be reintroduced in the next – 109th – Congress early next year.  The 109th Congress is shaping up to be very important for ocean policy and law, and for NOAA in particular.

## Resources

- https://inside.nos.noaa.gov/noc/welcome.html
- http://oceancommission.gov
- http://ocean.ceq.gov/welcome.html

**Notes:**
I encourage you to note these three websites and recommend you bookmark them on your computer.

The first is the website for the NOAA Ocean Council, which will continue to serve as a focal point for NOAA’s input on the Commission.  This site is restricted to NOAA employees and requires you to log in.
The second is the Ocean Commission’s website, which is actually being maintained by NOAA.
The third, also being maintained by NOAA, is the website the White House has established as the official Administration location for releasing information on efforts to review and implement the Commission’s report.  This site is sparsely populated now, but we expect it will grow over the next few months.

## What Might Happen?

**Notes:**

 I think I have made the case that the report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy represents an historic opportunity and like a turning point for NOAA.  
It is too early tell or even predict the specific changes that might occur, but the next 2 to 3 years will be a pivotal time as much of this played out in the halls of Congress and throughout the Executive Branch.
Although we don’t know what will happen, I would like to discuss some of the possibiltiies or what might happen over the next 2-3 years.

Questions?