# Presentation: 839152

## Sustainable Beaches:  Weather Impacts

- VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr. US Navy (Ret.)
- Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
- NOAA Administrator
- November 1, 2005

**Notes:**
Good morning and welcome.  Thank you, Mr. McLeod for your kind introduction.  It is an honor and a privilege to be here today to address such an important topic with so may of the key stakeholders present.  

(VIPs present:  1) Walter McLeod, President, Clean Beaches Council, 2) Mayor Rick Baker, Mayor, St. Petersburg, 3) Jan Eriksen, President, Foundation for Environmental Education and 4) Dr. Lisa Robbins, USGS Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies (Co-host))

The importance of our Nation’s coastal communities cannot be overestimated.  More than 50% of our Nation’s population live in coastal counties and that population is expected to increase by more than 7 million by 2008 and 12 million by 2012. 

This presentation serves three purposes. I will provide you with a very basic overview NOAA’ –mission, goals and management strategy. 

Second, I will review the basic impacts weather has on our nation’s beaches and NOAA’s role in reducing those impacts.

Third,  I will discuss the way ahead – how NOAA is working to ensure our nation’s beaches and coastal ecosystems are available for all stakeholders well into the future.  

## NOAA’s Vision

- An informed society that uses a comprehensive understanding of the role of the oceans, coasts and atmosphere in the global ecosystem to make the best social and economic decisions

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

## NOAA’s Mission and Goals

- To understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet the Nation’s economic, social and environmental needs
- Mission Goals:
- Protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through an ecosystem approach to management
- Understand climate variability and change to enhance society’s ability to plan and respond
- Serve society’s needs for weather and water information
- Support the Nation’s commerce with information for safe, efficient, and environmentally sound transportation
- Provide critical support for NOAA’s mission

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
In our effort to fully integrate everything we do into a cohesive “One NOAA” we created these four mission goals to help guide us.  In our proposed Strategic Plan, we have added one additional goal to highlight organizational excellence and mission support.

## Ecosystem Approach to Management

- Balancing Diverse Societal Objectives
- Economic needs
- Tourism
- Commerce
- Fishing industry
- Social needs
- Beach tourism
- recreational fishing
- boating
- Environmental needs
- healthy beaches
- healthy fish stocks
- healthy waters

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
NOAA has adopted an ecosystem approach to management that strives to balance diverse societal objectives. This fits well with NOAA’s mission. We must balance economic, social and environmental needs.  Our objectives must be balanced on both a regional, national and ultimately, a global level.

While NOAA is not a corporation and does not deliver a product, we are here to serve the public.  This is basically a directive to ensure that stakeholder needs in each ecosystem are understood and met, while maintaining a healthy ecosystem.  Some of those stakeholders are resort owners, recreational fishermen, and some are environmental groups.  We have an incredibly challenging mandate.  

The end goal is to have productive, healthy and sustainable ecosystems, including beaches, that all sectors of the economy can utilize for their benefit. 

## Weather Impacts

- Wind Damage

- Storm surge

- Hazardous Materials Spills

- Tornadoes

- Erosion

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
Coastal storms account for 71 percent of recent U.S. disaster losses annually. Each event costs roughly $500 million. With 14 events in a year, losses would total $7 billion per year. 

Hurricanes inflict some of the most visible and damaging impacts on our coastal communities – wind, storm surge, coastal erosion, flooding, tornadoes, and pollution – which, when combined with the evacuations, contribute to the costly nature of these storms.  

Since 1900, hurricanes and tropical storms making landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast have caused more than 9,000 deaths and more than $100 billion in damages to homes and property.  (Those numbers do not include this year’s hurricane season)

Since 1990, NOAA has recovered over $300 million for restoration of coastal and marine resources injured from chemical releases and oil spills. Not all of the response and recovery was due to coastal storms, but as an example, following Hurricane Katrina, NOAA discovered approximately 24,000 barrels (992,000 gallons) of crude oil had been discharged from a Chevron plant in Plaquemines Parish, LA.  NOAA contained and secured the spill, recovering 770 barrels (32,000 gallons) of crude oil.  

## One NOAA Hurricanes

- Observations

- Research

- Reconnaissance

- Forecasting

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
NOAA’s forecasts, warnings, and the associated emergency responses result in a $3 billion savings in a typical hurricane season. One-third of this savings, $1 billion, is attributed to a reduction in property-related damage because of preparedness actions.   And I know the following statistic is particularly relevant for those of you in this room today.  Reducing the length of coastline under hurricane warnings saves approximately $640,000 per coastal mile in costs of evacuations and other preparedness actions.

I’d like to spend a few moments on some current events on which NOAA has focused lately.  A recent example of how the agency functions as “one NOAA” is our response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  The Gulf of Mexico ecosystem has many components with which NOAA is involved.  All of these components, including the beaches, fisheries and wetlands were severely impacted as were the ports and communities.  

NOAA’s National Weather Service did an excellent job predicting the path of both Hurricanes and the strength at landfall.  NWS weather forecast offices in the area were severely impacted, yet the NWS continued to supply accurate forecasts for the recovery area subsequent to the storm.
NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service provided satellite imagery to help assess the impact of the storms on wetlands, including NOAA funded restoration projects.  Additionally, imagery assisted forecasts and other assessments.

## One NOAA Hurricanes

- Preparation

- Aerial Surveys

- Navigation Response Teams

- Satellite Imagery

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
NOAA’s Navigation Response Teams convened from all over the country to survey the ports to ensure safety for passage allowing the Coast Guard to open the ports quite after the storms passed.  They worked in extraordinary conditions to reopen one of the most economically important port areas of the country.

NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration is still on the ground evaluating the impacts and status of the numerous oil spills in the area.  The Scientific Support Team has been diligently working as part of the interagency response to cleaning up these oil spills.

NOAA’s Aircraft fleet supported damage assessment flights, VIP over flights and digital imagery collection.  In fact, our digital imagery was linked to the Google website and allowed displaced families to assess the status of their homes prior to returning to the area.  This, of course, was not possible for everyone, but some were assisted by the large collection of images.

NOAA is also involved in preparing communities for storms such as hurricanes and tornadoes through the StormReady Program. StormReady communities are better prepared to save lives from the onslaught of severe weather through better planning, education, and awareness. No community is storm proof, but StormReady can help communities save lives. As of October 26, 2005 there were 974 StormReady Sites in 48 states 

## One NOAACoastal Erosion

- One NOAACoastal Erosion

- Dauphin Island, AL - Katrina

- Cape Hatteras - Isabel

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
NOAA’s Remote Sensing Division works in collaboration with other state and federal partners to map our shorelines and evaluate the impacts of coastal storms.

For example, they worked in collaboration with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Emergency Management Agency, Department of Natural Resources, and FEMA flew an Emerge/Applanix Digital Sensor System along the outer banks of North Carolina in support of recovery efforts and coastline change evaluation following Hurricane Isabel. 

On September 19, 2003, within a day after the hurricane hit land, NOAA flew a NOAA Twin Otter equipped with the digital camera to collect imagery that could be quickly supplied to agencies for rapid response within the disaster areas.  From the photos above you can see that new inlets were formed following Isabel.

## One NOAACoastal Erosion

- Conserving and Restoring Coastal Habitat
-   Administration’s Wetlands Initiative
-   Fostering Local Restoration Projects

- Community Based Restoration

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
The continued health and biodiversity of marine and estuarine systems depends on the maintenance of high-quality habitat.  The same areas that often attract human development also provide essential food, cover, migratory corridors and breeding/nursery areas for a broad array of coastal and marine organisms.
Habitat loss and degradation are key issues facing coasts and estuaries around the country.  

NOAA is an active participant in the Administration’s Wetlands Initiative to restore, improve and protect an additional one million acres for each over the next five years. The progress during the first year (from April 2004 - April 2005), totals an additional 830,000 acres restored, improved and protected.

NOAA encourages successful community-based approaches and management techniques to protect and restore the nation’s coastal watersheds.  Successful restoration projects enhance knowledge and understanding of the local resources and involve strong partnerships, creative socio-economic approaches, achievable plans, and measurable environmental results.   NOAA is working to foster local restoration projects. 

For example, Harvesting oysters and not returning shells has decreased the sustainability of oyster populations along the Georgia coast.  Generating Enhanced Oyster Reefs in Georgia’s Inshore Areas (GEORGIA) will build five reefs in the Savannah area.  Reefs are built from used shells from oyster roasts and restaurants.  Ultimately, the reefs will be monitored by local groups such as the 4-H club and local restaurants

## One NOAAPreserving Habitat

- National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERR)
- 26 Reserves
- System Wide Monitoring Program

- National Marine Sanctuaries

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
NOAA is also committed to preserving habitat crucial for health coastal environments.  

Under the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERR) NOAA systematically monitors temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, salinity, water depth, and chlorophyll in 26 reserves.  

The National Marine Sanctuary Program, administered by NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS), manages and protects specially designated areas of the nation’s oceans and Great Lakes for their habitats, ecological value, threatened and endangered species, and historic, archeological, recreational and esthetic resources.  Thirteen national marine sanctuaries and one coral reef ecosystem are part of this program.

The special habitats of the sanctuaries include deep- ocean and near-shore coral reefs, live bottom, whale migration corridors, deep- sea canyons, areas of deep- water upwelling, submerged banks that rise close to the ocean surface, kelp forests, and sea grass beds.

## The Way Ahead U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy

- The Way Ahead U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy

- U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy
- U.S. Ocean Action Plan
- December 17, 2004
- Executive Order: Committee on Ocean Policy
- U.S. Ocean Action Plan
- http://ocean.ceq.gov

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
The Executive Order establishing a Cabinet-level Committee on Ocean Policy, gives ocean and coastal governance issues-for the first time-direct access to the President.  The Committee, held its first meeting on the 5th of April, and advised the President and the heads of Executive departments and agencies on policies concerning ocean-related matters.

The Committee will create an 18 month work plan to address the Report’s recommendations not addressed in the U.S. Ocean Action Plan including further actions on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes issues that address governance principles, filling gaps in legislative authority, and streamlining unnecessary overlapping authorities.  

## The Way AheadBeaches and An Integrated Ocean Observing System

- Build an ocean observing system as part of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

- Better management with improved observation systems

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
A highlight that I would like to share with you involves building an ocean observing system.

The premise behind global Earth observation system is simple – even if not-necessarily-easy to implement.  There are currently thousands, if not millions, of observation points collecting data around the world.  Unfortunately, they operate, for the most part, independently of one another.  

By establishing an integrated global system, participants seek to improve coordination of strategies and systems for observations of the Earth - from in situ, aircraft, and satellite networks.  Participants also hope to identify measures to minimize data gaps – all with a view to moving toward a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained Earth observation system or systems.

Data exchange is a key element of Global Earth Observation System of Systems.  Under the Declaration which was agreed on in July 2003, participants will exchange data in a full and open manner with minimum time delay and minimum cost, recognizing relevant international instruments and national policies and legislation.

## The Way AheadTaking the Pulse of the Planet

- Human Health & Well-Being

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
However, we will never be able to improve our understanding of these process without a greatly improved ability to observe them in real-time.

Earth observations – both satellite and in situ - have been at the heart of NOAA’s mission for more than 30 years. In fact, environmental information is our primary reason for existence.  NOAA depends on observing systems for virtually every activity it does - from fundamental research to long range operational forecasting and day-to-day regulatory decisions.  

It is estimated that over 30 percent of the United States Gross Domestic Product depends on weather and climate products and services, so it goes without saying that we, as a country, are big believers in the value of Earth observations.  

An observing system is important to managing our ocean and coastal resources for several reasons. Monitoring is an essential component of NOAA’s ecosystem program.  An increased ability to monitor an ecosystem will improve understanding and enable effective management of resources. 

## The Way AheadCoastal Ocean Observation System (COOS)

- The Way AheadCoastal Ocean Observation System (COOS)

- Tide Gauge

- Coastal Observations
- National Water Level Observing Network
- Wave Buoys/Current Meters
- Aerial Survey/LiDAR Mapping
- Digital Elevation Models from Global Positioning System and LiDAR

- Weather Buoy

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
An example of how observations are affecting management decision today, we only have to look to the Coastal Ocean Observation System, a future component of GEOSS.

I don’t think I have to remind folks in this audience the intrinsic cultural, aesthetic and economic value of our coastal areas.  

NOAA added new weather buoys in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean following last year’s hurricane season and will work to add more before next year’s hurricane season.  

The NOAA Coastal Services Center is using new remote sensing technologies to map coastal topography in the U.S. These technologies include Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IfSAR or InSAR). 

Tools, like the ones highlighted here, are a prime examples of how concepts like the Integrated Ocean Observing System and ultimately in the future GEOSS help predict and mitigate the impacts of weather on our beaches and wetlands.  These tools can help us streamline restoration projects so they are more successful and cost effective in the long run.

## The Way AheadU.S. Tsunami Monitoring System

- U.S. Plan For An Improved Tsunami Monitoring System
- Enable enhanced monitoring, detection, warning & communications
- Deploy 39 advanced technology DART buoys
- Commit $37.5M over next 2 years
- Provide:
- Nearly 100% coverage for
- 	U.S. coasts
- Expanded capability throughout
- 	Pacific & Caribbean basins
- Part of future global observation & global tsunami warning systems

- Sustainable Beaches--Weather Impacts

**Notes:**
The Bush Administration has committed $37.5 over the next two years to provide tsunami warning coverage for the entire U.S. coast.   Under the Administration’s proposal, the U.S. tsunami warning system will provide 24/7 operations at NOAA’s tsunami warning centers, include a network of 39 second generation DART buoy stations, expand the NOAA tide station network, enhance seismic monitoring, and improve community preparedness.

NOAA operates two tsunami warning centers under the direction of NOAA's National Weather Service:
  The Richard H. Hagemeyer Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, in Ewa Beach, Hawaii
  The West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, in Palmer, Alaska

The two NOAA warning centers are responsible for issuing tsunami warnings, watches, advisories and information messages to emergency management officials and the public. The Pacific center covers U.S. interests and territories throughout the Pacific, including Hawaii. The Alaska center covers Alaska and the west coast of North America from British Columbia, Canada, to California. 

In addition, NOAA works with local emergency mangers to help them ensure their communities are TsunamiReady – a designation that means they have met a minimum set of preparedness and education guidelines. As of October 26, 2005 there were 23 TsunamiReady Sites in 6 states.  

## Thank You

- VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr. US Navy (Ret.)
- Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
- NOAA Administrator
- November 1, 2005