N.O.A.A. RESTORE Act Science Plan research will focused on the health of the Gulf of Mexico whose resources, such as these salt marshes near Grand Isle, LA, were impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. (Credit: NOAA)
Today, N.O.A.A. released for public review the outline science project for the N.O.A.A. RESTORE Act Science Plan, which supports research in the Gulf of Mexico on long-term sustainability of the ecosystem and its fisheries.
The outline project, of which notice be to published appears on line today at the Federal Register, outlines ten long-term research priorities to guide how the Plan will invest its funds and explains how these priorities were determined. The Plan will review the comments received and anticipates releasing a final version of the science project early next year.
"The priorities in the outline project were developed after discussions with stakeholders and partners and continued input from stakeholders is important to the success of this plan," said Becky Allee, Ph.D., acting director of the N.O.A.A. RESTORE Act Science Program. "We look forward to continued dialogue with those who care about the Gulf of Mexico and the impact this Plan can have on the region."
In making its selection of long-term research priorities, N.O.A.A. considered specific management or restoration needs in the Gulf of Mexico region that fit within the requirements for the science Plan outlined in the RESTORE Act, also known as the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act.
N.O.A.A. also sought to avoid duplicating the priorities of other Gulf of Mexico science programs especially those created in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, such as the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, the National Academy of Sciences Gulf Research Plan and those funded through the on-going Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment.
Among the key research priorities:
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Focusing on developing a more complete understanding of how the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, its natural resources, including fisheries, and its coastal communities are connected;
The project also provides information on how the Plan will be administered and work with partners. Once finalized, the science project will serve as the basis for any future federal backing opportunities administered through NOAA. N.O.A.A. anticipates that the final science project and its long-term research priorities will be evaluated and updated every 5 years.
Anyone may submit comments, including individuals and organizations with a particular interest in Gulf of Mexico ecosystem restoration and related science, observations, monitoring and technology, and the impact this Plan will have on the region. Comments on the outline science project can be submitted via email to [email protected], or by mail to Becky Allee at N.O.A.A. Office for Coastal Management, Gulf of Mexico Division, Bldg. 1100, Room 232, Stennis Space Center, Mississippi 39529. All comments are due no later than December 15.
N.O.A.A. will also be hosting virtual engagement sessions to answer questions about the plan. The details on how to join these sessions will be announced on the program's website. Following the review period, N.O.A.A. will assess the input received and release a final version of the science plan, likely in early 2015.
The RESTORE Act authorized N.O.A.A. to establish and administer the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science, Observation, Monitoring, and Technology Program, also known as the N.O.A.A. RESTORE Act Science Program.
The N.O.A.A. Plan will be funded by 2.5 percent of the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, established by the RESTORE Act, which comprises 80 percent of Clean Water Act civil penalties recovered from parties responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. On February 19, 2013, a federal judge approved a $1 billion civil settlement with Transocean, as a responsible party for the oil spill. This settlement will provide the N.O.A.A. Restore Act Science Plan with $20 million plus 25 percent of any interest accrued from the portion of the settlement deposited into the Trust Fund.
Additional backing may become accessible from settlements with or judgments against other parties deemed responsible by the courts for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The mission of the N.O.A.A. RESTORE Act Science Plan is to increase understanding of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, including its fisheries, and to support its restoration and sustainability through research, observation, monitoring, and technology development.
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and our other social media channels.
