Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - March 21, 2007)

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Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I'm pleased to join Senator Snowe in introducing the Coastal and Ocean Observation Systems Act of 2007, which will make needed improvements to our national and regional ocean observing systems.

The Coastal and Ocean Observation Systems Act would establish a national program to focus on national and international ocean observing priorities, and provide needed support for a network of regional associations that already collect and manage information in ocean and coastal areas across the nation.

Currently, most long term ocean observing and data collection is carried out on a regional basis. While these regional ocean observing systems provide valuable data, lack of coordination at the national level and a lack of sustained resources have limited their effectiveness for advancing a comprehensive understanding of our oceans and coasts. The Coastal and Ocean Observation Systems Act of 2007 would help to rectify this by organizing regional activities under a federal interagency committee within NOAA.

Improving long-term ocean observing and monitoring is a key recommendation of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and will provide the information needed to restore and sustain healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems. Specifically, this bill would bolster the Nation's ability to observe and monitor ocean conditions in order to improve tsunami warnings, better understand the impacts of climate change on the oceans, track ocean conditions that could impact human health, improve homeland security, and support maritime operations.

Fishermen and mariners rely on accurate forecasts of ocean conditions for safety and navigation. An integrated ocean observing system would improve these forecasts and will save lives at sea. Ocean observing will also help authorities understand the link between ocean conditions and human health. For example, improved tracking of harmful algal blooms can minimize the risk of shellfish poisoning by warning people when the conditions exist that make harvesting shellfish dangerous.

An integrated ocean and coastal observing system will prove an invaluable tool as we work to understand and overcome the challenges of climate change. The ocean covers 70 percent of the globe and plays a critical role in regulating our climate. Scientists are finding that the ocean environment is often the first of the earth's ecosystems to display the impacts of climate change.

We've already detected some of these impacts, from ocean acidification's impacts on North Pacific food chains and coral reefs in the tropics, to seasonal ocean dead zones that are forming off the coast of Washington and Oregon. The effects of climate change will be felt by our fishermen and coastal communities, and ocean observing will give them the information they need to mitigate impacts.

As we seek a better understanding of our oceans and coasts and the ecosystems that form the basis of life for much of the Earth's population, an integrated ocean observing system. will be an essential investment.

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