Saxton Unveils Ocean Exploration Bill

Press Release

Saxton Unveils Ocean Exploration Bill

Congressman Jim Saxton (NJ-3rd), a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee today introduced the "National Ocean Exploration Program Act," which establishes two important ocean programs - the Ocean Exploration Program and the National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

Both programs would be run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in consultation with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies.

"The National Ocean Exploration Program Act allows NOAA to promote scientific research and archaeological expeditions to shipwrecks and other submerged sites," said Saxton, a senior member and former chairman of the House Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee. "Discoveries await us regarding marine life and maritime history. The oceans hold many secrets about the past, present, and future."

Armed with an array of original cosponsors from both parties, including senior members and conservation leaders in the House, Saxton introduced the bill, H.R. 1834, this morning.

Cosponsors of the Saxton bill are: Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Sam Farr (D-CA), Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Don Young (R-AK) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ).

Saxton's bill: extends the programs over 10 years with $30 million in annual funding, and intends to create better coordination between NOAA and NSF; expands ocean exploration to discover new marine substances that potentially have therapeutic benefits; studies unique marine ecosystems, organisms and the geology of the world's oceans; and maximizes ocean research effectiveness by integrating multiple scientific disciplines in the ocean science community.

The Ocean Exploration Program would investigate the oceans for the purpose of discovery and the advancement of knowledge. Implemented through NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration, its mission is to explore and map the ocean's unknown and poorly-known living and nonliving resources, and to gain new insights about its physical, chemical, biological and archaeological characteristics. It engages in undersea expeditions, exploration projects and field campaigns to unlock the mysteries of the world's oceans.

NURP has the unique ability to access the undersea environment, either directly with submersibles and technical diving, or virtually using robots and seafloor observatories. NURP provides scientists with submersibles, remotely operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, mixed-gas diving gear, underwater laboratories and observatories, and other cutting-edge resources. NURP also provides extramural grants to both the federal and non-federal research community through its six regional centers and the National Institute of Undersea Science and Technology.

Off the coast of Tuckerton, N.J. the Long-term Ecosystem Observatory at 15 Meters, known as LEO-15, is a NURP program. Saxton's district includes three large bays- Barnegat Bay, Little Egg Harbor and Great Bay- a string of barrier islands, several rivers and both commercial and recreational fishing industries.

Source