The final report of the U-S Commission on Ocean Policy was delivered to the White House last week. It contains more than two hundred recommendations for ways in which the United States should change the management of its oceans. The commission is now turning its attention to insuring that its recommendations are not ignored. To that end, U-S Senator Judd Gregg held a hearing on the report at the University of New Hampshire today [Monday]. Much of the hearing centered on what kind of government oversight is needed. N-H-P-R Correspondent Doug MacPherson reports
ROBERT BALLARD, DISCOVERER OF THE TITANIC AND BISMARK SHIPWRECKS, UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND PROFESSOR, AND MEMBER OF THE U-S COMMSSION ON OCEAN POLICY, DOESN’T BUY THE IDEA THAT “THE AGE OF EXPLORATION IS OVER.â€
IN FACT, BALLARD SAYS, IT’S JUST BEGUN.
TAPE ROBERT BALLARD I like to point out to young people that their generation – the kids in middle school right now –their generation will explore more of earth than all previous generations combined, thanks to the new advanced technology of mapping and exploration. :16
IN HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE SENATOR GREGG AND HUNDREDS OF U-N-H FACULTY AND STUDENTS, BALLARD HIGHLIGHTED THE COMMISSION’S FINDING THAT NOAA – THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION – IS THE LOGICAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY TO EXPLORE THE WORLD’S OCEANS. BUT NOAA’S CURRENT BUDGET FOR EXPLORATION, HE NOTES, IS ONE TENTH OF ONE PERCENT OF NASA’S.
AS A RESULT, BALLARD SAYS, THE MAPS WE HAVE OF MARS ARE 250-TIMES MORE ACCURATE THAN OUR TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.
IN HIS TESTIMONY, COMMISION MEMBER AND UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PROFESSOR ANDREW ROSENBERG SAID THE NATION’S OCEANS SUFFER BECAUSE HUMAN OCEAN-GOING ACTIVITIES ARE LOOKED AT IN ISOLATION.
TAPE ANDREW ROSENBERG The commission recommends that we adopt the principal of ecosystem based management. That is, managing human activities within a large marine ecosystem in concert, rather than separately. For example, coastal development interacts with pollution abatement programs and affects fisheries productivity in the ocean. :17
AS THINGS STAND, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES THAT REGULATE COASTAL DEVELOPMENT MAY HAVE NO COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS WHO OVERSEE POLLUTION. THEY, IN TURN, MAY HAVE NO SAY IN FISHERIES MANAGMENT.
ROSENBERG SAYS A NEW NOAA IS NEEDED – ONE WITH SUBSTANTIAL INDEPENDENCE, AND THE AUTHORITY TO COORDINATE THE ACTIVITIES OF OTHER AGENCIES.
CLEARLY, THE SHAPE OF A NEW NOAA IS ON SENATOR JUDD GREGG’S MIND AS WELL. GREGG, WHO CHAIRS THE SENATE COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEEES NOAA, ASKED PANEL MEMBERS WHY THEY THINK NASA IS SO MUCH BETTER FUNDED AND MORE DOMINANT THAN NOAA.
TAPE JUDD GREGG I’d be interested in the panel’s discussion of, what created this historical, stepchild treatment of the oceans, and how do we get – your report has obviously outlined it, but how do we push it the front burner and get it to the status of what nasa may be or should be. :21
PAUL SANDIFER, OCEAN COMMISSION MEMBER AND SENIOR SCIENTIST FOR NOAA, SAYS ONE REASON THE TWO AGENCIES GREW UP DIFFERENTLY, IS THAT NOAA HAS LACKED A DEFINING CRISIS. AS AN AGENCY HE SAYS, NASA BENEFITED FROM THE SPUTNIK CRISIS – THE COLD WAR FEAR THAT THE SOVIET UNION WAS OUTPACING U.S. ROCKETRY.
TAPE PAUL SANDIFER in the environmental arena, it was Rachel Carson’s seminal text, “Silent Spring,†that reminded all of us, in my childhood at least, of the tremendous problems of the environment and what awaited us if we didn’t take action. :13
SANDIFER SAYS SILENT SPRING LEAD TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE CREATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. SANDIFER SAYS HE HOPES THE CATALYST FOR PROTECTION OF THE WORLD’S OCEANS WILL BE THE COMMISSION’S REPORT.
TAPE PAUL SANDIFER This ocean blueprint says that we are in crisis. We’re not so far gone that we can’t turn the corner and protect our resources, but we are close. :09
THE REPORT CALLS FOR MASSIVE NEW INVESTMENTS IN OCEAN SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND MANAGEMENT. SENATOR GREGG SAYS THE FIRST CHALLENGE FOR CONGRESS WILL BE TO FIND THE MONEY.
TAPE JUDD GREGG And secondly, we’ve have to let good people like are standing around me today, we have to let them go. And make sure that they have not only the resources but the necessary authorities to be successful, which means we have to structure, to the extent the federal government is impacted, agencies like noaa to be aggressive in this area, and be effective. :26
GREGG’S COMMITTEE HAS DIRECTED 450-MILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THE HOUSE HAS YET TO FOLLOW SUIT. PRESIDENT BUSH HAS 90-DAYS TO DELIVER HIS RESPONSE TO THE REPORT. FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I’M DOUG MACPHERSON.
