WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held an Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard subcommittee hearing today on the FY 2010 NOAA Budget.

                  

 

The Honorable Jane Lubchenco, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

 

 

“NOAA is the premier ocean-science resource in the United States.  The agency is critical to our understanding of climate change and helping communities adapt.    This is a time for action to make sure we are protecting our oceans and coasts and the wealth of resources that they provide for the future.   I hope the Administration will take bold action and answer the call to double the NOAA budget.”

“NOAA’s work reaches from the bottom of the ocean to the surface of the sun.  From daily weather forecasts to long-term climate monitoring, NOAA touches the lives of every American. NOAA’s programs support industries from fisheries to maritime commerce to aviation.  NOAA is also the steward of our ocean and coastal resources.  Unfortunately, the importance of NOAA’s mission and the resources it is charged with protecting are not translating into funding for the agency.  The Administration needs to recognize the valuable science and stewardship that NOAA provides to our nation and double its budget.”

 

“Climate change is among the greatest challenges of our time.  It will permeate nearly every aspect of our lives.  What we choose to do about it now will define us for generations to come. NOAA’s long history of climate observations and products provides a strong foundation for the agency’s work to synthesize scientific data on climate change and create products and services that can be used by the public to guide important decisions such as where to build roads, the types of crops to grow, and how to protect coastal properties.”

 

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