2010 Public Policy Forum Summary Report Each year, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership hosts a day-long public meeting that facilitates ocean policy discussions with representatives from Congress, the federal agencies, industry and the academic research community. This year’s forum was focused around the President’s impending National Ocean Policy and offered a valuable opportunity to hear from Senators Begich, Boxer, and Whitehouse, and the chance to engage in dialogue with speakers on the three panels: Sea-Level Rise, the Arctic, and Marine Spatial Planning. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Senator Mark Begich (D-AK)
Transcript
2010 Public Policy Forum Summary Report
Each year, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership hosts a day-long public meeting that facilitates ocean policy discussions with representatives from Congress, the federal agencies, industry and the academic research community. This year’s forum was focused around the President’s impending National Ocean Policy and offered a valuable opportunity to hear from Senators Begich, Boxer, and Whitehouse, and the chance to engage in dialogue with speakers on the three panels: Sea-Level Rise, the Arctic, and Marine Spatial Planning.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Senator Mark Begich
(D-AK)
Table of Contents
Panel on Sea-Level Rise............................................................................................................... 1
Don Boesch, University of Maryland Panel Regarding Sea-Level Rise .................................................................................... 1
Craig Fulthorpe, University of Texas Long Term Changes in Global Sea-Level ...................................................................... 2
Rear Admiral Tim McGee, U.S. Navy (retired) Referencing the Discussion of Sea Level ........................................................................ 3
Dave Jansen, House Natural Resources Committee Legislative Perspective ................................................................................................... 4
Senator Whitehouse ..................................................................................................................... 5
Thomas Karl, Director, National Climatic Data Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) NOAA Climate Service ................................................................................................... 6 Senator Begich.............................................................................................................................. 7
Panel on the Arctic....................................................................................................................... 8
RADM David Titley, U.S. Navy, Oceanographer of the Navy The U.S. Navy's Arctic Roadmap.................................................................................... 8
Michele Longo Eder, U.S. Arctic Research Commission U.S. Arctic Research Commission .................................................................................. 8
Simon Stephenson, National Science Foundation (NSF) NSF and Arctic Oceans Science ..................................................................................... 9
John Rayfield, House Transportation Committee Legislative Perspective ................................................................................................. 10
Senator Boxer ............................................................................................................................. 11
Panel on Marine Spatial Planning ............................................................................................ 12
Larry Mayer, University of New Hampshire Panel Regarding Marine Spatial Planning .................................................................. 12
Kate Moran, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Framework for Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning ................................................. 12
Sandra Whitehouse, Ocean Conservancy Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning: Reactions to the Interim Framework .............. 13 Kris Sarri, Senate Commerce, Justice and Science Committee Legislative Perspective ................................................................................................. 14
Ed Saade, Fugro Earthdata, Inc. Marine Spatial Data for Marine Spatial Planning ....................................................... 14 Shere Abbott, Associate Director, OSTP New Opportunities for Ocean Sciences ........................................................................ 16
Senator Whitehouse...................................................................................................... 25
Don Boesch of the University of Maryland opens up the first panel
on Sea-Level Rise. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Rear Admiral Tim McGee speaks about
sea-level measurement.
Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Tom Karl and Bob Gagosian talk before Karl’s
presentation on the NOAA Climate Service.
Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Panel on Sea-Level Rise Don Boesch, Ph.D. – President, Center for Environmental Science,
University of Maryland
Dr. Boesch provided an overview of recent science related to sea-level rise and the challenge of narrowing the uncertainty in forecasting sea-level trends. He pointed out sea level has been unusually stable over the past 4,000 years – the period during which human civilization has thrived and coastal infrastructure was built. During the 20th century, Boesch noted, global sea-level rise began to accelerate to about 1.8 mm/yr during the past century (or approaching 8 inches). Moreover, sea-level rise is not geographically uniform and different regions will experience different rates of sea-level changes relative to the land, for example due to land subsidence. Since the advent of satellite altimeter measurements in 1993, global ocean observations have indicated sea level rising at an even faster rate of 3.2 mm/yr with some acceleration during 2009 and early 2010 (Figure 1).
MVN RSM ProgramMVN RSM Program
Global SeaGlobal Sea--Level RiseLevel Rise
http://sealevel.colorado.edu/
Satellite altimeter
The recent acceleration of sea-level rise coincides with the acceleration of the loss of land ice mass, including continental glaciers and the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. This attribution is a major finding since the IPCC Fourth Assessment, which did not take into account observations later than 2005. Furthermore, using a combination of measurements from three tools—ARGO drifters, the Jason altimeter, and GRACE gravity field sensor—scientists have been able to ascertain the various contributions of sea-level trends. The oceans are continuing to store more and more heat—an unequivocal signal of anthropogenic global warming—and this is causing the ocean volume to continue to expand. However, the transfer of water mass from land to the oceans is increasing sea level even more rapidly. In fact, Boesch states, the greater proportion of present sea-level rise is due to melting of land ice—as much as 80%.
Boesch summarized new findings since IPCC AR4, including:
• variable, but continual altimeter (global ocean level) trends of greater than 3 mm/yr;
• increasing sea-level contribution of polar ice sheets and glaciers;
limiting sea-level rise to 2 meters during this century;
• the importance of submarine melting on ice sheet mass loss; • suggestions that sea-level rise will be at least twice that of IPCC projections; and • 6 meters or more of sea-level rise over centuries is likely as a result of 21st century
warming.
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Figure 1. Satellite altimetry data shows that mean sea-level has continued to increase at an average of 3.2 mm/yr since 1993.
Dr. Boesch concluded by stating that the need to decrease uncertainty of future sea-level demands the development of a sustained ocean observing system, models capable of predicting land-ice melt and thermal expansion, coastal system models, and socioeconomic decision making tools. Craig Fulthorpe, Ph.D. – Senior Research Scientist, University of Texas Institute for Geophysics
Dr. Fulthorpe provided perspective on long-term changes in global sea-level and coupling past and present data to predict future trends. He began with a brief overview of causes and effects of global sea-level change, and included details on the principal methods for estimating the timing and amplitude of such changes (Figure 2). One of these sea-level estimation methods is based on the oxygen isotopic record derived from deep-sea sediments. The records suggest that climate and sea level do not always respond linearly to forcing and shows that abrupt events can disrupt gradual trends. The most dramatic example is the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. He highlighted the early Pliocene warm period as a potential glimpse of the future Earth system: with similar CO2 levels to the present, temperatures were ~3˚C warmer and sea-level 25 m higher than today. Dr. Fulthorpe also discussed estimating sea-level change by using continental margin drilling transects, as carried out by expeditions of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). This method provides historical data by targeting the environment directly affected by sea-level fluctuations.
Studies of past sea-level change provide important information on the Earth’s responses to past climate change, as well as its potential response to future change driven by elevated CO2 levels. Furthermore, improved understanding of the long-term record of global sea-level change enables critical evaluation of model projections. This knowledge improves predictions of sea-level change’s future societal impacts and betters assessments of greenhouse gases’ contributions to these changes.
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Figure 2. Potential causes of long term changes in sea-level operate with a range of timescales and amplitudes. The volume of continental ice sheets is potential driver of high-amplitude global sea-level change at human timescales. Historical records are derived from studies of deep-sea sediment isotope records and continental margin sedimentary sequences.
Rear Admiral Tim McGee- US Navy (Retired)
Rear Admiral McGee focused on the measurement of global sea-level, with particular emphasis on the Geodetic Reference and the troubles of obtaining perfect sea-level data. Geodetic reference systems (i.e. the World Geodetic Reference System (WGS)84 and the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF2005)) approximate reference points based on the differences between the geoid (measurement of mean sea-level) and the assumed ellipsoid shape of the earth (See Figure 3). A major problem with these references is that the Earth is moving and shifting, sometimes at unpredictable rates and in unknown directions. Therefore, a number of datasets have been developed to provide supporting reference data.
It is ideal to connect with celestial references, but stars move, making those maps and charts only good for 10 years. Vertical Datum can also provide relative reference for sea-level, but these data are less than ideal as they vary across geographic locations. Charts also have the problem of noting volume of water which is different from data desired for sea-level statistics. Furthermore, sea-level rise is not uniform, and different regions are observing different trends in sea-level change. Rear Admiral McGee emphasized this point by discussing two trends seen by NOAA. First, even though the global sea-level rise mean is 0.8 millimeters per year (mm/yr), Louisiana is experiencing a sea-level rise of 9.2 mm/yr due to land subsidence in addition to rising water, as the lack of natural floods prevents sediment delivery and sediment compresses from heavy roads, levies and dewatering for agriculture. In contrast, Alaska is experiencing a sea-level fall, ranging from 5-10 mm/yr due to glacial rebound.
To help correct for the large amount of land movement and regional variability, Continually Operating Reference Stations (CORS) are co-located with a tide gauge and coordinate precise GPS corrections. Modeled corrections from Glacial Ice Rebound Model and Glacial Isostatic Adjustment aid in referencing as well. The Rear Admiral ended with a summary of current sea-level rise approximations for the U.S Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Extensive work has been done using tidal gauge data sets over a specific 19 year period that include the largest periodic tidal variations and averaging out of meteorological, hydrologic and oceanographic influences. The result is a projection of 2-3 mm/year sea level rise that correlates very well with the altimetry data set. McGee emphasized the need for these various databases to continue to grow in order for credible results of sea-level rise.
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Figure 3. The geoid is a model for approximating mean sea level, accounting for ellipsoid shape of the earth. The Geodetic Reference System uses knowledge such as GPS data to provide absolute reference.
Dave Jansen – Senior Professional Staff, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife, House Natural Resources Committee
Dave Jansen provided a legislative
perspective on sea-level rise, addressing why this issue is such a vexing policy problem. The legislative process is not linear, not scientific and not predictable. When complex problems arise, it takes awhile to digest and get working on them, especially with Representatives and Senators from so many geographically, culturally and politically different districts. Jansen stated that while sea-level rise is obvious, the issues must be sorted out as it affects a huge section of our economy, and solutions will involve winners and losers. Any sea-level policy change would be an enormous undertaking as half the population lives within 50 miles of the coast. He noted that sea-level rise policy also brings up jurisdictional dilemmas, affecting county, state and federal levels. Any political action must address who will make what decisions.
Dave Jansen provides a legislative perspective on sea-level rise issues. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Dave Jansen fields questions during the Q&A session of the panel on Sea-Level Rise. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Craig Fulthorpe and Rear Admiral Tim McGee discuss sea-level rise issues following their panel. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
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Congressional Address Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Addressing an issue that hits close to home, Senator Whitehouse (D-RI) affirmed the potential impacts of global warming in Rhode Island, including the projection of significant sea-level by the end of the century. The Senator noted that decision makers must plan for the vulnerabilities of coastal communities and islands. He framed climate change as a national security issue, exemplified by the number of U.S. military installations vulnerable to sea-level rise. He believes there are two essential elements to a successful approach to addressing climate change: research to better understand the impacts and education to increase public awareness.
Beyond the direct impacts to humans, Senator Whitehouse discussed the issue of warming ocean temperatures potentially leading to ecosystem shifts, and allowing the spread of invasive species. Another consequence of climate change is ocean acidification which may lead to unprecedented and unpredictable collapse of marine ecosystems. Even slight changes in acidity, according to Senator Whitehouse, could have major implications, especially with algae, krill and coral reef nurseries.
Senator Whitehouse talks about the climate change impacts happening in Rhode Island. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
The Senator stated his support for passing climate change legislation and a clean energy bill, stating that the time is now to act before the consequences get worse. He briefly discussed the climate adaptation provisions that he authored in the Kerry-Boxer climate bill to help coastal and Great Lake states respond to the current and future impacts of climate change – providing them with the resources they need to plan for and respond to climate impacts such as sea level rise and increased risk of storm surges and flooding.
He closed by stating he believed the Federal government’s role in addressing these issues is to develop national standards and policies and ensure the availability of Federal resources to implement these processes.
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Lunch Address Thomas Karl, Ph.D. - Director of National Climatic Data Center and Transitional
Director of NOAA’s Climate Service
Tom Karl’s presented the plan for the proposed NOAA Climate Service (NCS), noting the tremendous demand for reliable climate information across all sectors of our economy and at all levels of government. To meet these demands, NOAA must connect users to existing climate products and services, transform current science and data into useable and accessible information, and actively engage users in service development. According to Dr. Karl, the NCS is part of a solution to dealing with massive influxes of information while helping with decisions from the different sectors. The NOAA Climate Service will have the mission to “inform mitigation and adaptation decisions needed to respond to the impacts of the changing climate.”
The NCS will have a role in a national strategy from the regional level to the international level. Dr. Karl detailed the proposed organization the NCS will need to better manage its information and responsibilities (See Figure 4). As part of a Federal partnership for climate science and service, all agencies must consider climate change adaptation and mitigation with regard to its own mission areas and work. Through user engagement and partnerships, the NCS will be able to better inform its stakeholders about climate science and deliver services to its users. The climate portal at www.climate.gov will also allow effective public dissemination of climate information and act as a one-stop access point. Dr. Karl ended his presentation with the next steps in developing NOAA’s Climate Service, holding engagement meetings and submitting the NCS plans to the Department of Commerce, Office of Management and Budget, and finally to Congress. NOAA hopes to have the service up and running by the beginning of Fiscal Year 2011.
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Figure 4. The above slide shows the proposed organization for the NOAA Climate Service, which rearranges labs and data centers into a more efficient system for analyzing and distributing climate data.
Senator Begich presents an Alaskan’s perspective on current changes in the Arctic. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Senator Begich provided an Alaskan perspective on a new national ocean policy, climate change, and the need for a greater research focus in the Arctic. He stressed that Alaska has been ground zero for climate change and recalled a picture taken of him when he was eight years old standing by a glacier and a recent photo of his young son taken in the identical location with the glacier retreated beyond sight. He spoke of the threat of global warming and ocean acidification to our environment and economy, emphasizing the risk they pose to sustainable fisheries in Alaskan waters. Senator Begich asked how we are going to deal with the subsistence lifestyles of people in the face of a changing arctic, as many Alaskan villages are getting wiped out. He inquired about how the government will deal with future calamities such as Arctic oil spills, especially with inadequate Coast Guard resources. The Senator detailed how it has been difficult getting funding for needed icebreakers, and recommended appealing to the American spirit by stressing that currently the U.S. is leasing ice breakers from Russia. In contrast, Senator Begich noted a melting Arctic will have benefits in addition to the emerging problems including the creation of new trade routes, tourism and oil and gas exploration. He called for increased investments in infrastructure to prepare the U.S. Arctic for expanding domestic or international activities as sea ice diminishes.
The Senator endorsed the ratification of the Law of the Sea. He concluded by addressing the decrease in public interest in climate change and encouraged the audience to help connect the dots between jobs and the environment because, according to Begich, investing in climate change is an investment in economic security.
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Panel on the Arctic RADM David Titley – Oceanographer of the Navy Rear Admiral Titley presented on the Navy’s Arctic Roadmap and its Task Force on Climate Change. He stated that climate change is a national security issue and that the Navy will have to take a number of steps to deal with a changing Arctic. First, Rear Admiral Titley framed the issue by stating the global average rate of warming is not slowing down, and that while on a very large scale the climate is simple, the climate gets complicated when it is downscaled. He showed an intriguing slide of Arctic Sea Ice continually thinning, with multi-year ice making up a smaller percentage of the ice sheet as a whole (Figure 5).
The Rear Admiral mentioned that for some U.S. Government agencies, the changing Arctic requires immediate action. For the Navy, however, diminishing Arctic ice presents challenge rather than a crisis. The Navy needs to be ready and capable to deal with the impacts and ensure a safe, secure, and stable Arctic region. The Navy’s concerns include operating in a poorly charted area with limited infrastructure, a harsh environment with security concerns and questionable governance authorities. Transportation difficulties will be especially realized as the Arctic will likely be “ice-diminished” rather than totally “ice-free” by the end of the century. The Navy would like to pursue their short-term and long terms plans to develop cooperative partnerships and a science-based approach to inform investments in the region. Rear Admiral Titley concluded by laying out the steps of the Navy’s Arctic Roadmap, with three phases occurring in Fiscal Years 2010, 2011-2012, and 2013-2014. Michele Longo Eder – U.S. Arctic Research Commission
Michele Longo Eder provided an in-depth view of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC) members and their work in the greater Arctic region (Figure 6). She discussed the policies behind USARC and the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) work in the region. NSF is designated to lead implementation of Arctic research policy by the Arctic Research and Policy Act (ARPA). ARPA also established USARC to promote research and recommend Arctic Policy. Ms. Eder gave details on the process by which ARPA accomplishes this through budget requests and reviews. She stressed the
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UNCL ASSIFIED
Climate Change UpdateT he Globally Averaged
Rate of Warming is NOT Slowing Down
Greenland Ice Sheet Mass LossIs Accelerating
So lar Ir radiance Trend is Constant
Arctic Sea Ice Co ntinues toT o Melt & Thin
Figure 5. Observations show that average rate of warming is not slowing down since 1980. Ice sheet mass loss is accelerating since 2003. Arctic sea ice is not only decreasing in area, but in amount of multi-year ice as well.
enormity of the money and research infrastructure at stake with relation to the “trillion dollar issues” in the Arctic.
Ms. Eder also provided a brief outlook of the new Arctic Policy, which covers topics such as national security, environmental resources, international cooperation, indigenous community involvement, and enhancement of scientific monitoring. She stated that USARC attempts to make the most out of its funding by supporting workshops since they cannot directly fund external research. Eder summarized her presentation by presenting the current challenges and opportunities of keeping the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Commission (IARPC) engaged at all levels while also working to establish a national Arctic research program with an associated budget. Simon Stephenson, Ph.D. – Director, Division of Arctic Sciences, National Science Foundation (NSF)
Simon Stephenson added to the discussion highlights from the National Science Foundation’s work in the Arctic, providing a summary of NSF’s current strategic plan. He addressed discovery and the healthy foundational research necessary for studying the Arctic and its global linkages. Next, he touched on the learning and research infrastructure, suggesting climate change education was the main vehicle for maintaining the education scope set in the International Polar Year, and improving research infrastructure. NSF is conducting a dialogue with Arctic residents on their community planning and priorities in an effort to continue its stewardship of the region. Stephenson also discussed the Polar Earth Observing Network, and its GPS network allowing observation of crustal uplift and ice accumulation (Figure 7). He described studies such as the Arctic Observation Network that is part of the Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH), as well as the Bering Sea Ecosystem Study, and some of their challenges.
Scientific concerns about changing Arctic environmental conditions include the ecological consequences of the release of huge amounts of methane from the East Siberian Arctic Shelf. Ocean acidification has also been shown to be more severe in Arctic waters and NSF has issued a solicitation to help understand the process and impacts. Dr.
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Figure 6. The Arctic Research and Policy Act defines the Arctic Boundary to include the Bering Sea in addition to area above the Arctic Circle.
Figure 7. The Polar Earth Observing Network is a network of GPS stations that measures crustal uplift and ice sheets’ accumulation.
Stephenson described another concern, the increasing amount of fresher Arctic seawater, and its potential affect on the global ocean circulation processes.
To help understand all of these issues, NSF is funding the construction of its RV Sikuliaq, which will be run by the University of Alaska and be one of the most advanced university research vessels in the world. To conclude his presentation, Dr. Stephenson highlighted a few aspects of emerging the national ocean policy which is linked to NSF Arctic research, including ecosystem-based management, informed decisions, resiliency and adaptation of climate change and ocean acidification, and mapping and infrastructure. John Rayfield – House Transportation Committee, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and
Maritime Transportation
John Rayfield gave a talk with regard to Congress and the role the Coast Guard in the Arctic. He addressed the Coast Guard’s need to provide a wide suite of services in the Arctic, referring to oil spill response, mammal safety and law enforcement in the region. As part of forward progress, the U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC) has a marine infrastructure assessment that has allowed for initial set-up of the structure. On the legislative side of things, requests for two new ice breakers have been introduced in the House and a bill has been passed to investigate the issue.
John Rayfield discusses the role of the Coast Guard at the top of the world as part of the Panel on the Arctic. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Rayfield also referenced the Coast Guard mission analysis on their role in Arctic. The analysis showed that replacing the Coast Guard icebreakers Polar Star and Polar Sea will be extremely expensive. Rayfield ended by touching on concerns with the long-term Arctic budget for Federal agencies with equities in the region, referencing issues such as a lack of money for buoy tenders in the upcoming future.
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Congressional Address Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Senator Boxer contributed to the great atmosphere of the day with her speech on the tremendous impacts oceans have on our lives. She stressed that the environment and ocean issues should be part of the political equation, and that creating new ocean jobs is a piece of getting the economy back on track. The Senator passionately stated that people have a right to enjoy the beauty of California’s coast and that we have a basic responsibility to protect such iconic areas and keep them clean. She asked forum attendees and participants to help policymakers promote measures to protect the oceans.
Senator Boxer illustrates the necessity to protect our iconic coastlines. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Senator Boxer then discussed activities in Congress and the Federal agencies to protect oceans, including the Obama Administration’s efforts through the Office of Science and Technology Policy and other Federal agencies. She also expressed her support for bipartisan efforts to develop a comprehensive bill on energy and climate change and to promote a clean energy economy. The Senator ended her talk by encouraging everyone to talk about what is happening with our oceans, relaying information in a compelling way, and better communicating the facts of what is meant by scientific uncertainty.
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Panel on Marine Spatial Planning
Larry Mayer, Ph.D. – Director, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping,
University of New Hampshire
Larry Mayer expressed the appreciation of the community for the recognition of Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP) as a critical element of ocean policy and particularly the acknowledgement that CMSP must be based on good science. In this context, however, he voiced several concerns on the mechanisms supporting the science, the delineation between state and federal responsibilities, and the sources and mechanisms of CMSP funding. Dr. Mayer also stressed that the dynamic nature of marine ecosystems demands flexibility with regard to management boundaries. The minimum requirements of a national information management system to support CMSP should set up a baseline for geographic, physical, chemical, and biological data. Mayer suggested that the interim framework for coastal and marine spatial planning needed to more clearly delineate the roles and responsibilities between the state and federal partners. Furthermore, he raised questions about funding sources and mechanisms needed to support the science that underpins CMSP and raised the point that boundaries need to be flexible as ecosystems are not fixed.
Dr. Mayer continued to address the need for sufficient data and understanding to support our decision making tool. He presented a number of marine maps demonstrating the lack of thorough surveys, including near shore data from Barrow, Alaska and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as well as mapping of the Arctic sea floor. He particularly called attention to the narrow data gap in shallow coastal waters (Figure 8), which plays a critical role in storm surge and inundation dynamics.
Kate Moran, Ph.D. – Senior Policy Analyst, Energy and Environment Division,
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Kate Moran addressed the roles of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) in establishing a national ocean policy. She began with a brief background of OSTP and the challenges the nation faces with regard to the ocean, from sea-level rise and storm surges to decreasing biodiversity from overfishing. Increasing human use of marine areas and resources simply adds to the
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Figure 8. Current mapping techniques have a data gap in the narrow shore area critical for flood and storm surge predictions.
enormity of the task at hand. Next, Dr. Moran launched into the efforts of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by CEQ, pointing out its priority objectives and areas of special focus. She elaborated on the proposed governance structure for a new National Ocean Council and discussed one of the nine priority areas detailed in the proposed National Ocean Policy, coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP).
Dr. Moran described the regional plans and coordination behind the U.S. CMSP efforts (Figure 9). She also gave a list of other nations that have worked on similar zoning strategies. Moran encouraged building on existing efforts for setting up these regional frameworks, referencing regional ocean observation networks in particular. She closed out her presentation by highlighting several of CMSP’s guiding principles, such as its ecosystem-based and multiple use approach, its inclusive engagement, its basis on best available science, and its flexible accommodation of changing conditions. Sandra Whitehouse, Ph.D. – Senior Advisor, Ocean Conservancy
Dr. Whitehouse presented on the reactions to the Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning Interim Framework from the environmental NGO perspective. She stressed the importance of knowing available data and existing uses before making decisions, citing examples of changing shipping lanes to avoid collisions with right whales (Figure 10) and preventing serious conflicts with Naval submarines. These examples helped demonstrate the importance of identifying areas most suitable for various activities while keeping balance conflicts and compatibilities.
Dr. Whitehouse also reviewed the benefits and objectives of a marine spatial plannifacilitating sustainable economic growth, improvmaintaining biodiversity, ensuring habitat diversithe potential benefits from CMSP, especially howallows sources for marine organism populations abounce back from decline. In turn, all these benef
Dr. Whitehouse also stated the need for a of full scientific certainty shall not be used as an
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Figure 9. Marine Spatial Planning strategy proposes nine different regions with the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
Figure 10. Observations encouraged shifting shipping lanes to avoid the majority of Right Whale collisions.
ng system. These goals included ing ecosystem health and services, ty and representative habitats. She noted connectivity among managed areas s well as the ability for ecosystems to its drive our ocean economy. precautionary approach ant that the lack excuse to delay measures to threats of
serious environmental damage. She also summarized recommendations for clarifying and strengthening the CMSP framework. First, she suggested prioritizing ecosystem health by establishing environmental criteria to guide plan certification and identifying indicators to evaluate ecosystem health. Important ecological areas should also be defined, identified, protected, maintained and restored. Dr. Whitehouse continued by suggesting CMSPs should be multi-objective, the National Ocean Council members should be bound to the plans within the limits of their statutory authority, NEPA should apply, and stakeholder should continue to participate. Kris Sarri – Senior Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere,
Fisheries, and Coast Guard, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation,
Kris Sarri talked about our “blue” economy, and factors associated with our
nation’s reliance on our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. Ms. Sarri noted that to maintain our nation’s economic and environmental health, America must maintain its oceans’ health by balancing and valuing its various uses. According to Ms. Sarri, an important part of additional investment in the blue economy is having a strong NOAA, and she suggested Congress pass an organic act for NOAA to give it more authority and NOAA should have a seat on the National Ocean Council. She also highlighted the critical need to provide funding to support ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes programs.
Ms. Sarri made the point that America does not have a true measure of the Blue Economy, and that the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor should be developing socioeconomic information on the matter. She ended her talk by stressing that ocean policy efforts must support regional and tribal partnerships by bringing people into a robust and transparent process. Ed Saade – President, Fugro EarthData, Inc.
Ed Saade’s presentation covered the importance and innovation of the data behind marine spatial planning. He defined marine spatial data as seabed surveying, oceanographic measurements, coastal zone surveying and analysis, digital databases, and seabed digital visualization. While showing a number of examples, he repeated the phrase of “Map once, use many times.” Saade listed some of the many industries and activities, from commercial fisheries to recreation and tourism, that depend on marine spatial data. His examples of the potential for marine spatial data ranged from
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Figure 11. New technologies and combination of techniques such as hydrobathy and topography can cover near shore mapping data gaps.
demonstrating how to detect whale feeding scars on the ocean floor to how surfers have used map data to explain the physics behind some of their favorite breaks.
Mr. Saade also stated that mapping experts have figured out how to fill the narrow coastal data gap that Dr. Mayer voiced concerns about; combined bathymetric LIDAR, topographic LIDAR, and multibeam sonar bathymetric surveys provide the ability to have the complete picture needed to map coastal and marine environments (See Figure 11). Mr. Saade then provided a few examples of the marine spatial planning efforts happening everyday within the private sector and concluded with demonstrations of seabed/coastal visualization entering the digital domain.
Larry Mayer and Kate Moran greet Public Policy Forum Attendees during a break before presenting as part of the Panel on Marine Spatial Planning. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Larry Mayer introduces the topic of Marine Spatial Planning and the panelists. Photo Credit: Will Ramos
Bob Gagosian, Consortium for Ocean Leadership President and CEO, introduces Larry Mayer and the Panel on Marine Spatial Planning Photo Credit: Will Ramos
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Closing Address Shere Abbott – Associate Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy
Shere Abbott concluded the Public Policy Forum with a presentation on the proposed National Ocean Policy, stating that the promotion of U.S. leadership in marine stewardship is one of President Obama’s top priorities. After quoting the President on the need for a national ocean policy, she listed a number of the ocean policy goals and why we need a national policy. These goals included:
• maintaining and restoring our ocean, coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources;
in light of climate change; and • coordinating with our national
security and foreign policy interests.
Abbott emphasized the importance of ocean observations to these goals. She then
explained the proposed governance structure of a National Ocean Council (Figure 12), and the importance of data integration, integrated ocean observations, and Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning to the whole strategy. Ms. Abbott also touched on the incorporation of climate change research into ecosystem models, such as implications on species distribution and productivity. She concluded with discussion of ocean acidification, sea-level rise and their potential impacts on humans and nature, and the special case of the Arctic.
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Figure 12. The National Ocean Policy Task Force proposes a governance structure around a National Ocean Council, including committees on governance coordination, ocean science and resource management, and energy, economics, and security. The figure depicts the governance structure as described in the 9/10/2009 draft Interim Report of the Ocean Policy Task Force that was put out for public comment.
Speaker Profiles
Shere Abbott
Sherburne “Shere” Abbott serves as the Associate Director for Environment of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President. She manages a portfolio of S&T policy that ranges from energy and climate change to environmental quality and sustainability. Prior to her confirmation for this position by the Senate on April 30, 2009, Ms. Abbott was a faculty member of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin and served as the Director of the Center for Science and Practice of Sustainability in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. Previously, Ms Abbott served as Chief International Officer of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science. Prior to that appointment, over a 17 year period at the National Academies’ National Research Council she served as Executive Director of the Board on Sustainable Development, the Director of International Organization Programs for the Office of International Affairs, and the Director of the Polar Research Board of the National Academies’ National Research Council. Ms. Abbott also served as Assistant Scientific Program Director of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission. Ms. Abbott earned her A.B. from Goucher College and her M.F.S. from Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. She and her husband, James Steinberg, have two young daughters. Senator Mark Begich
Senator Mark Begich was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2008 after serving as the Mayor of Anchorage since April 2003. Born and raised in Anchorage, Senator Begich's priorities include focusing on a national energy policy that includes Alaska's oil and gas resources, an Alaska natural gas pipeline and the many renewable resources in Alaska. Senator Begich’s Committee assignments include the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce and Transportation and the Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, and the Coast Guard. With Alaska at "ground-zero" of global climate change, he has introduced the Inuvikput Package, seven pieces of legislation designed to help Alaska and the nation
adapt to new challenges and opportunities due to the diminishing polar ice pack. A businessman for more than 20 years, Senator Begich is bringing his business acumen to
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the work in the Senate. His extensive experience in public office, along with service to dozens of non-profits and community groups, all add to his know-how and ability to get things done. Don Boesch
Donald F. Boesch is a Professor in and President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and also serves as Vice Chancellor for Environmental Sustainability for the University System of Maryland. He earned his BS from Tulane University and PhD from the College of William and Mary and held faculty positions in Virginia and Louisiana before coming to Maryland in 1990. A biological oceanographer who has conducted research on coastal and continental shelf ecosystems through the United States and in China and Australia, Don has spent much of his career conducting or leading research related to the restoration of two great American coastal ecosystems, the
Chesapeake Bay and the Mississippi Delta. In recent years, he has worked to understand the potential impacts of climate change and how to adapt to them. Don is the Chair of the National Research Council’s Ocean Studies Board and serves as a member of the National Academies’ Committee on America’s Climate Choices. Senator Barbara Boxer
A forceful advocate for the environment, and her State of California, Barbara Boxer became a United States Senator in January 1993 after 10 years of service in the House of Representatives and six years on the Marin County Board of Supervisors. Senator Boxer is the first woman to Chair the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW). She also serves on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where she chairs the Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy, and Global Women’s Issues. She lean air and water, and as Chairman, she has emphasiz
Committee’s role in economic recovery and job creation by addressing clean energyclimate change, and America’s transportation and infrastructure needs. Senator Boxer hwon numerous awards for her efforts to create a cleaner, healthier environment, and hfought to protect California’s coast from the harmful effects of oil drilling. To ensure that
is a powerful advocate for c ed the and
as as
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generations of Californians will be able to enjoy our environmental heritage, she has written laws protecting more than one million acres of pristine California wilderness
.
raig Fulthorpe
Craig seeks to better understand the origins of the sequence
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stratigraphic record by evaluating the relative roles of local geological processes and global sea level (eustasy) in creating depositional geometries. Though sequence stratigraphy has gained general acceptance as an interpretive tool, the theory that sequences are glosynchronous and caused by eustatic cycles has proved difficult to confirm, partly because both sequence architecture and timing are influenced by local con(e.g., rates of subsidence and sediment supply, isostasy, compaction, and current activity) in addition to eustasy. Craig's projects have focused on passive continental he world: offshore New Jersey, the northeastern Gulf
Mexico, the North West Shelf of Australia, and the Canterbury Basin offshore New Zealand. He has also extended his work to active margins, analyzing the sequence stratigraphy of forearc basins off northern California and on the Pacific margin of Nicaragua. His work offshore New Jersey also involved participation in ODP Legsand 174A and he was Co-Chief Scientist of the recently completed IODP Expedition 317to drill the Canterbury Basin.
margins in different parts of
ave Jansen
Mr. Jansen presently serves as Senior Professional Staff to
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Chairman Nick J. Rahall, II, on the Committee on Natural Resources in the United States House of Representatives. He functions as senior legislative staff on the Subcommitteon Insular Affairs, Wildlife and Oceans which has oversight responsibility for numerous ocean and coastal progradministered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Mr. Jansen’s areas of experinclude: Coastal Zone Management; the National Marine Sanctuary System, including marine protected areas amarine reserves; coral reef conservation and managemthe Marine Mammal Protection Act; the National Sea Grant ’s ocean and coastal research, observations, technology,
exploration and survey programs. Prior to joining the Natural Resources Committee in 1999, Mr. Jansen worked for five years as a Congressional Affairs Specialist within
College Program; and NOA
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NOAA’s headquarters in Washington, DC. Mr. Jansen began his career in Washingt1992 as a Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the office of Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA). He received his Masters in Marine Affairs (M.M.A.) in 1992 from the University of Washington in Seattle, and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources from the University of Rhode Island in 1980. Aside from his lifinterest in wildlife, he is an avid reader, hiker and paddler.
on in
e-long
Thomas Karl
homas Karl currently serves as Interim Director of NOAA
also a
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TClimate Service and Director of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Karl is a fellow and Past-President of the American Meteorological Society. He isfellow of the American Geophysical Union and has published more than 150 peer-reviewed articles and several books as Editor and Contributor. He has received many awards and recognition for his work in services and science in climate, observing systems, and data stewardship including: two Presidential Rank Awards, five Gold Medals from the Department of Commerce and two Bronze Medals; the American Meteorological Society's Suomi Award; Natiol Academy of Sciences; the NOAA Administrator's Award, an
several others. He has served as Editor of the Journal of Climate (1997-2000) and has been the Convening and Lead Author and Review Editor of all the major IPCC assessments since 1990, which were recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. HCo-Chair of the US National Assessment and the recent Global Climate Change Impacin the US state of knowledge report and a number of other assessments produced by the US Climate Change Science Program.
Associate of the Nation
ichele Longo Eder
ichele Longo Eder is a two-term Presidential appointee to
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Mthe US Arctic Research Commission and has served on the Commission since 2004. She is also a member of the North Pacific Research Board and the National Commercial FishingVessel Safety Committee. Ms. Eder has practiced law on the Oregon Coast for over 30 years. She is a co-owner of a commercial fishing business, and is the author of the booin Our Blood: The Memoir of a Fisherman's Wife.
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Larry Mayer
Larry Mayer is a Professor and the Director of the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire. He graduated magna cum laude with an Honors degree in Geology from the University of Rhode Island in 1973 and received a Ph.D. from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Marine Geophysics in 1979. At Scripps he worked with the Marine Physical Laboratory's Deep-Tow Geophysical package, applying this sophisticated acoustic sensor to problems of deep sea mapping and the history of climate.
After being selected as an astronaut candidate finalist for NASA's first class of mission specialists, Larry went on to a Post-Doc at the School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island where he worked on the early development of the Chirp Sonar and problems of deep-sea sediment transport and paleoceanography. In 1982, he became an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Oceanography at Dalhousie University and in 1991 moved to the University of New Brunswick to take up the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Ocean Mapping. In 2000 Larry became the founding director of the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire and the co-director of the NOAA/UNH Joint Hydrographic Center. Larry has participated in more than 70 cruises (over 50 months at sea!) during the last 20 years, and has been chief or co-chief scientist of numerous expeditions including two legs of the Ocean Drilling Program and four mapping expeditions in the ice covered regions of the high Arctic. He is currently co-chair of the NOAA’s Ocean Exploration Advisory Working Group, a member of the National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observatories Initiative Program Advisory Committee, and the State Dept’s Extended Continental Shelf Task Force. Larry's present research deals with sonar imaging and remote characterization of the seafloor as well as advanced applications of 3-D visualization to ocean mapping problems and applications of mapping to Law of the Sea issues, particularly in the Arctic. Molly McCammon
Molly McCammon is the Executive Director of the Alaska Ocean Observing System, a coalition of government, academic and private partners working together to integrate ocean observations and provide better information for users of the ocean and ocean resources. Molly came to Alaska over 30 years ago after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in journalism. Since then, she has worked as a natural resource policy specialist for Alaska's governor, state legislature and department of fish and game,
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reported for radio and television news, and homesteaded in the Brooks Range. She also serves as the chair of the National Federation of Regional Associations for Coastal and Ocean Observing and is also a member of the Ocean Research Advisory panel which advises federal ocean research agencies. Prior to that, she served for nearly a decade as Executive Director of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, administering the billion-dollar restoration fund established as a result of a court settlement between the United States government and the state of Alaska and Exxon Corporation following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Rear Admiral Tim McGee
A native of Washington, D.C., Rear Admiral Tim McGee graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1978. He graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1986 with a Master’s degree in Meteorology and Oceanography and an advanced international certificate in Hydrographic Science. His tours afloat include executive officer Oceanographic Unit One, USNS Bowditch (T-AGS-21); Oceanographer, USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) where he qualified Surface Warfare Officer; Oceanographer, Commander Carrier Group 3; Oceanographer/TLAM Theater Executive Agent, Commander Sixth Fleet /Commander Strike Force South, USS Belknap (CG-26) and USS LaSalle (AGF-3). His tours ashore include
OIC, Defense Mapping Agency Office Norfolk; OIC, Naval Oceanography Detachment Diego Garcia BIOT; Advanced Ocean Technology Officer, Chief of Naval Operations (N096); Detailer, Placement Officer and Community Manager, Bureau of Naval Personnel; Commanding Officer, Naval Oceanography Facility San Diego; ACOS Resources, Commander Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command; Executive Officer, Naval Oceanographic Office; Commanding Officer, Naval Oceanographic Office; Assistant Chief of Naval Research, Office of Naval Research; Associate Director of Operations, U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy; DACOS Plans (C5B), JTF-7, Iraq; Chief of Staff for Director of Operations and Infrastructure in Iraq, Coalition Provisional Authority, Iraq; Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit medals, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medals and various other awards. He was selected as Pacific Fleet Shiphandler of the year in 1989 presented the Naval Postgraduate School Distinguished Alumni Award in May 2006, and named Distinguished Oceanographer, U.S, Naval Academy 2007.
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Kate Moran
Kathryn (Kate) Moran is currently on detail at the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President from the University of Rhode Island. She is a Professor with a joint appointment in the Graduate School of Oceanography and the Department of Ocean Engineering. Moran co-led the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program’s Arctic Coring Expedition which recovered the first paleoclimate record from the central Arctic Ocean. She also led one of the first offshore expeditions to investigate the seafloor following the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Previously, Moran was a scientist at Canada’s national oceanographic institute where one of her major research focus
areas was the Arctic Ocean. She also served as the Director of the international Ocean Drilling Program in Washington DC; managed mission-specific drilling platform operations in the North Atlantic and Arctic; designed and developed oceanographic tools; participated in more than 35 offshore expeditions; and has served as Chair and member of national and international science and engineering advisory committees and panels. Professor Moran is active in public outreach (through public lectures, national panel discussions, and teacher training) on topics related to the Arctic and global climate change. At the University of Rhode Island, Moran spearheaded a research initiative on offshore renewable energy. Edward J. Saade
Edward J. Saade is president and managing director of Fugro EarthData, Inc., a full-service geospatial company specializing in airborne remote sensing and mapping for federal, state and local government needs. He is responsible for the company’s overall success and works with senior managers to oversee core business functions, including production operations, sales and marketing, research and development, finance, and human resources. Mr. Saade joined Fugro EarthData in May 2008, bringing with him more than 30 years of experience in marine- and land-based geospatial and geophysics applications. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Saade served as president and managing director of Fugro Pelagos, Inc., where he expand the company’s marketing
presence and technical capabilities to become a world leader in hydrographic multibeam and backscatter techniques for coastal zone mapping and essential fish habitat analysis. Mr. Saade’s other professional experience includes a wide range of roles related to geophysical surveys, search and recovery operations, and geological studies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and completed Ph.D. courses and research in marine geophysics at the Hawaii Institute of
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Geophysics. Mr. Saade is a California Professional Geophysicist, and has authored/coauthored over 60 reports and studies related to seafloor geology and sub-bottom conditions. Simon Stephenson
Simon N Stephenson was appointed Director of the Division of Arctic Sciences in April 2006. The Division, in NSF’s Office of Polar Program, is responsible for a research investment of about $100 M annually. The science disciplinary drivers are both broad and interdisciplinary and a system approach is a core element. The main current driver is environmental change and its relationship to human activity in a regional and global context. Mr. Stephenson has over 30 years of experience in polar research, both conducting his own research on glaciers and ice sheets and administering programs
in the Arctic and Antarctic. Mr. Stephenson holds a Master of Philosophy in Glacier Geophysics from the Council for National Academic Awards, UK. RADM David Titley
A native of Schenectady, N.Y., Rear Admiral Titley was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Commissioning program in 1980. While aboard USS Farragut (DDG 37) from 1980-1983, Titley served as navigator, qualified as a surface warfare officer, and transferred to the Oceanography community the following year. Titley has commanded the Fleet Numerical Meteorological and Oceanographic Center in Monterey Calif., and was the first commanding officer of the Naval Oceanography Operations Command. He served his initial flag tour as commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. Previous shore tours include
assignments at the Regional Oceanography Centers at Pearl Harbor and Guam, the Naval Oceanographic Office, on the staff of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition), Office of Mine and Undersea Warfare, as the executive assistant to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) and as chief of staff, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. Titley also served on the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, as Special Assistant to the Chairman (Admiral (ret.) James Watkins) for Physical Oceanography and as senior
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military assistant to the Director of Net Assessment in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In 2009, Titley assumed duties as oceanographer and navigator of the Navy. Education includes a Bachelor of Science in meteorology from the Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Science in meteorology and physical oceanography and a Ph.D in meteorology, both from the Naval Postgraduate School. Sandra Whitehouse
Dr. Sandra Thornton Whitehouse is a longtime environmental advocate and policy advisor who uses her expertise in marine science to help shape environmental initiatives in Rhode Island and on the federal level. She has worked as an environmental consultant for the past decade, providing research, analysis, and advice on environmental policy issues to clients including the Rhode Island General Assembly, the Coastal States Stewardship Foundation and the Ocean Conservancy. Dr. Whitehouse is a former chair of Rhode Island’s Coastal Resources Management Council and has served on the boards of Save the Bay, the Nature Conservancy’s Rhode Island chapter, the Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting, The Aquidneck Island
Land Trust, Grow Smart Rhode Island, and the University of Rhode Island’s Marine Advisory Council, among others. She holds a B.S. from Yale and a Ph.D. in biological oceanography from the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Whitehouse lives in Rhode Island and Washington, D.C. with her husband and their two children. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and a sailor and diver, has been active in addressing global climate change and its threat to ocean and coastal ecosystems. He authored an amendment to support investments in America’s oceans and coasts as part of the Senate’s FY09 and FY10 budget resolutions, and fought successfully to make sure climate change legislation passed by the EPW committee in 2008 and 2009 included protections for coastal communities, wildlife, and land and marine ecosystems. Whitehouse, who traveled to Greenland
in the summer of 2007 to see firsthand the effects of climate change on its massive ice cap, has worked closely with Rhode Island’s environmental community to raise awareness of the potential impact of global warming on the Ocean State. In August 2008, he held an official field briefing of the EPW Committee at the University of Rhode
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Island’s Bay Campus to examine global warming’s impacts on Narragansett Bay, including sea level rise, warming waters, and ocean acidifation. Whitehouse has also been a champion for coastal and estuarine habitats, successfully fighting to reauthorize the Estuary Restoration Act (ERA) in 2007 and leading the effort to secure annual funding for EPA’s National Estuaries Program. Elected to the Senate in 2006, Whitehouse lives in Newport, Rhode Island with his wife Sandra, an environmental policy expert and marine biologist, and their two children.
