of the Arctic environment. NOAA's SEARCH activities are part of a coordinated interagency and international program, begun in response to evidence of an alarming rate of environmental change occurring in the Arctic. The SEARCH initiative will substantially increase understanding of long-term trends in temperature, precipitation and storminess across the United States, with potential improvements in forecasting and planning for energy needs, growth seasons, hazardous storm seasons and water resources.

University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS).—NOAA requests a total of $2.5 million to outsource with UNOLS and other sources for ships in the Pacific to support long-time series research for Fisheries-Oceanographic Coordination Investigations (FOCI), VENTS, Oregon/Washington Groundfish Habitat and maintenance of the Tsunami moorings in the Gulf of Alaska and Pacific Ocean. The increase will enable NOAA to continue to meet research requirements in the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Alaska, and Bering Sea utilizing time aboard UNOLS and other vessels.

Climate Monitoring and Ocean Observations.—NOAA requests an increase of $5.4 million for a total of $54.6 million to recapitalize the laboratories that conduct climate research, which includes $0.6 million for purchasing equipment and improving the scientific activities that contribute to the long-term observing systems that directly support the President's CCRI initiative. These observing systems are the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS); the Global Air Sampling Network and a gas network at four baseline observatories, and at Niwot Ridge, CO; and the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array which is the cornerstone of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Observing System and other ocean observing systems.

NOAA requests an increase of $8.3 million for a total of $36.6 million for the Archive, Access, and Assessment programs working in Climate Services. This continued investment will be used for the following activities:

-Regional Climate Services & Assessments.-To develop an improved climate data and information delivery service. This will allow NOAA to improve national, regional and state linkages and make national, regional, state, and local weather and climate observing systems and data bases more accessible. -Next Generation Environmental Information.—To develop a new generation of World Wide Web accessible climate information and statistics for primary use by the energy sector of our economy. This funding will allow NOAA to overhaul the current methods and procedures for computing climate information such as heating and cooling degree days, heat indices, wind chills, freezing degree days, and other related statistics with the goal of making this information more appropriate and timely for business decision-making and strategic planning purposes. -World Ocean Database.-This investment will be used to update the World Ocean Database to include new sources of data and to put in place the analytical and data management infrastructure needed to transition this activity from the current research mode to a sustained, operational service mode. -Extending America's Climate Record.-NOAA will use the funds to gather key paleoclimatic records to fill gaps; reconstruct climate records during pre-instrumental periods; and produce blended data sets that integrate instrumental, historical, and paleoclimatic data into a holistic climate record.

-Solar X-ray Imager Archive.-NOAA will use the SXI archive to derive new products to help reduce the effects of extreme space weather events on telecommunications satellites, electrical power services, and health risks to astro

nauts.

MODERNIZATION OF NOAA FISHERIES

The fiscal year 2003 President's Budget Request for NOAA, invests in core programs needed for our National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to meet its mission to manage fisheries, rebuild stocks, and protect endangered species such as sea turtles and whales. NMFS modernization funds will be allocated to ensure that existing statutory and regulatory requirements are met for fisheries and protected species management programs (including the Magnuson-Stevens Act, National Environmental Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and other statutory requirements). This budget request continues NOAA's effort to modernize NOAA's Fisheries. The Modernization of NMFS encompasses a long-term commitment to improve the NMFS structure, processes, and business approaches. In addition to this budget request, the Administration will propose that any reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act include authority for fishing quota systems within regional fisheries, including transferable quotas, where appropriate. This initiative focuses on improving NMFS'

science, management, and enforcement programs and begins to rebuild its aging infrastructure. These improvements will result in measurable progress in the biological and economic sustainability of fisheries and protected resources. To continue this modernization program, NOAA's fiscal year 2003 President's Budget Request includes the following program investments in Science, Management, and Enforce

ment.

Science: $74.8 Million Increase

Fisheries Research Vessel.-NOAA requests an increase of $45.5 million for a total of $50.9 million for NOAA's second Fisheries Research Vessel (FRV2). This vessel will replace the 39-year old ALBATROSS IV in the North Atlantic. Costs of maintaining the aging ALBATROSS IV for the five years needed to construct the replacement FRV and to allow side-by-side missions for calibration purposes are escalating. Moreover, replacing the aging fleet is required to provide research platforms capable of meeting increasingly sophisticated data requirements for marine resource management.

Modernize Annual Stock Assessments.-NOAA requests an increase of $9.9 million to modernize annual stock assessments. Funding will allow NMFS to conform to new national stock assessment standards of data quality, assessment frequency, and advanced modeling. An increase of $5.1 million is requested to provide for the recruitment and training of stock assessment biologists and supporting staff to produce annual stock assessments that meet the new standard for Federally managed stocks. This request would also add an increment of 260 Fisheries vessel/charter days at sea toward the balance of 3,000 days identified in the NOAA Fisheries Data Acquisition Plan at a cost of $2.4 million. The initiative includes $0.9 million for advanced sampling technologies. This element targets improvements and innovative uses of existing technologies, including the application of new and advanced sampling systems and approaches. Also, included in this request is $1.5 million to enhance fisheries oceanography studies, principally, the Fisheries and the Environment program (FATE).

Endangered Species Act Sea Turtle Research.-NOAA requests an increase of $2.0 million for a total of $6.5 million to continue the recovery of highly endangered sea turtles. Of the $2.0 million increase, $1.4 million is to provide the necessary research to recover highly endangered marine turtles. This program is designed to help us collect information on biology and habitats and share that information with other range countries. The remaining $0.6 million is requested to implement management strategies to reverse population declines, implementation of multi-lateral international agreements, and building capacity through domestic and international educational and outreach programs.

Columbia River Biological Opinion (BiOp) Implementation.—NOAA requests an increase of $12.0 million to provide for the research, monitoring, and evaluation (RM&E) necessary to continue implementation of measures included in the Columbia River Biological Opinion. The RM&E program will provide the scientific information necessary to assess whether BiOp performance measures are being achieved at 2003, 2005, and 2008 check-ins. This funding also provides for the research needed to address key uncertainties identified in the BiOp in the areas of estuary and near-shore ocean survival, delayed effects related to dam passage, and the effects of hatchery programs on the productivity of naturally spawning fish.

Recovery of Endangered Large Whales.-NOAA requests an increase of $1.0 million to provide resources to scientifically determine whether two key endangered whales-humpbacks and bowheads have recovered and are candidates for delisting. This information will enable NOAA to detect changes in the status of large whales and prevent any long-term irreversible damage to these populations. Socioeconomics.-NOAA requests an increase of $1.5 million for a total of $4.0 million to support the on-going development of a multi-year comprehensive social sciences program to support NMFS policy decisions. The approach is 3-tiered, augmenting the integral components of a successful social sciences program that includes staffing ($0.6 million and 7 FTE); data collection ($0.5 million); and research activities ($0.4 million). In combination, the funding will be used to continue addressing shortcomings in economic and social assessments of policy alternatives by improving the economic and social science staff capability, and initiation of data and applied research programs.

National Observer Program.-NOAA requests an increase of $2.9 million for a total of $17.0 million for the National Observer Program. Funding will be used to expand the collection of high quality fisheries and environmental data from commercial and recreational fishing vessels to assess impacts on marine resources and fishing communities and to monitor compliance with marine resource laws and regula

tions. This request will primarily provide for approximately 4,000 observer sea days spread over 11 fisheries, most of which are currently unobserved.

Management: $6.4 Million Increase

NMFS National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementation.-NOAA requests an increase of $3.0 million for a total of $8.0 million to continue striving to enhance its management of the NEPA process. This funding will provide NMFS with the necessary resources to continue to support agency-wide NEPA activities and will allow NMFS to strengthen its decision-making and documentation process to more fully take advantage of the decision making tools provided by NEPA.

Regional Fishery Management Councils.-NOAA requests an increase of $1.9 million for a total of $16.0 million for the Regional Fishery Management Councils. This request will provide needed resources for the Councils to respond to increased workload in developing, implementing, and supporting management measures to eliminate overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks; identify and protect essential fish habitats; reduce fisheries' bycatch to the maximum extent practicable; minimize the impacts of fishing regulations on fishing communities; and to implement programs that result from the next reauthorization of the Sustainable Fisheries Act. These results will be achieved through the development of amendments to and creation of new Fishery Management Plans and regulations and corresponding and supporting international management measures to control fishing activities.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements.-NOAA requests an increase of $1.5 million to provide for thorough, complete, and timely environmental and economic analyses to NOAA customers and for its recovery programs. Funds will support personnel in all NMFS regions, science centers and headquarters to conduct required data gathering, analysis, and document preparation to assess the impacts of human activities that affect protected species. These include the range of Federal actions, including management of marine fisheries. This funding will also support assessments of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts, costs and benefits of implementing conservation programs for protected species.

Enforcement: $9.7 Million Increase

Enforcement and Surveillance.-NOAA requests an increase of $4.3 million for a total of $39.3 million to expand and modernize NMFS' fisheries and protected species enforcement programs. These programs include Alaska and west coast groundfish enforcement, protected species enforcement, state and local partnerships, specialized Magnuson-Stevens investigatory functions, community oriented policing and problem solving, and swordfish/Patagonian toothfish import investigations.

Vessel Management System (VMS).-NOAA requests an increase of $5.4 million for a total of $7.4 million for additional support and continued modernization and expansion of the vessel management system (VMS) program. These resources will create a program which will monitor approximately 1,500 vessels and is readily expandible. VMS technology is an invaluable tool for modern fisheries management. It provides outstanding compliance without intrusive at-sea boardings, enhances safety at sea, and provides new tools to managers for real time catch reporting.

OTHER KEY NOAA PROGRAMS

NOAA is constantly pursuing areas where the expertise of our researchers, scientists, and staff can contribute to solving problems. Therefore, NOAA has other key programs that respond to these challenges. They are Energy, Homeland Security, Ocean Exploration, and Coastal Conservation.

ENERGY

Energy Initiative.-NOAA requests a total of $6.1 million to implement a pilot program that will provide more accurate temperature and precipitation forecasts, and additional river forecast products to help the energy industry improve electrical load forecasting and hydropower facility management. Based on industry estimates, this investment will result in savings of $10 to $30 million annually in the pilot region after the second year of the demonstration. Expanding the pilot nation-wide could generate savings of over $1 billion per year.

Energy Permit Rapid Response.-NOAA requests a total of $2.0 million to support the establishment and implementation of a streamlined energy permit review process. This proposal responds to an Executive Order directing Federal agencies to expedite permits and coordinate Federal, state, and local actions needed for energyrelated project approvals on a national basis and in an environmentally sound manner. The goal of this request is to reduce, by 25 percent, the time required to adjust the permits of licensed energy projects/facilities. Currently, re-licensing of existing facilities takes 6-10 years. It is anticipated that the combination of regular re-li

censing and permit adjustments to implement the new National Energy Policy will result in thousands of new actions for NOAA nationally.

Energy Management.-NOAA requests a total of $0.6 million for Energy Management. The requested funds will be used to reduce NOAA's facility operating costs through actively pursuing energy commodities at competitive prices, identifying and implementing energy savings opportunities and applying renewable energy technologies and sustainable designs at NOAA-managed facilities. Many of the equipment retrofits that are a part of energy management have enabled facilities to recover their costs in less than five years.

HOMELAND SECURITY

On September 11, 2001, the Nation experienced an unprecedented attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. NOAA immediately implemented its agencywide Incident Response Plan, and was able to rapidly deploy critical assets, capabilities, and expertise to support response and recovery efforts. NOAA personnel in weather offices, satellite and remote sensing teams, hazardous materials units, marine transportation and geodesy offices, and fisheries enforcement teams provided a wide range of products and services.

NOAA's response to the September 11 attacks was rapid and focused. However, the attack fundamentally altered the context of NOAA's incident response planning, The threats resulting from attacks on the nation may be different in nature, and larger in scale and scope. Thus, NOAA's Homeland Security efforts are focused on enhancing its response capabilities and improving internal safety and preparedness. NOAA is working quickly to improve its ability to coordinate emergency response, to evaluate its existing capabilities, and to identify products and services that will meet the challenge of new response realities. NOAA's Homeland Security activities are dedicated to advancing the coordinated efforts within the Department of Commerce, the Office of Homeland Security and assisting NOAA's many federal, state, and local partners.

In fiscal year 2003, funding is requested to address the most immediately recognized areas of programmatic vulnerabilities to ensure the continuity of the most critical of NOAA's services and information products in the event of natural or manmade emergencies.

Vessel Lease/Time Charter.-NOAA requests an increase of $9.9 million for a Vessel Lease/Time Charter. In fiscal year 2003, NOAA will continue assisting DOD in mapping and charting key port areas. NOAA will initiate a vessel time charter to expand its hydrographic surveying capacity. While having the capability to operate throughout America's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), initial emphasis during fiscal year 2003 will be in the Gulf of Mexico. Ninety-five percent of America's nonNAFTA economic trade moves through the marine transportation system. Any interruption in the flow of goods through our nation's marine transport system yields immediate and dire impact to the national economy. Four of the top seven port areas are found on the Gulf of Mexico, including: (1) New Orleans and South Louisiana, (2) Houston/Galveston, (3) Port Arthur, TX and Lake Charles, LA; and (4) Corpus Christi, TX. The combination of high traffic, hazardous cargos and vessels operating close to the ocean bottom make waterways and ports particularly vulnerable to terrorist activities including those utilizing low technology mines. Requested funding provides critical survey data to directly enhance safety of mariners, passengers, and the national economy from threats both natural or human in origin.

NESDIS Single Point of Failure.-NOAA requests a total increase of $2.8 million to provide backup capability for all critical satellite products and services. This effort supports the continuity of critical operational satellite products and services during a catastrophic outage. In fiscal year 2003, NOAA will begin the first phase of hardware, software, and telecommunications purchases; and perform initial testing of all capabilities for this backup system. The requested funding also supports installing additional communications links to connect the backup location to the NOAA Science Center in Camp Springs, Maryland.

Satellite Facilities Security.-NOAA requests a total of $2.3 million, an increase of $0.3 million, to maintain enhanced security at the satellite Command and Data Acquisition ground stations. NOAA requires these funds to enhance the systems that protect these stations, reducing the risk to satellites and ground systems due to breaches in security. These satellite stations represent the backbone of the ground systems that support NOAA spacecraft programs-commanding, controlling, and acquiring data from on orbit satellites with an estimated value of $4.5 billion. NWS Gateway Critical Infrastructure Protection.-NOAA requests a total of $3.0 million for the National Weather Service Telecommunications Gateway Backup (NWSTG). During fiscal year 2003, this funding will enable the NWS to complete

the establishment of the NWSTG facility. After scheduled deployment in early fiscal year 2004, the continued funding level of $3.0 million will cover recurring costs for NWSTG backup communications, system software licenses, systems operations and maintenance support, facility rent, and cyclical technology refreshment. This will ensure uninterrupted delivery of critical meteorological data necessary for the protection of life and property, and the economic well being of the Nation.

Weather & Climate Supercomputing Backup.-NOAA requests a total of $7.2 million to implement an operational backup system for the NWS weather and climate supercomputer. The NWS weather and climate supercomputer is a critical component of NOAA's mission and is currently a single point of failure as the entire system is located in a single facility. Many of the data, products and services provided by and through the Central Computer System (CCS) directly contribute to the issuance of life saving NWS watches and warnings to the public. The NWS weather and climate supercomputing backup system is a critical part of DOC's Homeland Security Initiative and NOAA's comprehensive business continuity plan, designed to support uninterrupted data and product delivery to NOAA customers. The National Center for Environmental Prediction's (NCEP) CCS is currently the only computer system within NOAA capable of running highly complicated forecasting models in the required operational (regimented) mode. During fiscal year 2003 the NWS will acquire the necessary backup system hardware capability, conduct site selection, and begin installation.

Commercial Remote Sensing Licensing.-NOAA requests a total of $1.2 million for the Commercial Remote Sensing Licensing and Enforcement Program to ensure the timely review and processing of satellite license applications. This NOAA investment will support staff engaged in the review of commercial remote sensing licensing applications. NOAA will also support monitoring and compliance activities, which include the review of licensee quarterly reports, on-site inspections, audits, and license violation enforcement. The funds requested in fiscal year 2003 will also support implementation of shutter control over commercial systems to ensure that our Nation can respond to commercial remote sensing security issues in national security and foreign policy crisis situations.

OCEAN AND COASTAL PROGRAMS

NOAA requests a total of $14.2 million for Ocean Exploration, this includes a small amount for adjustments-to-base. This program seeks to increase our national understanding of ocean systems and processes through partnerships in nine major voyages of discovery in fiscal year 2003. Ocean Exploration is investment in undersea exploration, research, and technology in both the deep ocean and areas of special concern, such as the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS).

NOAA's coastal conservation activities total $348.5 million, and are central to accomplishing the mission of environmental monitoring, and underscore a commitment to coastal, estuarine, and marine ecosystems. NOAA's activities include Coastal Zone Management; Marine Sanctuaries, Estuarine Research Reserves, and Marine Protected Areas; Coral Reefs, Habitat, and Other Coastal Conservation & Restoration Programs; and Pacific Salmon recovery Fund and Treaty. Many of these programs receive adjustments-to-base, and there is an increase for Cooperative Conservation and Recovery with States. NOAA requests a total of $1.0 million for Cooperative Conservation and Recovery with States to provide funds to state partners under the Endangered Species Act Section 6 cooperative conservation program. These agreements will provide the means for states and local communities to undertake local initiatives in the management and recovery of ESA-listed and candidate species by providing the legal authority to make the decisions about how best to protect species at risk of extinction. The agreements would provide funding on a matching basis to accomplish conservation activities. Funding provided to the states would support local researchers, non-governmental organizations and volunteers to accomplish monitoring, restoration, science and conservation activities.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN NOAA

NOAA will continue to improve its core financial management responsibilities in order to meet the future needs of NOAA and its stakeholders. NOAA has placed a high priority on the proper execution and accounting of its resources. Key budgetary and financial management improvements are centered around three key areas: (1) Improved Funds Control and Execution through Automation; (2) Improved Budget Structure; and (3) Improved Outreach and Communications.