June kicks off hurricane season, and we hope you’re all working on your early preparations as the forecasts are predicting an above-normal number of storms.
Providing data that helps modelers make more accurate tropical storm and hurricane predictions is a core GCOOS effort — something that U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) recognized when he and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced a resolution to reauthorize the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (U.S. #IOOS) last week. The bill would reauthorize IOOS for the next five years, maintaining its current funding level at $56 million annually, and bring continued support for ocean monitoring efforts that improve coastal communities, fisheries and maritime industries.
“IOOS is critical to keeping the Gulf Coast a great place to live, work, and raise a family,” Wicker said. “Reauthorizing this funding would continue the necessary ocean monitoring resources and improve our understanding of needs along the coast. This legislation would help secure U.S. leadership in ocean science and increase economic development. I look forward to seeing the continued success of this program and how it benefits our growing and vibrant maritime economy.”
We’re thankful to Sens. Wicker and Cantwell for recognizing the importance of the nation’s ocean observing system.
We will be watching this bill and the companion House bill — introduced in March by U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS) with co-sponsors Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Randy Weber (R-TX), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Amata Radewagen (R-AS), and Danny Davis (D-IL) — as they go through the legislative process.
GCOOS Board Member, Dr. Stephan Howden, Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi and Director of the Hydrographic Science Research Center who has helped lead GCOOS for more than two decades, testified about the importance of IOOS last month before the House Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee of the House Committee on Natural Resources. You can view his testimony here.
If you’d like to support these bills, the IOOS Association has created a toolkit you can use. Click here for details.
