Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) UPDATE
June 15, 2005

The GLOS Steering Committee (soon to become the GLOS Board of Directors) will have its next conference call on Thursday, June 16. Topics will include the following:

• Status of Year 3-5 Funding through the NOAA-Coastal Services Center Grant Cycle
• National Federation of Regional Associations (NFRA) activities and the Second IOOS Implementation Conference
• Legislative Actions/Advocacy
• Legal Establishment of the GLOS Regional Association / By-Laws
• Constitution of Initial Board of Directors
• Communications - New Web Site for GLOS
• Update on Observing Systems, including NOAA CO-OPS instrumentation upgrades/deployment, National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) coordination and other expressed concerns for the region

The National Federation of Regional Associations (NFRA) Organizing Meeting was held Feb. 16-18 in Washington, D.C. See http://www.ocean.us/nframeeting.jsp for a meeting summary. Roger Gauthier, Christine Manninen and Jon MacDonagh-Dumler from the Great Lakes Commission staff represented GLOS at this meeting.

Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Industry Day was held March 18 at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Building - Hall of Flags in Washington, D.C. Roger Gauthier attended. Presentations are available at http://www.oceanusmeeting.com/industry/documents.html. A Great Lakes Industry Day is being considered (funding dependent).

The Second Annual IOOS Implementation Conference was held May 3-5 in Arlington, Va. See http://www.oceanusmeeting.com/ioos2/ for details. Roger Gauthier attended. The inaugural meeting of the NFRA, which included signing of the Terms of Reference by all 11 of the Regional Associations, took place the day prior on May 2. Christine Manninen and Roger Gauthier attended this event.

The Ocean.US office in Arlington, Va., is currently searching for a new director to replace Tom Malone who will be stepping down from the post in September. Ocean.US was created by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) to coordinate the development of an operational integrated and sustained ocean observing system (IOOS). The job posting is available at http://www.ocean.us/documents/docs/oceanUS_solicitation_Final-24May05.doc. Review of the applications will begin on June 30, 2005, with a start date of October 1, 2005.

GLOS is a high priority of the ongoing Regional Collaboration and is specifically being addressed in recommendations developed by the Indicators and Information Strategy Team, co-chaired by Roger Gauthier and NOAA-GLERL Director Stephen Brandt. Information about the Collaboration is available at http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/collaboration/. Draft documents of the Indicators/Information Strategy Team can be viewed at http://www.glin.net/iistrategyteam/

Funding to implement major new observing systems is dependent on passage of legislation that would authorize IOOS and open the door to subsequent appropriations. The following bills have been introduced in the 109th Congress:

• S361:Ocean and Coastal Observation System Act, Sen. Snowe (R-ME), 02/10/05
• HR1489: Coastal Ocean Observation System Integration and Implementation Act, Rep. Gilchrest (R-MD), 04/06/05
• HR1584: Ocean and Coastal Observation System Act, Rep. Weldon (R-PA), 04/12/05