Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) UPDATE
Aug. 21, 2006

Senate Committee Approves NOAA Appropriations
During the last week of July, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a FY '07 bill for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and Science Agencies (H.R. 5672). The bill provides $4.43 billion for NOAA, $536 million above the FY '06 enacted level, excluding supplemental appropriations, $753 million above the budget request and $1.04 billion above the House level. The Senate CJS Appropriations bill included $60M to jump start the national IOOS program and $21M for existing regional observing systems, which included $1.0M for the Great Lakes Observing System, pushed by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI). The Senate Appropriations Committee has directed NOAA to develop a competitive, peer-reviewed process for awarding regional ocean observing systems grants in FY 2008.

Senate Passes WRDA Reauthorization
Six years after the last Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) was enacted and more than a year after the House passed its latest version, the Senate recently approved WRDA. The bill includes key sections dealing with Great Lakes issues, including full federal operation and maintenance of the Chicago Asian Carp Barrier project, a study on long-term water level declines on lakes Superior and Michigan Huron related to changes in the St. Clair River outlet, and cost-shared engineering feasibility studies on prospective dam removal projects within tributary watersheds. The Senate substituted the text of the House bill (H.R. 2864) with its version of the bill (S. 728). The Senate also considered several amendments, including an amendment sponsored by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) to require independent review of major Corps of Engineers projects.

Congress Breaks for August Recess
Congress is currently out of session for the August recess. The Senate is expected to reconvene at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5, and the House will reconvene at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Congress will have a short four-week session before breaking on Sept. 29 to campaign for the November elections.

NOAA Deploys Weather Platforms across the Great Lakes
NOAA has deployed more than a dozen new weather observation platforms along the shores of the Great Lakes. The platforms are providing valuable information directly to recreational and commercial boaters and to NOAA National Weather Service meteorologists issuing marine weather forecasts and warnings. NOAA's National Weather Service, National Ocean Service and Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory joined forces to deploy 13 new coastal weather observation sites throughout the Great Lakes. Platform locations were chosen following a study by NOAA to determine gaps in the Great Lakes coastal weather observing network. NOAA plans to install up to 32 additional weather data collection platforms in the Great Lakes to create a denser network of observing stations. For more information visit http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2659.htm.

NOAA-NOS Brings Fort Gratiot Met Sensors Online
This week, NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic products and Services (CO-OPS), announced a long-awaited improvement of meteorological observations at the U.S. Coast Guard Fort Gratiot station in Port Huron, MI. The system includes redundant wind sensors to support year-round operations, as well as barometer, air temperature, and relative humidity sensors are located at the water level gauge house a short distance from the lighthouse. This is a key location in the nearshore observing network, since meteorologic conditions at the mouth of the St. Clair River have always been spotty. For further information, please visit http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov.

USGS Releases National Coastal Program Plan
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released a Plan for a Comprehensive National Coastal Program. The Plan proposes completion of a comprehensive National Coastal Program strategy aimed at providing science-based tools responsive to specific management needs, including establishment of a National Coastal Information Infrastructure to provide consistent and reliable information to support research and decision-making and establishment of an integrated monitoring network to document and understand change in complex coastal systems across all important time scales. For more information, visit http://marine.usgs.gov/coastal-plan/index.html.

New York Creates Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Council
Gov. George E. Pataki has signed legislation to create the New York Ocean and Great Lakes Conservation Council to coordinate programs and activities that help to protect and restore the state's coastal ecosystems. The nine-member council will work with various stakeholders to develop policies and principles to govern these coastal resources and implement effective management strategies. Among many other responsibilities, the Council will encourage scientific research and information sharing, establishing regional and federal partnerships for integrating observing and monitoring programs and coastal-based ecosystem management. For more information, visit http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/06/0809061.html