GLIN==> GLOS Lake Views: IOOS bill signed into law by President Obama

 <http://www.glos.us> GLOS Lake Views



March 30, 2009 



 

Integrated Ocean Observing bill signed into law by President Obama 

On March 24, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Omnibus
Public Lands Management Act of 2009, a bill that includes authorization for
the Integrated Ocean Observation System (IOOS) as part of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The public lands bill had
passed the Senate earlier in the month and was signed into law today by
President Obama.

This represents a major step forward for IOOS. It establishes IOOS as a
formal program and recognizes the regional systems, including the Great
Lakes Observing System (GLOS), as a key part of that program. The
legislation also remedies some issues for the program such as providing
liability coverage to the regions for data dissemination, establishing
procedures for transferring money between federal agencies, and establishing
NOAA as the lead federal agency. 

While the legislation does not secure appropriations for IOOS (that is done
under a different process) it does establish the program in statute. Without
this authorizing legislation, IOOS was vulnerable to shifting priorities of
NOAA and the Department of Commerce, particularly during lean economic times
when funds are scarce. The legislation is a clear statement that Congress
believes that IOOS is a valuable and necessary program.


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This quarterly newsletter is prepared by GLOS as a service to its members,
partners and the broader Great Lakes community. Please refer to www.glos.us
<http://www.glos.us/>  for more information on GLOS products, activities and
milestones. 

  _____  

Great Lakes Observing System
440 Church Street, Suite 4044   Ann Arbor, MI 48109   734-936-3622
www.glos.us
A GLOS Lake Views archive can be found at www.glos.us/updates

 

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