The Saving the OOI Act is a simple two-page bill that says no federal funds shall be used to decommission the OOI system until the NSF conducts a thorough review and assessment of the network with robust stakeholder engagement. The bipartisan bill—which is less than 200 words—responds to the NSF’s plan to remove most of the OOI’s sensors off the coasts of Oregon, Washington, Alaska, North Carolina, and Greenland.
“We are calling out an SOS—Save Ocean Sensors!” said Merkley. “Dismantling the Ocean Observatories Initiative is supreme stupidity, costing taxpayers millions of dollars and destroying a vital source of climate data. Our simple, bipartisan bill blocks this incredibly short-sighted decision and preserves these critical ocean monitoring sensors that keep coastal communities and fishers safe.”
“The NSF started the OOI system a decade ago to help communities prepare for significant weather events, predict fisheries disasters, and bolster maritime safety efforts. In Alaska, the Global Station Papa Array has been instrumental in doing just that as our coastal communities work to adapt and become more resilient amidst an ever-changing marine environment,” said Murkowski. “I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Senate for approving this legislation unanimously and helping to ensure that stakeholders and industry experts are consulted to keep our scientific researchers, our fishermen, and our communities equipped with this essential information.”
The Saving the OOI Act is cosponsored by US Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
Full text of the Saving the OOI Act can be found by clicking here.
Following the bill announcement, NSF issued an update on the OOI:
“The US National Science Foundation appreciates the concerns raised by the range of stakeholders that have informed us they rely on data from the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). Effective immediately, NSF will not proceed with further removal or descoping of equipment from the remaining arrays and will continue operations including planned maintenance. While the Endurance Array has been removed from the water, we are developing plans to redeploy the equipment after servicing.
“Moving forward, NSF will issue a Dear Colleague Letter to collect input from stakeholders and convene an expert panel to assess observational needs, evaluate available data sources, consider responses to the Dear Colleague Letter, and help the agency identify a sustainable path for NSF’s ocean observing systems. NSF remains committed to ocean sciences, to responsible stewardship of its research infrastructure and to supporting the stakeholders that depend on it.”
