National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Appendix A ABBREVIATIONS Construction Cost Estimate EOSDIS Earth Observing System Data Information System ESSB National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service National Meteorological Center National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service GSA GSF NASA NEPA NESDIS NMC NMFS NOAA NOS NWS National Weather Service HEARING OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES on FY 1998 Budget Authorization Request: Pre-Hearing Questions Submitted to The Honorable Dr. D. James Baker Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration PART 2 Status of Authorizations Q1. Answer What is the status of authorization for all of NOAA's programs for FY 1998? Please provide: (a) a list of all current authorizations in existing law for the National Ocean Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Weather Service, National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, Program Support, and Construction; (b) the specific amounts authorized by each of these existing laws; (c) the FY 1998 request for activities carried out by each such existing law; and (d) the portion of the FY 1998 request not authorized by each such existing law. For most NOAA activities, appropriation authorizations for FY 1998 are provided by organic acts or specific statutes, and the remainder are currently authorized through the enactment of appropriations. For example, appropriations necessary to carry out the operations, research, systems acquisition and other programs and activities of the National Weather Service are authorized under the organic Weather Service Act of 1890, as amended (15 U.S.C. 312 et seq.). Appropriations necessary to carry out the surveys and investigations of the National Ocean Service and the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service are authorized under the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947, as amended (33 U.S.C. 883a et seq.). This latter Act authorizes appropriations for NOAA's navigational services, including hydrographic surveys, mapping, charting, geodesy and tide and current data acquisition, as well as satellite observing and data and information systems. The two organic acts also authorize appropriations for the research activities and programs of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, as well as for program support, facilities, fleet maintenance and planning and capital acquisition. The organic acts authorize to be appropriated such funds as are necessary to carry out the above-stated activities. In addition, appropriations for NOAA's programs and activities in the areas of coastal management (including marine sanctuaries), and ocean resources conservation and assessment are currently authorized under the several statutes governing those activities. These include the recently reauthorized Coastal Zone Management Act (as amended by Pub. L. 104-150), the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (as amended by Pub. L. 104-284) and the Oil Pollution Act (Pub. L. 101-380). Appropriations for the various programs and activities of the National Marine Fisheries Service, including information collection and analysis, conservation and management operations, and state and industry assistance programs, are authorized pursuant to the numerous fisheries statutes recently reauthorized by the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-297) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act Amendments of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-238). We are working with the authorizing committees in the Senate on legislation to provide specific appropriation authorizations for NOAA's programs and activities consistent with the levels contained in the President's budget request. In addition, legislation to provide specific appropriation authorizations for NOAA's programs (H.R. 1278) is pending floor action in the House. While the National Sea Grant College Program Act was not reauthorized during the 104th Congress, legislation to reauthorize this important program passed the House (H.R. 437) in early June 1997 and similar legislation is pending in the Senate. Amounts necessary to carry out NOAA's current activities under the Endangered Species Act were provided in the Department's current appropriations act. The budget request for FY 1998 seeks additional appropriations to fund NOAA's activities under this Act. Finally, the FY 1998 request seeks appropriations to assist coastal states in meeting conditions associated with the Federal approval of their coastal non-point pollution control programs (Pub. L. 101-508, section 6217). Congressional Earmarks Q4. Please provide a list of all Congressional earmarks for NOAA in FY 1997, including the amount and the recipient of each such earmark. Answer: For FY 1997, Congress earmarked funds for the following programs/projects: |