VISUALIZATION

Since 1970, on April 22, much of the world observes Earth Day by restoring neighborhood parks and cleaning up rivers. Earth Day is also a day to think about the planet's oceans, which cover 70 percent of the Earth's surface and also face environmental threats. On this Earth Day, NOAA reminds the nation to continue appreciating its connection to the oceans, expand its conservation ethic to include the oceans and remember that it is not an endless, infinite resource. Importance of the Oceans We all depend on the oceans and affect the oceans, regardless of where we live. Our activities on land contribute to the health of the oceans, and the oceans are critical to every facet of our lives. Oceans provide food for more than half the world's population, valuable products (such as medicine) and even supplies some of the oxygen we breathe. Ocean currents circulate the energy and water that regulate the Earth's climate and weather and, thus, affect every aspect of the human experience. More than half of the world's population lives where the ocean meets the land, an area that comprises less than two percent of the Earth's surface. These fertile coastal zones provide food, recreation and natural resources. The oceans are also a vital part of our national security, and a critical element in international trade and economic development. One of every six jobs is marine related, and one-third of the nation's gross national product comes from the coastal zone, through fishing, transportation, recreation and other industries that depend on healthy water and habitat. NOAA and Earth Day Since every day is Earth Day at NOAA, it is not surprising that NOAA and Earth Day have many things in common: * NOAA and Earth Day Were Created in 1970: Both NOAA and Earth Day celebrate their 36th anniversaries in 2006. The first national Earth Day was celebrated in the United States on April 22, 1970. NOAA was created within the Department of Commerce (combining Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Weather Bureau, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Environmental Data Service, National Oceanographic Data Center, National Satellite Center, Research Libraries and other components) that same year, a year often associated with the birth of the environmental movement. * NOAA and Earth Day Have Increased Environmental Awareness: What began in 1970 as a protest movement has evolved into a global celebration of the environment and commitment to its protection for future generations. In fact, the history of Earth Day mirrors the growth of environmental awareness over the last three decades in that the importance of Earth Day has become mainstreamed into modern society. It has also spawned the emergence of environmental policy (i.e., the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act) and organizations (including NOAA) which work 24/7 on environmental issues. * NOAA and Earth Day Embrace an Integrated Holistic View of the Earth: The purpose of Earth Day is to understand the global environment. This reflects many of NOAA's fundamental activities, including an ecosystems approach to management and the development of a Global Earth Observing System of Systems. * NOAA and Earth Day Issues have Changed to Reflect Current Needs: In 1970, the public was mostly concerned about industrial pollution and its effect on the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the health of the planet we live on. Over the years, however, environmental issues of concern have expanded greatly into all aspects of air, water, soil and noise pollution. Likewise, ocean issues have also shifted and expanded throughout the years as the nation gained a better understanding of and appreciation for the Earth's oceans. Today the nation's many ocean issues are addressed in the U.S. Ocean Action plan, the administration's response to 212 recommendations made by the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy in September of 2004. The plan sets up a structure for both near term and long term plans to address issues such as non-point source pollution, ocean exploration, fisheries, marine ecosystems (coral, estuaries and wetlands), governance and coastal development. It also investigated marine aquiculture, invasive species, ocean zoning, climate change, science and education. * NOAA and Earth Day Have Entered a New Environmental Era: The shifting and broadening of environmental issues over the last few decades have inspired many to revisit and revise environmental policy that was first enacted in the 1970s (e.g., the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act), and the same is true for ocean policy. The Stratton Commission reviewed ocean policy in 1969, one year before both NOAA and Earth Day were established. At that time, ocean policy was created on an as need, sector by sector, crisis by crisis basis. The ocean legislation that resulted has not kept up with changes and is not integrated enough to work efficiently in light of the nation's new ocean awareness and knowledge. The U.S. Ocean Action plan "marks the beginning of an exciting new era in ocean policy. The Ocean Commission has made it clear that piecemeal approaches to managing the oceans are a thing of the past. It will require a sustained and committed effort to improving government processes and implementing an ecosystem approach to management that is focused on making the oceans, coasts and Great Lakes cleaner, healthier and more productive and ensuring that these valuable resources are available for current and future generations to enjoy," said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. Likewise, over the last few years, NOAA has created a new strategic plan that more accurately reflects changes in modern day ocean issues and the new movement toward both an ecosystem based approach to management and Global Earth Observation System of Systems. NOAA's strategic plan focuses on a set of goals, which represent the backbone of all of NOAA's mandates and initiatives. NOAA aligns its budget structure and tracks its performance in the context of these goals. NOAA, the largest agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce, carries out a critical daily mission to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet the nation's economic, social and environmental needs. NOAA deals with a wide range of integrated Earth science topics, as reflected by its line offices - the NOAA National Weather Service, NOAA Ocean Service, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Satellite and Information Service, and the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research; as well as many special program units. In addition, NOAA research and operational activities are supported by the NOAA fleet of ships and aircraft and the nation's seventh uniformed service, the NOAA Corps. The fleet and the NOAA Corps operate under NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations. NOAA's work touches the daily lives of every person in the United States and in much of the world. From weather forecasts to fisheries management, from safe navigation to coastal services, from remote sensing to climate research and ocean exploration, NOAA's products and services contribute to the foundation of a healthy economy and affect approximately one-third of the nation's gross domestic product. In addition to using science and technology to create jobs and improve economic prosperity, NOAA is directing resources toward disaster prevention, to improve understanding of disasters and minimize the loss of life and property from them. In hours of crisis, NOAA employees have been found issuing the tornado warnings that saved hundreds of lives from a deadly storm, flying into the eyes of hurricanes to gather information about possible landfall, fighting to free three grey whales trapped in the ice, fielding a massive scientific operation on the shores to guide the comeback from an oil spill, and monitoring by satellites the movement of hurricanes and other severe storms, volcanic ash and wildfires that threaten communities. NOAA is a critical part of the nation's economy. Its products and services impact the daily lives of everyone, and have economic consequences which significantly affect the nation's Gross Domestic Product. In fact, NOAA touches 30 percent of the nation's GDP directly - about three trillion dollars of the American economy. With integrated and sustained observations of the Earth's physical and biological systems, and the web of science and management which form the foundation of NOAA exploration and observation missions, NOAA is uniquely qualified to better understand the complex interactions taking place on our planet. NOAA History and Environmental Milestones The origins of NOAA date back to 1807 when the "Survey of the Coasts" was established by President Thomas Jefferson. Since then many other related entities evolved, but they were not all tied together to form NOAA until October 3, 1970. Selected highlights of NOAA's environmental successes since its origin appear in the text box at the bottom of this article. More than 30 years later, NOAA still works for America every day. From providing timely and precise weather, water and climate forecasts, to monitoring the environment, to managing fisheries and building healthy coastlines, to making our nation more competitive through safe navigation and examining changes in the oceans, NOAA is on the front lines for America. NOAA'S Recent Accomplishments Over the past year, NOAA continued to protect the lives and livelihoods of all Americans and the nation. The extent and ferocity of the 2005 hurricane season, the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami and the prolonged drought in the western United States - all underscore the importance of NOAA's mission to the nation and the world. This year has also brought wider national recognition of the state of our oceans and continued attention to the phenomenon of global climate change. As the challenges facing the nation are evolving, NOAA has adapted to meet those challenges, create solutions and produce results. NOAA Wide Accomplishments Two examples of 2005 NOAA wide accomplishments are NOAA's response before, during and after Hurricane Katrina and NOAA's continued participation in the establishment of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems. * Provided Critical Information and Support Before and After Hurricane Katrina: Forty eight hours prior to landfall on the central Gulf coast, all NOAA National Hurricane Center forecasts indicated that Katrina would come ashore in southeastern Louisiana. NOAA accurately predicted the path of this hurricane in advance of landfall, enabling governments to initiate mass evacuations. During Katrina, NOAA collected accurate tide and current information on storm surge that will be invaluable to engineers planning the recovery and rebuilding of the coasts according to standards safe for people and the environment. NOAA provided thousands of before and after Katrina images using high-resolution aerial photography that provided critical help to damage assessment teams and emergency recovery operations. NOAA's mapping and charting services acted immediately after the storm to find navigation obstructions that might impede maritime commerce and delivery of critical supplies to stricken populations. Overall, NOAA conducted 13 surveys for major ports and rivers. NOAA analyzed satellite imagery of the area to determine coastal impacts (e.g., amount of land inundated and wetland loss). NOAA assisted the State of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement agents in security and safety matters involving marine rescues through the provision of NOAA enforcement agents and vessels. Immediately following the hurricane, NOAA Fisheries announced a commercial fishery failure and disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Two weeks after the hurricane, NOAA Fisheries launched an aggressive environmental assessment program to check for any possible contamination of seafood in the Gulf of Mexico. To-date, NOAA has conducted over a dozen cruises to collect samples of animals, water and sediments from hurricane-impacted waters of the Gulf. NOAA tested the samples for both chemical contaminants and bacteria. Alongside NOAA, the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the States of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi conducted analyses of additional areas and species. On December 6, 2005, these agencies (in addition to the Gulf state fisheries directors and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission) issued a joint statement that deemed Gulf seafood safe to eat. Further, NOAA helped provide emergency response for more than 200 hazard incidents, including several Superfund hazardous waste sites. * NOAA Advanced Integrated Earth Observations Systems: NOAA provided leadership for the approval and the ongoing implementation of the Strategic Plan for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System through the U.S. Group on Earth Observations. NOAA also continued to provide international leadership in Earth observations as the U.S. Co-Chair to the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and helped to facilitate consensus on plan for a Global Earth Observation System of Systems. The 10-year implementation plan was endorsed at the Third Earth Observation Summit, held on February 2005 in Brussels. By endorsing the plan, the nations have accomplished the first phase in realizing the goal of a comprehensive, integrated and sustained Earth observation system. Currently, sixty-two countries, the European Commission and 43 international organizations are supporting the development of a global Earth Observation System that, over the next decade, will revolutionize the understanding of Earth and how it works. With benefits as broad as the planet itself, the U.S.-led initiative has the potential to make people and economies around the globe healthier, safer and better equipped to manage basic daily needs. The aim is to make 21st century technology as interrelated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects, providing the science on which sound policy and decision-making must be built. The rest of NOAA 2005 accomplishments can be categorized according to NOAA's strategic goals and are best summarized in either the 2005 NOAA Business Report or in the NOAA Blue Book: * Protect, Restore, and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean Resources through an Ecosystem Approach to Management * Understand Climate Variability and Change to Enhance Society's Ability to Plan and Respond * Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information * Support the Nation's Commerce with Information for Safe, Efficient and Environmentally Sound Transportation * Provide Critical Support for NOAA's Mission Future priorities are summarized in the NOAA Blue Book either by line office or strategic goal. In general, 2005 major accomplishments included an enhanced Tsunami Warning Program, the successful launch of the NOAA-N satellite, record hurricane track forecasts, response to toxic marine outbreaks, rebuilt fisheries stocks, expanded air quality forecasts, improved marine transportation and safety and Hurricane Katrina response. Priority issues for 2006 (as reflected in NOAA's FY 2007 Budget request) include: satellite continuity, fisheries management, tsunami and hurricane warnings and marine transportation safety. NOAA Participates in Presidential Environmental Initiatives NOAA also participates in a number of major presidential environmental initiatives, including the following: * Strategy For Increasing Wetlands Acres and Quality: On Earth Day 2004, the President announced an aggressive new national goal - moving beyond a policy of "no net loss" of wetlands to have an overall increase of wetlands in America each year. The President's goal is to create, improve and protect at least three million wetland acres over the next five years in order to increase overall wetland acres and quality. With NOAA's assistance, the nation already successfully protected, improved and restored 830,000 acres of wetlands between 2004 and 2005. * Cooperative Conservation: NOAA has a long history of cooperative conservation. From improving habitat and rebuilding fishery stocks to helping mitigate the effects of drought and reduce the damage from natural disasters, NOAA has always relied on partnerships to help achieve its mission. By drawing on outside expertise and experience, NOAA is able to multiply the benefit of its programs. * Smart Growth Program: NOAA and EPA signed a Memorandum of Agreement to promote better development in coastal communities. The focus of the partnership is to help state and local innovations in developing environmentally sound port facilities, revitalizing waterfront areas, improving marine transportation and protecting and restoring critical habitat. This effort follows on the heels of the successful NOAA/EPA "Portfields" Memorandum of Agreement that focuses on developing environmentally sound port facilities and, in the process, revitalizing waterfront areas, improving marine transportation and protecting and restoring critical habitat. * Brownfields Program: NOAA focuses on cleaning and redeveloping hazardous waste sites in coastal areas. * Climate Change Research Initiative/Climate Change Science Program: The President's FY2006 budget provides approximately $1.7 billion for the Climate Change Science Program across 13 agencies, including NOAA. NOAA's "Internal" Green Initiatives NOAA also promotes sound environmental practices within the agency itself. In fact, one of its soon to be constructed buildings and several of its ships can be considered "green." * NOAA's New Green Building - NOAA's Center for Weather and Climate Prediction: On March 13, 2006, NOAA broke ground on its new Center for Weather and Climate Prediction at the University of Maryland's M-Square Research and Technology Park. The 268,762 square-foot office and research complex will become the new home for the NOAA Satellite and Information Service, Air Resources Laboratory and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (an office of the NOAA National Weather Service). Approximately 800 people will work in the facility and should be completed in the fall of 2007. Not only will the building represent a state-of-the-art advanced weather operations and research facility, but it is also environmentally friendly. Specifically, it includes environmentally friendly features, such as its "green roof" and rainwater waterfall, and both the site and building design will achieve the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver Certification. * NOAA's Green Ships: The NOAA research vessel, the R/V Huron Explorer, is powered by soybeans and represents the first modern U.S. research vessel to operate free of petroleum products. On April 18, 2006, it even received an award by the Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program during an Earth Day Week event on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 2004, the Huron Explorer, a 41-foot former U.S. Coast Guard vessel, joined the fleet of NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory's other two ships that are used to conduct research on the Great Lakes. The Huron Explorer serves the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve in Lake Huron. In August 2005, the Huron Explorer completed its transformation from petroleum products to biofuels and lubricants by incorporating rapeseed-based hydraulic oil for its deck crane, winches, transmission and steering gear, and 100 percent soy biodiesel for engine fuel and canola-based motor oil. Not only was there reduced emissions, exhaust odor and pollution, but it also has improved the work environment of the ships' crews and scientists. Other NOAA boat operations and some private vessels are implementing similar bio-product conversions based upon experiences at GLERL. For example, GLERL's two other research vessels have also undergone (or will soon undergo) a similar transition - the R/V Shenehon is now completely petroleum-product free and the R/V Laurentian will be by the end of 2006. HOW YOU CAN HELP PROTECT THE OCEANS * 10 Things You Can Do to Save the Ocean * Watching Marine Wildlife Responsibly * Ocean Etiquette Other NOAA Earth Day Activities Although every day is Earth Day at NOAA, on April 22 NOAA participates in special Earth Day celebrations and announces its annual Environmental Heroes. Established in 1996, the Environmental Hero award is presented to individuals and organizations that volunteer their time and energy to help NOAA carry out its mission. Parting Thoughts Whether you live along the coast or farther inland, the stewardship of our lands - and oceans - is a common national bond. This Earth Day, remember to look beyond our parks, past the forests, and out into the sea with admiration and a new ocean ethic. Selected Highlights of NOAA's Environmental Successes since its Origin * 1970 - October 3, NOAA created within Department of Commerce combining Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Weather Bureau, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Environmental Data Service, National Oceanographic Data Center, National Satellite Center, Research Libraries and other components. * 1971 - First Sea Grant Colleges designated - Texas A&M University, University of Rhode Island, Oregon State University, and the University of Washington. * 1972 - Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act establishes NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries Program. National Coastal Zone Management Program begins. * 1973 - Endangered Species Act enacted; NMFS designated responsible agency for marine species. * 1975 - GOES-1, NOAA's first owned and operated geostationary satellite launched. * 1976 - Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act provides for NMFS protection of fisheries resources and enforcement activities in federal waters. * 1978 - Ocean Pollution Planning Act recognizes need to investigate effects of pollutants on marine environment. This marks the beginning of NOAA's Hazardous Materials Response and Assessment involvement. * 1979 - NOAA's first polar-orbiting environmental satellite launched. * 1983 - President Ronald Reagan declares a United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending out 200 nautical miles from our shores. NOAA embarks on program of multi-beam surveying of the EEZ leading to many discoveries including numerous economically important salt domes in the Gulf of Mexico. * 1984 - Tropical Ocean-Global Atmosphere (TOGA) program begins in response to massive 1982 El Niño. Moored buoy arrays with ocean temperature sensors monitor changes in the temperature regime of the tropical Pacific Ocean. * 1986 - NOAA's Aeronomy Laboratory begins investigation of the Antarctic ozone hole at McMurdo Base, Antarctica. * 1994 - NOAA Coastal Service Center opened in Charleston, S.C.; National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Office established to coordinate efforts of civil and military satellite users. * 1996 - Sustainable Fisheries Act passed giving NMFS new responsibilities. * 1997/98 - NOAA successfully forecasts world-wide impact of El Niño. * 1998 - NOAA is a major participant in the UN International Year of the Ocean. * 1999 - Modernization of the NOAA National Weather Service completed. * 2000 - 30th Anniversary of NOAA.