FY 2013 R&D REPORT January 6 2014 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

1. FederalFundingforEnvironmentalResearchandDevelopment2013
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FederalFundingforEnvironmentalResearchandDevelopment2012
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An Exclusive service for Affiliates of the National Council For Science and the Environment
4. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
($580 million)
he National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides environmental
intelligence to advance our ability to understand and anticipate changes in the Earth’s
environment, improve society’s ability to make scientifically informed decisions, deliver
services vital to the economy and public safety, and conserve and manage ocean and coastal
ecosystems and resources. NOAA’s mission is best described as a triad of science, service, and
stewardship.
Source:OMB R&Ddata,Budgetofthe United StatesGovernment,agencybudgetjustification,agencybudgetdocuments,andhistoricaldata. *ARRAadds$5.7billionin
EnvironmentalR&DinFY2009. Yearlyvaluesareadjustedforinflationusing OMB’sGDPdeflators.Nominalvaluesareunadjusted
NOAA Research is conducted mainly through the Office of Ocean and Atmospheric Research.
OAR is NOAA’s central research line office and it is the engine of innovation that strengthens the
scientific underpinnings necessary to improve NOAA climate, weather, coastal and ocean services.
Through its network of over fifty Federal laboratories and university-based research programs,
OAR supplies the scientific information to advise national policy decisions in areas such as climate
change, mitigation of severe weather impacts, coastal and ocean resource management, and
stratospheric ozone depletion. OAR promotes economic growth through the development of
environmental observation technologies; extreme weather preparedness; the sustainable use of
coastal, marine, and Great Lakes resources; and the application of innovative techniques, such as in
marine biotechnology.

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EnvironmentalR&DattheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration(budgetauthorityinmillionsofdollars)
FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 Change FY 12-13
Actual Actual Estimate Percent
National Ocean Service 72 63 61 -3.6%
National Marine Fisheries Service 55 54 51 -4.2%
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research 390 339 331 -2.1%
National Weather Service 22 23 22 -4.5%
National Env Data Satellite Info Service 29 27 27 0.3%
Program Support and Other 62 70 70 0.4%
______ ______ ______
TOTAL 629 574 561 -2.2%
Source: AAAS estimates of R&D from OMB R&D data, Budget of the U.S. Government, and agency budget documents.
Figures are rounded to the nearest million. Changes calculated from unrounded figures. FY 2013 are estimates adjusted for
the full-year continuing resolution and sequestration.
NationalOceanService($61million)
The National Ocean Service (NOS) is the primary Federal agency that is responsible for enabling
and promoting the sustainable, safe, and efficient use of coastal resources and coastal places. As the
health of marine resources faces increasing threats, NOS’s science-based products and services have
never been more essential to the Nation’s economic and ecological well-being. In addition to
informing smart resource management and stewardship, NOS directly enables the safe and efficient
operation of all oceangoing economic activity—including maritime commerce, offshore energy
development, fishing, aquaculture, and tourism.
NOAA proposes to create a new “Coastal Science and Assessment” budget sub-program, which
will include NOS’s applied science functions from its current Ocean Resources Conservation and
Assessment sub-program, along with the Office of Response and Restoration. The following program
offices and program office components are responsible for carrying out the Coastal Science and
Assessment sub-program:
o The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) conduct research, monitoring,
and assessments to build the scientific foundation essential for sustainable use of coastal
resources.
o NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) is a center of expertise in preparing
for, evaluating, and responding to threats to coastal environments, including oil and chemical
spills, releases from hazardous waste sites, and marine debris.
NOAA proposes to create a newly organized “Navigation, Observations and Positioning”
budget sub-program, which will include the activities currently under NOS’s Navigation Services
sub-program and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System® currently under Ocean Resources,
Conservation, and Assessment. NOS’s activities under this sub-program produce an integrated suite of
physical oceanographic data and applications that are essential to safe, efficient, and sustainable uses
of busy coastal areas and waterways. The following program offices are responsible for carrying out
the Navigation, Observation, and Positioning sub-program:
• Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is responsible for conducting hydrographic surveys and producing
charts of the Nation’s waters.
• National Geodetic Survey (NGS) defines, maintains, and provides access to the National Spatial

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Reference System to meet our nation's economic, social, and environmental needs.
• Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) provides the
national infrastructure, science, and technical expertise to monitor, assess, and distribute tide,
current, water level, and other coastal oceanographic and meteorological products and services that
support NOAA's missions.
• Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) draws together the vast network of Federal and
non-federal observing systems to fulfill regional, national, and global needs for integrated ocean
information
NationalMarineFisheriesService($51million)
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is responsible for the management and
conservation of living marine resources within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)—
the area extending from three to 200 nautical miles offshore. NMFS provides critical
support, and scientific and policy leadership in the international arena, and plays a key role
in the management of living marine resources in coastal areas under state jurisdiction.
NMFS implements science-based conservation and management actions aimed at sustaining
long-term use and promoting the health of coastal and marine ecosystems. All of these
activities rely on a strong scientific and research competency to support the challenging
public policy decision process associated with NMFS’s stewardship responsibility.
NMFS has six Regional Offices, each with a Science Center that conducts research and directs
the work carried out by the other laboratories and satellite/special purpose facilities in that region.
The mission of the Protected Species Research and Management program is to protect and
improve the health of protected species, the ecosystems that sustain them, and the communities that value
and depend on them. The program fosters partnerships and employs scientific excellence and rigorous
conservation actions to reverse the trend of human-caused declines that threaten the marine and coastal
ecosystems we all share. Further, healthy habitats and sustainable populations of protected species are
necessary for the continuity and promotion of the Nation’s fishery operations. Protected species include
those listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and most of the marine mammals covered by the
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
The Fisheries Research and Management sub-program base funding encompasses many of the
scientific and management activities that enable NMFS to be effective stewards of living marine
resources by using an ecosystem-based approach, for the benefit of the Nation.
The Habitat Conservation and Restoration Program has a critical and challenging conservation
mission to protect and restore habitats that provide important societal and ecological benefits. The
Program conserves habitat for living marine resources over a range of NOAA mandates benefiting
commercial and recreational fisheries (Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act,
Federal Power Act and the Energy Policy Act of 2005), protected species (Endangered Species Act), and
NOAA trust resources injured from oil and hazardous wastes spills (Oil Pollution Act and the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act).

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OceanicandAtmosphericResearch($331million)
OAR has seven laboratories across the United States that conduct innovative research and development to
support NOAA‘s mission of understanding and predicting changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts.
These laboratories collaborate with numerous external partners, including NOAA-funded cooperative institutes.
A primary objective of the Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes is improvement of NOAA products and
services to facilitate decision making by policy makers and the public. They include:
• Air Resources Laboratory — air quality, atmospheric dispersion, and climate, with a focus on
conditions near the Earth’s surface that affect people and ecosystems.
• Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory — oceanography, tropical meteorol-
ogy, atmospheric and oceanic chemistry, and acoustics.
• Earth System Research Laboratory -- works to understand the roles of gases and particles
that contribute to climate change, provides weather and climate information related to
water management decisions, improves weather prediction, studies the recovery of the
stratospheric ozone layer, and develops air quality forecast models.
• Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory -- cutting-edge research necessary to
understand, project, and predict Earth‘s climate on a range of space and timescales
• Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory — integrated interdisciplinary environmen-
tal research in support of resource management and environmental services in coastal and
estuarine waters, with a primary emphasis on the Great Lakes.
• National Severe Storms Laboratory — weather research aimed at improving the accuracy and
timeliness of forecasts and warnings of hazardous weather events such as thunderstorms, bliz-
zards, ice storms, flash floods, tornadoes, and lightning.
• Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) — oceanography, marine meteorology,
and related subjects.
The objectives of the Climate Research sub-program are to:
• Describe and understand the state of the climate through sustained atmospheric and oceanic
observations and research related to global distributions, trends, sources, and sinks of
atmospheric constituents that are capable of forcing change in the climate of the Earth;
• Understand, predict, and project climate variability and change from weeks to decades to
centennial timescales;
• Conduct advanced modeling of the climate and Earth systems, including natural climate
variability, anthropogenic climate change, weather and hurricane forecasts, El Niño prediction,
and stratospheric ozone depletion to increase fundamental understanding and to improve the
prediction of climate phenomena;
• Sustain the observing systems essential for climate, oceanographic, monitoring, and data
management;
• Conduct physical process research to advance a seamless suite of information and forecast
products, ranging from short-term weather forecasts to longer-term climate forecasts and
assessments; and
• Understand how decision makers use climate information to improve the ability of society to
plan for and respond to climate variability and change.

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The objectives of the Weather and Air Chemistry Research sub-program are to support
research and development that provides the Nation with more accurate and timely warnings and
forecasts of high-impact weather events and their broader impact on issues of societal concern such
as weather and air quality; and research that provides the scientific basis for informed management
decisions about weather, water, and air quality.
Researchers at OAR Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes have been key contributors to the
modernization of the NWS by providing the research to better understand severe weather events and
through technological advancements in weather modeling and observing. OAR scientists strive to
continually improve NOAA‘s capabilities as well as other Federal agencies’ capabilities to provide more
accurate and timely warnings and forecasts of various high-impact weather, water, and air quality
events. Examples of these high-impact events includes, floods, droughts, heat waves, severe storms,
hurricanes, tsunamis, and the deposition of nutrients, heavy metals, and toxic organic substances to the
surface of the earth. Programs include:
• OAR‘s Hurricane Research, within the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological
Laboratory (AOML), focuses on improving the understanding and prediction of hurricane
track and intensity change through directed research with the goal of transferring these
improved capabilities to NOAA’s operational hurricane forecast components.
• OAR‘s National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) seeks to improve the accuracy and
timeliness of forecasts and warnings of hazardous weather events such as thunderstorms,
tornadoes, flash floods, lightning, and winter weather. NSSL accomplishes this goal through
a balanced research program that conducts research in three general areas, including severe
and hazardous weather research, storm-scale hydrometeorology research, and weather radar
research development.
• OAR‘s Air Chemistry activities respond to significant societal needs. Air pollutants are a
primary cause or significant contributor to a number of pressing societal issues. These
include health impacts such as illness and/or premature death due to respiratory effects,
permanent neurological damage (affecting tens of thousands of newborns annually), and
environmental degradation caused by exposure to air pollutants and deposition of nutrients,
mercury, and other toxic substances. The Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) conducts field
studies and long-term measurements, and develops numerical models to address a wide
range of critical air chemistry and deposition issues.
Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Research
The objectives of the Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Research sub-program are to:
• Improve understanding of the physics, chemistry, and ecology of oceanic, coastal, and
Great Lakes systems, including changes in these environments and the impacts of stressors
such as changes in temperature, changes in ocean and Great Lakes chemistry, pollution,
and invasive species;
• Improve predictive capability for oceanic, coastal, and Great Lakes processes, including
developing predictive models for ecosystems, and coupling these with physical and
biogeochemical models to create comprehensive Earth System Models for these
environments;
• Translate ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes science into services through tools developed for
resource managers, policy makers and the public, and through increased education and
outreach;
• Develop and use cutting edge technology for understanding and exploring the ocean,
coasts and Great Lakes.
• Great Lakes Research consists of integrated, interdisciplinary environmental research in sup-
port of resource management and environmental services in coastal and estuarine waters with

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a primary emphasis on the Great Lakes.
• The Vents Program conducts ocean exploration and research directed toward understanding
and predicting large-scale oceanographic processes and consequences of submarine volcanism
and hydrothermal activity.
• Ecosystems Fisheries Oceanography Coordinated Investigations (Eco-FOCI) to improve the
understanding of the productive ecosystems in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and Arctic waters.
• The Integrated Coral Observing Network (ICON) Program acquires and integrates near
real-time data from in situ, satellite, radar, and other data sources at important U.S. and in-
ternational coral reef ecosystems.
• Ecosystem Research and Modeling conducts observational research and modeling to assess
the impact on marine ecosystems and human and animal health from land-based sources of
pollution and water use practices.
• Aquatic invasive species program — provides support to national, regional and state efforts
to manage invasive species.
• Marine aquaculture program — an integrated program of research, education, and technol-
ogy transfer that is focused on key scientific, engineering, environmental, and socioeconomic
issues that currently inhibit this emerging industry.
The National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) aims to enhance the practical use and
conservation of coastal, marine, and Great Lake resources to create a sustainable economy and
environment. The 32 state Sea Grant programs, located in every coastal and Great Lakes state, Puerto
Rico, and Guam, form a dynamic national network of more than 300 participating institutions
represented by more than 3,000 scientists, engineers, outreach experts, educators, and students. As a
non-regulatory program, Sea Grant focuses on generating and disseminating science-based information
to a wide range of groups who require scientific information to make daily decisions including
commercial and recreational fishermen, educators, fish farmers, state and local planning officials, port
and harbor commissioners, seafood processors and retailers, and natural resource, water, and
environmental quality managers. Sea Grant personnel are both trusted community residents and coastal
experts charged with providing balanced and reliable science-based information to help stakeholders
identify locally relevant solutions to critical coastal issues.
The Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) supports the Ocean Exploration Program
(OE), and the National Undersea Research Program (NURP): OER core activities include (1)
supporting interdisciplinary expeditions to characterize new ocean areas and phenomena;
(2) conducting cutting edge transformational research to address National priorities and to
identify new and emerging issues; (3) working with partners to develop new underwater
technologies focused on increasing the pace and efficiency of ocean exploration and
research; and (4) engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders and audiences through
education and outreach. OER is comprised of two unique programs:
The Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) (1) promotes the development of an ocean and coastal
OA monitoring network composed of fixed observing platforms, underwater systems, AUV‘s, and
dedicated cruises within the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico with partners in Climate Program
Office and Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS); (2) partners with the Coral Reef Conservation
Program to establish a coral reef OA monitoring network capable of tracking coral reef community
response to OA; (3) funds NMFS and extramural partners to conduct a range of experimental studies
examining the sensitivity of commercially important living marine resources under NOAA‘s purview
to OA; (4) promotes the development of forecasting models of ecosystem and socioeconomic impacts;
(5) invests in critical new technologies that can facilitate geochemical and ecosystem monitoring; and

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(6) provides for an outreach and education effort to explain ocean acidification and its potential
impacts on ecosystems and society.
The objective of the Innovative Research and Technology sub-program is to accelerate the adoption
of advanced computing, communications, and information technology throughout NOAA. Innovative
Research and Technology supports OAR‘s High Performance Computing and Communications
(HPCC) Initiative. The HPCC program supports OAR through major improvements in weather and
climate forecasting, ecosystem and ocean modeling, and environmental information dissemination.
These improvements are heavily dependent on major advances in high-end computing power,
advanced information technology, and the availability of environmental data and information. These
critical investments allow NOAA to meet its mission to deliver vital services and science education.
The Climate Program Office (CPO)
Established in October 2005, NOAA’s Climate Program Office (CPO) provides a unique and
highly flexible climate research enterprise that focuses on:
• competitive grant programs that advance and extend our research capabilities;
• partnerships with academia, businesses and other agencies to develop and deliver targeted
research and data products; and
• knowledge and information to improve public climate literacy and decision-making needed to
maintain resilient economies and environmental services.
The CPO funds high-priority climate research to advance understanding of atmospheric and oce-
anic processes as well as climate impacts resulting from drought and other stresses. This research is con-
ducted in most regions of the United States and at national and international scales, including in the
Arctic. Recognizing that climate science literacy is a prerequisite for putting this new knowledge into
action at all levels of society, the CPO also helps to lead NOAA’s climate communication, education,
and professional development and training activities.
Grant activities are organized within four Programs:
1. The Climate Observation Division designs, deploys, and maintains an integrated global in
situ network of oceanic and atmospheric observing instruments to produce continuous records
and analyses of a range of ocean and atmosphere parameters.
2. The Earth System Science (ESS) Program aims to provide process-level understanding of
the climate system through observation, modeling, research analysis and field studies to
support the development of improved climate models and predictions in support of NOAA's
mission.
3. The mission of the Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP) Program is
to enhance the Nation's capability to predict variability and changes in Earth's climate system.
The MAPP Program focuses on the coupling, integration, and application of Earth system
models and analyses across NOAA, among partner agencies, and with the external research
community.
4. The Climate and Societal Interactions (CSI) Program provides leadership and support for
research, assessments and climate services development activities designed to bring sound,
interdisciplinary science to bear on climate-sensitive resource management and adaptation
challenges in key sectors and regions.
National Weather Service ($22 million)
The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate data,

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forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters, and ocean areas
for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. With some 5,000
employees in 122 weather forecast offices, 13 river forecast centers, 9 national centers, and other support
offices around the country, NWS provides a national infrastructure to gather and process data worldwide.
Each year, NWS collects some 76 billion observations and issues approximately 1.5 million forecasts and
50,000 warnings.
Climate Services Division
The Climate Services Division provides the strategic vision for climate services within NWS and
oversees the NWS regional and local climate services programs. The regional and local offices deliver
short-term climate products, information, and services, which in many cases are based on products and
guidance from the Climate Prediction Center. At the NWS Headquarters level, the division also sets
NWS regional and local policies and procedures for climate prediction products, defines service and
mission needs, solicits user feedback to evaluate new products and services, and approves final NWS
product design.
National Environmental Data Satellite Information Service ($27 million)
The National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) is dedicated to
providing timely access to global environmental data from satellites and other sources to promote,
protect and enhance the Nation's economy, security, environment and quality of life. To fulfill its
responsibilities, NESDIS—informally known as the NOAA Satellite and Information Service—
acquires and manages the Nation's operational environmental satellites, operates the NOAA National
Data Centers, provides data and information services including Earth system monitoring, performs
official assessments of the environment, and conducts related research.
NESDIS environmental satellite observations provide important contributions to U.S. national
security by providing military users with real-time and near-real-time observations for their aircraft,
ships, ground forces and facilities worldwide. Current satellite programs include: the Polar Operational
Environmental Satellites (POES), Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES),
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), and Jason-2/Ocean Surface Topography Mission
(Jason-2/OSTM). In addition to current satellite programs, NOAA/NASA operate two next generation
satellite missions: the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) and the Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellite-R Series (GOES-R).
NESDIS also contributes to the national economy by providing environmental data that support
resource management of energy, water, global food supplies and other economic and environmental
resources. NESDIS maintains three national data centers for oceanographic, geophysical, and climatic
data.
Program Support and Other ($70 million)
Program Support consists of Corporate Services, the NOAA Education Program, and Facilities
1. Corporate Services include providing the planning, administrative, financial, procure-
ment, information technology, human resources, and infrastructure services that are essential
to the safe and successful performance of NOAA’s mission.
2. NOAA’s Office of Education consults within NOAA and with the Department of Commerce
(DOC), and identifies opportunities for the deployment of coordinated
interagency/intergovernmental policy strategies that recognize the importance of linking
education, economic and environmental goals.

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3. The Facilities Management and Modernization Program provides funds to address
facilities management; repair, restoration and other construction; and environmental
compliance and safety issues NOAA-wide.
Further Information
• NOAA FY 2014 Budget Blue Book -
http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/nbo/fy14_bluebook/FINALnoaaBlueBook_2014_Web
_Full.pdf
• RESEARCH IN NOAA: Toward Understanding and Predicting Earth’s Environment: A five
year plan: Fiscal Years 2008-2012 http://www.nrc.noaa.gov/plans_docs/5yrp_2008_2012_fi-
nal.pdf