Whitehouse Cheers as Trump Backs Down from Threat to Ocean Monitoring Network

Bipartisan Senate pushback prevented dismantling of complex ocean observation network that provides real-time data to fishermen and researchers

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus, today cheered the news that the Trump administration is backing down from its plan to dismantle the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI).  The news comes a day after Whitehouse joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Senate colleagues to unanimously pass the bipartisan Saving the OOI Act, which would prevent the Trump administration from using federal funds to dismantle the one-of-a-kind network.

“I’ve been working behind the scenes with Senator Murkowski and our Oceans Caucus to protect the nation’s ocean monitoring network,” said Whitehouse.  “With an extreme El Niño starting, and climate change warming our oceans by the zettajoule, the President must not leave fishermen and weather forecasters flying blind.”

“The National Science Foundation’s decision to leave the Ocean Observatories Initiative’s buoys in place is a massive win for coastal communities and fishermen around the country,” said Murkowski.  “The data accessed through OOI is important for so many, and I’m immensely grateful that NSF listened to our calls.  Today we saw the federal process at work—with the Senate quickly passing legislation and the executive branch responding to our position.  I’m pleased to have partnered with Senators Whitehouse and Merkley to preserve this valuable system.”

The NSF’s OOI is made up of about 900 instruments and sensors that provide real-time ocean monitoring by collecting and sharing data that is beneficial to local fishermen, coastal communities, and ocean researchers.  OOI operates the Coastal Pioneer Array of sensors and instruments off the coast of New England.  The station is one of five arrays located in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  Data made available by OOI has helped researchers better understand hurricanes, climate change, heat wave effects on fisheries, and other ocean phenomena.

Whitehouse and Murkowski co-founded the Senate Oceans Caucus in 2011 to find common ground in responding to issues facing the oceans and coasts.