Murkowski, Merkley Secure Commitment to Preserve U.S. Ocean Monitoring System

Murkowski, Merkley Secure Commitment to Preserve U.S. Ocean Monitoring System

Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) announced the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is pausing its planned removal of the Ocean Observatories Initiative's (OOI) sensors. NSF's decision came after Murkowski and Merkley passed a Senate bill to prohibit the NSF from dismantling the OOI system.

"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 Senator Merkley and a number of my colleagues to preserve this valuable system."

"I teamed up with Senator Murkowski to lead an 'SOS' call-Save Ocean Sensors-and the Senate unanimously approved our bipartisan bill to defend the vital Ocean Observatories Initiative. Now, the National Science Foundation has reversed course and agreed to preserve the OOI's critical sensors that provide essential data for managing our fisheries, forecasting weather, and understanding climate change," said Merkley. "We'll keep fighting to ensure scientists, fishermen, and coastal communities can continue to utilize the critical data the OOI provides."

Yesterday, Murkowski and Merkley secured Senate passage of their bipartisan Saving the OOI Act, 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 Saving the OOI Act is cosponsored by U.S. 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).

Murkowski and Merkley also led a bipartisan group of Senators on a letter demanding that the NSF reverse course on its plan to eliminate most of the OOI's monitors.

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