Dr. Lazarus has been PI on a SECOORA grant involving the installation and operation of a coastal (wind and current) radar system here in east central Florida.
Funding Cuts to NOAA IOOS Will Hurt the Southeast
SECOORA is dedicated to providing data to ensure coastal ocean resilience, safety, and a thriving blue economy.
Delivering Data for Decisions
We want to ensure healthy coastal ocean ecosystems and communities by making observation data available and accessible to drive science-based decisions.
The Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA), as part of the NOAA U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), provides critical infrastructure that supports disaster preparation, economic stability, public health & safety, and marine operations.
Federal funding cuts proposed by the Executive Branch in a leaked document would eliminate the IOOS Regional Observations budget for next year. Additionally, the document indicates that NOAA should reflect these proposed cuts in this year’s funding to IOOS regions, which is contrary to the budget Congress approved with their continuing resolution. If these cuts are implemented, SECOORA must begin shutting down operations in late summer.
Accurate information is essential for informed decision-making about our coasts and ensuring the safety and efficiency of the economic activities they support. SECOORA works with partners around the Southeast to identify and meet information needs and provide access to real-time information for stakeholders in a user-friendly format.
Streamlining Marine Operations
High frequency radars measure ocean surface current speed and direction, which is critical for the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct search and rescue missions. The Coast Guard integrates SECOORA-funded surface current data to make location predictions up to five times more accurate, narrowing search windows and accelerating rescues.
Weather and wave buoys collect data (wind speed, wave height, water temperature, etc.) that inform marine weather forecasts. These forecasts guide when it is safe for charter captains and fishermen to go offshore, and mediate safe, efficient passage of ships into and out of ports.
Supporting Ecosystems
Harmful algal blooms not only negatively impact the environment, but also wreak havoc on the ecotourism industry. Small coastal towns throughout the Southeast rely on ecosystem health for their ecotourism-driven economies. SECOORA funds projects that monitor harmful algal blooms like Sargassum and red tide to alert managers of potential inundation and give them ample time to prepare.
America’s coastal communities also rely heavily on the success of local fishing operations. By supplying real‑time data on water quality, currents, and ecosystem health, SECOORA equips managers and fishermen with the context needed to optimize harvests and maintain safe supply chains.
Preparing for Coastal Hazards
SECOORA keeps you informed – especially during a disaster. Data collected from weather and wave buoys are crucial to monitoring storms in real time and building models that predict hurricane strength and pathways. These models require long-term data collection and would lose accuracy if SECOORA activities were halted by funding cuts.
Water level sensors installed in communities by SECOORA and partners inform management decisions, providing flood data to effectively plan cities and protect infrastructure in the future. Community members can also be alerted of flooding in real time, which is crucial to those who live in neighborhoods with only one access point.
What Can You Do To Help?
Contact your congressional representatives: Call or email your congressional representatives and express your support for IOOS with the template we’ve provided below. Calling is the best way to ensure your voice is heard (you can leave a voicemail after hours–your call will still be tallied!). Not sure who your congressional representative is? Use this link to type in your address and find out.
- Donate to SECOORA: With SECOORA’s funding at risk, we are doing everything we can to ensure that the services, products, and data that SECOORA provides for the benefit of the public, the maritime industry, scientists, and decision makers remain operational. Your donations will help us to ensure that SECOORA can continue its essential work in an uncertain federal funding landscape. Click here to donate.
- Spread the word: Share this article to raise awareness about the importance of IOOS and the risk to the program’s funding!
