28 



and you find out 10 years later you have to abolish them because, 

 you know, they just weren't doing what you expected them to do. 



Dr. DuANE. Mr. Green, if I could make one perhaps final com- 

 ment on this topic. Coordination, as you have heard, does occur on 

 a variety of levels. And it is important also to understand that the 

 science that is conducted is peer reviewed, which is also a mecha- 

 nism of coordination. NSF funds support science in the oceans; so 

 does DOE and EPA as well as NOAA — and that process also at the 

 working level does accomplish coordination. Clearly, I think with 

 respect to the joint operation of the Alvin, there is marvelous co- 

 ordination between the Office of Naval Research, NSF, and NOAA. 

 So you can always do better, and we try to do that, but to think 

 that coordination isn't underway is not correct. 



Mr. Green. Yes, Doctor? 



Dr. Earle. I just would like to reflect a moment on the opportu- 

 nity that we have to quickly move forward in terms of a leadership 

 role with access to technology that exists but is not currently avail- 

 able to the civilian community. Maybe that is about to change. 

 There is one thing that we need to be mindful on in this respect. I 

 served on NACOA, the National Advisory Committee on Oceans 

 and Atmosphere, and there was an issue — a recurrent one — about 

 recommencing support for new technology, and always there was 

 much discussion about how science should be in the leadership role 

 that first of all define the problem and then build the technology to 

 solve that problem. 



In this case, we are faced with an opportunity to be — well, have 

 available a fantastic new level of technology, and it may take a 

 little while before the scientific use of that technology can, in a 

 sense, catch up. We can dream a lot about how we can make use of 

 SOSAS, for example. Some of the information about whale migra- 

 tions is very obvious. But there may in time be some things that 

 we can't even guess right now because we have not become well- 

 enough acquainted with the technology that is there to imagine 

 how to make the best use of it. 



I am not suggesting anything more than that we need to ap- 

 proach this with our eyes open, that the expectations need to be 

 just kept in line with where we are at. We may suddenly be walk- 

 ing into an era of technology that has enormous potential, and we 

 should be very careful to use it wisely and not just waste this op- 

 portunity to throw something away because we cannot immediately 

 perceive its application with our current level of understanding. 

 Thank you. 



Mr. Green. Mr. Chairman, just one other short question. Dr. 

 Bright, I enjoyed your testimony, particularly your concern that 

 the Gulf of Mexico may not be served as well, and I know we have 

 benefited particularly in our part of the Gulf of Mexico. We have 

 fished it. We have drilled it. We have polluted it. And I would like 

 to make sure we know everything we can to either restore it or to 

 continue its viability, and I appreciate your testimony that maybe 

 we need some more attention particularly since this committee is 

 also the Gulf of Mexico Committee thanks to Mr. Chairman but 

 that we provide that attention to that. 



Mr. Ortiz. Thank you very much. We have really enjoyed your 

 testimony. It has been very enlightening, very educational. Like 



