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North Atlantic Region $ 1,816,700 



Mid-Atlantic Region $ 1,729,800 



South Atlantic Region $ 2,514,700 



Gulf of Mexico Region $ 1,055,300 



Great Lakes Region $ 661,300 



Southern Pacific Region $ 537,800 



Northern Pacific Region $ 409,300 



Western Pacific Region $ 3,072,000 



Alaskan Region $ 52,400 



Caribbean Region $ 2,009,500 



b) Do you feel that is an adequate and equitable amount, 

 compared to other regions? 



Answer: Yes. The average support for the ten regions is 

 $1,386,000. The Gulf of Mexico region received $1,055,300 which 

 is only slightly below the average. The peer review process is 

 not expected to identify an equivalent support-level for each 

 region in each funding cycle but to fund the highest ranked 

 proposals. The disparity in funding impacted other regions to a 

 greater extent than the Gulf of Mexico Region. 



4) Do you feel that more proposals for undersea research are 

 being submitted from institutions and individuals near existing 

 NURP Centers because of the visibility that a physical Center 

 gives to the Program? Would creating a network of Centers in a 

 more geographically balanced manner than currently exists, create 

 an increase in the number of research proposals from other 

 regions of the country? 



Answer: No. NURP centers were established at institutions and 

 within regions where a large number of marine scientists are on 

 staff and respond to the call for proposals. The centers, 

 however, widely distribute their annual call for proposals to 

 ensure that scientists throughout their region of responsibility 

 have an equal opportunity to propose projects. Investigators 

 from all parts of the country are eligible to compete for 

 research funds in any region. 



5) Does Congress need to establish NURP by statute, in a manner 

 similar to last Congress's H.R. 3247? 



Answer: No. NOAA can administer the program without further 

 legislation. 



6) How much money or what percentage of NOAA (NURP) funds is 

 spent on research outside the U.S. exclusive economic zone? 



