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FOR DR. NED OSTENSO OF NOAA 



Question: Dr. Ostenso, at last years October 15 hearing, you 

 testified that NURP should be supported through user charges 

 rather than block federal grants. Do you still support this as 

 an effective means to fund the NURP Program? 



Answer: Due to the severe austerity of the NOAA budget NURP will 

 not be able to provide facilities support that subsidizes 

 research supported by other agencies. Funding will continue only 

 for high-priority programs directly supported by the National 

 Office in support of key NOAA missions in deep submergence and 

 diving safety and physiology. 



Question: How effectively do you feel the NURP program works 

 with other research agencies (for example, the Sea Grant Program, 

 civilian efforts conducted through universities, private industry 

 and so forth). Is there a need to expand this partnership and if 

 so, how would you suggest developing a more effective working 

 relationship 



o 



Answer: NURP works very effectively with the Sea Grant Program, 

 universities, and other Federal agencies. Most of the NURP funds 

 go to providing submersibles, remotely operated vehicles, an 

 underwater habitat, or diving support for scientists who then 

 seek grants from other programs within NOAA or other agencies in 

 order to complete analyses of samples obtained from the NURP 

 supported field program. In this way NURP funds are leveraged 

 with those from other programs and agencies that provide co- 

 funding to complete the total project. Coordination of NURP 

 program directors with their counterparts in other programs 

 assures an effective working relationship. 



Question: In addition, would the development and implementation 

 of a long-term comprehensive undersea research plan fall under 

 the jurisdiction of NOAA? Are there any similar efforts 

 currently underway to devise such a plan? Lastly, what other 

 agencies would be involved in the development of a plan? 



Answer: A long range comprehensive plan for undersea research 

 would necessarily involve other Federal agencies such as NSF, 

 U.S. Navy, and others. An example of the coordination of 

 planning efforts is the recent workshop on deep submergence that 

 was co-sponsored by NOAA, NSF, and the U.S. Navy that involved 

 scientists from universities and Federal agencies who wished to 

 identify the means to continue submersible activities in the deep 

 ocean. NOAA also co-sponsored a workshop on undersea technology 

 convened by the National Research Council. The report from that 

 workshop is expected to identify the technological needs of the 

 undersea research community in the next few decades. 



