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laboratories in US waters (the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of 

 Alaska, Buzzards Bay, for example) to serve as 

 surrogate environir.ents for those classes of the 

 littoral to which the Navy cannot get ready access 

 overseas. Harnessing the talent of local oceanographic 

 institutes (in the Gulf of Mexico, for example, one 

 might consider: U of Miar.i, Florida State, U of 

 Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State, LSU, 

 University of New Orleans, Tulane, Texas A&M, ARL 

 Texas, Naval Research Lab Detachment Mississippi) who 

 have been watching their back yards for years. One 

 would add Navy operational data sets and modeling 

 capabilities. Data collection and on scene research 

 would use various university ships in the area, thereby 

 saving steaming funds. Such an effort addresses a 

 critical Navy need, but also can help EPA, Minerals 

 Management Service, Corps of Engineers, State 

 Fisheries, Environjnental and Marine Science agencies 

 and others as well. The Office of Naval Research is 

 investigating variations of this theme as a result of 

 the CNC s Executive Board on oceanography. I am eager 

 to join this effort with my in-kind capabilities. 



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