March X, 2013
The Honorable [Member Name]
[US Senator/Representative]
[Address]
Washington, DC 20515
Dear [Senator/Congressman X]:
On behalf of the countless citizens in [STATE/DISTRICT] who care deeply about effective
management of our state’s ocean and coastal resources, we are jointly submitting the attached
programmatic funding request for $10 million for Regional Ocean Partnership Grants within
NOAA’s budget for the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee. Regional
Ocean Partnership Grants funding is an essential part of NOAA’s budget, and one upon which
regional ocean management initiatives in [STATE/DISTRICT] rely. As the attached programmatic
request explains, we believe that Regional Ocean Partnership Grant funding is important for
[STATE], and we ask you to include this program as an appropriations priority as you weigh in with
the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee on the FY2013 budget.
Sincerely,
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2014 Funding Request – Regional Ocean Partnership Grants - $10 million
Appropriations bill: Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Account: Operations Research and Facilities Account (National Ocean Service)
Program: Regional Ocean Partnership Grants
FY14 Funding Request: $10 million
Funding history: FY13 President’s Budget was $4 million; FY12 enacted level was $3.5
million; FY11 enacted level was $7 million.
Program Description
The Regional Ocean Partnership (ROP) Grants program provides competitively awarded funds
to advance regional priorities for ocean and coastal management and science, ensuring that ocean
management priorities are set at the state and regional level and determined by actual, on-theground needs. Regional approaches continue to be the most effective and efficient way to
address ocean management challenges.
Almost all coastal governors have voluntarily joined together to establish Regional Ocean
Partnerships that connect state and federal agencies, tribes, local governments, and stakeholders
to tackle ocean and coastal management issues of common concern, such as siting offshore
energy, habitat restoration, coastal storm mitigation and marine debris. While the priorities,
structures, and methods of each partnership may differ to suit the needs of each region, they are
collectively working towards an improved ocean environment and a stronger ocean and coastal
economy. The grant program also helps Regional Ocean Partnerships leverage federal agencies’
scientific research and data collection capacity by linking their activities with federal programs.
Regional Ocean Partnerships are already producing on-the-ground results that benefit both the
economy and the environment, including cutting edge scientific research, monitoring and
practical tools like maps and surveys.
If these competitive grant funds are reduced or eliminated, states and their partnerships (like the
Northeast Regional Ocean Council) will be weakened – making them less able to assert authority
over local and regional ocean and coastal management needs and priorities, or leverage the
federal government’s support, expertise, and data collection capacity.
Justification for Increased Funding
Current funding levels of $3.5 million spread across the entire nation’s coastal regions falls far
short of what state partnerships actually need. Without this increase of Regional Ocean
Partnership grant funding to $10 million, it is possible that some regions and regional entities
may receive either no or only very limited grant funding. Increased federal support for and
investment in Regional Ocean Partnerships will help ensure that funding reaches all the regions
and strengthens more states’ ability to foster sustainable use of our oceans, coasts and Great
Lakes. For these reasons, we request that the Regional Ocean Partnership Grants line item
within NOAA’s National Ocean Service be increased to $10 million.
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Benefits of ROP Grant Funding to Rhode Island
The Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC)
The Regional Ocean Partnerships (ROP) Grants program supports the Northeast Regional Ocean
Council (NROC), a governor created state-federal partnership that is breaking new ground by
advancing regional coastal and ocean management approaches. NROC was formed in 2005 by
former Rhode Island Governor Carcieri, with the governors of New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut. Today, all six states’ governors, including Governor
Chafee, continue to participate in this important partnership. NROC has identified three regional
priorities: healthy ocean ecosystems, balanced ocean energy development, and storm-resilient
coastal communities. To tackle these issues, NROC works directly with the eleven federal
agencies to better manage the impacts of increasing human uses, to better plan for disasters and
prevent recurring future damages, and to use the best scientific information so Rhode Island can
achieve its economic goals and maintain a healthy ocean.
The northeast region was awarded $1.545 million in FY 2011 and $625,000 in FY 2012 in
Regional Ocean Partnership funding. (FY 2013 funds have not yet been awarded.) This
critical funding has been used to engage important stakeholders in the region, develop data and
science products, and begin creation of a regional ocean plan. Continued funding is needed to
create regional products like the Northeast Ocean Data Portal (an interactive data tool) and the
Northeast Recreational Boater Survey, which provide the tools needed to integrate environmental
needs with existing and emerging human uses and ensure full public participation to reduce user
conflicts.
Supporting the Rhode Island Model for Ocean Management
Rhode Island has led the nation in ocean planning. The Rhode Island Special Area Management
Plan (SAMP), finalized in 2010 and federally-approved in 2011, serves as a national model for
ocean use planning. The plan, developed with extensive input from the public and ocean user
groups, is used to identify suitable areas for renewable energy development, as well as areas of
ecological, cultural, and recreational importance. Interest in offshore wind energy has been a
primary driver behind the state’s comprehensive planning process, and Rhode Island is on track
to be the first state in the U.S. with an offshore wind farm in its waters. This progress has
resulted from partnership with the federal government and neighbor states – given Rhode
Island’s small coastline, its ocean management priorities must be implemented through regional
partnership and coordination with neighboring states. Regional Ocean Partnership Grants are
essential to successfully navigate these complex ocean resource management conflicts.
Supporting the Coastal Economy
In 2010, nearly 38,000 workers in Rhode Island’s coastal counties were employed by oceanrelated industries, earning more than $938 million in wages and contributing $1.87 billion to the
GDP. Across the northeastern coastal states, $13.4 billion in GDP comes from ocean sectors in
coastal counties. Regional Ocean Partnership Grants contribute to the protection and
management of the coastal and ocean natural resources that fuel this important coastal economy.
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