The Case for a New NOAA Charter

Abstract

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is not adequately equipped to meet the needs of the future for research, services, and information relating to the natural environment. A restructuring of NOAA is called for, which would fill gaps in its program, assure strengthened capabilities for global observations, and help the agency to balance its multiple missions, and to order priorities in a manner consistent with the public interest. To implement those changes, a new legislative charter is needed defining new agency objectives and establishing the agency independent of the US Department of Commerce (DOC).