REPORT TITLE:
Oceanographic Research


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds for the cost-sharing effort of the University
of Hawaii at Manoa in the operation of the AGOR-26 oceanographic
research vessel. (HB1352 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        1352
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that in 1996, the United
 
 2 States Congress appropriated $45,000,000 in funding for
 
 3 construction of the AGOR-26 (SWATH) research vessel.  In 1997, in
 
 4 an open competition for operation of the vessel, the University
 
 5 of Hawaii at Manoa submitted a proposal and won the charter
 
 6 operation of the Oceanographic Research Vessel, AGOR-26.
 
 7      Acquisition of this new research vessel, with its superior
 
 8 performance capabilities, will allow the school of ocean and
 
 9 earth science and technology to execute more effectively its
 
10 wide-ranging oceanographic programs.  The AGOR-26 will replace
 
11 the R/V MOANA WAVE (AGOR-22), one of the oldest vessels of its
 
12 class remaining in the UNOLS fleet, having provided exemplary
 
13 service to the oceanographic community for twenty-five years.
 
14 The AGOR-26 will be operated under a charter party agreement
 
15 similar to that of AGOR-22.  Under the current arrangement,
 
16 Navy/NAVECEANO survey needs funded through the National Ocean
 
17 Partnership Act are scheduled by the university-national
 
18 oceanographic laboratory system on appropriate fleet vessels.
 
19      The University of Hawaii at Manoa has successfully operated
 
20 blue-water oceanographic research vessels for more than thirty
 

 
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 1 years and is a charter member of the university-national
 
 2 oceanographic laboratory system.  The research and education
 
 3 programs in the marine sciences at the University of Hawaii at
 
 4 Manoa were reorganized in 1988 with the creation of the school of
 
 5 ocean and earth science and technology.  The school of ocean and
 
 6 earth science and technology now ranks third in the nation in
 
 7 federal funding for its ocean science programs.  In fiscal year
 
 8 1998-1999, the school of ocean and earth science and technology
 
 9 researchers brought in approximately $44,000,000 in extramural
 
10 (largely federal) funding.  There are presently one hundred
 
11 eighty research and teaching faculty, twenty-one of whom were
 
12 added since the school of ocean and earth science and technology
 
13 formed, one hundred seventy graduate students, and about three
 
14 hundred staff.  Over the past six years, the school of ocean and
 
15 earth science and technology's ocean science research programs
 
16 has expanded in several significant directions, notably
 
17 observational oceanography, atmospheric chemistry, and climate
 
18 studies.
 
19      Through the school of ocean and earth science and
 
20 technology, the University has increased significantly its
 
21 participation in a broad variety of federally sponsored
 
22 oceanographic, atmospheric, and marine geological and geophysical
 
23 research programs to the point where the school of ocean and
 

 
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 1 earth science and technology faculty are key players in the
 
 2 formulation and execution of many of the new federal science and
 
 3 engineering initiatives that are long-term, interdisciplinary,
 
 4 and often international in scope.  Recognition of the quality and
 
 5 strategic, mid-Pacific location of the school of ocean and earth
 
 6 science and technology research has led to the formation in 1997
 
 7 of the joint United States/Japan International Pacific Research
 
 8 Center funded currently at $4,700,000 per year by the Japanese
 
 9 Marine Science and Technology Center, the National Aeronautics
 
10 and Space Administration, and the National Oceanic and
 
11 Atmospheric Administration.  The University anticipates continued
 
12 expansion in global ocean observation programs for the Pacific
 
13 over the next decade under United States and Japanese Global
 
14 Climate Change Programs.  The areas of study for these and other
 
15 existing major research programs (e.g., CLIVAR, MARGINS, DEOS,
 
16 RIDGE, HOT, HUGO, and MOBY) speak to the importance to the school
 
17 of ocean and earth science and technology of supporting ship
 
18 operations.
 
19      The University of Hawaii at Manoa has in place the
 
20 infrastructure and physical facilities to effectively operate the
 
21 AGOR-26.  Past strong support accorded to the school of ocean and
 
22 earth science and technology by the State of Hawaii has ensured
 
23 that the school of ocean and earth science and technology can
 

 
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 1 continue to support its ship-operations group and facility.  A
 
 2 house concurrent resolution passed by the Nineteenth Legislature
 
 3 of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1997, pledged that,
 
 4 beginning July 1, 1999, the State of Hawaii would appropriate to
 
 5 the University of Hawaii $750,000 per year for marine operations
 
 6 and shore-side support, student research cruises, marine
 
 7 instrument development, and other sea-going activities,
 
 8 contingent upon the award of the operation of the AGOR to the
 
 9 University of Hawaii at Manoa.  This major commitment to
 
10 strengthen ocean, earth, and atmospheric sciences at the
 
11 University was made with the expectation that ocean science will
 
12 play a dominant role in the diversification and growth of the
 
13 State's economy.
 
14      The legislature considers a modern, capable research vessel
 
15 to be one of the most important educational tools for both
 
16 graduate and undergraduate students.  It is an essential
 
17 component to the University's very large and diverse ocean
 
18 programs.  If the cost-sharing commitment for the ship is not
 
19 fulfilled, the University of Hawaii at Manoa would not meet its
 
20 legal obligation for cost-sharing of this new vessel and the
 
21 school of ocean and earth science and technology would not be
 
22 permitted to operate the AGOR-26.
 
23      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 

 
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 1 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof
 
 2 as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 for the cost-
 
 3 sharing effort of the University of Hawaii at Manoa for the
 
 4 operation of the AGOR-26 oceanographic research vessel, including
 
 5 marine operations and shore-side support, student research
 
 6 cruises, marine instrument development, and other sea-going
 
 7 activities.
 
 8      SECTION 3.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 9 University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.
 
10      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.