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3h ago

NSF Reverses Decision and Pauses Dismantling of Ocean Observatories Initiative

The agency will protect continuous subsurface ocean data and open an expert review to resolve funding and operational questions.

A mooring that's part of the National Science Foundation's Ocean Observatories Initiative deployed in an instrument network capturing live observations in real time.
In this 2021 image provided by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, workers walk near buoys used to gather data at Pioneer New England shelf off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. (Véronique LaCapra/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution via AP)
Image
Image of scientific equipment being installed on the ocean floor.

Overview

  • The National Science Foundation confirmed late Thursday, June 18, that it will stop further removal of Ocean Observatories Initiative equipment and continue routine operations and maintenance.
  • NSF said it will redeploy instruments already taken from the water, including an array pulled from the Oregon coast for servicing, rather than decommission them.
  • Bipartisan pressure in Congress, led publicly by Senators Lisa Murkowski and Jeff Merkley and supported by House committee objections, produced legislation and letters to block use of federal funds for dismantling until a review is completed.
  • Scientists and coastal stakeholders had warned that removing the OOI’s roughly 900 deep‑sea sensors would weaken real‑time tracking of ocean temperature, currents, chemistry and events such as marine heatwaves and El Niño, which feed into weather forecasts and fisheries management.
  • NSF plans to convene an expert panel, issue a Dear Colleague letter for stakeholder input, and face continued congressional oversight as questions remain about how much data capability was lost during the brief removal operations.