2014 ndi 6ws – Fitzmier, Lundberg, Abelkop

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Democratic Turnout

Plan serves as a rallying point for the Democratic base --- that flips the election

Caldwell 6/3/14 – Leigh Ann Caldwell is a staff writer at CNN Politics, “2014 midterms: What's at stake,” http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/15/politics/midterms-101/

Democrats looking for something to rally around: Democrats are working to do everything possible to motivate their base. A March CBS News poll found that while 70% of Republicans are excited to vote only 58% of Democrats are. The enthusiasm gap doesn't bode well for Democrats who are well aware that Democratic voters are less likely to vote in non-presidential election years. Even the head of the committee tasked with electing Democrats to the House admits it. Rep. Steve Israel says Democratic candidates have a tough time in midterms. "Well, look, there's a tough climate, no question about it," he said on CNN's "State of the Union" in April.

Oceans Popular

Coastal States

Coastal communities have strong demand for ocean policies

Merwin, 14 – Ocean Conservancy’s Director of Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, based in Washington DC (Anne, “Attack on National Ocean Policy Defeated; Lost Opportunity to Create a National Endowment for the Ocean”, Ocean Conservancy, 5/16/14, http://blog.oceanconservancy.org/2014/05/16/attack-on-national-ocean-policy-defeated-lost-opportunity-to-create-a-national-endowment-for-the-ocean/)//EX

Unfortunately, the proposed new National Endowment for the Ocean was collateral damage in the negotiations. It is frustrating and disappointing that despite strong public demand and the recommendation of the bipartisan U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, partisan politics derailed this opportunity to create a permanent, sustainable fund for our oceans’ future. However, we appreciate the Administration and Senate’s full-throated defense of the National Ocean Policy, and look forward to working with them to advance ocean planning priorities. We are also pleased to see that the final bill does help prioritize the needs of coastal communities by creating a new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coastal resiliency program. This program spotlights the need for increased resources for ocean and coastal resilience, and takes a positive step toward enabling coastal communities to better respond to changing ocean conditions such as sea level rise, and major disasters such as hurricanes and superstorms.

Coastal states are key to the elections – demographic changes since the New Deal

Schaller, 6 – professor of political science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Thomas, “Whistling Past Dixie: How Democrats Can Win Without the South”, Reed Business Information, 10/3/06, Ch. 1)//EX

Meanwhile, there are growing opportunities for Democrats to improve their electoral fortunes in other parts of the country, where demographic changes and political attitudes are more favorable to Democratic messages and messengers. Citizens in the Midwest have been decimated by globalization and are looking for economic salvation. In the Southwest where white and, most especially, Hispanic populations are booming, a strong platform on immigration reform and enforcement could divide the Republicans and put the region up for grabs. In parts of the Mountain West, Democrats can pair the lessons learned from Ross Perot's fiscal reform campaigns with an emphasis on land and water conservation to establish traction among disaffected libertarians and the millions of coastal transplants who either moved westward or bounced back eastward from California in search of open spaces and more affordable suburban lifestyles. If the Democrats can simultaneously expand and solidify their existing margins of control in the Northeast and Pacific Coast states -- specifically by targeting moderate Republicans for defeat, just as moderate Democrats in the South have been systematically terminated by the GOP -- the Democrats can build a national majority with no help from the South in presidential elections and little help from southern votes elsewhere down the ballot.

The Coasts are key – Cochran’s win in Gulf Coasts prove

Pundit, 14 – Senior Editor at Hot Air (Allah, “Rand Paul on Thad Cochran’s Democrat-driven win: “I’m for more people voting””, Hot Air, 6/25/14, http://hotair.com/archives/2014/06/25/rand-paul-on-thad-cochrans-democrat-driven-win-im-for-more-people-voting/)//EX

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a potential 2016 presidential contender, declined to support tea party critics of Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran’s efforts to mobilize non-GOP voters to win the Republican nomination. “I’m for more people voting, not less people voting,” Paul told reporters Wednesday… Cochran’s vote total grew by almost 40,000 votes from the initial June 3 primary to Tuesday’s runoff against state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R). Much of that growth has been credited to courting independent and Democratic voters on the state’s Gulf Coast, where shipyard work has been supported by Cochran for decades, and also an aggressive effort to turn out black voters. In Mississippi all voters can cast ballots in one party’s primary. Paul noted that one of his sons spent time at summer camp working on a proposal that would open up Kentucky’s closed primary system to independent voters.

Colorado

**Colorado is a toss-up state

Ocean policies are popular – Colorado Ocean Coalition is rapidly building supporters

COCO, no date – organization to create, unite and empower a Colorado coalition with shared values, goals and actions to promote healthy oceans through education and community engagement (“Saving Oceans from a Mile High”, Colorado Ocean Coalition, no date, http://coloradoocean.org/)//EX

The Colorado Ocean Coalition (COCO) was founded in 2010, with the goal “to inspire and empower Colorado citizens to promote healthy oceans, through education and community involvement.” We are sponsored by The Ocean Foundation in Washington, D.C. Though we are a relatively new organization, we have already built a constituency of over 2160 supporters, held three major regional conferences on ocean protection, conducted many iterations of an ongoing monthly education and networking event series, completed a Strategic Plan, launched the Ocean Ambassadors certification program and have had great coverage in regional, national and international media. We have garnered recognition, involvement, and support from luminaries in the ocean protection movement — people like Dr. Sylvia Earle, Marine Researcher In- Residence at the National Geographic Society; Jean-Michel Cousteau, Founder of the Ocean Futures Society; and Dan Basta, Director of the U. S. National Marine Sanctuary System. Until now, there has never been a unified voice for ocean protection in the Mountain States. The Colorado Ocean Coalition believes that you don’t have to be near the ocean to care about it. Our complex global economy and the interconnectedness of ecological systems mean that the actions we take in the mountains impact the health of the sea. These actions include eating seafood, using plastics, driving cars and sharing environmental ethics with our family and friends. We live on an ocean planet and the choices we make in the middle of the country have direct ties to the seas.

Development

Increasing ocean development is popular with the public—the plan highlights the interconnection between a “blue economy” and wellbeing

Bugel 12

Jamie, Annual Plant Specialist at Merrifield Garden Center, "What is the Blue Economy?: Healthy Oceans as an Economic Driver", June 29 2012, publictrustproject.org/blog/environment/2012/what-is-the-blue-economy-healthy-oceans-as-an-economic-driver/

The Center for American Progress (CAP) has introduced a new project, The Foundations of a Blue Economy, to promote strong and sustainable ocean industries. Led by Michael Conathan, Director of Ocean Policy, the project will focus on sustainable fisheries, renewable energy, tourism and recreation, and coastal restoration. A blue economy, as conceived by CAP, centers on the value that healthy oceans provide to the welfare of all Americans. This value is difficult to quantify, because it encapsulates not only the financial impact of marine jobs, but also the biological, cultural, and spiritual importance of oceans and coastal areas. “From an employment perspective we have good salary data, but in other areas the results are more environmentally sensitive and harder to quantify. For example, what are our fisheries capable of producing if they are rebuilt to sustainable levels?” Michael Conathan asked earlier this week at the project’s launch event in Washington D.C. At the event, a panel of distinguished guests discussed the strengths and challenges of building a blue economy. Panelists included Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans, Miranda Ballentine, director of sustainability for Wal-Mart, and Jim Moriarty, CEO of Surfrider Foundation. The panel was moderated by Eric Roston, sustainability editor at Bloomberg News. The panelists agreed that the intangible impacts of the oceans are often hard for the public to understand. It can take a crisis like the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster for people to realize how relevant the ocean is to their lives. “One of the things that became strikingly obvious during Deepwater Horizon was just how dependent communities were on the health of the Gulf. Those were striking lessons,” Dr. Lubchenco said. The disaster drove home the “how interconnected coastal communities and their economies, and psychological health and wellbeing are to a healthy ocean,” she continued. Those connections, she argued, are critical when engaging people on the importance of healthy, sustainable marine environments. “People love the coast, people love seafood,” she said. It’s the job of ocean advocates and communicators “to provide information that helps them make smart decisions.” That information must be based on sound science, the panelists stressed. Miranda Ballentine told the audience that Wal-Mart relies on sound science to instruct its buyers and make decisions about suppliers. But she added that sound science doesn’t always exist, and that Wal-Mart is committed to working with scientists to develop better, clearer information that looks at the “life cycle of the product.” Wal-Mart has a goal of 100 percent sustainably certified seafood; Ballentine says the company is now at 76 percent. A whopping 85 percent of all seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported. “There is not enough seafood caught or farmed in the U.S. to supply all the demand,” Dr. Lubchenco noted. NOAA has a strong focus on developing sustainable aquaculture. “We have strongly regulated fisheries, and that’s not true of many other parts of the world. We don’t always know the social or economic or environmental conditions under which [foreign] fish were caught,” she added. Three billion people around the world depend on seafood as their primary source of protein. In 2008, Americans consumed 16 pounds of fish per person. Even more significant, more than half of all Americans now live in coastal watershed counties. The complex impacts of the oceans on their lives are difficult to quantify. Jim Moriarty, of the Surfrider Foundation, works with surfers and beach-combers who are impassioned by ocean issues. “Something in their life shifts,” he says. “They go down to the beach and it’s different. They’ve noticed a slow motion decline. They realize that there’s a problem here and they need to engage.” Personally, Moriarty said, “I’m sick of surfing in trash. The farther you go away from the civilized world, the worse it is.” Perhaps it’s those passionate people, together with sound science, that will change minds. As hard as it is to put a price tag on the oceans and their impacts, CAP’s Blue Economy project aims to do just that. At the Public Trust Project, we’re eager to see what they come up with. It’s an innovative approach: a focus on the value that healthy oceans provide to society, not just the combined worth of resources extracted from them.

Ocean development is popular—their evidence doesn’t assume new efforts to increase ocean literacy and public participation

UNESCO 14

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO and Nausicaá deepen Partnership for the Ocean" June 10 2014, www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/unesco_and_nausicaa_deepen_partnership_for_the_ocean/back/9597/#.U65jafldW5o

UNESCO and Nausicaá have been working closely since 1998, when the 1^st global forum of ocean museums, science centres and aquariums was organized under Nausicaá’s leadership with the support of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC). This 1st meeting led to the creation of the World Ocean Network, an alliance of over 250 organizations worldwide, aiming to educate the general public on ocean-related issues and to promote the sustainable use of ocean resources. Together, UNESCO and Nausicaá have striven to mobilize decision makers, stakeholders, and the general public on global issues related to the ocean through targeted activities, notably during international fora, including the Global Ocean Forums, the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), the United Nations Conferences on Climate Change and World Ocean Days. The newly signed partnership will include joint efforts in education for sustainable development. Through its Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO will support the extension of Nausicaá’s outreach programme, focusing on climate change and on the High Seas. The promotion of ocean literacy will continue to be at the center of these joint efforts, including activities to engage the public as ‘ocean citizens.’ “Sustainable development is not possible on earth without sustainable development of the ocean,” said the Director-General. “Together, we have the power to safeguard the ocean”. Nausicaá will play an active role in the Ocean and Climate Platform 2015, launched at UNESCO on the same day. The Platform will bring together the research community and civil society organizations, with the aim of placing the ocean at the heart of international debate on climate change. The ocean regulates the climate, absorbs over one quarter of carbon emissions and is the main source of oxygen in the world. As such, it must be part of the solution as States shape a new agenda for sustainable development. “This platform is a crucial tool to highlight the ocean as a source of sustainable solutions to climate change, to weigh in the public debate and to fuel negotiations,” declared the Director-General.

Environment

Environmental protection policies have majority support

Huffington Post, 14 – (“Obama Pushes Climate Rules Despite Dems' Midterm Election Concerns”, Huffington Post Politics, 5/7/14, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/07/obama-democrats-climate_n_5283823.html)//EX

To be sure, Americans generally support cutting pollution. A Pew Research Center poll late last year found 65 percent of Americans favor "setting stricter emission limits on power plants in order to address climate change," while 30 percent were opposed. But Democrats are fighting most of their toughest races this year in conservative-leaning states that rely heavily on the energy industry, including Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, West Virginia, Alaska and Montana. Already, conservative groups have spent millions accusing Democrats in those states of supporting energy policies that would impede local jobs and economic development.

Exploration

Ocean exploration is popular—federal spending on scientific research has overwhelming public support

Bowen et al 13

Ray M., Chairman, President Emeritus, Texas A&M University and Visiting Distinguished Professor, Rice University, along with Esin Gulari, Mark R. Abbott, Dan E. Arvizu, Bonnie Bassler, Camilla P. Benbow, National Science Board, National Science Foundation, "Science and Engineering Indicators 2012", last updated Feb 13 2013, www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind12/pdf/seind12.pdf?utm_source=SSTI+Weekly+Digest&utm_campaign=67757af5a2-Week_of_January_18_20121_19_2012&utm_medium=email

Federal Funding of Scientific Research U.S. public opinion consistently and strongly supports federal spending on basic research. Since 1985, NSF surveys have asked Americans whether, "even if it brings no immediate benefits, scientific research that advances the frontiers of knowledge is necessary and should be supported by the federal government." In 2010, 82% agreed or strongly agreed with this statement; 14% disagreed. Agreement with this statement has ranged from a low of 76% in 1992 to a high of 87% in 2006 (figure 7-12; appendix tables 7-24 and 7-25). The 2009 Pew Research Center Survey found that nearly three-quarters of Americans express support for federal spending on S&E. Asked whether government investments "usually pay off in the long run," or are "not worth it," 73% said spending on basic scientific research "usually pays off in the long run"; 74% said the same about engineering and technology. Furthermore, six in ten Americans said "government investment in research is essential for scientific progress," 29% said "private investment will ensure that enough scientific progress is made, even without govern- ment investment," and the remainder gave no response. Another indicator, the proportion of Americans who thought the government was spending too little on scientific research, increased from 1981 to 2006, fluctuating between 29% and 34% in the 1980s, between 30% and 37% in the 1990s, and between 34% and 41% in the 2000s. In 2010, 36% of respondents said government spending on scientific research was "too little," 47% said it was "about right," and 12% said it was "too much" (figures 7-13 and 7-14; appendix table 7-26). Support for increased government spending is greater for a number of other program areas, with the highest support for spending on education (74%). About six in ten Americans say government should spend more on developing alternative energy sources (61%), assistance to the poor (61%), health (58%), and environmental protection (57%). Support for increased spending in other areas is lower. Support for increased spending on scientific research (36%) is roughly comparable to that for spending on improving mass transportation (40%) and parks and recreation (32%). Still, based on the proportion of the U.S. population favoring increased spending, scientific research garners more support than spending in national defense (25%), space exploration (16%), and assistance to foreign countries (8%).31

Ocean exploration is popular—bipartisan support from American voters shows that government investment that protects the ocean is a unique issue due to its economic benefits

Weigel and Metz 13

Lori, Public Opinion Strategies, Dave, Fairank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates, "American Voters View Conservation as a Smart Investment with Many Benefits; Reject Disproportionate Cuts to Conservation Programs and Back Investments in LWCF", Sept 30 2013, blog.nature.org/conservancy/files/2013/10/2013-National-Poll-final-09-30-13.pdf

A recent national survey of voters conducted by the bipartisan research team of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R) at the height of the latest budget debates in Congress indicates that overwhelming majorities of American voters reject cutting funding to conservation, seeing it instead as one area of the federal budget where they see a tangible return and get “their money’s worth.” More than seven-in-ten (72 percent) of the national electorate says that even with federal budget problems, funding for conservation should not be cut. American voters’ broad support for conservation generally extends to specific policy decisions, such as funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund. All of these views – including support for LWCF – extend across party lines, across the nation, and with all key demographic sub-groups. Specifically, the survey found that: At the height of major budget debates in Congress, more than seven-in-ten hold the view that even with budget problems for land, air and water should not be cut. Fully 72 percent of the national electorate – including over two thirds of Republicans (68 percent), Independents (67 percent) and Democrats (79 percent) – agrees with the view that “even with federal budget problems, funding to safeguard land, air, and water should not be cut.” Eight-in-ten U.S. voters say that we get “our money’s worth” from investments in conservation. Fully 83 percent agree that “the public receives its money’s worth when we invest in protecting water, land, air and wildlife.” A majority (51 percent) strongly agrees with this view. This view is also widely shared across party lines, as 79 percent of Republicans and Independents indicate agreement, along with 93 percent of Democrats. Underlying some of this support is a sense that there are many benefits of conservation – for the economy, health and quality of life. Voters overwhelmingly believe that conservation programs are beneficial in these three areas:2 In fact, the overwhelming majority of American voters reject the notion that protecting our environment is at odds with a strong economy. Voters do not view strengthening the economy as being in conflict with conservation. As shown in the next graph, nearly three-quarters of voters (73%) believe we can protect land and water and have a strong economy at the same time, while only 19 percent believe that those concerns are even “sometimes” in conflict. This is consistent with the views of voters from the beginning of the country’s economic recession (In 2009, voters held these same views by a 76% to 19% margin), and holds true among virtually all demographic sub-groups. The view that conservation and a strong economy are compatible is also predominant among the middle of the electorate which is undecided or not definitive in their vote decision for President, as 84 percent of these “swing” voters sides with the idea that we should not have to choose the economy over the environment. Voters’ broad support for conservation generally extends to specific policy decisions, such as funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund. More than four-in-five American voters (85 percent) would prefer that the nation continues to invest in LWCF. Only nine percent of the electorate would prefer to have those funds available for different purposes, as shown below. The desire to have continued federal investments in the Land and Water Conservation Fund is evident across all major segments of the electorate, including:  93% of Democrats, 84% of independents, and 78% of Republicans;  90% of moderates, 78% of conservatives, and 92 of liberals;  84% of men and 85% of women;  88% of Latinos, 84% of whites, and 90% of African Americans;  85% of urban and suburban voters, and 81% of rural resident; and  At least 78% of voters in each region of the country. Despite continued budget debates, voters remain steadfast in their support for LWCF funding. As the following graph indicates, support on this question that we tracked from a previous national survey of voters remains statistically the same over the last few years, with just as solid and intense support as ever for continued federal investments in LWCF: Nearly all voters think their Member of Congress should honor the commitment to fund conservation through LWCF. There is no equivocation in the message being sent by the electorate regarding this program: Overall, it is clear during the continued federal budget debate that conservation is uniquely positioned as an issue – it has strong bipartisan support; voters perceive a return on their investment economically and in better public health and quality of life; and therefore they reject disproportionately cutting these programs. Moreover, they continue to express strong support for continued federal investments in the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Ocean exploration is popular—conservation

Goad et al 12

Jessica, Manager of Research and Outreach for the Center for American Progress’s Public Lands Project, Michael Conathan, Director of Ocean Policy at the Center, Christy Goldfuss, Public Lands Project Director at the Center, "7 Ways that Looming Budget Cuts to Public Lands and Oceans Will Affect All Americans", Dec 6 2012, americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/12/06/47053/7-ways-that-looming-budget-cuts-to-public-lands-and-oceans-will-affect-all-americans/

In this issue brief, we examine seven key areas where federal land and ocean management agencies, such as the Department of the Interior and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, make critical investments on which Americans have come to depend and what cutting these agencies might mean, including: Less accurate weather forecasts Slower energy development Fewer wildland firefighters Closures of national parks Fewer places to hunt Less fish on our tables Diminished maritime safety and security Overall, the Office of Management and Budget predicted in a recent report that sequestration will cut $2.603 billion in fiscal year 2013 alone from the agencies that manage the hundreds of millions of acres of lands and oceans that belong to U.S. taxpayers. There is no doubt Americans will feel the impacts of such massive cuts. In particular, we will see reductions in many services provided by land and ocean management agencies such as weather satellites, firefighters, American-made energy, and hunting and fishing opportunities. Additionally—and perhaps most obviously—the cuts will likely cause some level of closure, if not complete closure, at many of our parks, seashores, and other cherished places. Losing funding for these critical services and infrastructure also reduces their tremendous value as job creators and economic drivers. Americans depend on our public lands and ocean management agencies in three crucial areas: Providing safety and security (weather forecasting, park rangers, firefighters, the Coast Guard, etc.) Enhancing economic contributions (the Department of the Interior leveraged $385 billion in economic activity such as oil and gas, mining, timber, grazing, and recreation in 2011) Preserving America’s shared history, heritage, and recreation opportunities (national parks, forests, seashores, and historic landmarks) Voters recognize the value of these services and by nearly a 3-to-1 margin oppose reducing conservation funds to balance the budget. A poll conducted by the Nature Conservancy determined that 74 percent of voters say that, “even with federal budget problems, funding for conservation should not be cut.” And in the 2012 election, voters across 21 states approved ballot measures raising $767 million for new parks and conservation initiatives. As these statistics clearly show, many citizens are willing to pay a little more in order to fund conservation and related programs. In order to continue providing these necessary services to the American people, congressional Republicans must put forward a realistic plan that embraces both revenue increases and spending cuts. Such an approach would maintain as much funding as possible for these critical and valued government programs. The cost to administer our lands and ocean agencies is a sound investment for Americans due to the economic and societal benefits they provide.

General

The National Ocean Policy translates into public support through bottom-up coordination with the public

Moran 14

Dr. S. Bradley, Acting Director, National Ocean Council Office, Executive Office of the President, "Strengthening America’s Ocean Economy: The National Ocean Policy", January 2014, www.sea-technology.com/features/2014/0114/8_Moran.php

Last April, the National Ocean Council (NOC)—composed of representatives from those 27 federal agencies, departments, and offices—issued its Implementation Plan, translating the National Ocean Policy into on-the-ground actions. The Implementation Plan endorsed the concept of voluntary regional marine planning, a transparent, bottom-up approach to coordinating activities that can help regions grow their economies and support their coastal communities while protecting and conserving their ocean and coastal ecosystems. Regions that want to do marine planning establish regional planning bodies, jointly led by federal, state and tribal members. Stakeholder engagement, public participation, and information from a wide variety of sources, including scientists, technical experts, industry, government agencies and native communities, are vitally important to the process to ensure marine planning is based on a full understanding of the range of interests and activities in the region. The National Ocean Council recognizes that there is a wide variety of ocean users, industries and interests, and that even within any particular group, perspectives may differ greatly. For that reason, when the Council issued a marine planning handbook in August, it made clear that regional planning bodies should operate in an open, science-based and cooperative environment—one in which all stakeholders and the general public are guaranteed the opportunity to inform marine plans by sharing data, information and perspectives.

Ocean policies are popular – economics

Spinrad, no date – B.A. in earth and planetary sciences from The Johns Hopkins University and M.S. and Ph.D. both in oceanography from Oregon State University (Richard, “The Future: Sustaining a National Ocean Policy, No Date, http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/roundtables/rt7_glimo/RT7_Summary.pdf)//EX

Increase Outreach, Education and Public Awareness Participants noted that increased public education and awareness about ocean issues and about the damage caused by people are crucial to changing public perception. After years of ocean mismanagement, fundamental changes in human behaviors are necessary. Increasing public awareness about the impacts that human activities have on the coastal and marine ecosystems will help people to better understand their role in the interconnected-ness of land and ocean. Participants stated that NOS should try to express this message in easy-to-understand terms that matter to society (e.g., jobs, history, ports) and that focusing on the social and economic implications related to ocean health might help increase public interest. Participants were supportive of NOAA’s recent outreach efforts (e.g., the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, planning the Smithsonian Ocean Hall) and suggested that the agency continue such innovative approaches to public outreach. They also noted that NOAA should capitalize on exciting efforts such as ocean exploration and coral habitat restoration to energize and engage the public, and that aquaria and interactive educational forums could be better utilized to improve the agency’s visibility.

Ocean policies popular – jobs and economic output

The Ocean Project, 12 – organization that advances ocean conservation in partnership with zoos, aquariums, and museums (ZAMs) around the world (“Achieving the Vision for our National Ocean Policy”, The Ocean Project, 2/1/12, http://theoceanproject.org/2012/02/achieving-the-vision-for-our-national-ocean-policy/)//EX

As part of that policy for stewardship of the ocean, on January 13, the White House released for public comment the first-ever National Ocean Policy draft implementation plan. This draft Plan identifies key actions that will move us beyond the more than 100 different laws and policies, toward comprehensive ocean planning and fulfilling that audacious, but direly needed, national vision. We have never had a comprehensive system for managing our ocean and protecting and conserving the huge diversity of animals, plants, and habitats that constitute healthy oceans and which contribute to tens of millions of jobs. Our EEZ (or Exclusive Economic Zone) covers an ocean area nearly one and one-half the size of the landmass of the entire continental US; and we have jurisdiction over more ocean territory than any other country. Isn’t it about time we protect this resource that contributes more to our nation’s economic output than the entire farm sector? Our children, and seven generations hence, deserve no less. As our ocean faces increasing threats to its health and productivity, from ocean acidification to dangerous water quality to habitat degradation, resultant environmental and social challenges are becoming evident and we need to take action now. For most people, the ocean is out of sight and out of mind. Public opinion research clearly shows that oceans are not top-of-mind — yet, US citizens are willing and able to take conservation action to protect and conserve the ocean and its diversity of animal life; they just need pointing in the right direction from trusted messengers such as aquariums. Everyone has the ability to get involved in this discussion about our ocean’s future, no matter what age. The oceans belong to no one person, no corporation; they belong to all of us, and therefore it’s our obligation — and opportunity — to get involved in shaping the future. The White House needs to hear from all stakeholders, including interested citizens from sea to shining sea.

Polls prove that ocean conservation is popular with the public

Spruill 1997 (Vikki N. Spruill, president and CEO of council of foundations, “U.S. PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES”, http://www.tos.org/oceanography/archive/10-3_spruill.pdf )

In general terms, respondents expressed a belief that the ocean is under threat from human activity and are concerned about their condition now and in the future. Although the ocean did not rank as a top environmental concern-- when asked to rate the most important environmental problems, the largest num- ber (33%) cited toxic waste, followed by air pollution (31%) and water pollution (26%), with "oceans being destroyed" coming further down the list with 14% (Fig. 1)--82% of respondents agreed with the statement that "'oceans are being destroyed." In contrast, 10% said they believed the oceans are so vast and plentiful that there is little humans can do to destroy them. Although only 6% said the condition of the ocean has improved over the past few years, the majority (58%) believes it has deteriorated. Over one-half (52%) viewed the de- struction of the ocean as a very serious threat to the quality of life today, whereas an even greater number (63%) saw it as a very serious threat 10 years from now. A plurality of respondents (49%) said the condition of the ocean was very important to them personally: among coastal communities, this figure rose to nearly two-thirds (64%).

Data from The Ocean Project shows that women are particularly sympathetic towards the health of the ocean

SeaWeb Survey shows overwhelming support for ocean conservation

Lilley 2010 (Jonathan Charles Lilley, doctor of philosophy in Marine Studies, “Navigating a Sea of Values: Understanding Public Attitudes Toward the Ocean and Ocean Energy Resources”, http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/windpower/resources/J_Lilley_8-03_FINAL.pdf )

Regarding action that could be taken to protect the marine environment, 85% thought the government needs to do more, with 72% stating that funding for ocean exploration should take priority over space exploration (17%). In terms of individual action that a person can take, 49% said they would be almost certain to recycle used motor oil and 42% said they would be almost certain to pick up trash on the beach. Much smaller percentages said they would be pay higher water bills to fund better sewage treatment (20%); lobby their politicians to support positive oceanrelated actions (18%); join an environmental group (12%); or attend legislative meetings on ocean issues (10%). Regarding the perceived effectiveness of such actions, 70% thought that recycling used motor oil would be very effective in protecting the marine environment and 63% thought that picking up trash on the beach would very effective. The SeaWeb survey also found a high level of agreement for protecting the ocean for the benefit of future generations. When asked whether people have a ‘responsibility to protect the ocean for future generations,’ 84% strongly agreed. Similarly, 82% strongly agreed that the ‘destruction of the ocean is a threat to the health of future generations.’ In short, the SeaWeb study described the ocean as an “issue waiting to happen” and comments that while the ocean is not seen as a top priority there exists “strong latent, if not manifest, concern for the fate of the ocean” (Spruill, 1997, p. 149).

Methane Hydrates

Methane hydrates are popular with the public – public information

Consortium for Ocean Leadership, 14 – a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization that represents more than 100 of the leading public and private ocean research and education institutions, aquaria and industry with the mission to advance research, education and sound ocean policy (“Development of a Scientific Plan for a MethaneHydrate‐Focused MarineDrilling, Logging and Coring Program”, Department of Energy, February 2014, http://www.netl.doe.gov/File%20Library/Research/Oil-Gas/methane%20hydrates/fe0010195-final-report.pdf)//EX

Today, outreach refers to activities that target the general public through mostly social media or various news outlets. Educational outreach is generally aimed at students in undergraduate and graduate school programs. IODP has had a long and very successful history in both outreach and education. Recent history has also shown that branding is important to ensure ongoing public recognition of the scientific discoveries and technological achievements of scientific ocean drilling. Successful public outreach in support of funding agencies’ goals and objectives have also become a vital part of science. The DOE methane hydrate research program has had similar outreach and education successes. Information outlets such at the DOE‐NETL websites on methane hydrates and Fire In the Ice newsletters are recognized as important and highly successful sources of public information on methane hydrates throughout the world. The DOE National Methane Hydrates Research and Development Program – Graduate Fellowship Program is a good example of an integrated outreach and educational program that has greatly contributed to the methane hydrate research community and the public appreciation of the role of methane hydrates in nature. Outreach will be needed to raise the profile of future scientific drilling in support of methane hydrate research described in this Plan. Program managers and scientists engaged in methane hydrate research must effectively communicate the goals and results of their scientific endeavors to other scientists and non‐scientists. It is imperative that we all become “methane hydrate educators” to make our science accessible and defendable to the public. Participants at the COL‐led Methane Hydrate Community Workshop recognized the need to better coordinate and manage the scientific accuracy of information released through social media and popular news outlets. In recent years, we have seen a rapid growth of news stories on methane hydrates in which some aspect of methane hydrates as a potential energy resource, geohazard, or agent of climate change have been sensationalized, with eye‐catching story titles that suggest looming global disaster. In many cases, these stories have little to no scientific foundation or merit. During the workshop, participants discussed several examples of media stories on methane hydrates where it appears that particular science issues were possibly over‐dramatized. In each case, the journalists appeared to lack a critical understanding of the issues they were trying to address. These situations show the need for the methane hydrate research community to make available and widely circulate accurate information on methane hydrate science issues that can be easily used and understood by the general public. It is also appropriate for informed scientists to contribute to public debate on science issues that are not so well defined so the limits of our understanding of a particular phenomenon are accurately portrayed.

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