Many of the long cards in the 1ac (including ones that have tags that start with ) are useful to answer the counterplan in the packet
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- Uniqueness --- Ocean Exploration Funding Low
- 2nc Budget Zero-Sum / AT: Plan = New Funding ***
- Fiscal constraints force tradeoffs
- National Ocean Plan proves internal budget tradeoff is normal means
- NOAA budget is increasing but still tight --- exploration is being cut to sustain other programs
- Offshore aquaculture is more expensive --- requires tougher infrastructure
- Energy costs raise the investment cost needed for aquaculture
- Aquaculture Link --- AT: NOAA Doesn’t Act
- AT: No Link --- Plan is not NOAA
Top Level Uniqueness / LinksUniqueness --- Ocean Funding Cut NowNOAA cutting back on ocean related programsEilperin, 6/17 (Juliet, 6/17/2014, “Obama will propose expanding Pacific Ocean marine sanctuary,” http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/06/17/obama-will-propose-expanding-pacific-ocean-marine-sanctuary, JMP) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s chief, Kathryn Sullivan, said her agency has focused on increasing the ability of coastal communities to cope with climate change and on monitoring how the marine ecosystem is being transformed. “Data are critical to all of it,” she said. George Cooper, a lobbyist for the recreational fishing industry, said NOAA has made strides but still overstates the economic impact of the commercial fish industry by comparing the combined imported and domestic seafood trade to U.S. sport fishing. Budget constraints and congressional opposition also remain obstacles for the administration. During a panel last week for Capitol Hill Ocean Week, Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., said NOAA might have to consider “changing its name to NAA” because of cuts to its “wet side.” Uniqueness --- Ocean Exploration Funding LowOcean exploration spending low nowHelvarg, 14 --- executive director of Blue Frontier, a marine conservation and policy group (4/1/2014, David, “It's no surprise we can't find Flight 370; Even now, we know so little about our oceans, and we spend so little on exploring them,” http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-0401-helvarg-flight-370-ocean-exploration-20140401,0,6962388.story, JMP) Our investment in ocean exploration, monitoring and law enforcement efforts is at a 20-year low in the United States and not much better elsewhere. Our chances of quickly finding the missing Malaysian flight would have been improved if we had invested more money and effort on our planet's last great commons, with observational tools such as in-situ labs and wired benthic observatories, remote and autonomous underwater vehicles and gliders, forward-looking infrared cameras and multi-beam shipboard, airborne (and space-deployed) scanning systems, and other smart but woefully underfunded sea technologies. 2nc Budget Zero-Sum / AT: Plan = New Funding ***Budget is zero-sum --- new programs require cuts in othersLeopold, 13 --- long-time Washington-based science and technology writer who is now working with the Policy Program here at the American Meteorological Society (4/9/2013, George, “Budget Squeeze Spurs U.S. Weather Collaboration,” http://blog.ametsoc.org/columnists/budget-squeeze-spurs-u-s-weather-collaboration/, JMP) The zero-sum budget process faced by federal agencies means that “if you want something, you have to give up something else,” says Robbie Hood, director of NOAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems program. “Our job is to look at all these new technologies” and identify the best option. Fiscal constraints force tradeoffsTracton, 12 (3/29/2012, Steve, “National Weather Service budget cuts misguided, misplaced,” http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/national-weather-service-budget-cuts-misguided-misplaced/2012/03/29/gIQAmm6qiS_blog.html, JMP) Important note: The explicit and publically announced budget reductions ultimately stem from tradeoffs in NOAA’s priorities by restraints imposed by the Obama Administration on all government agencies in recognition of the realities the nation’s fiscal difficulties. Given the state of U.S. politics it’s not surprising that the Administration’s FY 2013 budget proposal was deemed dead on arrival even before reaching the halls of Congress. What ultimately emerges from Capitol Hill as the 2013 Federal Budget, which of course includes the approved version of the NOAA budget, is unknown. Actually, it’s probably more likely that only a “Continuing Resolution” will pass congress (hopefully without necessitating government shutdown) and provide – at least temporarily – a reprieve from the budget cuts being discussed. National Ocean Plan proves internal budget tradeoff is normal meansJensen, 12 (4/27/2012, Andrew, “Congress takes another ax to NOAA budget,” http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2012-04-27/congress-takes-another-ax-to-noaa-budget, JMP) *** Note --- Mark Begich are Lisa Murkowski are Senators from Alaska Congress refused to fund some $27 million in budget requests for NOAA in fiscal year 2012 to implement the National Ocean Policy, but the administration released its draft implementation policy in January anyway. Begich told the Journal when the draft implementation plan was released that fund diversion was a "main concern." "At a time Congress is reining in spending, I think the administration needs to prioritize funding for existing services especially those which support jobs such as fishery stock assessments and the like, and not new and contentious initiatives," he said. Murkowski called the administration's implementation plan "clear as mud" at an Appropriations Committee hearing April 19. "It's expensive; there are no dedicated funds for agencies to follow through with the commitments that have been identified in the draft implementation plan," she said. "I have been told that the national ocean policy initiative is going to be absorbed by these existing programs, but yet the agencies haven't been able to provide me with any indication as to what work is actually going to be set aside as part of that trade-off, so it is as clear as mud to me where the administration is really intending to take this." Exploration LinkNOAA budget is increasing but still tight --- exploration is being cut to sustain other programsAdams, 14 --- Oceans Advocate at National Resource Defense Council (3/25/2014, Alexandra, “A Blue Budget Beyond Sequester: Taking care of our oceans,” http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aadams/a_blue_budget_beyond_sequester.html, JMP) This past year was a tough year - from deep sequester cuts to a government shutdown. Our oceans definitely felt the budget crunch. After much excruciating negotiation, Congress finally passed a budget and now we are on the road to what we hope will be a saner way to govern and plan. The President has just released his budget for Fiscal Year 2015. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) budget can mean the difference between thriving oceans and coastal communities, or the decline in this invaluable public resource. This year’s budget signals that we will invest in protecting that resource, but by no means provides all that will be needed for the big job ahead. With half of Americans living in coastal areas, NOAA’s work means protecting our citizens and our natural resources. Moreover, with a national ocean economy that is larger than the entire U.S. farm sector in terms of jobs and economic output, keeping this economic powerhouse functioning matters to us all. For fiscal year 2015, NOAA has proposed a budget of approximately $5.5 billion, an increase of 3.2% above the 2014 enacted funding levels, which took steps to mitigate the worst effects of sequestration but did not fund programs at the levels to which they ultimately need to be supported. This is a very modest increase, given the enormity of the agency’s task. Based on this request, there is every reason why Congress should fund the President’s Budget. Even the small increases this year recognize the agency’s critical role in feeding our nation, protecting our coastal economies and preserving our precious ocean resources. NOAA has dual responsiblilities ranging from mapping the ocean floor to maintaining orbiting satellites for weather forecasting. And if we want to see investments in protecting coastal economies and ocean health, in addition to accurate weather data, we need to ensure that NOAA’s budget is able to support both its “wet”, ocean side, as well as the “dry” weather forecasting activities. This means funding both effective ocean, coastal, and fisheries programs, in addition to weather forecasts, warnings and satellites. The National Ocean Service (NOS), which helps us understand and protect our oceans and coasts, will need investments to continue its work. In FY 2015, NOAA requests a small increase of $20.6 million for NOS over the 2014 enacted levels. With renewed commitment from both the Administration and communities around our nation to prepare for the impacts of a changing climate, NOAA’s budget includes programs to help our nation adapt to these changes. Some of our nation’s fishermen are on the front lines of climate impacts, as they watch more acidic waters decimate oyster harvests while fish populations shift away from their classic geographic range. Because ocean acidification is changing the very chemistry of our waters and threatening productive coastal economies, the President’s Budget has committed $15 million in funding for ocean acidification research and monitoring. Just ask any shellfish farmer and you will hear that this investment is long overdue and will help make the difference between abundant harvests and seasons without oysters to sell. NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is tasked with managing our ocean’s fisheries. In years past we have seen our fish stocks crash, but thanks to Congressional action in 1996 and 2006 on the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management Act, stocks around the nation are now rebounding. Implementing this highly successful Act requires funding to gather accurate data on the status of our fish stocks and fishery managers to help implement programs. Funding these programs will help ensure our nations fisheries can continue to support coastal economies while filling our dinner plates for years to come. This year, NOAA is requesting nearly flat funding for NMFS compared to the FY14 enacted levels, as those provided funds for fisheries disaster assistance which are not reoccurring. Unfortunately, some critical programs won’t get what they need this year. This year’s budget cuts funding for Ocean Exploration and Research by $7 million. This funding has supported exploration by the research vessel Okeanos of deep sea corals and other marine life in the submarine canyons and seamounts off the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts that fisheries managers and ocean conservation groups, including NRDC, are working to protect. Even though funds are stretched, shortchanging exploration and research will lead to weaker protections for species and resources that are already under stress. While we often think about all of the cutting edge science and data NOAA provides us, we often forget that it takes experts and assets to bring us those benefits. To address this, the budget includes an increase for NOAA’s corporate functions and agency management. From forecasting the days’ weather, to protecting our nation’s fish stocks and helping vulnerable areas prepare for climate change, NOAA can only provide us these services if it has the capacity and support it needs to fulfill its vital missions. Aquaculture LinkOffshore aquaculture is more expensive --- requires tougher infrastructureNaylor, 6 --- Fellow at the Center for Environmental Science and Policy, Stanford University (Spring 2006, Rosamond L., “Environmental Safeguards for Open-Ocean Aquaculture,” http://issues.org/22-3/naylor/, JMP) Open-ocean aquaculture encompasses a variety of species and infrastructure designs; in the United States, submersible cages are the model used for offshore finfish production. These cages are anchored to the ocean floor but can be moved within the water column; they are tethered to buoys that contain an equipment room and feeding mechanism; and they can be large enough to hold hundreds of thousands of fish in a single cage. Robotics are often used for cage maintenance, inspection, cleaning, and monitoring. Submersible cages have the advantage of avoiding rough water at the surface and reducing interference with navigation. A major disadvantage of offshore operations is that they tend to be expensive to install and operate. They require sturdier infrastructure than near-shore systems, they are more difficult to access, and the labor costs are typically higher than for coastal systems. The economic requirements of open-ocean aquaculture suggest that firms are likely to target lucrative species for large-scale development or niche markets. In the United States, moi is produced commercially far from shore in Hawaii state waters, and experiments are being conducted with halibut, haddock, cod, flounder, amberjack, red drum, snapper, pompano, and cobia in other parts of the country. Tuna is another likely candidate for offshore development. Altogether, about 500 tons of fish are currently produced each year in submersible cages in the United States, primarily within a few miles of shore. The technology appears to have real promise, even though it is not yet economically viable for commercial use in most locations, and it is not yet deployed widely in federal waters far from shore. Energy costs raise the investment cost needed for aquacultureFAO 7 [23 April 2007, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, “Medium-term challenges and constraints for aquaculture”, http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/260/mediumterm-challenges-and-constraints-for-aquaculture#sthash.Xwb2qlNs.dpuf] Even before the current global energy crisis, energy costs represented an important share of the production costs in many commercial aquaculture operations. With further intensification and the use of more sophisticated technologies, it is likely that more energy will be needed, thereby exacerbating the energy cost problem. As for land and water, aquaculture must compete with other activities for energy. To alleviate this problem, researchers around the world are seeking low-cost energy sources. More efficient pumps have been suggested as one of the options. Another is the use of recirculating systems. While recirculation requires energy, it does not need water pumped from lower levels and so is energy-efficient. Wind-powered pumps are being used on a limited scale in freshwater aquaculture in many countries, but their capital cost is high. The inability to design a low-cost high-volume pump for saltwater shrimp farming has also restricted their use. Solar-powered pumps present the same difficulties. In addition to seeking alternative sources, farmers are developing strategies and practices to reduce energy requirements. In certain culture practices, energy costs for pumping could be minimized with the combined use of bioremediation and lowdischarge, or even zero-discharge, techniques. However, more research on these techniques is required. Aquaculture Link --- AT: NOAA Doesn’t Act***Note --- this evidence isn’t necessary if the plan specifies the NOAA as the lead agency in charge of offshore aquacultureNOAA will be responsible for administering federal aquaculture regulationsWinter, 9 (4/23/2009, Allison, “Obama admin hands offshore aquaculture oversight to NOAA,” http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/04/23/23greenwire-obama-admin-hands-offshore-aquaculture-oversig-10648.html, JMP) The Obama administration will develop federal aquaculture regulations, including a system that could permit offshore fish farming in the ocean waters for the first time, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said today. Locke addressed a Senate hearing as another Cabinet agency, the Interior Department, turned away from a controversial Bush administration proposal that would have expedited a permitting system for offshore aquaculture under the Minerals Management Service. He said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will oversee the preparation of the Obama administration's fish-farming guidelines. In its final rule (pdf) for offshore renewable energy projects, released yesterday, Interior said it would not authorize aquaculture projects. The move is a reversal from the Bush administration's proposal, which would have opened the door for the government to fast-track offshore fish farms.
NOAA empirically has to play a role in implementing National Ocean PolicyConathan & Polefka, 14 --- Director of Ocean Policy and Research Assistant at the Center for American Progress (3/6/2014, Michael Conathan and Shiva Polefka, “The Top 5 Challenges Facing the New NOAA Administrator,” http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2014/03/06/80920/the-top-5-challenges-facing-the-new-noaa-administrator/, JMP) Coordinating use of ocean space In 2010, President Barack Obama issued an executive order establishing a National Ocean Policy. This action was the culmination of more than a decade of work, and implemented a key recommendation of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy established by President George W. Bush. President Obama’s policy establishes a National Ocean Council, bringing together more than two dozen federal agencies that have some jurisdiction over marine and Great Lakes activities with the goal of streamlining and coordinating the management of our ocean resources. Government efficiency is a hallmark of the Republican Party’s political message, but rather than touting the National Ocean Policy for its gains in this regard, many conservatives have targeted it as a prime example of government regulatory overreach. They have repeatedly attached amendments to bills passing the House that block funding for activities related to the policy’s implementation. These proposals actually put NOAA’s budget at risk because many of the agency’s day-to-day programs provide data used to support initiatives of the National Ocean Policy. Most recently, Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX) successfully tacked on an amendment to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act that would prevent the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from participating on the National Ocean Council. While the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Science and Technology Policy are designated as co-leaders* of the National Ocean Council, as the nation’s primary ocean management agency, responsibility for implementing the programs that fall under the National Ocean Policy defaults primarily to NOAA. If the policy is to demonstrate its true potential, NOAA will have to play a primary role in ensuring this eminently sensible collaboration remains solvent. NOAA manages oceansConathan & Polefka, 14 --- Director of Ocean Policy and Research Assistant at the Center for American Progress (3/6/2014, Michael Conathan and Shiva Polefka, “The Top 5 Challenges Facing the New NOAA Administrator,” http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2014/03/06/80920/the-top-5-challenges-facing-the-new-noaa-administrator/, JMP) ***Note --- Dr. Kathryn Sullivan is the new administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Conclusion Dr. Sullivan faces enormous challenges as she assumes control of an agency tasked with tracking the complex phenomena of the atmosphere and with managing America’s ocean spaces—which cover an area larger than the country’s entire landmass. Let’s hope the unique perspective she gained observing our planet from the distant reaches of outer space will provide her the vision to rise to the occasion. Directory: 2014 2014 -> For want of a nail 2014 -> The Global Warming that Wasn’t 2014 -> Assembly, No. 3901 state of new jersey 216th legislature 2014 -> Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act of 2014 2014 -> Ihbb asian Championships 2014 middle school bowl Round 4 First Quarter 2014 -> Unit: Automotive and Auto Body 2014 -> Ihbb european Championships 2014 Bowl Round 4 First Quarter 2014 -> International History Bee and Bowl 2013-14 Asian Division Question Set Bowl Round Six 2014 -> United states patent and trademark office 2014 -> Walnut creek, ca branch executive committee meeting minutes Download 1.24 Mb. Share with your friends:
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