National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

THE NATIONAL OCEANIC and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, which studies the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. NOAA issues warnings of dangerous weather, charts seas and skies, guides the use and protection of ocean and coastal resources, and conducts research to improve understanding and preservation of the environment. NOAA is particularly active in the fields of climate change and global warming. In addition to its civilian employees, the NOAA Corps, staffed by 300 uniformed service members, support NOAA research and operations. The Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere at the Department of Commerce, retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, serves as the director for NOAA.

NOAAs main aim is to contribute to the creation of “an informed society that uses a comprehensive understanding of the role of the oceans, coasts, and atmosphere in the global ecosystem to make the best social and economic decisions.” The agency's mission is “to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our nation's economic, social, and environmental needs.” NOAA supports its mission through the pursuit of four targets that form the [Page 693]guiding principles of its operations. Each of them corresponds to activities focusing on ecosystems, climate, weather and water, and commerce and transportation. NOAA encourages the sustainable use of resources and the balance among competing uses of coastal and marine ecosystems, which recognize both their human and natural components. NOAA works to understand changes in climate, including global climate change and the El Nino phenomenon, to ensure that societies can respond and adapt properly to climate change. It provides data and forecasts for weather and water-cycle events, including storms, droughts, and floods. Finally, NOAA gives weather, climate, and ecosystem information to make sure individual and commercial transportation is safe, efficient, and environmentally sound.

A tornado photographed in Oklahoma by the National Severe Storms Laboratory, part of the scientific agency NOAA.

NOAA was created in February 1970, within the Department of Commerce, combining the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Weather Bureau, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Environmental Data Service, National Océanographie Data Center, National Satellite Center, Research Libraries, and other components. Although NOAA was officially created in 1970, the different bureaus that merged into it were among the oldest in the Federal Government: the Coast and Geodetic Survey was formed in 1807, the Weather Bureau in 1870, and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries in 1871. President Richard Nixon proposed creating a new department to serve a national need “for better protection of life and property from natural hazards … for a better understanding of the total environment … [and] for exploration and development leading to the intelligent use of our marine resources…”

NOAAs offices and divisions play an important part in various aspects of American national life. The National Ocean Service (NOS) has been a leading institution in the introduction of electronic nautical charts that, together with GPS, have enhanced the safety and efficiency of navigation. NOS has also played a leading role in advocating coastal and ocean stewardship. As the trustee for 12 marine protected areas, NOAA protects National Marine Sanctuaries, which are akin to national underwater parks. Each sanctuary has a unique goal, from protecting the breeding ground of humpback whales, to preserving the remains of historical shipwrecks, or coral reef colonies. Through the sanctuary program, a growing number of partners and volunteers embrace NOAAs ocean mission to preserve, protect, and respect our nations marine environment.

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