Bush administration requesting millions more for hurricane research
Feb. 13, 2008
Martin Merzer - McClatchy NewspapersIssue date: 2/7/08 Section: MCT News
Of particular concern is the lack of recent progress in predicting a storm's intensity.
"We'll be focusing on intensity forecasting and, in particular, rapid intensification, to avoid the circumstances where you go to bed and it's a Category 2 storm and then you wake up and unexpectedly it's a Category 5 storm," said Glackin, NOAA's deputy undersecretary for oceans and atmosphere.
Bill Read, the hurricane center's director, said he was pleased with the proposals.
"Of course, it is just a starting step, and it has to be approved," Read said.
Glackin concurred, noting that Congress is highly unlikely to approve the budget as submitted.
During the public session, Glackin handled questions about the agency's support _ or lack of it _ for research involving ocean fisheries, coral reefs and climate change, particularly when it comes to rising sea levels in South Florida.
She said NOAA was tackling issues related to global warming and the environment, but other agencies and groups _ including the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Science Foundation _ might be better positioned to deal with some of these matters.
Last summer, Glackin helped lower the boom on then-hurricane center director Bill Proenza, who lasted only six months and had alienated supervisors in Washington and staffers in South Florida. The incident was widely covered in the media and investigated by a Congressional panel.
Asked what NOAA learned from the controversy, Glackin paused for 10 seconds, then said:
"Certainly, it reinforced the strong public interest in our mission."
"We'll be focusing on intensity forecasting and, in particular, rapid intensification, to avoid the circumstances where you go to bed and it's a Category 2 storm and then you wake up and unexpectedly it's a Category 5 storm," said Glackin, NOAA's deputy undersecretary for oceans and atmosphere.
Bill Read, the hurricane center's director, said he was pleased with the proposals.
"Of course, it is just a starting step, and it has to be approved," Read said.
Glackin concurred, noting that Congress is highly unlikely to approve the budget as submitted.
During the public session, Glackin handled questions about the agency's support _ or lack of it _ for research involving ocean fisheries, coral reefs and climate change, particularly when it comes to rising sea levels in South Florida.
She said NOAA was tackling issues related to global warming and the environment, but other agencies and groups _ including the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Science Foundation _ might be better positioned to deal with some of these matters.
Last summer, Glackin helped lower the boom on then-hurricane center director Bill Proenza, who lasted only six months and had alienated supervisors in Washington and staffers in South Florida. The incident was widely covered in the media and investigated by a Congressional panel.
Asked what NOAA learned from the controversy, Glackin paused for 10 seconds, then said:
"Certainly, it reinforced the strong public interest in our mission."
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