The industry's recognized authority for design, engineering and application of equipment and services in the global ocean community
Issue link: http://sea-technology.epubxp.com/i/748191
www.sea-technology.com November 2016 / st 43 ration Program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the Delaware River Basin. The U.S. House of Representatives also approved its WRDA of 2016, comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to address the needs of U.S. harbors, locks, dams, flood protection and other water infrastructure. The next step is to send a final WRDA measure to the U.S. president. First White House Arctic Science Ministerial Science ministers, worldwide government leaders and rep- resentatives from indigenous groups gathered late September for the first-ever U.S. White House Arctic Science Ministerial (WHASM) to increase scientific collaborations to address the dramatic environmental changes in the Arctic. The focus was on understanding Arctic science challenges, strengthening and integrating Arctic observations and data sharing, building regional resilience, and promoting STEM education and citi- zen empowerment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agen- cy (EPA) is supporting these themes through several projects, such as the Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network in Alaska, according to the EPA's blog. The LEO mobile app gives citizen scientists observation tools. The EPA also assisted the launch of new LEO regional hubs in northern California, Northwest Indian College and Canada (Northwest Territories and British Columbia). WHASM will facilitate LEO's circum- polar expansion to help Arctic communities. White House Recognizes Champions Of Sustainable Seafood The U.S. White House recognized 12 people as "White House Champions of Change for Sustainable Seafood." They are: Robin Alden, founding executive director of Penobscot East Resource Center for Maine's coastal fisheries; Linda Behnken, executive director of the Alaska Longline Fisher- men's Association; Chris Brown, president of the Seafood Harvesters of America; Jason DeLaCruz, president of Wild Seafood Co.; Byron Encalade, president of the Louisiana Oysterman Association; Monica Jain, founding director of Fish 2.0, which brings entrepreneurs and investors together to grow the sustainable seafood sector; Bun Lai, owner and chef of Miya's Sushi, the world's first sustainable sushi res- taurant; Alan Lovewell, CEO and co-founder of Real Good Fish, which connects local fishermen with local consumers; Dr. Kevan Main, senior scientist and program manager at the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium; Luka Mossman, fish- eries outreach coordinator at the Conservation International Hawaii program; Brad Pettinger, director of the Oregon Trawl Commission; and Richard B. Robins, Jr., owner of Bernie's Conchs Seafood Market and Ocean Perfect Seafoods Inc. Datacasting Agreement to Support First Responders The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and America's Public Television Sta- tions have signed an agreement to make datacasting technol- ogy available nationwide to enable the public safety com- munity to transmit secure data, including voice, text, files, images and video, over existing broadcast television signals to a targeted audience. In an emergency situation, where other wireless services often fail due to network congestion, datacasting provides a reliable platform for quickly sending and receiving large files. ST Canada Proposes Carbon Pricing by 2018 The government of Canada proposed a plan to impose carbon pricing on all Canadian jurisdictions by 2018. Prov- inces and territories will have flexibility in deciding how they implement carbon pricing; they can put a direct price on carbon pollution or adopt a cap-and-trade system. Carbon pricing is central to the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. The aim is to reduce emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels. The overall approach will be reviewed in 2022 to ensure that it is effective and to con- firm future price increases. Ocean Champions Endorses Seven Congressional Candidates Ocean Champions, which helps elect pro-ocean candi- dates to the U.S. Congress, has endorsed seven candidates from the Mid-Atlantic region: Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.), Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), House candi- date Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Senate candidate Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). Crowley has co-sponsored bills that support clean water, renewable energy and the protection of wilder- ness areas. Lowey is co-founder of the Hudson River Caucus and author of the Water Pollution Control and Estuary Resto- ration Act. LoBiondo works to protect wildlife and wetlands. Hoyer has led efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. Sar- banes helped pass H.R. 1650 to protect the Chesapeake Bay. Raskin is a three-term Maryland state senator with a focus on climate change. Van Hollen introduced the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Fairness Act in 2012 to manage bay pollution. ITA Awards Funds to Maritime Alliance to Support US Exports San Diego-based The Maritime Alliance (TMA) will re- ceive $296,705 from the International Trade Administration's (ITA) Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) to continue to encourage providers of U.S. marine technology goods and services to increase exports, particularly to France, Ireland and the U.K. TMA also aims to increase exports to Korea by $44 million in the next three years. TMA will match the MDCP award with an investment of $948,570 of its own resources. The funded project will underwrite the cost of U.S. firms participating at foreign trade shows and missions and pay part of the costs for U.S. firms to network with foreign buyers at a new U.S.-based trade show. This year, five non- profit industry groups are receiving MDCP awards, expected to generate or preserve more than $359 million in U.S. ex- ports in the next three years. US Senate and House Approve WRDA Bills The U.S. Senate has passed the Water Resources Devel- opment Act (WRDA), which authorizes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' civil works activities, including flood control, navigation and environmental restoration projects and stud- ies. This bill also authorizes the Delaware River Basin Con- servation Act, which creates the Delaware River Basin Resto- capital report