Thursday, November 03, 2011

Hydrographic Services Review Panel Sets Path Forward

NOAA's Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) met last week in Norfolk, Virginia, and set their sights on a path forward for the coming years. With a new chair, vice-chair, and nine new members, the group established three working groups to focus on emerging challenges in navigation services: the Arctic, upcoming reauthorization of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act, and program improvements for NOAA. In addition to keynote presentations from NOAA Chief of Staff Margaret Spring and NOS Deputy Assistant Administrator Holly Bamford, the HSRP heard from maritime stakeholders, including the U.S Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Virginia Maritime Association, Virginia Port Authority, Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, the Virginia Conservation Network, Hampton Roads Planning District, and City of Virginia Beach Environmental & Sustainability Office. The panel also had a discussion with representatives from the maritime shipping industry about federal efforts towards coastal and marine spatial planning. For more information, contact Knute Berstis.