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Let's talk about something President Biden could do in the first few months to dramatically increase the US's oceanography research capabilities:
That's right, I finally get to wax optimistically about the future of the Littoral Combat Ship!
That's right, I finally get to wax optimistically about the future of the Littoral Combat Ship!
The Littoral Combat Ship is actually two classes of warship, intended to be the next generation US naval corvette.
They're not... great.
They're not... great.
Among a suite of other features, the LCS was built to be modular - using containerized modules that allow them to rapidly reconfigure. It turns out that that's not a particularly useful feature for a warship.
But you know where that is useful? Research Vessels!
But you know where that is useful? Research Vessels!
Lab-in-a-box research vessels are great for supporting a variety of different research programs and quickly staging and decommissioning research expeditions.
Drop on an ROV van, swap it for a water chemistry lab, switch that out for acoustic monitoring.
It's great.
Drop on an ROV van, swap it for a water chemistry lab, switch that out for acoustic monitoring.
It's great.
The US Navy currently has FOUR Littoral Combat Ships that it does not want. They are 8 to 12 years old and already slated for decommissioning. Though they're not great warships, their perfectly fine boats.
Within the first year, President Biden could launch four new regional class research vessels using the LCS platform.
Steps President Biden could take to quickly and dramatically improve marine and freshwater conservation in the United States:
There are currently numerous proposals for National Marine Sanctuaries sitting in limbo. The Trump Administration has been slow walking the process...
There are currently numerous proposals for National Marine Sanctuaries sitting in limbo. The Trump Administration has been slow walking the process...
Among these are a proposal to implement the Mariana Trench National Marine Sanctuary, a Great Lakes Sanctuary in Wisconsin, and to expand the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary in North Carolina. The first two are, according to insiders, "done".
All they need is a signature.
All they need is a signature.
National Marine Sanctuaries are a much stronger policy entity than a national monument. They have more protections, more funding, more support. They can't be struck down by executive order.
Other sanctuaries in various stages of progress are in Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and off the coasts of Alaska, California, and New York.
Collectively, they represent a massive swath of the United States' oceans.
https://nominate.noaa.gov/nominations/
Collectively, they represent a massive swath of the United States' oceans.
https://nominate.noaa.gov/nominations/
Why are so many sanctuary proposals in limbo? Because Trump's Office of Management and Budget aren't approving funding to do socio-economic surveys. Some proposals are just waiting on sign-off from political appointees.
On day 1, Biden could sign off on the 875-sq mile Wisconsin National Marine Sanctuary, direct OMB to approve the required socio-economic surveys, and role out an armada of National Marine Sanctuaries in his first few months of office.
In the entire Trump presidency, only one Sanctuary was approved: Mallows Bay.
