Bill Overview
Title: NOAA Chief Scientist Act
Description: This bill revises requirements concerning the qualifications and responsibilities of the Chief Scientist in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Specifically, the bill establishes new minimum qualification requirements for the position of the Chief Scientist. It also outlines new responsibilities of the Chief Scientist. For example, the Chief Scientist must follow NOAA's scientific integrity policies and ensure NOAA's employees and contractors adhere to the policies as well. In addition, the Chief Scientist must (1) provide policy and program direction for the science and technology priorities of NOAA, and (2) manage the Office of the Chief Scientist.
Sponsors: Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals potentially impacted by the scientific and technical work of NOAA
Estimated Size: 330000000
- The Chief Scientist of NOAA is a crucial figure who provides policy and program direction for science and technology priorities. This role significantly influences NOAA's operations.
- NOAA employees, particularly those involved in scientific research and technological development, will be directly impacted as they have to adhere to the new integrity policies enforced by the Chief Scientist.
- Contractors working with NOAA, who may have previously been less directly involved in internal policy adherence, will now be required to follow these newly enforced scientific integrity policies.
- The broader scientific community that interacts with NOAA's outputs will also be indirectly influenced as the Chief Scientist's policies could affect the scientific and technological direction of research initiatives, potentially setting standards or goals other researchers follow.
- The general public benefits from NOAA through its studies on weather, climate, oceans, and coasts. Any changes in NOAA's research priorities or quality assurance through this bill could ultimately affect this non-specialist audience’s access to and understanding of valuable environmental information.
Reasoning
- The NOAA Chief Scientist Act primarily affects individuals working directly with NOAA, including employees and contractors focusing on scientific research and technological development.
- Since the Chief Scientist's role is pivotal in setting policies, ensuring scientific integrity, and directing research priorities, anyone closely related to NOAA's work environment is more directly impacted.
- Broader impacts might ripple out to the scientific community and eventually the general public, especially regarding how NOAA's policies influence environmental research outputs and public safety announcements.
- Given the limited budget, the direct effects must be concentrated around early adoption within NOAA, with broader impacts developing over time through the establishment of new research directions and outputs.
Simulated Interviews
Climate Scientist at NOAA (Seattle, WA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a NOAA scientist, adherence to clear integrity policies is important to ensure the credibility of our work.
- The new Chief Scientist guidelines could bring more structured and effective research management.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
NOAA Policy Analyst (Silver Spring, MD)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Streamlining scientific priorities can lead to more impactful outcomes.
- The Chief Scientist needs to ensure that policies support innovative research directions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
University Professor (Lincoln, NE)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- NOAA's integrity policies will guide the research standards followed by others in the field.
- Expect better communication and data resources for academic collaborations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Environmental Consultant (Austin, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy may improve the reliability of NOAA data, which is crucial for my work.
- Hope it leads to more collaborative opportunities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Weather Forecaster (Miami, FL)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More robust oversight might enhance the quality of forecasts we deliver.
- Important to maintain high trust in the data provided.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Marine Biologist (Portland, OR)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A focused Chief Scientist could mean better use of NOAA's funds towards understanding marine ecosystems.
- Changes in priority could affect ongoing collaboration projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retired Meteorologist (Chicago, IL)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Scientific integrity at NOAA ensures continued trust in its forecasts and data.
- This could affect how municipalities plan for weather-related disasters.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Graduate Student (New York, NY)
Age: 26 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Stronger policies may enhance the rigor of data available for research so I support the changes.
- Interested in seeing how these changes will influence future data sets.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
NOAA Contractor (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policy enforcement could improve consistency in project execution and outcomes.
- It might require adaptation in work practices, but overall beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Environmental Policy Advocate (Boston, MA)
Age: 75 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- NOAA's leadership in scientific integrity is essential for all environmental advocacy work.
- Strengthening NOAA's structure and policies may set a precedent for other institutions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 5: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 10: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 100: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Key Considerations
- This policy enhances the role of the Chief Scientist, a position critical for the scientific and technological leadership at NOAA.
- Ensuring adherence to scientific integrity policies can enhance NOAA's credibility and reliability.
- The act aligns NOAA's internal processes with broader scientific standards impacting its policy influence.