April 19, 2012 – The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) report to the full Appropriations Committee on the FY 2013 budget contains a provision that would eliminate spending on the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Regional Office (NERO) headquarters building in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The subcommittee markup version was reported to the full committee within the past 48 hours. The full Appropriations Committee is currently marking up the final bill. The CJS subcommittee is chaired by Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. If the bill ultimately passes into law with this provision intact, there will be no Federal funds available to pay rent on the NMFS NERO headquarters building in Gloucester, and the NMFS NERO will have to move to the headquarters in Silver Spring.
NMFS is also known as NOAA Fisheries.
The relevant text from the subcommittee markup is reproduced below:
"The fiscal year 2013 budget request demonstrates that the administration is obviously experiencing financial difficulties maintaining NOAA's northeast fishery facilities, with small local laboratories in the Mid-Atlantic area receiving a disproportionately larger reduction and elimination. Coastal States find value in local NOAA facilities which have built direct partnerships with the commercial fishing industry and regional external partners to conduct a range of work needed to accomplish NOAA's mission."
"Therefore, in order to better balance NOAA's fiscal needs with that of the best local fishery results, NOAA is directed to close the Northeast Regional Office [NERO] and consolidate the entire regional operations and management within NMFS headquarters. This regional office serves the eastern seaboard from Maine to North Carolina, and as far west as Minnesota. Better centrally locating the facility at NMFS headquarters would allow for greater coordination with senior management at NOAA and the Department, while saving an estimated $1,800,000 on rent and a yet un- specified amount on travel costs. The Committee believes this consolidation will provide for efficiencies and enhance management, while still maintaining a strong regional presence."
"From the Committee's perspective, some activities at NERO can be conducted at other NOAA facilities without using leased space and incurring the associated lease costs. Since the lease at this facility will expire in September 2013, its termination will save costs now and in the future. Such rationale should be acceptable to NOAA because similar language on not renewing a lease was used by the agency on page 150 of NOAA's fiscal year 2013 Congressional Budget Justification to justify the closure of the James J. Howard Laboratory. However, unlike the circumstances with James J. Howard Laboratory, this closure will actually result in real cost savings to the agency in 2013, not just in out-years. Upon closing NERO, NOAA may continue to support a small local presence in the area."
See the page from the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science subcommittee FY 2013 budget report.