The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is moving its Marine Operations Center-Atlantic, from Virginia to Rhode Island's Naval Station Newport. Senator Jack Reed says the federal investment will be about 150-million dollars, “This is a major win for Rhode Island and our Blue Economy that will help NOAA improve mission fulfillment while achieving savings through consolidation and enhancing collaboration with the Navy, URI, the Coast Guard, and leading ocean scientists and marine businesses. This move will create economic, research, and education opportunities for the federal government and Rhode Island,” said Reed.
In addition to the benefits of being on a secure naval facility that offers opportunities for public access, NAVSTA Newport’s location offers a number of geographic benefits, as well as opportunities to collaborate with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) and the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, while also being collocated along with Coast Guard vessels and assets. Additionally, nearby Middletown, Rhode Island is the home of the U.S. Maritime Resource Center, which trains all the uniformed deck officers for NOAA.
“NOAA is the top scientific weather and oceans agency. Bringing NOAA’s premiere research fleet and Atlantic operations center to the Ocean State means hundreds of jobs for Rhode Island and a brighter future for our Blue Economy. Naval Station Newport is a strategic location and the federal investments we’ve made here are really paying off,” said Reed. “Rhode Island will provide NOAA with the infrastructure and skilled marine labor force needed to keep its fleet strong.”n-dollars and create about two-hundred jobs.
He also says it will open up opportunities to work with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center and URI's Graduate School of Oceanography.
(Photo Credit: Senator Jack Reed)