Policy, Science, and Partnership Issues for the Complex Urban Environment Dr. Kathie L. Olsen, Associate Director Office of Science and Technology Policy September 21, 2004 Photo credit: Urban Heat Island Pilot Project: Sacramento, CA

Challenges in Urban Meteorology “The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.” Zeno (335 BC BC) “Many difficulties which nature throws in our way, may be smoothed away by the exercise of intelligence.” Titus Livius (59 BC - 17 AD) “The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.” Zeno (335 BC BC) “Many difficulties which nature throws in our way, may be smoothed away by the exercise of intelligence.” Titus Livius (59 BC - 17 AD)

Challenges in Urban Meteorology Dr. Ann Carlson –NASA Dr. Gene Whitney –Interior/USGS Dr. Ann Carlson –NASA Dr. Gene Whitney –Interior/USGS

The United Nations has predicted by 2025, 60 percent of the world's population will live in cities. 1.We need to understand the hazards 2.We need to be warned and know how to react 3.We need to be safe at home and at work 4.We need to recover quickly

What are we doing in DC?

Role of White House Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP) Advise the President & Offices of the President Lead the interagency effort to develop S&T policies and budgets for all areas of science –Co-chair National Science & Technology Council (NSTC) –PCAST Build strong partnerships among federal, state and local governments, other countries, industry, academia & scientific associations Develop clear, measurable goals and objectives for R&D programs Assess Federal investments relative to purposes of government

How Do We Set America’s S&T Priorities?

The Program Decision Process Bottom’s up (academia, industry, agency S&E personnel) Bottom’s up (academia, industry, agency S&E personnel) Top down (Agency management, OSTP/OMB, Congress) Top down (Agency management, OSTP/OMB, Congress) - Ideas - Concepts - Planning - Capability development - Ideas - Concepts - Planning - Capability development - Priorities - Budget - Strategic Planning - DECISIONS - Priorities - Budget - Strategic Planning - DECISIONS

Establishing Program Priorities Science Return Benefit to Society Mandated Program Appropriate for Federal government Partnership Opportunity Technology Readiness Program Balance Cost/Budget Context Science Return Benefit to Society Mandated Program Appropriate for Federal government Partnership Opportunity Technology Readiness Program Balance Cost/Budget Context Implementation Priority Criteria Science Priority Criteria

OSTP / OMB Guidance Memorandum for FY 06 R&D Priorities Environment –Climate Change Science & Technology –Global Observations –Water Availability and Quality –Hydrogen Economy Biology of Complex Systems Physical Sciences R&D for Homeland Security Networking & Information Technology Nanotechnology **Each Agency is required to request a budget that sustains the research important for its mission

NSTC: Coordination of Federal Policy and Interagency R&D A Cabinet-level council of advisers to the President on Science and Technology Principal means to coordinate science and technology matters within the Federal research and development enterprise Means to establish clear national goals for Federal science and technology investments

Current NSTC Structure September 2004 Biotechnology National Security R&D Radiological/Nuclear Countermeasures International Social, Behavioral & Econ. Infrastructure IWG on Dioxin WMD Medical Countermeasures Health and the Environment Oceans WH: Dale DOD: Wynne DHS: McQueary WH: Russell DOC: Bond WH: Olsen, EPA: Gilman, DOC: Lautenbacher NSTC Director, OSTP Technology Dev. Nanoscale Science, Eng. & Technology Networking & Information Technology Under development Informal Legend WH: Olsen, NSF: Bement, NIH: Zerhouni Aquaculture Human Subjects Research IWG Plant Genome IWG Physics of the Universe Large Scale Science Education & Workforce Dev. Research Business Models R&D Investment Criteria Research Misconduct Policy Global Change Research IWG Earth Observations Disaster Reduction Ecosystems Toxics & Risks Water Availability & Quality Air Quality Research Standards Committee on Environment & Natural Resources Committee on Environment & Natural Resources Committee on Science Committee on Technology Committee on Homeland and National Security Aeronautics Manufacturing Research and Development IWG Prion Research IWG Trans-boarder Samples IWG Multinational Orgs IWG Dom. Animal Genomics WH: Olsen DOC: Lautenbacher EPA: Gilman Global Change Research IWG Earth Observations Disaster Reduction Ecosystems Toxics & Risks Water Availability & Quality Air Quality Research Committee on Environment & Natural Resources Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

NSTC/CENR Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction Chair: Helen Wood (NOAA) Purpose: facilitate and promote natural and technological disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery through science & technology 2004 Emphases: - Earth observation for disaster prevention - Risk and disaster warning/communication systems and methods

Disaster Reduction Natural hazards and disasters – Hurricanes – Tornadoes – Floods – Earthquakes – Volcanoes – Wild fires – Droughts Technological hazards and disasters – Oil spills – Chemical spills – Large-scale industrial accidents or releases

Interagency Working Group on Earth Observations Co-Chairs: Ghassem Asrar, NASA Greg Withee, NOAA Cliff Gabriel, OSTP Purpose: To develop the US 10-year plan in global observations and support the US participation in the intergovernmental global observations working group

A Distributed Global Earth Observation “System of Systems" GEOSS will be a distributed system of systems, building step-by-step on current cooperation efforts among existing observing and processing systems within their mandates, while encouraging and accommodating new components.

Air Quality Research Co-Chairs: –Dan Albritton, NOAA –Jeffrey Holmstead, EPA Particulate Matter Research Air Toxics Purpose: enhance the effectiveness and productivity of air quality research and to improve the information interface between the research and the policy on this issue.

Climate change Demographics Allocation Irrigation Economics Sustainability Security Fishing Swimming Drinking Habitat Recreation Invasive species Biological integrity SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY Co-Chairs: Robert Hirsch (USGS) & Lee Mulkey (EPA) Purpose: Science issues and policy related to needed improvements in technology and research that will advance the goal of ensuring a safe and sustainable supply of water in the United States for human and ecological needs.

WATER AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY

Homeland and National Security Better communications between levels of government –Federal/state/local Emergency preparedness and response First responder techniques and technologies Improved observational, modeling, and warning capabilities

Examples of Federal Agency Coordination

NASA/NOAA cooperation on hurricane research TRMM measures towering rain structures in hurricane Bonnie NASA/NASDA/ESA Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission to launch in 2008 NOAA hurricane research aircraft

REAL-TIME STREAM CONDITIONS USGS-NOAA-National Weather Service collaboration Real-time discharge data and CHANGES in discharge Allows the monitoring of flow conditions and anticipation of floods

Urban Heat Island and Human Health (heat and air quality) NASA GHCC

Heat Island Reduction Initiative (HIRI) EPA/DOE/NASA Long term interagency collaboration Studies by the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories in California suggest mitigation strategies for urban heat island effects could save $5 billion to $10 billion in energy costs annually in the United States. Reductions in ozone and smog could save another $5 billion.

There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew. Marshall McLuhan ( ) Success is sometimes measured by what doesn’t happen