FEDERAL OCEAN ACIDIFICATION RESEARCH AND MONITORING ACT (FOARAM)

The Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act (FOARAM) was passed by Congress in 2009.  This legislation allowed for the establishment of NOAA’s Ocean Acidification (OA) program.  The act outlined a coordinated process for federal agencies to create a plan for effective monitoring of processes and consequences of OA on marine organisms and ecosystems through the creation of an Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification.  Also included in this legislation, is the requirement to develop adaptation strategies to conserve ecosystems (both at regional and national levels) vulnerable to the effects of OA, and the associated socio-economic impacts.