AK SJR12

Alaska Legislature urges Congress to address outages at NOAA's 27 National Data Buoy Center stations in Alaska, which provide critical real-time weather and ocean data for maritime safety, fishing, tourism, and oil transport industries

The Seal Rocks Buoy, established in 1995 and used by Coast Guard to determine weather closures at Hinchinbrook Entrance in Prince William Sound, has experienced six major outages, with the two longest occurring recently (broke free October 2023, wave sensor failed again October 2024)

Hinchinbrook Entrance closes to outbound oil tankers from Port of Valdez when winds exceed 45 knots or seas exceed 15 feet; without functional buoys, Coast Guard must rely on subjective crew reports, increasing risk of tanker incidents and potential oil spills

Resolution calls on Congress to include appropriations language requiring NOAA to ensure reliability of buoy stations and restore full functionality of equipment in Alaska

Resolution urges NOAA to adopt regulations addressing station outages that account for Alaska's extreme weather, remote locations, and unique maritime safety challenges