[asapmembers] Arecibo Observatory Needs Your Help This Week!

Wed Jun 15 15:41:07 UTC 2016

Dear ASAP Member,
	We here follow up on the letter we sent to you about a week ago below.  
We ask you to write a letter to the National Science Foundation, Division of 
Astronomical Sciences (NSF AST) at this email address envcomp-AST at nsf.gov 
keeping in mind the considerations outlined below.  
	Your letter must be received by Thursday, June 23, 2016.  
	The NSF AST must evaluate the environmental consequences of any major 
change they make to the Arecibo Observatory according to a formal process 
that results in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  This process does not  
consider the Observatory's science directly.  Rather the legal EIS concerns are air quality, 
biological resources, cultural resources, geological resources, solid waste generation, 
health and safety, socioeconomics, traffic, groundwater resources and a few others.
	However, the several actions below from which the NSF is selecting are utterly 
crucial to AO's future as specified in the Federal Register notice in the link below—
	• Continued NSF investment for science-focused operations (No- Action Alternative)

	• Collaboration with interested parties for continued science-focused operations

	• Collaboration with interested parties for transition to education-focused operations

	• Mothballing of facilities (suspension of operations in a manner such that operations could resume efficiently at some future date)

	• Deconstruction and site restoration 

The EIS process is expected to take about 18 months to completion.  The NSF AST 
expects to call at least one additional public meeting during this time.  Simultaneously, 
the NSF will be considering management concepts as suggested in "Dear Colleague 
Letter" replies (see the ASAP website for ASAP's reply earlier this year).  Apparently 
NAIC will be funded through this 18-month period, whereas any further funding will 
depend on the outcomes of the NSF EIS and accompanying processes.  Clearly, this 
is a most serious threat to AO's future and continued operation.  We must respond to 
the EIS and take every opportunity to advocate for the Observatory in other venues.  

	Therefore, please write your letter in a manner that is compatible with the NSF call.  
Science can be included because it cannot be separated from culture, education and 
socioeconomics.  We attach below a few example letters to give you models and guidance.  

	Again, please email your letters to the email address above by a week from tomorrow, 
Thursday, June 23rd.  We would also be delighted if you would separately (not a cc on the 
NSF email) send your letters to the ASAP Secretary.  ASAP may well have other uses for 
these letters as the EIS process continues.

			Thank you very sincerely for your ASAP membership and for your efforts on 
behalf of the Arecibo Observatory, 

					The ASAP Board

> Dear ASAP Member:  
> 
>     Arecibo Observatory is in a dire and urgent funding situation, unlike any we have
> ever seen.  We realize that you may have heard some or all of what follows, but the 
> immediacy of the situation indicates that we need the assistance of each and every 
> ASAP member in advocating for the Observatory immediately.  It is rumored that the 
> Observatory management contract will be extended for a further 18 months—that is, 
> only 18 months—so crucial decisions are now being made by the NSF.  Our responses 
> now may well be our best and last chance to affect the situation.
> 
> 	The emergency situation is prompted by several recent major developments.  A 
> number of them are summarized in a May 23 NSF "Notice of Intent" in the Federal Register, 
> which requests input on four proposed future paths for the Observatory, including "mothballing"
> and "deconstruction."  It also cites the recent NSF Atmospheric and Geospace Science 
> Portfolio Portfolio Review recommendation for a ~75% funding cut to the Observatory's 
> Space and Atmospheric Sciences program (See ref.1 below for a link to the Notice.) 
> 
> 	The Notice provides two avenues for us to have input into the process, and it is
> these paths that we ask you to pursue (details are provided in ref. 1):
> 
> 1. NSF "Environmental" hearings in Puerto Rico on June 7 (in little more than a week!).
> We urge any of you who are able to attend in either San Juan (930-1130 AM) or Arecibo 
> (6-8 PM), please do so!
> 
> 2. An NSF call for letters concerning the Observatory to be sent by June 23 (less than
> a month from now).  We believe it is crucial that ASAP members and their students and 
> colleagues create and send many letters of support by that deadline.  We, the ASAP Board, 
> are writing our own letters of support and will shortly make samples available to ASAP  
> members, along with related suggestions.  
>  
> 	Finally, if you have any urgent questions or suggestions that are not covered
> above or in reference 1, feel free to contact the ASAP board at board at areciboscience.org ,
> or any member thereof.  (A roster of board and regular members can be found at 
> http://areciboscience.org/WhoAreWe.html   )
> 
> 
> With many thanks,
> 
> The ASAP Board 
> _____________________________
References

1.  The document is called Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
and Initiate Section 106 Consultation for Proposed Changes to Arecibo Observatory Operations, 
Arecibo, Puerto Rico and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Comment Period and is at
 https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/05/23/2016-12036/notice-of-intent-to-prepare-an-environmental-impact-statement-and-initiate-section-106-consultationutm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list&utm_medium=email&utm_source=federalregister.gov
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