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<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dear ASAP Members,</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The NSF last week made an important decision regarding Arecibo. </div><div>As a result of the NEPA process over the last couple of years, the NSF </div><div>AST posted a “Record of Decision” in conjunction with the National </div><div>Science Board to the effect that NSF would pursue its “preferred </div><div>alternative” which is to continue to operate Arecibo at what will be a </div><div>much smaller budget from NSF. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This removes the threat of closure, mothballing or deconstruction </div><div>by the NSF for the foreseeable future.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Now the NSF AST will proceed to award a management contract </div><div>to some entity for presumably a new five-year period. NSF AST will be </div><div>announcing the new management organization within the next several </div><div>months.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Please see the link below to a Washington Post article about the </div><div>situation of the Arecibo Observatory, Hurricane Maria, and the NSF's</div><div>“Record of Decision”.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Best regards,</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Secretary</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/11/16/hurricane-battered-arecibo-telescope-will-keep-studying-the-skies/?utm_term=.6662264995ed">https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/11/16/hurricane-battered-arecibo-telescope-will-keep-studying-the-skies/?utm_term=.6662264995ed</a></div></body></html>