Stewardship Property, Plant, and Equipment (Stewardship PP&E)

Stewardship PP&E are assets, the physical properties of which resemble those of the General PP&E that is traditionally capitalized in the financial statements of federal entities. Due to the nature of these assets, however, valuation would be difficult and matching costs with specific periods would not be meaningful.

Heritage Assets:

Heritage assets are unique for their historical or natural significance, for their cultural, educational, or artistic importance, or for their significant architectural characteristics. The Department generally expects that these assets will be preserved indefinitely.

In cases where a heritage asset also has a practical and predominant use for general government operations, the asset is considered a multi-use heritage asset. The costs of multi-use heritage assets are capitalized as General PP&E and are depreciated over the useful life of the asset.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):

Collection-type Heritage Assets: The NOAA’s collection-type heritage assets are comprised primarily of books, publications, manuscripts, records, and nautical chart plates. The NOAA uses the Condition Assessment Survey (CAS) method to describe the condition of its heritage assets. The CAS method is based on a five-point scale with 1 representing excellent condition; 2 - good condition; 3 - fair condition; 4 - poor condition; and 5 - very poor condition. Assets with the condition assessment level between 1 through 3 are defined as being suitable for public display. The books, publications, and manuscripts which make up the majority of the assets are in 4 - poor condition, and 5 - very poor condition.

Galveston Laboratory: Galveston Laboratory is comprised of seven buildings that were originally part of Fort Crockett, an Army coastal defense facility built shortly after 1900. These buildings are eligible for placement on the National Register. Due to their historic significance, exterior architectural features, and predominant use in government operations, the Galveston Laboratory is considered a multi-use heritage asset. This facility is undergoing a renovation in three phases. Phases I and II are complete, and Phase III commenced in October 2004. A bid solicitation for Phase III-A, renovation of Building 306, was issued, and a contract has been approved. The renovations are 60 percent complete as of September 30, 2005.

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Aquarium: In Woods Hole, Massachusetts, this aquarium is used to educate the public, raise public awareness of NMFS activities, and accommodate in-house research for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, part of NOAA’s mission. The aquarium houses 16 separate exhibition tanks holding more than 140 species of fish and invertebrates. The tanks range in size from 75 to 2,800 gallons. The general condition of the aquarium is good. The NMFS Aquarium is considered a multi-use heritage asset because it is also used for NOAA’s scientific research, which is part of its mission.

Office of Atmospheric Research (OAR) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL): The GLERL carries out research and provides scientific products, expertise, and services required for effective management and protection of Great Lakes and coastal ecosystems. Built in 1900 and formerly a Coast Guard base at Muskegon, Michigan, the GLERL includes three buildings and a research vessel dockage. The function of the field station is to provide a base of operations for GLERL’s primary research vessel, which is presently the Research Vessel Shenehon, and to provide a focal point for GLERL’s research on Lake Michigan.

Stewardship Marine Sanctuaries and Coral Reef Reserve:

NOAA:

National Marine Sanctuaries: In 1972, Congress passed the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (Act) in response to a growing awareness of the intrinsic environmental and cultural value of our coastal waters. The Act authorized the Secretary of Commerce to designate discrete areas as National Marine Sanctuaries. These protected waters provide a secure habitat for species close to extinction, and also protect historically significant shipwrecks and prehistoric artifacts. The sanctuaries are also used for recreational diving and sport fishing, and support valuable commercial industries such as fishing and kelp harvesting. As of September 30, 2005, 13 National Marine Sanctuaries, which include near-shore coral reefs and open ocean, have been designated, covering a total area of 19 thousand square miles. The waters and resources of the National Marine Sanctuaries are generally in good condition, though some specific resources (e.g. certain coral reefs, some commercial and recreational fisheries, and some benthic habitats) are threatened. Each individual sanctuary site (Monterey Bay, the Florida Keys, the Olympic Coast, and Channel Island are the largest four) conducts research and monitoring activities to characterize existing resources and document changes.

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve: Approximately 70 percent of all coral reefs located in U.S. waters surround the NWHI. The NWHI Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve is the nation’s largest marine protected area, and was established by Executive Orders in December 2000 and January 2001 in accordance with the National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000. The NOAA is presently developing an operations plan for the Reserve, which covers 132 thousand square miles, and has also initiated the process to designate the Reserve as a National Marine Sanctuary. The final Reserve Operations Plan (ROP) is now in its formal clearance process. Once completed, the ROP will be released to the public. The ROP serves as a guide for management of the reserve during the sanctuary designation process. The conclusion of the designation process is expected in the spring of 2006.