Maritime Infrastructure: A Strategic Approach and Interagency Leadership Could Improve Federal Efforts in the U.S. Arctic

Climate change has led to a significant decline in sea ice cover in the Arctic region over the last four decades, increasing opportunities for shipping. The U.S. Arctic does not have the typical elements of a maritime transportation system such as a deep-draft port, comprehensive waterways charting, and robust communications infrastructure, according to the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS). CMTS is a federal interagency coordinating committee focused on the maritime transportation system that is chaired by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. In 2020 GAO found that although federal agencies have taken some steps to address gaps in U.S. Arctic infrastructure, those efforts are not based on a government-wide assessment of the economic, environmental, and safety risks to inform investment decisions. Leading management practices GAO reviewed note the importance of assessing risks to select and prioritize countermeasures to prevent or mitigate risks. In addition, CMTS has noted the importance of conducting a risk assessment to inform Arctic decision-making and, in a 2013 report, proposed a model for determining risk that considered the likelihood of adverse events occurring, vulnerability to damage, and potential consequences. However, CMTS officials told us that they have not systematically assessed risks posed by maritime infrastructure gaps in the U.S. Arctic because CMTS's priorities are established by its member agencies, and that CMTS has not been directed to conduct such an assessment by its members. Nevertheless, CMTS is required by statute to, among other things, coordinate the establishment of domestic transportation policies in the Arctic to ensure safe and secure maritime shipping and make recommendations with regard to federal policies that impact the marine transportation system. GAO concluded that CMTS is well suited to conduct a government-wide assessment of the risks posed by gaps in maritime infrastructure in the U.S. Arctic, and reported that by conducting an assessment, agencies would have better information on which to base decisions for agency expenditures and prioritize appropriate actions in response to risks in the U.S. Arctic. As such, GAO recommended that CMTS complete a government-wide assessment of the economic, environmental, and safety risks posed by gaps in maritime infrastructure in the U.S. Arctic to inform investment priorities and decisions. In 2022, GAO confirmed that CMTS had taken several actions which, taken together, address the intent of this recommendation. First, CMTS gathered information on the current state of infrastructure that supports the MTS in the U.S. Arctic, and publicly reported this information in CMTS's April 2021, "U.S. Arctic Maritime Transportation System Infrastructure Table: 2021 Update." The table describes actions taken by federal agencies to address infrastructure gaps, including steps taken by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard to award a contract to construct a new heavy polar icebreaker. Second, drawing upon its Arctic Marine Transportation Integrated Action Team, which includes representatives from 18 federal agencies, CMTS collected and reviewed a range of risk assessments and other documents related to the identification and mitigation of risks derived from Arctic infrastructure gaps. In March 2022, CMTS published its "U.S. Arctic Marine Transportation System Infrastructure Risk Resource Compendium," which addresses a range of risks, including the economic, environmental, and safety issues affected by Arctic infrastructure gaps. While this compendium does not represent a government-wide assessment of all risks posed by the infrastructure gaps, it provides useful information to federal agencies responsible for addressing gaps in U.S. Arctic maritime infrastructure to better inform their investment decisions.

Due to the effects of climate change, Arctic sea ice has diminished, lengthening the navigation season and increasing opportunities for maritime shipping. However, the U.S. Arctic lacks maritime infrastructure, such as a deep-draft port and comprehensive nautical charting, to support increased maritime traffic. These infrastructure gaps exacerbate inherent challenges to shipping in the Arctic, such as vast distances and dangerous weather, that can pose safety risks to mariners and environmental risks to the fragile ecosystem. Many federal agencies have a role in U.S. Arctic maritime infrastructure including the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, and others. In April 2020, we reported that agencies had taken some steps to address Arctic maritime gaps identified by federal agencies. For example, the U.S. Coast Guard developed recommended shipping routes and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) continued to chart waters. To guide federal efforts, the White House developed a National Strategy for the Arctic Region in 2013. However, agency officials and stakeholders noted the strategy is now outdated due to changing conditions in the Arctic. As a result, federal efforts lacked a current government-wide strategy for addressing U.S. Arctic maritime infrastructure gaps. In our past work, we have reported that complex interagency efforts, such as those to address maritime infrastructure in the U.S. Arctic, can benefit from a government-wide strategy. We also identified key characteristics of such strategies, such as goals, objectives, and performance measures to gauge and monitor results. Without a current strategy that includes these key characteristics, agencies cannot demonstrate the results of their efforts, and decision makers cannot gauge the extent of progress in addressing Arctic maritime infrastructure gaps. Therefore, we recommended that the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President develop and publish a strategy to address Arctic maritime infrastructure gaps that included key characteristics, such as goals, objectives, and performance measures. In October 2022, the White House issued a National Strategy for the Arctic Region (National Strategy). The National Strategy identified broad goals that include improving maritime capabilities in the U.S. Arctic, such as the need for enhanced communications, mapping, charting, and navigational capabilities, and a deep draft harbor. Furthermore, in October 2023, the White House issued an Implementation Plan for the National Strategy. The Implementation Plan furthers the National Strategy by identifying specific infrastructure objectives associated with the goals outlined in the strategy and a means to measure progress in the addressing in gaps. For example, the Implementation Plan identifies developing a deep draft harbor in Nome, Alaska as an objective. It also identifies a next-step of making data available to the public on the seafloor depths available for planning and nautical charts for approaches to the harbor, within two years of acquisition. Although the Plan does not include quantifiable performance measures for all areas of the strategy, by including the next steps and the agencies responsible for the objectives, it serves as a useful tool to gauge progress in addressing Arctic maritime infrastructure gaps. As a result of these White House actions, the many agencies involved in the U.S. Arctic will be better positioned to leverage resources to target infrastructure improvements that would best mitigate the risks of shipping in the U.S. Arctic. In addition, decision makers can better gauge the extent of progress agencies have made in addressing maritime infrastructure gaps.

Climate change has led to a significant decline in sea ice cover in the Arctic region over the last four decades, making Arctic waters navigable for longer periods of time and increasing opportunities for shipping. However, the lack of maritime infrastructure in the region presents safety and environmental risks. Many federal agencies have a role in Arctic maritime shipping and infrastructure, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In 2020, GAO reported that although there are many efforts to coordinate agency actions in the U.S. Arctic, the Executive Office of the President had not designated an interagency group responsible for developing or executing a strategy for maritime infrastructure in the U.S. Arctic. In addition, the existing efforts to coordinate federal actions lacked consistent interagency leadership and inclusion of relevant stakeholders to guide agencies' actions. Specifically, interagency activity in the U.S. Arctic historically had been coordinated through the National Security Council (NSC). To enhance coordination, a January 2015, Executive Order established the Arctic Executive Steering Committee (AESC) to shape national priorities and set strategic direction in the Arctic. The AESC included NSC as a member along with over 20 federal departments and entities and was chaired by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), which leads interagency science and technology policy coordination efforts within the White House. However, according to agency officials interviewed by GAO, the AESC was dormant and had not met in 2 years, and OSTP staff told GAO that they are not aware of any current AESC activities. Moreover, although the NSC was leading an Arctic policy coordinating committee, GAO was unable to verify the participants in this forum so it was unclear whether relevant stakeholders were involved. GAO has previously reported that interagency efforts can benefit from the leadership of a single entity to provide assurance that federal programs are well coordinated. Without an interagency mechanism with sustained leadership and inclusion of relevant stakeholders, agencies may miss opportunities to leverage resources toward achieving a broader outcome in the U.S. Arctic. As result, GAO recommended that the appropriate entities within the Executive Office of the President, including OSTP, should designate the interagency group responsible for leading and coordinating federal efforts to address maritime infrastructure in the U.S. Arctic that includes all relevant stakeholders. As of January 2022, OSTP has taken sufficient action to implement this recommendation. First, in September 2021, the White House announced that it was reactivating the AESC as a mechanism to advance U.S. interests and coordinate federal actions in the Arctic, including maritime infrastructure. In doing so, it appointed an Executive Director and convened its first meeting in December 2021. The White House's announcement emphasized the inclusion of relevant stakeholders in AESC activities, such as by reinforcing collaborative partnerships with Alaskan Native communities in the region. Second, OSTP officials reported that in response to GAO's recommendation it included a proposal in the U.S. Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026 to form an interagency team to collaborate on research to monitor and develop land-based and maritime infrastructure that would amplify federal investment in the Arctic and prevent duplication of effort. Finally, OSTP and the Office of Management and Budget agreed to work with federal agencies to review large-scale infrastructure needs in the U.S. Arctic, including maritime infrastructure, to recommend priorities for federal spending. As a result of these actions, OSTP has an interagency leadership and coordination effort in place to address maritime infrastructure and achieve government-wide priorities in the complex and changing U.S. Arctic.