Memorandum of Understanding between the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Collaboration

Sep 11, 2026

Memorandum of Understanding between the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) establishes a formal basis for continued collaboration. The agreement aligns both organizations around strengthening climate-resilient and sustainable infrastructure by leveraging NOAA’s climate expertise and resources. It sets out background cooperation, identifies each party’s mission and role, and defines a purpose focused on improving climate information and services for engineering professionals, updating ASCE educational content, and supporting standards and information-sharing. No legally binding obligations are created unless later agreements explicitly do so.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

I. Background

II. Parties

III. Purpose

IV. Principles

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS AND THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION INTRODUCTION This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is entered into by and between the American Society of Civil Engineers (hereinafter referred to as ASCE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (hereinafter referred to as NOAA) . ASCE and NOAA may hereinafter be referred to individually as “party,” and collectively as “parties.” I. BACKGROUND ASCE and NOAA share a common goal of making the Nation’s infrastructure resilient to the current and future risks of climate change. Pursuant to this shared goal, ASCE and NOAA have recognized the opportunity to work together to leverage NOAA’s climate expertise and resources to better provide the civil engineering community with the information it requires to plan, design, and operate climate-resilient and sustainable infrastructure. As such, ASCE and NOAA have already undertaken a range of existing activities in an aligned manner, including, for example: ● Exploring actions to bridge the gap between climate science and engineering, domestically and internationally, through NOAA’s Climate Program Office; ● Collaborating on wind speed estimation in tornadoes, application of radar rainfall data, surveying and geomatics engineering, and natural and nature-based approaches for coastal resilience; ● Having three NOAA employees serve in ASCE leadership roles on two ASCE Institutes’Governing Boards and numerous other NOAA employees participate in ASCE committees; ● Advancing discussions through NOAA’s listening sessions with the civil engineering community, in which ASCE actively participated; and ● Working to jointly host technical workshops to provide a forum for expert-to-expert discussions on technical areas of mutual interest to ASCE and NOAA, including discussions pertaining to ASCE’s climate information needs (data, observations, future projections) for codes and standards processes, as well as manuals of practice. In recognition of the merit and value of these existing aligned activities, ASCE and NOAA leadership jointly determined there is mutual benefit in a formalized relationship that would support the goals of each organization. Thus, this MOU serves to support further collaboration between ASCE and NOAA. II. PARTIES NOAA is a science-based Federal agency within the Department of Commerce with regulatory, operational, and information service responsibilities with a presence in every U.S. state and territory. Through its long-standing mission of science, service, and stewardship, NOAA generates tremendous value for the Nation – and the world – by advancing our understanding of and ability to anticipate changes in the Earth’s environment by improving society’s ability to make scientifically informed decisions and by conserving and managing ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes’ resources. ASCE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational, and scientific organization that is the repository of technical information for the profession of civil engineering within the United States. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in Reston, Virginia, ASCE represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society ([www.asce.org](www.asce.org)). In fulfilling its mission, ASCE is a major publishing outlet in the advancement, development, and communication of engineering methodologies on an international basis. Through the expertise of its active membership, ASCE is a leading provider of technical and professional conferences and continuing education; is the world’s largest publisher of civil engineering content; and is an authoritative source for codes and standards that protect the public. ASCE advances civil engineering technical specialties through its technical institutes. ASCE is committed to advancing the knowledge and improving the under

FAQs

What is the purpose of the ASCE–NOAA MOU?

To identify opportunities for collaboration and define actions toward common goals, including improving cooperation in developing and delivering climate information and services for civil engineering and allied professionals.

How does the MOU plan to support ASCE and NOAA in their respective roles?

It benefits NOAA by creating a direct communication pathway to engineers and allied professionals, and benefits ASCE by providing a more direct channel to NOAA climate information and services. It also strengthens interactions and information-sharing related to ASCE standards and NOAA information dissemination.

Does the MOU create legally binding obligations?

No. No legally binding obligations are created unless subsequent agreements are executed and those agreements expressly include legally binding obligations.

Sep 11, 2026

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