Trump Administration Planning Big Budget Cuts for NOAA

Cuts could hamper country's ability to deal with effects of climate change
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 4, 2017 3:45 PM CST
Trump Administration Planning Big Budget Cuts for NOAA
This satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Matthew moving past Florida's Atlantic coast last year. NOAA is facing a 17% budget cut by the Trump administration.   (NOAA via AP)

The Trump administration looks likely to do serious damage to the country's ability to research climate change and deal with its effects in favor of "rebuilding the military." The Washington Post got its hands on an administration memo detailing a 17% budget cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Per the memo, the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would lose 26% of its budget—or $126 million. NOAA's satellite data division, an important warehouse of climate and environmental information, would lose 22% of its budget—or $513 million. The National Weather Service and National Marine Fisheries Service would lose 5% of their budget each.

Cuts to NOAA's budget would also impact programs designed to help coastal areas deal with rising sea levels and destructive storms. The administration has asked the Commerce Department, of which NOAA is a part, how much it would cost to lay off employees, dump leases, and dispose of government property. A White House official says the numbers in the memo could change as the budget process is still "evolving." The memo indicates the Trump administration is looking to cut budgets elsewhere in order to funnel more funding to the military. Read the full story here. (More National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stories.)

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