"The Loss of Anybody at NOAA is Directly Connected to Services Lost By Every Individual in the United States" - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica highlights the severe consequences of proposed budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), particularly targeting its Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). The suggested reduction of $485 million would slash OAR’s funding to just over $171 million, effectively eliminating it as a line office. This would dismantle critical research efforts on climate change and atmospheric phenomena, reversing decades of scientific progress and severely undermining the United States’ ability to predict and prepare for extreme weather events such as hurricanes. The article underscores that despite having reliable NOAA data, recent storms like Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused significant destruction and loss, emphasizing the vital role NOAA plays in disaster preparedness. Key institutions such as the University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (CIMAS) and the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) face closure under the proposed cuts. These centers are essential for hurricane hunter missions that provide critical data for forecasting hurricane paths and intensities, contributing to nearly $5 billion in savings per major hurricane. The article stresses that shutting down these institutions would not only reduce forecasting accuracy but also lead to substantial financial and human costs. Additionally, NOAA’s Regional Climate Centers, which support farmers with climate data for managing frost, drought, and other weather-related risks, would cease operations, further impacting agricultural decision-making and resilience. In summary, the article argues that defunding NOAA’s research capabilities is both economically and socially detrimental, threatening public safety, agricultural productivity, and the nation’s ability to respond to climate change. It calls the proposed budget cuts absurd and inhumane, noting that maintaining and enhancing NOAA’s services is crucial for protecting lives, property, and the environment across the United States.