NOAA Budget Cuts Lead to Layoffs, Research Threats

Proposed and enacted budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by the Trump administration threaten to shutter key research institutes across the U.S., impacting climate, weather, and wildfire forecasting as well as the training of future scientists. Cooperative institutes in Alaska and Colorado, reliant on NOAA funding, face potential closure, jeopardizing local research on climate adaptation, hurricane prediction, and wildfire management. Hundreds of NOAA employees nationwide have already lost their jobs, including those developing advanced hurricane forecasting models that enable earlier warnings for rapidly intensifying storms. The cuts—amounting to about 27% of NOAA’s budget—are seen as undermining scientific advances and reducing the nation’s ability to respond to severe weather events driven by climate change. The uncertainty is creating instability among researchers and students and discouraging new research proposals. NOAA's reduced capacity could affect public safety as climate-related hazards increase.