Internal government documents suggest major changes National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The 2026 budget was cut by 25%, according to a draft obtained by CBS News from three sources. Cuts attack the institution’s research function most vigorously.
Under the proposal, marine and atmospheric research will be eliminated as an office, as well as all funding for climate, weather, marine research labs, cooperatives and several other programs, according to documents obtained by CBS News.
The memo is labelled as “predecision,” which is considered the first proposal by the Budget and Control Office during the so-called “passback” process. According to the Congressional Research Service, during “passbacks,” the agency can appeal the decision to the OMB.
The draft document proposes a $1.672 billion cut from the 2025 funding level noaa“The passback level will focus on core operational needs, eliminate unnecessary levels of bureaucracy, support a more lean NOAA that ends activities that end non-essential grant programs and end activities that do not justify the role of the federal government.”
Current and former NOAA officials described the memo’s purpose as “devastating” and stated that the research is generally the backbone for improving services.
“Cutting research reduces our ability to improve predictions and forecasts,” former NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad told CBS News on Friday.
“It’s not just hurricanes and tornadoes. The climate side of things includes seasonal outlook. So the precipitation that is clearly used by the agricultural community is what the insurance and reinsurance industry wants to know,” says Spinrad.
Current NOAA employees spoke to CBS News anonymously out of fear of retaliation, saying that they are most concerned about the memo’s “completely ignoring how important research on the Earth system is for human survival.”
The National Weather Service funding remains the same, but the draft suggests moving the Space Weather Prediction Center. Solar flare and Geomagnetic stormfrom NOAA to the Department of Homeland Security.
In the Space Commerce office, Higher priority within NOAAPassback proposes to terminate a traffic adjustment system for space that helps coordinate traffic in space and protect it from collisions. “We propose that useful elements of TRACSS efforts may be transferred to non-governmental agencies.
Congressional Democrats have also warned about the proposal.
“NOAA’s Trump budget plan is outrageous, dangerous. They’re completely destroying important offices, like NOAA’s Marine and Atmospheric Research Line Office, which is the basis for the agency’s mission to protect lives and property.”
NOAA sources say they managed to oppose the management and the Budget Bureau during the “passback” period, but they worry that it will be much more difficult to sue under the current administration.
“There has been no final funding decision,” said Alexandra McCandless, a spokesman for OMB.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
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