NOAA Satellite Imagery on Trump’s Chopping Block

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) could see a 17 percent budget cut under the Trump administration with serious reductions in several climate-related programs.

This GOES imagery indicates the potential for severe storms in the MS & OH River Valleys today. See more imagery @ https://t.co/hmjSGco2js. pic.twitter.com/yTLm7e1gT6

— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) February 28, 2017

The budget memo for NOAA, first reported by the Washington Post on Friday, includes a 26 percent budget cut for the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and cutting a $73 million coastal research program. Ninety percent of the country’s weather data comes from NOAA satellites, which face serious cuts in the proposed budget.

“Cutting NOAA’s satellite budget will compromise NOAA’s mission of keeping Americans safe from extreme weather and providing forecasts that allow businesses and citizens to make smart plans,” former Obama NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco told the Post.

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For a deeper dive:

News: Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, Mashable, Christian Science Monitor

Commentary: Forbes, Marshall Shepherd column, ThinkProgress, Joe Romm column

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