Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representative’s Natural Resources Committee heard from a panel of experts Wednesday concerning the consequences of the recent federal cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by the federal government.
Besides laying off more than 800 employees at NOAA, headquartered in Silver Spring, 34 offices across 17 states and territories are expected to be shuttered.
Rear Admiral John White, an oceanographer and former Navy deputy to NOAA, explained the Navy and NOAA are “a partnership. It’s one team. The Navy relies on information from NOAA.”
“Without the NOAA information, without leading the world in this, then our national security and the safety of our men and women are at risk,” White told committee members.
Mary Glackin, a retired NOAA official, spoke of a future without important weather forecasting where more people would die from storms and states will suffer from a lack of tourism as increased pollution damages the land.
“This could not be a worse time of year for this happening” with hurricane season about to begin, she said.
Other speakers talked about the harm to the fishing industry, wildfire fighting and climate change.
“NOAA is not a luxury. It is a lifeline,” said Dr. Maxine Dexter, a U.S. Congressmember representing Oregon.
Here is the 90-minute forum.
