This weekend, the Washington Post reported on a leaked proposed budget from the Administration which includes drastic, agency-breaking cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This comes in the wake of new Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross pledging to protect peer-reviewed researchers and shield NOAA climate scientists from partisan attacks and that the Department of Commerce will continue “to research, monitor and report weather and climate information“. Researchers within NOAA breathed a sigh of relief earlier last week when Ross again reiterated his support for their work, pledge to enhance US fisheries programs, support the satellite program, and talked at length about NOAA’s role within Commerce. Ross’s full statement is available online:

That Ross’s vision seems to directly contradict the president’s proposed budget is curious.

Fortunately, our friends from around the internet have been writing about all the good, important, essential work that NOAA does.

Here’s the thing: The president does not set the budget, Congress does. This is the new administration’s wish list. Call *your* representatives (please don’t waste you time calling congresspeople who don’t represent you, they don’t care and you’re tying up the lines that their constituents need to reach them) and tell them that NOAA is vital to our economy, to our health, and to our way of life and that you oppose any reduction in NOAA’s budget. Find your representatives. Here’s a script for you:

Hello, My name is [NAME] and I am a constituent of [CONGRESSPERSON/SENATOR]. I’m calling to ask [CONGRESSPERSON/SENATOR] to oppose any reduction in the budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA provides essential services to the American people, including weather services, coastal resilience, hurricane monitoring, and fisheries management. Programs like SeaGrant are the lifeblood of coastal communities, providing education, job training, and research grants to fund local development. NOAA’s Hurricane Center is critical for tracking hurricanes. One-third of the US economy relies upon services provided by NOAA. Any reduction in NOAA’s budget would be catastrophic to the United States’ coastal economy. Thank you.

If your livelihood depends on NOAA, consider adding “I am a [FISHERMAN/BUSINESS OWNER/AQUACULTURIST/ETC] in [CONGRESSPERSON/SENATOR]’s district and my livelihood and family depend on the services that NOAA provides.”