By Noah Fritzhand 

What is NOAA?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is an agency within the Department of Commerce with roots dating back over 200 years. NOAA was established in 1970 as the nation’s first physical science agency, combining the US Coast and Geodetic Survey, Weather Bureau, and US Commission of Fish and Fisheries (founded throughout the 1800s). NOAA is currently the largest agency within the Department of Commerce, making up roughly a quarter of the personnel and half of the department’s annual budget. NOAA’s budget overall makes up just 0.1% of the entire federal budget, yet is an incredibly outsized economic value add for the American people. A recent study by the American Meteorological Society shows that every dollar invested into the National Weather Service, just one of NOAA’s many services, produces $73 in value for the American public. 

NOAA’s mission “to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, ocean, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information with others, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources” is crucial in numerous ways for the safety and security of the United States and its people. NOAA’s research programs, vessels, satellites, science centers, laboratories, and extensive pool of distinguished scientists and experts play key roles in protecting human lives and economic prosperity both domestically and internationally. Current reports indicate as many as 880 people across all six offices of the agency, including meteorologists, hydrologists, early warning systems staff, technicians, and other scientists, have been let go, with more potential reductions in force to come. Disruptions to these functions risk harm to global influence, US military capabilities, and homeland security.