{"id":9356,"date":"2026-07-21T16:18:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T20:18:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/edfish\/?p=9356"},"modified":"2026-07-21T16:18:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T20:18:42","slug":"noaa-faces-significant-budget-cuts-whats-at-stake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/edfish\/2026\/07\/21\/noaa-faces-significant-budget-cuts-whats-at-stake\/","title":{"rendered":"NOAA Faces Significant Budget Cuts: What\u2019s\u00a0at\u00a0Stake?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides critical services to everyday Americans,\u00a0but\u00a0the Trump Administration has proposed a\u00a026 percent\u00a0cut to its\u00a0budget.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By: Olivia Stevens, Project Manager, Federal Legislative Campaigns <\/sub><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before a hurricane makes landfall, NOAA helps communities prepare for impact. Before fishermen head out to sea, NOAA provides information and data to ensure their catch is productive, sustainable, and safe. Before farmers plant crops, NOAA helps them make informed decisions based on weather and climate forecasts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Letter<\/a>
Letter from Robert White to NOAA employees upon\u00a0formation\u00a0of NOAA in 1970.<\/sub> Credit: NOAA Photo Library.<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For more than fifty years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has served as the nation\u2019s trusted source of weather, climate, ocean, and fisheries science. The agency’s role cannot be understated\u2014underpinning weather safety, coastal economies, and the conservation of marine resources. As Congress and the Administration negotiate federal spending levels for fiscal year 2027, which begins October 1st<\/sup>, critical NOAA programs are at risk. Understanding its function and why it matters has never been more important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bipartisan legacy of protecting Americans <\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

NOAA was established in 1970<\/a> under President Richard Nixon as part of a government reorganization effort, consolidating several existing organizations\u2014such as the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, the U.S. Weather Bureau, and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries\u2014into one. The creation of NOAA reflected bipartisan recognition that US citizens benefit from federal investment in understanding and managing our natural resources. From the seafood we eat to the weather alerts that protect our families, NOAA provides services that Americans rely on every day\u2014even if many never realize it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOAA\u2019s work touches every<\/strong>one\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Launch<\/a>
Launch of a weather balloon\u00a0as part of the NOAA Hydrometeorology Testbed\u00a0to study extreme precipitation\u00a0and make communities more resilient to\u00a0its\u00a0impacts.\u00a0South Dakota, 2004. Credit: Eric\u00a0Kurth, NOAA Photo Library<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

NOAA\u2019s services are woven into daily life.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agency\u2019s National Weather Service provides daily forecasts and severe storm warnings that help families, businesses, and emergency responders prepare for storms, floods, heatwaves, and more. Its predictions protect lives and reduce damages to homes, infrastructure, and local economies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For coastal communities, NOAA provides critical information to respond to sea level rise, flooding, and changing ocean conditions. Through coastal management programs, ocean observation, and habitat restoration, NOAA helps communities make informed decisions that can mean the difference between resilient homes, roads, or power grids and leaving them vulnerable to destruction.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the millions of people who make a living on the water,\u00a0NOAA\u00a0is a critical part of daily life. Commercial\u00a0fishermen\u00a0use NOAA data to know where fish populations are healthy, what they can\u00a0legally catch, and how to plan successful seasons without depleting\u00a0fish stocks\u00a0they rely on.\u00a0In 2023 alone<\/a>, US fisheries\u00a0provided\u00a0nearly\u00a0two\u00a0million jobs and generated hundreds of billions of dollars in\u00a0sales impacts\u2014these are economies that NOAA helps sustain.\u00a0The agency supports\u00a0coastal businesses\u00a0while keeping\u00a0fisheries productive,\u00a0ensuring that you and I can put\u00a0sustainable\u00a0seafood on the dinner table for years to come.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps most crucially, NOAA helps us understand how and why the climate is changing, and what steps communities and decision-makers can take to mitigate the worst impacts.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re interested in how NOAA works for your community, check out EDF\u2019s NOAA Footprint<\/a> map.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"NOAA's<\/a>
NOAA’s marsh restoration project. NOAA’s efforts successfully slowed down the rapid rate of wetland loss in the region, improving essential habitats for coastal fisheries and wildlife. Louisiana, 1999. Credit: Erik Zobrist, NOAA Photo Library.<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The agency is in jeopardy<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In April, the Trump Administration released its Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request to Congress<\/a>, a preliminary blueprint that is often used as a starting point for Congressional negotiations. The proposal calls for a devastating <\/strong>26 percent reduction to NOAA\u2019s budget <\/strong>and the elimination of 35 programs and institutes\u2014more than $1 billion in cuts. These cuts include:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n