NOAA's Future in Jeopardy as Federal Budget Cuts Loom

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration supports critical economic and environmental functions, but proposed funding reductions threaten its operations.

• NOAA's work supports over one-third of the U.S. GDP, including fisheries, tourism, and coastal protection industries.
• The agency plays a key role in preventing overfishing, regulating aquaculture, and maintaining healthy fish populations, contributing $321 billion in sales and 2.3 million jobs annually.
• NOAA monitors and restores coral reefs, which generate $3 billion in benefits yearly and protect coastlines from storm damage.
• Efforts to combat invasive species, such as zebra mussels in the Great Lakes and lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico, are led by NOAA to protect native ecosystems and reduce economic damage.
• Proposed budget cuts and privatization discussions under the Trump administration could dismantle NOAA's climate research and forecasting capabilities, critical for addressing climate change and extreme weather risks.

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