WASHINGTON — Scientists and researchers are warning that the Trump administration’s firing of hundreds of workers at NOAA, the agency that provides the U.S. government’s weather forecasts, will put American lives at risk and stifle crucial climate research.
The layoffs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration come amid efforts by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency to shrink a federal workforce at the direction of President Donald Trump.
Thousands of probationary employees across the government have already been fired.
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“There will be people who die in extreme weather events and related disasters who would not have otherwise,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.
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Susan Buchanan, a spokesperson for NOAA, declined to comment on the cuts, saying in a statement late Friday that the agency would not be discussing personnel matters, “per long-standing practice.”
“NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation’s environmental and economic resilience,” Buchanan said. “We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission.”
In addition to everyday forecasting, NOAA — which houses the National Weather Service, the National Hurricane Center and two tsunami warning centers — provides crucial information to help Americans survive weather emergencies.
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The cuts come at a time when scientists say climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and wildfires. With faster and more accurate weather warnings, authorities have a better chance of saving lives, experts say.
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Advances in weather forecasting are credited with bringing down death tolls from weather-related disasters across the world, even as populations have increased and weather has become more extreme.
“Whether they know it or not, every American in every part of the country relies on NOAA every day,” Democratic U.S. Senator Patty Murray said in a statement. “This is dangerous and could be catastrophic for our economy.”
The new entity Department of Government Efficiency has cut more than 100,000 of the federal government’s 2.3 million workers through a combination of layoffs and buyouts.
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NOAA, which employs 12,000 people, is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The agency’s divisions also develop long-term climate models, conduct environmental research, collect atmospheric data, oversee commercial fisheries and maintain radar systems, among other responsibilities. While many of its offices are not household names, its activities often touch the lives of everyday Americans in tangible ways, such as assuring the safety and supply of seafood and enabling farmers to maximize crop yields.
NOAA data is also used by many countries that cannot afford their own weather monitoring as well as researchers worldwide to advance scientific study.
By VALERIE VOLCOVICI, RICH MCKAY and LEAH DOUGLAS
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump’s firings at US weather agency puts lives at risk, scientists say
