Proposed budget cuts could impact NOAA during peak hurricane season

NOAA's footprint as budget cuts loom

As Florida braces for the most dangerous part of hurricane season, concerns are growing over potential cuts to the agencies that track and forecast severe weather. Genevieve Curtis reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - As Florida braces for the most dangerous part of hurricane season, concerns are growing over potential cuts to the agencies that track and forecast severe weather.

With a possible government shutdown looming, the administration has proposed cutting NOAA’s budget by $1.7 billion, a reduction of more than 25% from last year. The National Weather Service, which plays a vital role in hurricane forecasting, is among the agencies already reporting its stretched thin from staffing cuts earlier this year.

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Big picture view:

The Environmental Defense fund created an interactive map to demonstrate how NOAA’s work directly affects local communities.

"These aren't just, you know, dots on a map. These are places in their community where their neighbors are employed that are doing things that restore our great marine economy," said Dawn Shirreffs, the Florida director for the Environmental Defense Fund. 

The map highlights 735 NOAA sites across the country, including facilities in the Tampa Bay area.

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Why you should care:

Zooming in on the Tampa Bay region, several key operations for NOAA are shown: 

• Marine Channel Forecast Systems and Weather Forecast Offices
• Aircraft Operations Center where ‘Hurricane Hunter’ planes are housed
• Inspection centers used by fishermen to test their catch
• Law enforcement centers enforcing national and international marine laws
• Fishery management programs for species like billfish and swordfish

These programs don’t just support public safety, they bolster Florida’s economy, said Shirreffs. 

"Florida's red snapper fishery used to really be in critical despair. And because of the work and the data and the science that goes on at NOAA Marine Fisheries, like behind us, we've seen that amazing fishery restore," said Shirreffs.

What they're saying:

While the president’s budget proposal calls for deep cuts, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing back.

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Both the Senate and House budget subcommittees have expressed support for NOAA’s funding. The House budget would limit cuts to just 6% at $400 million, far less than the administration’s proposed $1.7 billion, 25% reduction.

"The services that the NOAA department is providing are benefiting Americans every single day and improving our quality of life and economy," Shirreffs said.

Dig deeper:

Earlier this year, DOGE cut hundreds of positions at NOAA and the NWS, though many positions were eventually refilled following a summer marked by deadly storms and natural disasters.

Governor Ron DeSantis has said that he’s not concerned about the cuts impacting Florida’s storm preparedness.

"I think you're going to see it be okay with the National Hurricane Center. I really do," DeSantis said earlier this year.