Welp, the administration’s new budget is out, and science as a whole does not fare well. Ocean science get it particularly rough. Even at NASA, which seems to have escaped the most, is seeing the ocean-sensing PACE satellite cut. But it’s at NOAA where the ocean science really gets hit.
Why?, well:
“The Budget proposes to eliminate funding for several lower priority, and in many cases, unauthorized, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) grant and education programs, including Sea Grant, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, Coastal Zone Management Grants, the Office of Education, and the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. These eliminations would allow NOAA to better target remaining resources to core missions and services”
This is… not good news. Fortunately, the final word is up to congress, so let’s hope they have more sense.
For the lack of authorization blame congress which can’t seem to do authorization bills. It turns out sea grants authorization bill expired in 2014, and congress just let it run on autopilot. Most federal programs need to be re-authorized by congress every so often, but it seems they just can’t get the job done.