What Has NOAA Ever Done for Me?

By Mark J. Palmer

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is an obscure agency to most people. But it has become a huge political target for one reason – it has been accurately warning Americans and the world about the dangers of global warming.

Our atmosphere is absorbing more and more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, largely from the burning of fossil fuels like natural gas, gasoline, and coal. CO2 in the atmosphere allows sunlight to penetrate to the surface of the Earth, but blocks the resulting heat energy from radiating out into space. A little CO2 in our atmosphere is important for many reasons, but too much results in increased temperatures, which result in melting glaciers, stronger storms, flooding and drought, longer fire seasons, extreme temperatures, and other damaging impacts.

But extremist members of Congress and the administration, funded by massive contributions from the oil and coal industries, are now in control of the White House, and narrowly control both houses of Congress.

NOAA bases its assessments for weather on science, but opposition to the concept of global warming (which President Trump has called a “hoax”) is strictly political, in a most ferocious way. By allowing Elon Musk to move in and break up NOAA, cutting expenses and firing workers, President Trump is destroying science-based research and solutions.

President Trump and Elon Musk (who himself used to warn about global warming dangers) want us all to stick our heads in the sand and ignore the consequences of an economic system addicted to fossil fuels. Isn’t it past time to imagine an economic system relying on renewable, non-polluting energy sources that is also committed to regreening the earth to absorb CO2?

“The Trump administration appears desperate to ignore reality, but wishful thinking can’t erase climate change,” said Ben Tettlebaum, director and senior staff attorney, The Wilderness Society.

NOAA is much more than a global warming research program. NOAA maintains the most important array of weather forecasting in the world, providing data that weatherpersons the world over use to predict weather events. They track storms to warn the public.

NOAA is also responsible for the health of the ocean, providing scientific expertise regarding weather at sea, dangerous conditions, and long-term trends. They maintain the system of National Marine Sanctuaries around the US coastline.

NOAA also houses the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, also known as NOAA Fisheries). NMFS manages both commercial and recreational fishing throughout the world’s oceans, protecting access to international fisheries grounds for commercial fishermen.

NMFS further is responsible for safeguarding whales and dolphins in accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA). NMFS oversees efforts to disentangle whales and dolphins from fishing gear and experiments with alternative gear that does not harm marine mammals.

Today, the MMPA and ESA was the subject of a hearing in Washington DC before the House Natural Resources Committee. One rumor is that the conservatives who dominate the House will push to allow the killing of seals and sea lions by fishermen with the specious excuse that it will protect fishing. They also may try to stop NMFS programs like speed limits for vessels in the Atlantic to protect endangered right whales from ship strikes. Neither are good ideas.

Environmentalists and many members of Congress are pushing back against the Trump administration and its wrecking ball approach to dismantling the federal government.

Effects are likely to soon become apparent to the general public, as these obscure agencies that do so much to protect us and our environment are subsequently bulldozed away.

Can we reverse course in DC? That largely depends on voters contacting members of Congress to stop the destruction of NOAA and other important government agencies.

What You Can Do:

Contact your two Senators and one Representative in Congress.

Here’s how to find the two Senators and one Representative who represent you in Congress. https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

Each member has a website where there is either a direct link to the office, or an email address, or a phone number.

Write or call your members of Congress and urge them to oppose breaking up NOAA. Encourage them to hold the line and not allow Elon Musk and President Trump to fire personnel, defund essential services or block further research. Also urge your representative and senators to protect the ESA and MMPA from being weakened.

Thank you for your help!