04.11.25

Ranking Member Huffman Statement on Trump Admin’s Leaked Budget Plan to Dismantle NOAA and Eliminate Climate Science

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) released the following statement after a leaked FY26 OMB Passback revealed the Trump administration’s plan to gut the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), eliminate core science programs, and transfer key species protections from NOAA to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:? 

“The Trump administration has once again made clear that it’s not just hostile to science – it’s actively working to erase it. These proposed cuts are setting NOAA up to fail. Forget efficiency; this is sabotage.  

“This proposal is a five-alarm fire for anyone who values public safety, coastal resilience, and the foundational science that underpins our nation’s weather forecasts, fisheries, and climate response. From eliminating Sea Grant to wiping out climate research and transferring endangered species responsibilities to an already stretched Fish and Wildlife Service, this is chaos masquerading as policy.? 

“Let’s be clear: this is the Project 2025 playbook in action – a radical billionaire-backed plan to dismantle climate science, silence experts, and strip away the very infrastructure that protects lives and livelihoods. These cuts would decimate NOAA’s ability to forecast hurricanes, manage our fisheries, and support coastal communities facing rising seas and extreme storms. We’re talking about a 74 percent cut to NOAA’s research arm, a 50 percent cut to the National Ocean Service, and the complete elimination of landmark programs like the Integrated Ocean Observing System regional observations, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, and Coastal Zone Management grants. This is reckless and dangerous. 
 
“As someone who has consistently led bipartisan efforts to support NOAA’s mission and strengthen the programs that coastal communities depend on, I will fight tooth and nail to reject this budget. We will use every tool available to block this assault on science and public safety. The American people deserve better than a government that puts ideology over facts, and politics over preparedness."

BACKGROUND? 

The FY26 draft President’s Budget Request for NOAA, revealed in a leaked OMB Passback document, proposes extreme and unprecedented cuts that align with the far-right Project 2025 agenda. Among the most concerning provisions: 

  • A $1.33 billion (28%) cut to NOAA’s Operations, Research, and Facilities budget. 
  • A 74% cut to the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), effectively eliminating NOAA’s core climate science work. 
  • A 50% cut to the National Ocean Service and 29% cut to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). 
  • Complete elimination of vital programs including: 
  • The Sea Grant College and Aquaculture Programs 
  • Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) 
  • Coastal Zone Management Act Grants 
  • National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) 
  • Regional Climate Centers and Climate Competitive Research 
  • Species Recovery Grants, Interjurisdictional Fisheries Grants, and the Pacific  
    Coastal Salmon Recovery Grants 
  • Habitat Conservation and Restoration programs 
  • Climate, weather, ocean laboratories, and NOAA cooperative institutes 

The Passback also directs NOAA to: 

  • Transition management of marine endangered species and marine mammals from NOAA to FWS 
  • Prioritize permitting for fossil fuel development. 
  • Move remaining OAR programs into the National Ocean Service and National Weather Service. 

If enacted, these changes would gut the federal government’s capacity to deliver timely weather alerts, manage fisheries sustainably, and respond to the accelerating climate crisis. The proposals echo past efforts to weaken NOAA under previous administrations but go significantly further by eliminating entire line offices and legally mandated programs. 

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Ana Unruh Cohen
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