NOAA is part of the Commerce Department, which would be hit by an overall 18 percent budget reduction from its current funding level. NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would lose $126 million, or 26 percent, of the funds it has under the current budget. A spokesperson for the Commerce Department declined to comment. “Cutting NOAA’s satellite budget will compromise NOAA’s mission of keeping Americans safe from extreme weather and providing forecasts that allow businesses and citizens to make smart plans,” she said. Rick Spinrad, a former chief scientist for NOAA, said: “NOAA’s research and operations, including satellite data management, support critical safety needs.

Source: Washington Post March 04, 2017 00:18 UTC