Lawmakers Oppose National Science Foundation’s Plan to Wind Down Ocean Observatories Initiative
A bipartisan group of lawmakers and House committees are opposing the National Science Foundation’s plan to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative, a $386 million network of ocean sensors that has provided public data on climate change, marine ecosystems, and ocean circulation for over a decade.
A group of Democratic senators and Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, along with two Democratic House committees, have sent letters to the National Science Foundation requesting it reverse its plan to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative. The initiative, which cost $386 million to build and includes more than 900 ocean sensors, has produced data freely available to the public and contributed to more than 500 scientific publications over the past decade. The National Science Foundation has directed the removal of most instruments from waters off Oregon, Washington, Alaska, North Carolina, and Greenland by 2027. House lawmakers have accused the agency of acting illegally. The initiative was originally slated to operate for another 15 to 20 years and is being wound down under President Donald Trump's administration. According to news.mongabay.com, Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley is drafting legislation to freeze the removal of instruments until a full scientific review is completed. Pushback against the National Science Foundation’s actions coincides with planned instrument removals and an expected El Niño event.
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