Wombles set to return after 27 years as IP deal opens door to comeback
The Wombles are making a comeback after nearly 30 years off screen!
The Guardian World1 min read
US lawmakers fight Trump administration cuts to $386m ocean monitoring program: ‘supreme stupidity’
TL;DR
US lawmakers are urging the National Science Foundation to reverse cuts to a $386 million ocean monitoring program, citing it as a violation of constitutional powers. The program, which tracks vital ocean data, is set to be dismantled without scientific review.
Key points
- Lawmakers oppose cuts to a $386 million ocean monitoring program
- The Ocean Observatories Initiative tracks ocean data and climate change
- Trump administration proposed a 55% budget cut to the NSF
- Lawmakers accuse NSF of acting illegally without scientific review
- Senators urge NSF to consult marine science community before actions
Mentioned in this story
National Science FoundationOcean Observatories InitiativeJeff MerkleyLisa MurkowskiElizabeth Warren
A group of Democratic senators and one Republican, as well as two Democratic House committees, sent letters on Monday to the National Science Foundation asking it to reverse course on its plan to dismantle a sprawling ocean monitoring network, with House lawmakers going further and accusing the agency of acting illegally.
The Ocean Observatories Initiative is a network of more than 900 ocean sensors built at a cost of $386m. Over the last decade it has tracked ocean circulation, marine ecosystems, climate change and extreme weather, producing data freely available to the public and informing more than 500 scientific publications. The project was slated to run another 15 to 20 years.
The National Science Foundation had directed the removal of most of the system’s instruments from waters off Oregon, Washington, Alaska, North Carolina and Greenland by 2027 – a decision scientists said came with no warning and no scientific review. The independent federal agency, which was established by Congress, described the move not as a cancellation but as a “descoping” aligned with a strategy to prioritize “evolving scientific priorities and emerging technologies”. The Trump administration’s proposed 2026 budget had included a 55% cut to the agency.
“It just seems like this is supreme stupidity and a violation of the fundamental distribution of powers in our Constitution,” Jeff Merkley, a Democratic senator of Oregon, told the Associated Press. “This program is authorized, it’s funded, and for the administration to shut it down without direction from Congress violates that vision in which the people’s representatives decide what’s done and funded, and the executive branch executes that vision.”
Merkley and Republican senator, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, co-led the letter , which was also signed by Democratic Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Ron Wyden of Oregon. It urged the National Science Foundation, or NSF, to halt the dismantling of the Ocean Observatories Initiative and conduct a thorough review, including consultation with the marine science community, before any further action is taken.
“Eliminating most of this complex ocean monitoring system threatens the safety of our coastal communities while undermining our nation’s ability to monitor coastal environments, marine currents, and extreme weather events,” the senators wrote.
Q&A
What is the Ocean Observatories Initiative and why is it important?
The Ocean Observatories Initiative is a network of over 900 ocean sensors that tracks ocean circulation, marine ecosystems, and climate change, producing valuable data for scientific research.
What cuts did the Trump administration propose for the National Science Foundation?
The Trump administration proposed a 55% budget cut to the National Science Foundation, which would impact various scientific programs, including the Ocean Observatories Initiative.
Which lawmakers are opposing the cuts to the ocean monitoring program?
A group of Democratic senators, including Jeff Merkley and Elizabeth Warren, along with Republican senator Lisa Murkowski, are opposing the cuts and have sent letters to the National Science Foundation.
What actions are lawmakers requesting from the National Science Foundation?
Lawmakers are urging the National Science Foundation to halt the dismantling of the Ocean Observatories Initiative and conduct a thorough review with input from the marine science community.
