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By Valerie Volcovici
(Reuters) -The administration of President Donald Trump aims to eliminate the arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that oversees research on climate change and refocus the U.S. fisheries service to support energy development, according to a draft White House budget document seen by Reuters.
The moves are part of a plan to downsize NOAA dramatically, slashing agency funding by around $1.67 billion, or 27%, according to the proposal.
The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, known also as NOAA Research, would be closed under the proposal, along with $480 million in funding for regional climate data and information, agency research laboratories, and cooperative institutes, among other programs.
NOAA, a division of the Department of Commerce, is a scientific agency that oversees weather and climate forecasts, monitors ocean and atmospheric conditions and manages the nation's commercial fisheries.
The Trump administration has fired hundreds of NOAA workers as part of its effort to slash government bureaucracy.
“No final funding decisions have been made,” Alexandra McCandless, a spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget, said in an email.
Environmental groups criticized the proposal, saying it would leave communities vulnerable to extreme weather, threaten ocean species and harm commercial fisheries.
“This is ludicrous! Whether you live on a coast or in the heartland, these proposed cuts to NOAA will impact you,” Beth Lowell, an executive at conservation group Oceana, said in an email. “Congress must act to stop the dismantling of NOAA that would directly threaten the millions of Americans that depend on healthy oceans for their jobs, businesses, and seafood dinners.”
Commerce Department officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Under the proposal, NOAA would transfer key responsibilities of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for protecting endangered species and marine mammals to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is housed by the Interior Department.
NMFS, known as NOAA Fisheries, would also lose funding for species recovery grants, interjurisdictional fisheries grants and habitat conservation and restoration - programs that are significant to the commercial fishing industries.
"NMFS should prioritize permitting and consultation activities in order to support Administration priorities and unleash American energy," the document said.
The proposal would preserve $170 million in (OAR) funding for some programs related to severe storms, weather and ocean exploration, according to the document.
(Reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington and Nichola Groom in Los Angeles; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Bill Berkrot)
