Video above: Ex-NOAA employee says layoffs could make forecasts less accurate
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Democrats representing Florida in Congress signed onto a letter urging the federal authorities to rethink staffing cuts on the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Nationwide Climate Service (NWS) forward of hurricane season.
This comes amid reports that hundreds of jobs were slated to be slashed on the company, totaling as much as 10% of its workforce.
Within the letter, addressed to Workplace of Administration & Price range Director Russell Vought, the eight congressional Democrats warned of potential unfavorable impacts of workforce reductions at NOAA as a part of the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) initiative.
“These cuts, notably these affecting meteorologists and climate forecasters, pose a right away and extreme risk to hurricane preparedness and response in Florida and throughout the nation,” the letter mentioned.
With lower than three months to go till the official begin of hurricane season, the lawmakers warned job cuts at NOAA would “go away our state extra susceptible to excessive climate, doubtlessly growing the price of catastrophe response and restoration whereas placing lives at higher danger.”
Florida remains to be reeling from the devastation brought on by three deadly storms in 2024.
“Slashing the workforces at NWS and NOAA cripples their capacity to warn and shield the general public, endangering thousands and thousands of People—particularly these in coastal and storm-prone areas just like the Tampa Bay space,” Tampa Bay space Rep. Kathy Castor mentioned in a press release. “These cuts will not be simply irresponsible; they’re deathly harmful and can go away us susceptible to hurricanes and different disasters.”
The letter was signed by Rep. Castor, who represents Hillsborough and Pinellas counties; Rep. Darren Soto, who represents Orange, Osceola and Polk counties; Rep. Maxwell Frost, who represents Orange County; Rep. Lois Frankel, who represents Palm Seashore County; Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who represents a part of Palm Seashore and Broward counties; Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who represents a part of Palm Seashore and Broward counties; Rep. Frederica Wilson, who represents a part of Broward and Miami-Dade counties; and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents Broward County.
Rep. Frankel referred to as the state of affairs “a disaster ready to occur.” Rep. Wasserman Schultz criticized Florida Republicans who didn’t be part of Democrats in signing the letter.
“I crafted this letter to guard NOAA and the NWS with out partisan rhetoric, so my Republican colleagues may comfortably be part of forces with us,” Rep. Wasserman Schultz mentioned in a press release. “Sadly, they refused to unite round our residents’ security. I hope they converse privately with the President to move off this reckless effort. In the event that they don’t, I pray that none of them have purpose to remorse not talking up.”
When requested concerning the staffing cuts final week, a NOAA spokesperson told WFLA the company doesn’t talk about inner personnel and administration issues “as per longstanding observe.”
The 2025 hurricane season begins on June 1.
