Proposed budget could reduce NOAA funding by $2 billion

A 2026 budget estimates document from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reveals a roughly $2 billion cut in expenses. If approved by congress, the administration would also see an 18% reduction in staff.

Decreases in NOAA budget

Total decreases in budget amount to $1,027,976,000 and come from a variety of programs. The largest cuts come from programs like:

• Marine Mammal, Sea Turtles and Other Species Reduction - $107,455,000
• GOES-R Series - $197,400,000

Terminations in budget

Total terminations from the budget amount to $1,154,085,000 and come from a variety of programs, projects and research including:

• Termination of OAR’s Climate Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes - $102,292,000
• Termination of OAR’s Weather Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes - $90,156,000
• Termination of OAR’s National Sea Grant College Program - $80,000,000
• Space Weather Follow On - $97,200,000

Increases in budget

The budget estimate document also listed a handful of increases that amount to $356,956,000 and include boosts in funding for programs such as:

• Geostationary Extended Observations - $100,000,000
• Transition Weather and Air Chemistry Research Programs from OAR - $61,334,000

According to a USA Today article, only a small fraction of NOAA Research would remain and be transferred to the National Weather Service if the budget were approved by Congress.

The full NOAA budget estimates document can be found here.