Open letters from National Marine and Atmospheric Administration graduates:
As a former employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, we write to request your support from NOAA dedicated professionals who tirelessly serve our country every day. We are graduates of diverse agencies who have served both Republican and Democrat administrations. We know first hand experience the important role NOAA plays in protecting the lives and livelihoods of people across the country. Every community in the country relies on NOAA’s science and services, and every sector of the economy benefits from NOAA’s data and products. We are deeply concerned about NOAA’s mission, workforce and budget.
Below are some examples of the key ways in which NOAA employees today serve our country, our economy and our people.
● Thanks to NOAA’s National Weather Service, the Office of Marine and Aviation, and the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Services, Americans receive accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts that will save hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of lives, helping people know when to evacuate during a curriculum or wildfire.
● NOAA’s National Marine Services supports coastal states and territories bordering the Great Lakes, the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf Coast. If you enjoy beach vacations, fishing trips, birdwatching in coastal swamps, or items shipped through one of hundreds of ports and marinas across the country, you can be grateful for your work in conserving those important coastal assets and resources.
● NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Services, in collaboration with recreational and commercial fishing, will support the sustainable management of US fisheries, which provide more than $300 billion in sales per year to the national economy, ensuring sustainable seafood for Americans to enjoy food and sport fishing.
● NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research provides critical climate data and services that communities and businesses rely on to understand risks and take action to reduce the economic impacts of extreme weather and climate change. NOAA climate information helps businesses and communities implement mitigation measures that reduce economic losses from extreme weather and return losses of up to $13 for each dollar our citizens spend on disaster resilience. Insurers increasingly refuse to provide coverage across a wider part of the country due to increased climate risk, national insurance programs buckle under crippled debt and refund NOAA climate services, relying on millions of American homeowners and businesses to increase emergency response costs borne by US taxpayers.
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● NOAA’s Space Prediction Prediction Center also works to ensure that forecasts are provided that alert businesses to solar storms that can disrupt satellites and GPS services. It is estimated that $1.4 trillion is donated to the US economy every year on GPS services alone.
For over half a century, NOAA has provided these and many other important services to American communities and businesses. Disbanding, reimbursing or reducing NOAA’s highly integrated workforce will have a serious impact on our country’s economy. It also makes it more difficult to receive weather forecasts, ensure the safety of seafood and ensure timely delivery of purchases from overseas, primarily delivered from ports in our country. This work, led by NOAA, protects the lives and livelihoods of all Americans. This job can only be done through the efforts of employees who work hard every day to serve the masses.
We urge members of Congress, the private sector, and American citizens to recognize, value, and defend the important contributions that NOAA and its people make to our country and our economy. Together we need to make sure NOAA and its workforce have enough funds and resources to continue the important work that benefits the American people.
From the heart,
Dr. Richard W. Spinlad, former administrator, former chief scientist, former chief scientist, former assistant administrator
US Navy Doctor (retired), former deputy administrator, former deputy administrator, Admiral Tim Galadette
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, former administrator and former chief scientist
Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., former administrator
Vice Admiral Conrad Rothenbacher, US Navy (retired), PhD, former administrator
Dr. D. James Baker, former administrator
Dr. William J. Brennan, former acting administrator, former assistant administrator, former assistant vice director
Former Deputy Administrator, Johnny Bavisi
Dr. Michael C. Morgan, former Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction
Admiral Manson K. Brown (retired from USCG), former Secretary of Commerce, Environmental Observations and Prediction
Terry Garcia, former Director of Commerce, Ocean and Atmospheric Advisor, former General Counsel
Eric Schwab, Deputy Secretary for the Protection and Management of Former Deputy Assistant, Former Assistant Administrator at NOAA Fisheries
Mary M. Grackin, former deputy director of former executive director.
NOAA Corps (retirement), Vice Admiral Michael Devanney, former Vice Director
Brigadier General John J. Kelly Jr., USAF (retired), former vice-director’s marine and atmosphere secretary, assistant manager of weather services.
Monica Medina, former Deputy Deputy Secretary
Dr. Kelly Crick, former Deputy Director, International Fisheries Secretary
Russell Smith, former Deputy Director of International Fisheries
Susan Raffo, former vice-president of the International Bureau
Sally Yosel, former Deputy Director of Oceans and Atmospheric, Former Director of Policy
Editor’s Note: This letter was signed by more than 50 former NOAA employees, including those listed here.
