(The Hill) — Staffing levels at the nation’s already hobbled weather, climate and oceans agency could take a further nosedive in the days ahead.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will cut 1,029 more staffers as part of its Trump-mandated reduction in force, said JoAnn Becker, national president of the union that represents national weather service employees.
Another source confirmed the 1,029 cuts to The Hill. They come after hundreds of other employees were recently fired. The agency had a total of about 13,000 staffers before the firings, meaning the total cuts could be about 15 percent of its staff.
That source said that offices within NOAA have been asked to cut entire agency functions rather than slash a portion of the people who do similar work. Managers will have until midday Tuesday to propose the cuts, which will later be reviewed by NOAA leadership and the Department of Commerce.
The job cuts were first reported by The New York Times.
Meanwhile, several sources tell The Hill that at least some of those who were previously fired have been recalled to the National Weather Service (NWS), which falls under NOAA.
One source said the returns are not particularly widespread and only applied to a small group of people. It’s not immediately clear how many.
NOAA declined to comment on the matter.
“Per long-standing practice, we are not discussing internal personnel and management matters,” spokesperson Monica Allen said via email.
“NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation’s environmental and economic resilience.”
In addition to weather service, NOAA’s other work includes research on oceans and climate and managing fisheries and other ocean ecosystems.
When he was facing confirmation, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he did not support conservative proposals to dismantle NOAA. But both sets of cuts could together leave the agency without significant chunks of its staff members.
They come as the Trump administration and the new Department of Government Efficiency say they want to cut down on government waste. However, critics warn that essential functions could be going to the wayside, and have particularly raised concerns about losing weather forecasters.
Becker told The Hill last week that the National Weather Service Employees Organization is “very concerned about the operational readiness of 122 Weather Forecast Offices due to this the already extreme staffing shortage.”
“All that NWS employees want to do is to best serve and protect the American public and their communities,” she said.
