Trump administration reverses decision to scrap ocean monitoring system
Summary
The Trump administration has stopped plans to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), a $368 million system that monitors ocean conditions. This decision came after protests from scientists and lawmakers who rely on the data for climate and weather research.Key Facts
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced it will keep the OOI running and will not remove any more equipment.
- The OOI has over 900 instruments that collect data on ocean currents, climate, and marine life.
- The observatory arrays are located near North Carolina, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and between Greenland and Iceland.
- Scientists warned that losing the system would harm weather forecasts and climate research.
- The Senate passed a bipartisan bill stopping funds for OOI dismantling until a full review and input from experts are completed.
- Senators Jeff Merkley and Lisa Murkowski led the bill, emphasizing the system’s importance for safety and climate data.
- Some OOI instruments were removed but are planned to be redeployed after maintenance.
- Since January, the Trump administration has reversed several science and climate policies, including expanding deep-sea mining and loosening fishing rules.
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