“NOAA Ordered to Identify Climate Grants at Risk of Cancellation: What’s at Stake?”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a prominent climate science agency, has been instructed to identify grants related to global warming and other topics targeted by President Trump’s executive orders. This directive has raised concerns that these grants may be at risk of being canceled.

The Commerce Department, which oversees NOAA, issued the instructions on Thursday, directing NOAA staff members to review all “active financial assistant awards” and determine which grants could potentially be impacted by President Trump’s orders. One of the executive orders in question aims to dismantle federal government programs addressing climate change, prompting NOAA staff to search for terms like “climate science,” “climate crisis,” “clean energy,” “environmental quality,” and “pollution” in existing grants.

Although the executive orders do not explicitly mention NOAA, the Heritage Foundation’s policy blueprint, Project 2025, which influences many of the administration’s actions, calls for the dismantling of NOAA and the termination of some of its programs. Additionally, the privatization of the National Weather Service, a division of NOAA, is advocated in Project 2025.

NOAA conducts research on atmospheric science, oceans, the Arctic, wildfires, and more. The agency also operates satellites, provides weather data, predicts hurricane paths, and regulates offshore fisheries.

The demand to identify climate-related grants within NOAA comes after reports that members of the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, gained access to NOAA’s computer systems. Democrats have urged the commerce secretary nominee, Howard Lutnick, to defend NOAA against these alleged attacks.

Environmentalists, lawmakers, and NOAA supporters are planning a rally outside the Commerce Department to protest the targeting of the agency. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, is scheduled to speak at the rally, criticizing the administration’s anti-science stance and ties to big oil companies.

The scrutiny of existing grants based on political priorities has raised concerns among former NOAA officials. They argue that canceling grants due to changing political directives is unfair to grant recipients and could jeopardize important programs aimed at protecting communities from climate-related disasters.

NOAA’s climate grants extend beyond scientific research, funding programs like Climate Ready Workforce in American Samoa. This program, supported by a $60 million NOAA grant, aims to train utility employees to address water problems caused by climate change. Residents in American Samoa are anxious about potential changes to these programs but are continuing their work to serve their communities.

The future of NOAA’s climate-related grants remains uncertain as the agency faces pressure to comply with the administration’s directives. The impact of potential grant cancellations on climate research and community resilience efforts is a growing concern among scientists, policymakers, and advocates.