Push to privatize NASA and NOAA climate research sparks backlash from Maryland lawmakers

The Trump administration’s proposed budget would slash funding for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) science programs and shift long-term climate research toward private companies, drawing sharp criticism from Maryland’s congressional delegation.

Marianne Lavelle reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

The Office of Management and Budget circulated a proposal to cut NASA’s science budget by 50% and eliminate most climate research at NOAA, redirecting NOAA’s focus solely to weather forecasting.
Lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Steny Hoyer, accused the administration of trying to privatize public science agencies and warned that private firms are unlikely to continue long-term climate research.
The cuts align with the conservative “Project 2025” plan, which outlines a broad restructuring of government.

Key quote:

“I think part of their motivation here is to attack the heart of the NASA space science center enterprise in order to contract it out, ultimately to themselves.”

— Chris Van Hollen, U.S. senator from Maryland

Why this matters:

Public science agencies like NASA and NOAA are foundational to understanding climate change, tracking weather, and preparing communities for disasters. These agencies develop tools and run monitoring systems — such as satellites and ocean buoys — that private companies rarely maintain because they don’t generate immediate profit. If NASA and NOAA lose funding and responsibilities, the U.S. risks losing access to vital long-term climate data. Privatization could turn research once freely available into proprietary information, limiting transparency and public access. For Maryland and other regions hosting science hubs, thousands of jobs could be on the line. And while the administration’s stated aim is to cut spending, the cost of less oversight and weakened climate research could be far greater.

insideclimatenews.org

Push to privatize NASA and NOAA climate research sparks backlash from Maryland lawmakers

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