Our district’s U.S. Representatives, Val Hoyle, has signed onto a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and the House Appropriators Committee asking them to support additional funding for next-generation weather prediction systems. As weather events are becoming increasingly severe, this system would help create better forecasts before disasters strikes.
The funding would go to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, and the bipartisan letter Hoyle has joined was written by her and Ohio’s Rep. Max Miller, a Republican, and 22 others.
Why it’s important
The forecasts and weather data gathered and prepared by NOAA and the National Weather Service (NWS) are shared with federal, state, and local partners, and media networks for weather forecasting.
The House Members are requesting more funding for the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) and the NWS, along with community recovery funding. They request that these funds be included in any disaster supplemental funding agreement and as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. They also requested that the bipartisan Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2023, which provides NOAA a long-term vision and direction, be passed into law through a supplemental package or any other legislative vehicle before the end of the year.
The University Corporation of Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium of more than 130 North American colleges and universities focused on Earth system science, has endorsed this letter. “With our nation facing mounting costs from natural disasters, it is imperative to develop innovative technologies that will strengthen protections for vulnerable communities,” UCAR President Antonio J. Busalacchi said. By making strategic investments to improve forecasts and communicate damaging events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and drought, Congress can ensure that we are better prepared for future disasters, safeguarding lives and property and bolstering our economy.”
“A next-generation weather prediction system at NOAA will substantially improve national and state-level capacity for hazard preparation and mitigation efforts. It also will increase capacity for research partnerships among universities, public agencies, and communities to inform resilience efforts,” said Dr. Erica Fleishman, Director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute and Professor in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University, a UCAR member. “Investment in NOAA’s next-generation weather prediction system will yield data and knowledge that can better prepare decision-makers and the public to adapt to and alleviate the effects of climate and weather-related hazards.”
In the letter Reps. Hoyle and Miller point to specific initiatives where funding would go, including advancements for clearer forecasting technology, AI integration, moving to cloud-based data storage, and further research into new radar technology. More information on specific programs and initiatives can be found in the full letter, here.
What Hoyle and Miller are saying
“This year, my home state of Oregon saw a devastating ice storm and a record-breaking wildfire season,” Representative Hoyle said. “Those of us who live in these disaster affected areas understand that extreme weather is becoming more common and severe, making accurate and timely information more important than ever. Investing in more accurate weather technology is central to help communities like mine better prepare before disasters strike. I want to thank Congressman Miller for his partnership and to all my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, who recognize that NOAA and NWS are essential to the safety and security of communities like mine.”
“Earlier this year, severe storms and tornados ripped through Northeast Ohio,” said Congressman Miller. “Changing weather patterns have increasingly affected our day-to-day lives, and we have seen the devastation caused by hurricanes, flooding, ice storms, and wildfires across the county. Our farmers have also been struck by some of the worst drought conditions in Ohio’s recent history. Funding for NOAA’s next-generation weather prediction systems in a disaster relief supplemental would be a positive step forward in ensuring more reliable forecasts in one of the most unpredictable aspects of life—the weather.”
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