Storm Warning: America's Earth Science · Episode 11 of 12 · 42 min
Zero: The Year It All Came Apart (2025-26)
In a single budget cycle the executive branch targeted NOAA's research arm, the EPA's independent science office and the national atmospheric research center at once. The episode lays out the numbers soberly, distinguishing proposed from enacted: Congress restored much of NOAA's operations, EPA's research office was abolished, and a court blocked the transfer of the NCAR supercomputing center.
Who's who
- Lee Zeldin+1 more episodeEPA administrator who announced the research office's abolition
- Russell Vought+1 more episodeWhite House budget director who announced NCAR would be broken up
- R. Brooke JacksonFederal judge who issued the June 2026 injunction
Where it happens
- Boulder, Colorado+3 more episodesHome of NCAR and several NOAA laboratories
- Cheyenne, Wyoming+2 more episodesSite of the NCAR supercomputing center
- Kotzebue, AlaskaWeather-balloon site suspended in 2025
Timeline
- February 2025Staff reductions begin at NOAA and the Weather Service
- July 18, 2025EPA announces abolition of its Office of Research and Development
- September 22, 2025Zeldin memo establishes the replacement office
- December 16, 2025Vought announces NCAR will be broken up
- June 1, 2026Judge blocks transfer of the NCAR supercomputing center
Still debated
The elimination of NOAA's research arm was proposed, not enacted, while the EPA reorganization was carried out. The administration's efficiency rationale is genuine but unproven, and lost expertise may not be quickly recoverable.
