House Environment Subcommittee holds hearing on NOAA FY2017 budget

The House Environment Subcommittee recently held a hearing on the on the Fiscal Year 2017 budget request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan providing testimony.

“Instead of hyping a climate change agenda, NOAA should focus its efforts on producing sound science and improving methods of data collection,” U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Committee chairman, said. “Unfortunately, climate alarmism often takes priority at NOAA. This was demonstrated by the agency’s decision to prematurely publish the 2015 study that attempted to make the two-decade halt in global warming disappear.”

The 2015 study Smith referred to has drawn controversy due to its representation of historical temperature data, and NOAA has not complied with a subpoena issued for more information about the study. The hearing also touched upon NOAA’s plans to use commercial data to improve the country’s forecasting capabilities.

“As a representative from Oklahoma, a state hit regularly with severe weather, it is my responsibility to my constituents to promote policies that improve our forecasting abilities in order to save lives and property,” U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK), chair of the subcommittee, said. “My constituents, and the American people, deserve nothing less. Private sector companies could improve our forecasting capabilities while also reducing the risk of a gap in our satellite data, an issue that has loomed over the agency’s head for years.”