While coastal residents may not always realize it, data collected and disseminated by the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System and the nation’s 10 other regional ocean observing associations impact their lives in large and small ways almost every day. The data GCOOS and our partners collect and that we disseminate are crucial for things such as predicting hurricane and tropical storm intensification, supporting a safe offshore energy industry, supporting safe ship navigation within ports and even keeping people safe from toxic algal blooms.
On March 11, the White House released the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, which proposes funding levels for government offices, including NOAA. NOAA houses the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing Network (U.S. IOOS), which supports the nation’s 11 Regional Observing networks — including GCOOS.
The proposed funding for the Regional Associations within the U.S. IOOS office budget is $10 million.
- This is a reduction of more than 76% from the budgets enacted in fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
- If enacted, funding at this level would cripple the nation’s ocean observing capabilities.
The federal funding provided via U.S. IOOS is critical for GCOOS and other Regional Associations to maintain observing infrastructure like ocean platforms, sensors and radars, to maintain data management capacity and to provide data services and products for end-users.
“Such a drastic cut will force GCOOS to stop funding certain operations and limit our ability to support a healthy economy in the Gulf of Mexico,” said GCOOS Executive Director Dr. Jorge Brenner. “It could even impact public safety. For instance, during hurricane season, GCOOS directs and funds autonomous vehicle missions
that gather data crucial for accurate storm intensification predictions. The GCOOS-developed Red Tide Respiratory Forecast and All Things Beaches, our Gulf of Mexico beach-goers guide, will also be at risk. These products and other GCOOS operations will not be able to continue if funding for the IOOS system is not restored.”
The IOOS Association, a nonprofit advocacy organization which supports the nation’s regional ocean observing associations, is asking that partners, supporters and communities send a strong message to Congress against these funding cuts by signing on to one of the letters below.
- Sign-on deadline is April 10.
- CLICK HERE — Your name/your organization name on this letter will oppose the President’s Budget request and advocate for specific funding levels for the IOOS Regions.
- CLICK HERE — This letter demonstrates your support for the IOOS system without making any specific funding level requests.
