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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is an agency vital to the U.S. and its territories. It is responsible for monitoring our weather systems, our air, the health of our oceans, lakes, rivers (think of the Great Lakes, the Mississippi and other great rivers) and all waterways that provide the clean water we rely on.
The agency provides critically important free data about weather forecasts (the National Weather Service) and satellite observations. This data gathering and reporting — about hurricanes, heat waves, torrential rains and other extreme weather events now being whipsawed by climate change — saves lives.
Our fisheries, forests, oceanfronts including many of our harbors in cities and towns, our farmers who depend on long- and short-term weather forecasts and the citizens who need to access accurate weather information depend on NOAA. There is a wide ripple effect of its many jobs.
We live in a time of climate change, this cannot be denied. The present administration in its attack on NOAA wants to break up the agency. This is not in the interest of our community or our country. It will put us in great jeopardy by limiting and changing information that is vital to all.
What can these people be thinking, are they thinking of us at all?
Nancy L. Gilbert
Durham