NOAA to potentially cut more than 1,000 additional employees
CBSN
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is preparing to lose an additional 1,029 employees, according to sources that spoke to CBS News. As part of the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management's mandate for agencies to submit reduction in force plans, which are due by March 13, NOAA will be presenting its plan to the Department of Commerce by Tuesday evening with the proposed cuts.
The Department of Commerce will get a chance to review the proposal and either accept NOAA's suggestions, or it could ask the agency to make additional changes that would increase or decrease this next round of terminations. Alongside the loss of staff will also be the elimination of programs that currently operate under NOAA's purview. It's not known which programs will be impacted.
As one of several scientific agencies within the federal government, NOAA is responsible for everything from weather forecasts, to coastal restoration, managing fisheries, and supporting marine commerce. NOAA's work supports and affects more than one-third of America's gross domestic product, according to the agency.
