GOVERNMENT National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration proposes new climate service

Abstract

The nation will have a new climate agency akin to the National Weather Service if Congress approves a reorganization plan for NOAA. The proposed NOAA Climate Service would provide data to companies, local governments, farmers, and the public about projected changes in climate, such as alterations in rainfall patterns, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says. NOAA, which is a Commerce Department agency, gets millions of requests for this sort of information each year, he adds. By providing critical planning information that our businesses and our communities need, NOAA Climate Service will help tackle head-on the challenges of mitigating and adapting to climate change,” Locke says. “In the process, we’ll discover new technologies, build new businesses, and create new jobs.” The new service would stem from a reorganization of existing NOAA programs, Locke says. Congressional appropriators would have to approve of NOAA shifting funds from current programs into the new climate service, he explains. In ...