Its data is used in everything from hurricane forecasting and fisheries to Coast Guard search and rescue – IOOS data can help the Coast Guard narrow down a search area by two-thirds. Despite President Joe Biden’s ambitious climate goals, his recent budget proposal would slash the program’s funding from $42.5 million to $10 million. Ocean data collection is “the only way we can really understand what is happening,” said Kristen Yarincik, executive director of the IOOS Association, the nonprofit that works with NOAA collecting data. IOOS has added 97 water level stations along the coasts of the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida in the last few years. “At least half of the water level sensor network would be compromised with this funding cut.”

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Persons: –, Joe Biden’s, Trump, ”, Gerhard Kuska, ” Kuska, Scott Smullen, Kristen Yarincik, ” Yarincik, “, Ellen Prager, IOOS, “ We’re, Debra Hernandez, Hernandez, ” Hernandez Organizations: CNN, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Coast Guard, White, Office of Management, NOAA, IOOS Association Locations: megastorms, Carolinas, Georgia, Florida