Dr. Cliff Mass on NOAA Reform

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Yesterday, we talked about Dr. Ryan Maue's proposals to reform the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Please scroll down for his thoughts. 

Today, I'd like to bring to your attention Dr. Cliff Mass's thoughts on reforming NOAA.

He talks about the numerous issues facing the agency:
I've looked at dozens of NOAA's grants involving DEI and climate change. Many millions are spent on grants to third-party contractors on ill-defined projects that do nothing to improve our knowledge of the oceans or atmosphere and nothing to do with forecasting the same. Meanwhile the NWS is starved of resources -- with offices that have been well below prescribed staffing for more than a year. Weather balloons are not getting launched and other vital observations of the atmosphere are not being made. 

Cliff also discusses why forecast quality has seriously diminished, both on the national level and in the local forecast offices. As he puts it: And NOAA is an inefficient bureaucratic nightmare, with responsibilities divided among too many offices and individuals, with a lack of responsibility within one individual or group.  Too many folks in middle management. The buck stops nowhere.

His piece is highly recommended. 

As you know, I do not believe NOAA can be fixed. It would be far easier and more efficient to split off all of the government's weather agencies into a new "Weather Bureau" that would an independent agency (like NASA). 

It is of interest that no one that I have encountered believes NOAA is fine as is or only needs minor tweaking. Big changes must be made. 

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