The initial draft of President Donald Trump’s budget request proposes devastating cuts to NASA’s science research, future space missions, and field centers.
Research & Developments
Brief updates on the effects of policy changes on science. These articles have no teaser and are not assigned a DOI.
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U.S. National Climate Assessment Likely Dead After Contract Canceled
The Trump administration has canceled funding used to coordinate the National Climate Assessment, a major, congressionally mandated U.S. climate change report produced through the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP).
The National Climate Assessment is published approximately every four years and is the United States’ broadest assessment of current climate change impacts and climate science.
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Executive Order Seeks to Revive “America’s Beautiful, Clean Coal Industry”
President Trump signed an executive order to drastically reduce restrictions on domestic coal production on 8 April. It lays out plans to enable coal mining on federal lands, identify and revise existing regulations and policies that seek to transition the country away from coal production, and identify regions where “coal-powered infrastructure” can be used to support artificial intelligence data centers.
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Weather Alert Translations on Hold Until Further Notice
This month, the National Weather Service (NWS) announced that, until further notice, it will no longer be offering automated translation services for its severe weather alerts. These alerts warn U.S. residents about imminent dangers including thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, flooding, and extreme heat.
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Trump Administration Moves to Weaken PFAS Rules
President Donald Trump’s EPA is considering a rule that would weaken regulations limiting chemicals harmful to human health in consumer goods, The Guardian reports.
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a group of chemicals added to consumer products, oftentimes for their water- and stain-resistant properties. Exposure to PFAS is known to raise the risk of certain cancers, kidney and liver disease, and complications surrounding reproductive health. The chemicals are omnipresent in everyday life and contaminate drinking water across the United States.
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FEMA to Dismantle Popular Disaster Preparedness Program
The Trump administration has announced plans to dismantle a program responsible for funding billions of dollars’ worth of projects meant to help communities prepare for disasters such as flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires, according to reporting from Grist.
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1,900 Scientists Warn Of “Real Danger” In Open Letter
In an open letter to the American people, more than 1,900 scientists sent an “SOS” that the Trump administration’s actions have “decimated” the nation’s scientific enterprise and censored scientific work. “We see real danger in this moment,” the scientists wrote.
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Climate Scientists Unite to Nominate U.S. Experts for IPCC Report
A new academic alliance provides a pathway for U.S. climate scientists to participate in a critical international climate report.
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DOGE and GSA Target Mine Safety Office for Cuts
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), which works to protect U.S. miners from injury, illness, and death on the job, is among the latest federal agencies targeted for cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
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Majority of Polled Scientists Considering Leaving United States, Signaling “Brain Drain”
After an onslaught of funding cuts, firings, and cancelled programs as a result of Trump administration actions, scientists in the United States are feeling targeted. That’s according to the results of a poll of 1,200 U.S. scientists, published by Nature.