Key facts
- A group of Democratic senators, one Republican, and two Democratic House committees have urged the National Science Foundation (NSF) to reverse its plan to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative.
- The Ocean Observatories Initiative is a network of over 900 ocean sensors built at a cost of $386 million, which has tracked ocean circulation, marine ecosystems, climate change, and extreme weather.
- The NSF directed the removal of most instruments by 2027, a decision scientists said came with no warning or scientific review.
- House lawmakers accused the NSF of acting illegally and demanded the agency cease the action.
- Senators cited the approaching El Niño and the need to monitor extreme weather events as reasons for the observatory's importance.
- Legislation is planned to prohibit NSF from spending federal funds to decommission instruments until a thorough review is completed.
A coalition of senators and House committees is challenging the National Science Foundation's (NSF) plan to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), a $386 million network of ocean sensors. Lawmakers argue the decision is "supreme stupidity" and potentially illegal, citing a lack of consultation and scientific review.
Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley (Oregon) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), along with other senators, sent a letter urging the NSF to halt the dismantling and conduct a thorough review. They emphasized the observatory's critical role in tracking ocean circulation, marine ecosystems, climate change, and extreme weather, providing data that has informed over 500 scientific publications.
House Democrats from the Science, Space and Technology Committee and the Natural Resources Committee issued a sharper rebuke, demanding the NSF "cease this expensive, destructive, and — crucially — illegal action at once." They specifically noted that federal appropriations law requires 30 days' advance notification for decommissioning assets valued over $2.5 million, and stated no such notification had been transmitted.
The NSF described the move as a "descoping" aligned with a strategy to prioritize "evolving scientific priorities and emerging technologies," referencing a 2025 National Academies report. However, scientists and lawmakers expressed surprise and concern, with Senator Merkley stating he learned of the plan through news reports.
Lawmakers view the cuts as part of a broader retreat from environmental and climate science under the Trump administration. They are planning to introduce legislation that would prohibit the NSF from using federal funds to decommission instruments until a comprehensive review is completed. The first buoy is scheduled to be removed off the Oregon coast on Tuesday.