Short Takes

President Trump has nominated Acting Administrator Neil Jacobs to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Dr. Neil Jacobs previously served as the chief atmospheric scientist at Panasonic Avionics Corp. and is a proponent of weather data privatization. The President's previous nominee for the position, Mr. Barry Myers, the former CEO of AccuWeather, Inc., withdrew his nomination in November 2019. The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASC) will receive $38.4 million in funding in fiscal year (FY) 2020, an increase of $13 million relative to FY 2019, under the compromise spending packages enacted in December 2019. Established in 2008, the CASC program includes 8 regional centers across the country managed by a national center at USGS. The CASCs are responsible for developing the science and tools to address the effects of climate change on land, water, wildlife, fish, ecosystems, and communities. The program was slated for a 46 percent spending cut in the President's proposal but ended up with a 51 percent increase in budget. According to the explanatory report released alongside the spending package, part of this increased funding is intended to support the development of a Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center. The National Science Board (NSB), the governing body of the National Science Foundation, is inviting applications for the position of Executive Officer and Director of the NSB off...
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news