The Trump administration announced Thursday it would reverse course on plans to dismantle a major ocean observation program, bowing to pressure from congressional lawmakers.
The National Science Foundation issued an unsigned statement indicating it will terminate its plan to disband 80 percent of the Ocean Observatories Initiative, and will reinstall equipment already removed from waters in the Pacific Northwest.
“Effective immediately, NSF will not proceed with further removal or descoping of equipment from the remaining arrays and will continue operations including planned maintenance,” the statement said, pointing to “concerns raised by the range of stakeholders.”
Both Senate and House lawmakers inked separate letters Monday directing NSF to terminate its plans and maintain its $368 million array of instruments in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
