Lofgren Statement on Reporting that NSF Will Halt Illegal Scheme to Dismantle Ocean Monitoring System After Democratic Action

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the New York Times reported that the National Science Foundation (NSF) intends to announce they will stop their plan to illegally dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). This comes after Congressional Democrats rallied against the administration’s expensive scheme to remove monitoring equipment from the ocean floor. It’s been reported that some research buoys have already been pulled off the Pacific Northwest coast. 

“This is welcome news—NSF leadership is stopping the dismantling of the ocean observatory initiative,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “We also don't yet know how much damage they have already done. To be clear, this should have never happened. This pathetic scheme was illegal. NSF is governing via chaos and reactionary nonsense. Scientists and coastal economies that depend on this data deserve better. My oversight team and I will be following closely what NSF does next. NSF’s next steps must be nothing short of replacing any of the instruments that have already been removed and ceasing all activities to descale until legitimate expert advice has been sought.” 

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