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Senate Committee Shields NOAA Bay Restoration Work from White House Budget Cuts

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a spending plan for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that would fund essential Chesapeake Bay restoration and education programs, despite the White House's proposal to slash NOAA's budget by $1.5 billion. The committee's bill would set NOAA's fiscal 2026 budget at $6.1 billion, a $200 million decrease from the current budget of $6.3 billion, but significantly more than the $4.5 billion proposed by the White House. The Senate committee's decision will provide crucial funding for NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Program Office, which leads restoration work and conducts research on native species, climate resilience, and environmental education.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a spending plan for NOAA that would fund essential Chesapeake Bay restoration and education programs, despite the White House's proposal to slash NOAA's budget by $1.5 billion.
  • The committee's bill would set NOAA's fiscal 2026 budget at $6.1 billion, a $200 million decrease from the current budget of $6.3 billion, but significantly more than the $4.5 billion proposed by the White House.
  • The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program Office would receive an additional $1.5 million to restore the Bay's oyster population, which is a key driver of the seafood economy and clean water.
  • The committee rejected the White House's bid to zero out NOAA environmental education funds, including for regional programs like the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training program (Chesapeake B-WET), and would continue funding at $8.7 million in fiscal 2026.
  • The committee would provide at least $2.5 million for NOAA and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to collect data on menhaden numbers in the Bay, which are a critical food source for other fish, birds, and whales on the Atlantic Coast.
  • Chessapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek praised the Senate Appropriations Committee for recognizing the value of continuing the Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts and supporting environmental education programs.
  • The proposal to invest in menhaden research could spur Virginia to step up with additional funding to better manage its industrial menhaden fishery.

Statistics:

  • NOAA's fiscal 2026 budget would be set at $6.1 billion, a $200 million decrease from the current budget of $6.3 billion.
  • The White House proposed to slash NOAA's budget by $1.5 billion.
  • The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program Office would receive an additional $1.5 million to restore the Bay's oyster population.
  • NOAA environmental education funds, including for regional programs like the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training program (Chesapeake B-WET), would continue to be funded at $8.7 million in fiscal 2026.
  • At least $2.5 million would be provided for NOAA and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to collect data on menhaden numbers in the Bay.

Sources:

  • Chesapeake Bay Foundation, "Senate Committee Shields NOAA Bay Restoration Work from White House Budget Cuts"
  • https://www.cbf.org/news-media/newsroom/2025/federal/senate-committee-shields-noaa-bay-restoration-work-from-white-house-budget-cuts.html

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