Hundreds Are Said to Quit NOAA in a New Round of Departures

The resignations came a day after a wave of firings at the agency, a world center of climate research

February 28, 2025

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one of the world’s leading centers of climate research, has been hit by a new round of departures, just 24 hours after hundreds of employees were fired.

About 500 employees left the agency on Friday after taking the so-called deferred resignation offer, according to three people familiar with the situation who asked not to be identified by name out of fear of retaliation. Under that program, staff at NOAA and other agencies have been told that they can stop working now and be paid through September.

“I want to thank all of our departing team members for their service to NOAA and our Nation,” Nancy Hann, NOAA’s acting administrator, wrote in an email, a copy of which was viewed by The New York Times. “The NOAA mission remains as vital as ever to the American people.”

At a news conference on Friday attended by lawmakers and former NOAA officials, Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, said the cuts at NOAA signaled the start of the implementation of the Project 2025 plan in this area of government.

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By:  Christopher Flavelle, Austyn Gaffney, and Camille Baker
Source: The New York Times