BOULDER, Colo. — Antonio J. Busalacchi, the president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), issued the following statement about the federal budget proposal for fiscal year 2018, which the Trump administration released today following its budget blueprint in March:



Today's budget proposal, which identifies the priorities of the White House, marks a major step in the months-long process by the Trump administration and Congress to  finalize the budget for the 2018 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. UCAR is working with its partners in the Earth system science community to ensure that the government continues to invest in crucial research and scientific infrastructure that saves lives and property, supports our continued economic competitiveness, and strengthens our national security.



Improved understanding of the atmosphere is crucial for our nation's resilience. Last year alone, the United States experienced 15 weather-related disasters that each reached or exceeded $1 billion in costs, including tornadoes, drought, and widespread flooding. Even routine weather events have an annual economic impact of hundreds of billions of dollars, affecting transportation, supply chain management, consumer purchasing, and virtually every other economic sector. Higher up in our atmosphere, space weather events pose an ongoing threat to GPS systems, communications networks, power grids, and other technologies that are essential for the everyday functioning of our nation.



Thanks to collaborations among government agencies, universities, and the private sector, scientists are developing increasingly advanced observing instruments and computer models to better understand these threats. We are gaining the ability to predict major atmospheric and related events weeks, months, or even more than a year in advance, providing needed environmental intelligence to business, military, and public safety leaders. As U.S. competitors make major investments into better observing, understanding, and predicting the Earth system, it is more imperative than ever to continue this work in order to maintain American preeminence in the world.



We are concerned that the administration's proposed cuts to research into the Earth system sciences will undermine the continued scientific progress that is so vitally needed to better protect the nation in the future from costly natural disasters. This would have serious repercussions for the U.S. economy and national security, and for the ability to protect life and property. Such funding cuts would be especially unfortunate at a time when the nation is moving to regain its position as the world leader in weather forecasting.



UCAR is extremely grateful to the bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate that voted to sustain research funding in the current fiscal year. We look forward to working with Congress in the months ahead to maintain the level of funding needed in the fiscal year 2018 budget to support essential Earth system science research.

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