"NOAA Employee Expresses Desire to Resume Work: NOAA Hurricane Hunter Voices Opinion Following Trump's Termination Decisions"
In the early days of Donald Trump's second term, he signed an executive order granting wide-reaching powers to the non-governmental Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Led by the multibillionaire "special government employee" Elon Musk, the DOGE has been diligently working to slash funding and reduce staff across various federal agencies, often in the name of cost-cutting.
Take NOAA, for example. During the final week of February, hundreds of federal workers there were let go, accounting for about 10% of the agency's workforce. One of the affected employees was Andrew Hazelton, a meteorologist who had spent his career, until recently, working with NOAA's Hurricane Research Division Modeling Team. After being fired, Hazelton found himself on administrative leave, unable to work while his situation navigates through the federal court system.
I had the chance to speak with Hazelton this week, and our conversation, lightly edited for clarity, is provided below.
Isaac Schultz, Gizmodo: Can you walk me through the timeline here, from your work at NOAA to the layoffs and your current situation?
Andrew Hazelton: I've been working with NOAA in various capacities for over 8 years. Most recently, I was part of the Environmental Modeling Center, developing hurricane models and conducting model development. I joined as a federal employee last October, and we were all let go via a mass email on February 27th. However, we've been in a state of limbo since then due to a court decision over the weekend that allows for our temporary reinstatement on paid, non-duty status.
Gizmodo: With hundreds of federal employees affected at NOAA, it seems that uncertainty is the norm for many.
Hazelton: Yes, it's all variable depending on court outcomes and the specific procedures of each department. Some departments are responding more enthusiastically to the recent court rulings than others.
Gizmodo: Given your background in hurricanes, can you share some notable storms you've flown through and which one was the most unnerving?
Hazelton: As I was there during last year's hurricane season, I was part of the team for Helene and Michael. I believe Michael was the storm that provided the bumpiest ride.
Gizmodo: There's been talk about privatizing weather forecasting services. What are your thoughts on this, and how might that potentially affect the federal workforce and the way the public receives their weather information?
Hazelton: While there's already a strong private weather sector, I don't think we should move towards a subscription-based model for life-saving data or information. NOAA provides much-needed data at practically no cost to the public. In fact, it only costs 6 cents per American per day to fund all of NOAA's operations.
Better forecasts save lives and money as they enable people to take preventative measures or stay informed about incoming storms. Essentially, NOAA pays for itself.
Gizmodo: Many federal employees have been left in the dark about the criteria used to determine who gets reinstated. Is that a fair description of the current situation?
Hazelton: Yes, there hasn't been much communication regarding the criteria used in the reinstatement process. I believe there might have been some veterans' preference for prior federal service, but it's unclear how these decisions are being made.
Gizmodo: With ambiguity persisting, is there any idea of how long this situation will last for those affected?
Hazelton: No, the timeline remains uncertain and will mostly depend on the legal proceedings and court cases. I'm just eager to get back to work and continue to protect the American public by providing accurate weather information.
Gizmodo: When the DOGE took over, it was intended to bolster the efficiency of federal services. But given the sudden firings and the uncertainty thereafter, do you feel the DOGE has achieved its mission or caused more harm than good?
Hazelton: The DOGE's mission to streamline federal services is understandable, but the general chaos and uncertainty that have followed have made it difficult for us to properly serve the public. I hope that this is temporary and that we'll soon be able to return to our roles within NOAA.
- In the context of the DOGE's efforts to streamline federal services, satellite imagery from earth-science teams could be crucial for better weather forecasting and, consequently, saving lives and resources.
- Despite the perceived objective of the DOGE to improve efficiency, the recent executive order seems to have sparked a wave of silly news headlines centered around its influence on earth-science personnel, such as the layoff of Andrew Hazelton from NOAA's Hurricane Research Division Modeling Team.
- As part of efforts to counteract the money spent on Earth-science agencies like NOAA, one could imagine a future where private technology companies invest in treatments or initiatives that boost innovative solutions, like advanced weather-forecasting models, to serve both public and private interests.
- While the DOGE's executive order aims to slash funding and reduce staff across federal agencies, it remains to be seen if layoffs will affect high-profile projects, such as the Earth-observing satellite missions exploring the Earth's climate and weather patterns, which are vital for the scientific community and the future welfare of humanity.
