Trump administration ends ocean monitoring system The National Science Foundation is scaling back the Ocean Observatories Initiative, a $368 million ocean-monitoring network. This decision aligns with the NSF’s strategy to prioritize evolving scientific priorities and manage research infrastructure lifecycles. The phased removal of in-water infrastructure will occur over the next 15 months.

• The National Science Foundation is reducing support for the Ocean Observatories Initiative.
• This network has been used for over a decade to monitor greenhouse gases, ocean temperatures, marine heat waves, and coastal flooding.
• The NSF cites a strategy to prioritize evolving scientific priorities and manage research infrastructure lifecycles.
• The $368 million system includes deep-ocean sensors deployed in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
• Infrastructure in the Irminger Sea, Endurance Array, Pioneer Array, and Station Papa Array will be phased out over approximately 15 months.
• Recovery operations have already begun at the Endurance Array off the Pacific Northwest coast.