The Trump administration has backed away from dismantling a major deep-sea observation system after facing unified pushback from lawmakers and the scientific community.
The National Science Foundation announced Thursday that it would preserve the Ocean Observatories Initiative, reversing plans to dismantle the $368 million network. The agency stated it would halt equipment removal from the remaining arrays and continue normal operations, including scheduled maintenance work.
The OOI operates more than 900 instruments across observation sites off North Carolina, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, plus stations in the Irminger Sea between Greenland and Iceland. These sensors track ocean currents, climate variability and marine life populations, generating data that researchers rely on to measure ocean heating rates and forecast severe weather events.
The reversal came just a day after the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill blocking the shutdown. Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced the measure, which bars federal funds from being used to decommission the network unless the NSF completes a thorough assessment with stakeholder input.
Merkley called the original shutdown plan "supreme stupidity," arguing it would cost taxpayers millions while destroying crucial climate data. Murkowski emphasized that the monitoring network is essential for protecting coastal communities, fishermen and scientific research operations.
The NSF also pledged to issue guidance seeking input from stakeholders and will convene an expert panel to evaluate the system's long-term future. Some equipment from the Endurance Array off Oregon and Washington was already pulled from the water before the reversal, but the agency said it plans to redeploy those instruments after servicing.
Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has rolled back several science and climate programs while moving to expand deep-sea mining and ease fishing restrictions, drawing criticism from environmental advocates and researchers worldwide.
Author James Rodriguez: "The quick reversal shows that bipartisan pressure and expert consensus still matter when decisions threaten critical infrastructure, even in this political moment."
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