Neguse, Bennet, Hickenlooper Demand Commerce Department Reverse Planned Cuts to NOAA and Colorado-Based Research Centers

In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik the lawmakers underscored the importance of Cooperative Institutes at Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Boulder. 

Lafayette, CO — Following public reports of President Trump’s expected effort to implement disastrous funding cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in his upcoming budget proposal, Colorado lawmakers—Congressman Joe Neguse and Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper—moved quickly to defend the agency and its Cooperative Institutes (CIs).  

Colorado is the only state in the nation to house two such Cooperative Institutes, which are academic and non-profit research centers that provide invaluable support to NOAA’s mission. The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), located at the University of Colorado Boulder, is the oldest and largest CI. It employs nearly 800 researchers, support staff, and students focused on research related to drought, wildfire, and space weather. The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), located at Colorado State University, employs nearly 200 individuals who are working to improve weather and fire forecasting.

In an effort to push back on the proposed cuts, Neguse, Bennet, and Hickenlooper penned a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick condemning any plan to terminate funding for these institutions, calling the alleged proposal short-sighted and costly, and underscoring the important work that is ongoing at both CIRES and CIRA.  

“Many of NOAA’s CIs have been around for decades and the work they do has been helping our communities for just as long. Cuts to funding, furloughs or layoffs will have devastating impacts on the important work the CIs do. CIs are home to experienced researchers and long-standing data collection programs with major impacts on human societies, moreover they are instrumental in training future generations of workers who continue to contribute to societal needs. It is our fear that if sweeping cuts are made, the damage will be irreversible. Even short-term interruptions in their research could threaten the safety and economies of the communities that CIs serve across the nation,” wrote the lawmakers. 

They continued: “Cooperative Institutes are integral to solving some of our biggest problems and making all of us safer and better prepared for short-term and long-term hazards. Any plan to terminate funding for NOAA CIs would be detrimental not just to the people of Colorado, but to people across the entire country. As such, we implore you to reconsider any plans to substantially diminish these powerful and important capabilities.”

Read their full letter HERE and below: 

April 23, 2025

The Honorable Howard Lutnick

Secretary 

U.S. Department of Commerce 

1401 Constitution Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20230

Dear Secretary Lutnick,

We write regarding a new proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to terminate funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Cooperative Institutes (CIs). We strongly condemn any such plan and believe terminating this funding would be extremely short-sighted and costly to the American people and economy in the long run.

Colorado is fortunate to be the only state to house two Cooperative Institutes and the largest of the CIs. The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), housed at Colorado State University, employs 193 staff working on developing algorithms for weather forecasting and fire weather forecasting. The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) housed at the University of Colorado Boulder is the oldest and largest CI, established in 1967. CIRES is focused on research into drought, wildfire, and space weather, among other important issues. It employs nearly 800 researchers, support staff and students who are working each day to improve our understanding of Earth systems for the benefit of people across Colorado and the nation.  

Our CIs have real world impacts and benefits that span beyond the borders of our state. CIRA was involved in the development of the Hurricane Intensity Prediction System (HIPS), a tool that helps predict how strong hurricanes will become, as well as TORUS (Targeted Observations by Radars and Unmanned Aircraft to Study Tornadoes and Supercells) project, which focuses on collecting data to improve tornado and storm prediction. CIRES is, among its many important contributions, helping to enhance drought monitoring and prediction on the Colorado River, aiding water managers in the region. Indeed, some of the greatest beneficiaries of CIRES water and drought analyses reside in Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas. CIRES also received the 2022 Colorado Governor's Award for High-Impact Research for their rapid response to the Marshall Fire, the most damaging wildfire in our state. The results from the CIRES work on the fire have informed responses to other large fire events elsewhere in the nation, benefiting many thousands of citizens.

Many of NOAA’s CIs have been around for decades and the work they do has been helping our communities for just as long. Cuts to funding, furloughs or layoffs will have devastating impacts on the important work the CIs do. CIs are home to experienced researchers and long-standing data collection programs with major impacts on human societies, moreover they are instrumental in training future generations of workers who continue to contribute to societal needs. It is our fear that if sweeping cuts are made, the damage will be irreversible. Even short-term interruptions in their research could threaten the safety and economies of the communities that CIs serve across the nation. 

Cooperative Institutes are integral to solving some of our biggest problems and making all of us safer and better prepared for short-term and long-term hazards. Any plan to terminate funding for NOAA CIs would be detrimental not just to the people of Colorado, but to people across the entire country. As such, we implore you to reconsider any plans to substantially diminish these powerful and important capabilities.

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