Efforts to remove some 900 ocean monitoring buoys and sensors from the water have drawn backlash from scientists and lawmakers.
By Dan Vergano edited by Claire Cameron
The entrance to 2514 Eisenhower Avenue, where the National Science Foundation is also located, is seen July 8, 2025 in Alexandria, Virginia.
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
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The Trump administration is backtracking plans to dismantle crucial US ocean monitoring systemthe National Science Foundation (NSF) confirmed Thursday. Reversal comes after agency decision Announcement of May 21 of its intention to remove hundreds of buoys and sensors on the high seas used by the $368 million Ocean Observatories Initiative had attracted the Congress and the international community backlash.
“Effective immediately, NSF will no longer remove or dismantle equipment from the remaining bays and will continue operations, including planned maintenance,” the agency said. in a statement THURSDAY. The reversal of the plan was first reported speak New York Times.
On Monday, 11 US senators sent a bipartisan letter saying dismantling the ocean system “threatens the safety of our coastal communities” and jeopardizes ocean research.
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In a previous statement, before the plan was overturned, an NSF spokesperson said the agency had sought to move to a “more agile approach to prioritize support for evolving scientific priorities and emerging technologies, as well as intelligent lifecycle management within its research infrastructure portfolio.”
With hurricane season is approaching and this month’s announcement from the National Weather Service that El Niño conditions are likely to strengthen over the next year, the removal of ocean sensors has worried observers. In its Thursday announcement, the NSF said a set of sensors off the coast of Oregon would be redeployed in the water after maintenance and would not be taken out of service.
“NSF remains committed to ocean science, to the responsible management of its research infrastructure, and to supporting the stakeholders who depend on it,” the agency said in the statement.
Editor’s Note (06/18/26): This story is under development and may be updated.
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