Trump administration dismantles a $368 million deep‑ocean observation system, the Ocean Observatories Initiative, after a decade of monitoring coastal environments, marine ecosystems and currents that shape climate. NSF will deploy ships in June to remove more than 900 instruments anchored off Oregon, Washington, Alaska, North Carolina and the Irminger Sea.

Scientists used the network to track how oceans absorb greenhouse gases, study marine heat waves that affect fisheries, and model coastal flooding. The Irminger Sea moorings, fixed 9,200 feet below sea level, have been vital for monitoring the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current, whose slowdown could trigger severe weather shifts.

NSF’s decision follows repeated attempts to cut funding by 80 percent in 2025 and 2026, which Congress blocked. Removing the array could take 15 months and leaves a data gap that experts warn may erode decades of engineering expertise and climate insight.

The $48 million annual cost of operating the network contrasts sharply with the scientific value it delivers. Dismantling the system signals a retreat from global ocean research leadership and could cost U.S. marine industries and climate policy more than the budget cuts themselves.