As the Trump Administration guts weather science and reduces disaster response with significant cuts to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) funding, the National Sea Grant College Program could be eliminated.
Sea Grant is part of NOAA.
Last week, details of the administration's budget for NOAA for FY 2026 were released, and the Sea Grant Program's funding is proposed for termination.
Sea Grant plays an active role in Texas and Matagorda County.
During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the Texas Sea Grant College Program’s work helped generate an estimated $3.5 million in economic benefits to Texas coastal communities, created or supported more than 671 jobs, and created or sustained more than 219 businesses, a Sea Grant press release noted.
The program helped 1,003 seafood industry personnel to adopt safe and sustainable seafood practices, restored or protected 37,686 acres of coastal habitat, educated over 30,000 K-12 students in coastal and marine topics, and educated over 42,000 Texans through informal education programs.
A letter of support can be found here: https://forms.gle/keQyBaSt1raYQh7U8.
I kept my attention on the Kerrville flooding developments last week.
Monday morning, when I wrote this, the Hill Country total was 130 dead and 160 missing.
In Kerr County – the hardest hit – the toll was 106 deaths, including 36 children.
To top it off, there was an area flood watch through Monday night, July 14, with more rescues and evacuations in North and Central Texas.
An agonizing process of second-guessing continues on what should have happened when the first early morning flood warnings were posted July 4.
Local voting on flood warning systems is checkered over recent years and the state of Texas denied funding for a Kerr County emergency response system.
That will change, of course, after the enormous, deadly flood.
Early warning systems for floods is now prominent on the governor's docket for the legislature's special session scheduled later this month.
And I imagine the flood warning will be on the Kerr County Commissioners Court agendas.
Trouble is, that has happened before – again, with mixed results.
One thing I noticed over the years living in Kerrville was the pervasive trend of shrugging off FEMA flood zone maps and building structures near the Guadalupe River.
A lot of the flooding damage was in designated flood zones, several different news accounts reported.
There are all sorts of issues at stake here, not only for Kerr County, but any place on the water.
