The Brief

Federal workers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are on high alert as they monitor signs of a potential Trump administration overhaul of one of the government's main scientific agencies.

Many employees are bracing for potential staff cuts, as well as slashes to the funding that supports science within the agency and by many research partners across the country.

In particular, NOAA staffers are concerned about how President Trump's executive orders, including one targeting climate change programs, could affect the agency's research and operations. Agency officials have received a list, which NPR has viewed, of terms that could run afoul of the orders in the grants and programs they manage; the list includes terms like "climate change," "pollution" and "natural resources," as well as many terms associated with diversity, equity and inclusion. NPR obtained the list from an official at NOAA who agreed to talk on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

NOAA did not respond to NPR's request for comment.

What NOAA does — and how that might change under the Trump administration

NOAA includes offices that study the ocean and atmosphere, forecast the weather at the National Weather Service and manage the country's oceanic fisheries.

"If you are a recreational boater, you use NOAA charts. If you like fish, you're eating fish that NOAA manages. If you are concerned about severe weather events, that information — whether it be flooding, tornadoes or tsunamis or hurricanes — that information is tracked by, analyzed by and put into forecasts by NOAA," says Andy Rosenberg, a former NOAA official.

The "Project 2025" plan, a 900-plus page blueprint for governing produced by conservative groups led by the Heritage Foundation, called NOAA "one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry." It suggested breaking the agency up, slashing its budget and privatizing much of its weather forecasting work.

Trump – who often distanced himself from the Project 2025 plan during the campaign — has placed some of the project's authors into prominent staff roles in his administration and issued a bevy of executive actions that closely mirror its recommendations.

Previous administrations have discussed moving NOAA from its current home in the Department of Commerce to another part of government, or breaking apart its different arms: for example, officials have previously explored the idea of moving the National Marine Fisheries Service, a branch of NOAA, to the Fish and Wildlife Service. And Trump showed interest during his first administration in privatizing weather forecasting and technology.

"The mood's lower than I've ever seen it" 

NPR spoke with several NOAA employees who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation at work. They said they are concerned that the Trump administration will impede the agency's scientific work as part of the push to cut government costs by Elon Musk's team within the Trump administration known as the Department of Government Efficiency. Some staffers are watching to see if NOAA continues to issue, for example, its closely watched reports on weather and climate, which often influence economic activity across the globe.

"The mood's lower than I've ever seen it," a NOAA contractor tells NPR. "There's a lot of fear in the office."

Career civil servants at NOAA are also awaiting the likely return of Neil Jacobs, an atmospheric scientist who served as NOAA's acting head during the first Trump administration. Trump has nominated Jacobs to be the agency's next leader.

Jacobs is a weather modeler respected by many peers and is currently a fellow at the American Meteorological Society, a prestigious professional association of meteorologists. But he was also cited for misconduct by an independent expert panel of the National Academy of Public Administration after following the "Sharpiegate" incident in 2019. In the incident, Trump incorrectly stated Hurricane Dorian would affect Alabama, a state outside its forecasted track. NOAA, under Jacobs' leadership, later released an unsigned statement backing up Trump's incorrect claims.

Another new nominee to a key NOAA leadership position, Taylor Jordan, is also well-versed in weather forecasting and technology, says Craig McLean, a former NOAA official who served across several previous administrations. The nomination is slightly unusual, says McLean, because historically, the two leadership positions to which Jordan and Jacobs have been nominated would be held by a weather expert and an expert on coasts or fisheries.

A new commerce secretary could influence NOAA's future

Potential new leadership at NOAA's parent agency, the Commerce Department, is also raising questions about NOAA's future. Democratic lawmakers on the Senate Commerce Committee have been pressing Trump's commerce secretary nominee, Howard Lutnick, on his plans for the agency in light of Project 2025's call for the end of NOAA.

Advocates of NOAA have raised the alarm about how shutting off public NOAA data that informs daily weather forecasts, wildfire alerts and hurricane tracking could have dire consequences on people's lives and the country's economy.

"In a world where catastrophic climate change impacts and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, I can think of nothing worse than turning this scientific powerhouse into a skeletal operation," Juan Declet-Barreto, senior social scientist for climate vulnerability at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said in a statement. "If President Trump moves forward with demolishing NOAA, he will jeopardize most people's access to life-saving information, while only the rich might be able to afford private data sources."

Asked by Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, the committee's top Democrat, whether NOAA should be dismantled, Lutnick said in a written response that "it is premature to discuss any specific recommendations before engaging with NOAA and the Office of Management and Budget," as well as the Commerce Department and Trump.

All Republican lawmakers on the committee, plus Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted to advance Lutnick's nomination last week largely along party lines.

NPR climate reporter Julia Simon contributed reporting.

Edited by Sadie Babits, Neela Banerjee and Benjamin Swasey

Copyright 2025 NPR

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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The LA Local

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.