Elfreth Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Preserve Crucial Data at NOAA for Severe Weather Prediction and Response

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Vice Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced the bipartisan NOAA Data Preservation Act alongside Representative Nick Begich (R-AK-AL).

The NOAA Data Preservation Act establishes simple requirements that facilitate the preservation of digital scientific data stored in cloud storage systems by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA’s digital data has been crucial in predicting and guiding preparation efforts for severe weather events across the country.

Despite the importance of this data, in April 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce planned to cancel the cloud storage service contract holding data for NOAA as a proposed cost-saving measure. This sudden cancellation would have resulted in a 100% data loss for digitally stored data, including the elimination of the National Severe Storm Laboratory and Earth Prediction Innovation Center, which maintains key data for weather forecasting. Although that decision was reversed, there are currently no safeguards in place stopping the Department of Commerce from suddenly and unilaterally eliminating a cloud storage system and the data it holds.

“As hurricane season comes to a close, the data collected by NOAA is invaluable in helping our communities prepare for the storms ahead. I am introducing the NOAA Data Preservation Act with Congressman Begich to ensure we can learn the proper lessons from previous weather patterns. This is a commonsense bill that would not only ensure the preservation of crucial data, but would save taxpayer dollars that were used to collect that data,” said Congresswoman Elfreth.

“NOAA’s research data is crucial for sound decision-making, especially regarding the long-term management of our fisheries. Alaskans depend on reliable, transparent, long-term data to manage our fisheries, wildlife, and understand changing weather patterns,” said Congressman Begich. “The NOAA Data Preservation Act is commonsense, bipartisan legislation that ensures critical scientific data is preserved, and I’m proud to co-lead this legislation with Congresswoman Elfreth to protect the data that our communities rely on and that American taxpayers have invested in collecting.”

The bill would set requirements that the Department of Commerce must follow in the event of the planned cancellation of a cloud storage service contract for NOAA. Commerce would be required to:

• Have a new cloud data storage contract in place to take effect immediately following the conclusion of the prior contract to ensure continuity of data storage;
• Preserve all data in transition from the former storage space to the new cloud storage site; and
• Proactively communicate with NOAA employees and scientists who contact NOAA regarding the timeline for transition and new access points for existing data sets. 

The NOAA Data Preservation Act is supported by numerous scientific and environmental organizations, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Defenders of Wildlife, American Rivers, National Aquarium, Environmental Defense Fund, Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, and Natural Resource Defense Council.

“Protecting NOAA’s scientific data means protecting lives. Uninterrupted access to NOAA’s vast datasets is essential to keep forecasts accurate, warnings for the public timely, and communities safe from escalating weather and climate threats in a world warmed by fossil-fuel emissions,” said Carlos Martinez, PhD. Senior Climate Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists.

“Scientific data is the seedstock for information that powers forecasting, planning, and preparedness to deal with the changes affecting our world and the people who live in it. Ensuring the continuity of data storage for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is vital to creating a brighter future. Supporting the NOAA Data Preservation Act is supporting the science that continues to guide and protect us,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

“We’re very grateful for Representative Elfreth’s leadership in introducing a bill that addresses the critical need to preserve NOAA’s scientific research and data. This is especially important right now as the administration is censoring or eliminating entirely critical information from government websites,” said Daniel Moss, senior government relations representative at Defenders of Wildlife. “In addition to preserving NOAA’s weather and climate-related data, this legislation seeks to protect essential data related to marine mammal conservation. NOAA Fisheries leads our federal government’s work on marine mammal conservation, including efforts to prevent critically endangered species like the Southern resident orca, North Atlantic right whale and Rice’s whale from going extinct. This work — including data collection and data preservation — is being devastated by the massive cuts slashing staff and research at NOAA Fisheries’ regional science centers.” 

“The NOAA Data Preservation Act is a timely, commonsense bill that ensures our nation's hydrological and flood forecast data remains transparent, reliable and accessible. It is imperative that river communities have the tools they need - like the National Water Map and Hydrologic Outlook - to understand emerging threats and changing conditions in their watersheds. We appreciate Representatives Elfreth's and Begich's leadership on this bill to protect rivers and enhance public safety,” said Leda Huta, senior advocacy strategist for American Rivers Action Fund.

“We all rely on robust scientific data to inform decisions that affect Americans’ health and livelihoods,” said Jennifer Driban, Chief Mission Officer for the National Aquarium. “As a science-based organization, we appreciate this bipartisan approach toward ensuring that agencies maintain the data which taxpayers have invested in collecting for the benefit of the American people.”

“We rely on NOAA data to make life- and property-saving decisions in the face of extreme weather, to monitor the health of our fisheries and to understand the patterns of our oceans and atmosphere,” said Environmental Defense Fund VP for Political and Government Affairs Joanna Slaney. “This legislation comes at a pivotal time because of the Trump administration's repeated attempts to prevent the collection and sharing of data necessary for healthy, thriving communities.”

“For more than 200 years, the United States, through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its predecessor agencies, has collected and compiled oceanic and atmospheric data. From water temperature to fish stock assessments, this historical record is critically important to inform decisions and understand our changing planet. The NOAA Data Preservation Act, introduced by Rep. Sarah Elfreth and Rep. Nick Begich, will preserve this priceless trove of information for the future,” said Gib Brogan, Senior Campaign Director at Oceana in the United States.

“Ensuring uninterrupted access to NOAA data is critical as we look to the past to plan for the future,” said Jeff Watters, Vice President of External Affairs at Ocean Conservancy. “Accessing NOAA data helps scientists and decision makers protect the ocean, wildlife, and communities, provide early warnings for severe weather events, and protect lives and property. We encourage Congress to act quickly to pass this critical bill.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, and includes the National Weather Service, which coordinates programs directly related to weather warnings and forecasting for the entire country. Timely warnings and accurate weather reports are crucial for saving lives during severe weather events, with the National Weather Service estimating that timely warnings can reduce the risk of injury and death by up to 50%.

Elfreth has led multiple efforts aimed at improving response and resilience to severe weather events, including introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to improve readiness against climate events at military bases. Elfreth has also co-sponsored bills like the Stop NOAA Closures Act aimed at protecting the agency and the crucial functions they provide to our country. Finally, Elfreth has spoken out on the importance of NOAA at the House Natural Resources Issue Forum on NOAA.

The bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Nick Begich (R-AK-AL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), and George Whitesides (D-CA-27).

The full bill text is available HERE.

###