Section 40004 of the IRA appropriates $150 million to NOAA “to accelerate advances and improvements in research, observation systems, modeling, forecasting, assessments, and public dissemination of information as it pertains to ocean and atmospheric processes that relate to weather, coasts, oceans, and climate” and to carry out section 102(a) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017, 15 U.S.C. 8512(a).
Section 102(a) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 directs NOAA to conduct a program to develop improved understanding of, and forecast capabilities for, atmospheric events and their impacts.
Section 40004 of the IRA also appropriates an additional $50 million to NOAA for competitive grants to fund climate research as it relates to weather, ocean, coastal, and atmospheric processes and conditions, and impacts to marine species and coastal habitat.
The funds appropriated under section 40004 shall remain available until September 30, 2026.
Current Status:
Section 40008 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (Public Law 119-21) rescinded unobligated funds under this IRA provision.
Trump Administration Actions:
- Congress Passes Budget Bill, Rescinding Funds and Repealing IRA Programs and Tax Credits [07/03/2025]
- OMB Orders Temporary Pause on Financial Assistance Programs, Later Rescinded [01/27/2025]
- OMB Clarifies Scope of the Order to Halt IRA Spending [01/21/2025]
- Trump Issues Executive Order to Halt All IRA Funding Disbursements [01/20/2025]
Implementation Status at End of Biden Administration:
A total of $200 million has been appropriated under this provision and is to be spent by September 30, 2026. According to NOAA’s Award Explorer for IRA funding, 57 awards have been granted for a total of $40.4 million dollars for climate data and services. Some funding could have been provided in coordination with Section 40001, on climate resiliency.
Biden Administration Actions:
- NOAA Awards $700,000 to Communities, Academia for Extreme Heat Planning, Research [01/14/2025]
- NOAA Announces $147.5 Million in Funding for Agency Data Collection and Analysis [11/26/2024]
- NOAA Accepting Applications for Community Grants and Technical Support through Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring [11/01/2024]
- NOAA Announces $15.3 Million in Funding to Improve Climate Projections of Extreme Weather [10/08/2024]
- NOAA Announces $3.84 Million Investment in Arctic Research, Data Management, and Climate Resiliency [09/27/2024]
- NOAA Announces $1.1 Million Funding Opportunity to Improve Satellite-Based Flood Monitoring in Alaska [09/20/2024]
- NOAA Announced $200,000 to Support Extreme Heat Preparedness and Response Planning [08/14/2024]
- NOAA Announces $600,000 for Citizen Science at Fisheries [08/05/2024]
- NOAA Announces IRA Funds for Small Business Climate Resilience [02/20/2024]
- NOAA Announces $27 Million for Science Supporting Pacific Salmon Recovery [01/26/2024]
- NOAA Announces $7.2 Million in IRA Funds to Improve Forecasting of Extreme Weather [11/30/2023]
- North Pacific Fishery Management Council and its Advisory Committees to meet October 2-10, 2023 to Discuss IRA Funding [09/15/2023]
- NOAA to Establish Two Research Centers to Manage Extreme Heat Across the U.S. [07/11/2023]
- NOAA to Host a Virtual Pubic Meeting to Discuss Distribution of IRA Funds [06/30/2023]
- NOAA Releases Statement on Ways Agency Supported Climate in 2022 [01/11/2023]
- NOAA Issues Statement on Funding for Agency Under IRA [08/16/2022]