Inflation Reduction Act Tracker

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law
Environmental Defense Fund

IRA Section 40005 – Computing Capacity and Research for Weather, Oceans, and Climate

Section 40005 of the IRA appropriates $190 million to NOAA for: (1) the procurement of additional high-performance computing, data processing capacity, data management, and storage assets; (2) to carry out Section 204(a)(2) of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991, 15 U.S.C. 5524(a)(2); and (3) for transaction agreements under Section 301(d)(1)(A) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017, 15 U.S.C. 8531(d)(1)(A).

Section 204(a)(2) of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 requires the NOAA to conduct basic and applied research in weather prediction and ocean sciences, particularly in development of new forecast models, in computational fluid dynamics, and in the incorporation of evolving computer architectures and networks into the systems that carry out agency missions.

Section 301(d)(1)(A) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 requires the Undersecretary of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to enter into transaction agreements, which aim to enhance the effectiveness of data, satellite, and other observing systems used by the agency to meet its missions, through basic, applied, and advanced research projects and ocean exploration missions.

The funds appropriated under section 40005 shall remain available until September 30, 2026.

Current Status:

No change under Trump administration

Implementation Status at End of Biden Administration:

Complete

NOAA appropriated $190 million for high-performance computing and data collection and management, available until September 30, 2026. $100 million from the IRA and BIL has been spent on a high-performance computer system to enhance NOAA weather, climate and ecosystem research. $29 million has been spent on whale and fish conservation. $85 million has been spent on the Industry Proving Grounds program to promote the use of climate information. It is unclear how much BIL funding was used for the purchase of the high performance computer system, however it is likely the entire $190 million was spent.