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| Steve Maguire photo |
The National Weather Service is in the eye of a budget storm—one that has the potential to grow into a Category 5.
According to a story at cnbc.com, a bill in the House of Representatives is proposing to cut the National Weather Service's 2011 budget by reportedly 30 percent or about $126 million. The proposal is part of the Full Year Continuing Resolution Act.
If the act is passed, the reduction could take effect as early as next month.
Joseph Calderone has been a forecaster for the National Weather Service in Charleston, South Carolina since 2002. He's a member of the National Weather Services Employees Organization. Calderone says the House needs to put the deep freeze on the plan.
"There is a very heightened risk for loss of life if these cuts go through. The inability for warnings to be disseminated to the public, whether due to staffing inadequacies, radar maintenance problems or weather radio transmitter difficulties, would be disastrous," said Calderone.
Calderone warns sectors such as aviation, utilities, agriculture, transportation, and insurers would get a direct hit from the National Weather Service cutbacks.
Read more here.
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