Explore

Rapid ReadRapid Read
Global Oceans Experience 100 Days of Record Heat, Amplified by El Niño

Global Oceans Experience 100 Days of Record Heat, Amplified by El Niño

The global ocean has recorded 100 consecutive days of unprecedented high average sea surface temperatures between June 2 and September 10. Data from the Climate Reanalyzer, overseen by the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute, indicates that on each of these days, sea surface temperatures surpassed those recorded on the same date in any year since 1982. One of the highest readings occurred on August 22, reaching 21.10° Celsius (69.98° Fahrenheit), according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, with the Climate Reanalyzer reporting an even higher average of 21.18° C (70.12° F) between August 22 and 27. Experts, including Zachary Labe, a climate scientist at the U.S.-based nonprofit Climate Central, attribute this long-term trend to human-induced climate change, with over 90% of excess heat from burning fossil fuels being absorbed by the ocean. The current El Niño weather pattern, which began in June and is predicted by NOAA to be 'very strong,' is further amplifying this warm...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
U.S. Coast Guard Launches Navita Digital System for Mariner Credentialing Modernization

U.S. Coast Guard Launches Navita Digital System for Mariner Credentialing Modernization

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has introduced Navita, a new digital system designed to streamline applications for Merchant Mariner Credentials (MMC) and medical certificates. This launch marks a significant step in the broader overhaul of the Coast Guard's mariner identity and credentialing infrastructure. Navita incorporates Login.gov authentication, guided electronic applications, and online case management, replacing the temporary Application Submission and Additional Information Portal (ASAP) that was launched in January. The system provides mariners with an account-based portal to apply for credentials, upload supporting documents, pay fees via Pay.gov, communicate with the National Maritime Center, and track application status. While Navita Release 1.0 focuses on the application submission process, the National Maritime Center will continue to review applications using its existing back-end processing system. The Coast Guard plans to phase out paper submissions within the next 12 months, encouraging ma...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
University of Alabama Hydrologic Scientist Position Supports NOAA's National Water Efforts

University of Alabama Hydrologic Scientist Position Supports NOAA's National Water Efforts

The University of Alabama is seeking a Hydrologic Scientist I to assist with hydrologic modeling and analysis projects. This position directly supports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) national efforts on low-flow information, specifically through the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH). CIROH's mission is to collaboratively research, develop, and deliver state-of-the-art hydrologic analyses, forecasts, data, guidance, and equitable decision-support services, directly supporting NOAA’s Office of Water Prediction (OWP). The role also reinforces the mission of the National Weather Service (NWS) National Water Center (NWC) by promoting collaboration across the scientific community and accelerating the transition of research innovations into operational water prediction services. The Hydrologic Scientist will compile, process, and analyze data, build models, generate and analyze simulation results, and prepare reports and presentations for wide dist...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Federal Appeals Court Allows Construction of Road Segment in Izembek Refuge, Despite Broader Legal Challenges to Full Road Project

Federal Appeals Court Allows Construction of Road Segment in Izembek Refuge, Despite Broader Legal Challenges to Full Road Project

A federal appeals court has denied a request by the Defenders of Wildlife to halt the construction of a nearly 3-mile road segment within the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge on the Alaska Peninsula. This decision is a victory for the federal government, the Dunleavy administration, and the King Cove Corp., an Alaska Native village corporation, which are pushing for the road's construction. The segment is located on land owned by the village corporation and could be the initial part of a proposed 19-mile road through the refuge, estimated to cost $66 million. The full road project is currently in legal limbo after conservation groups and Alaska tribes won a separate federal district court case, ruling that the Trump administration violated laws in a 2025 land exchange. The state of Alaska has begun construction on the segment, with plans for completion by next summer, and intends to appeal the ruling against the full road.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Codify NOAA’s Cooperative Institutes

Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Codify NOAA’s Cooperative Institutes

U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) have introduced the bipartisan Cooperative Institute Act of 2026. This legislation aims to codify the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) long-standing Cooperative Institute (CI) program into statute. The goal is to ensure NOAA maintains its nationwide network of academic research partnerships, which conduct research directly supporting NOAA’s operational mission. These institutes contribute to improving hurricane forecasts, storm surge prediction, fisheries science, coastal resilience, drought and wildfire monitoring, and atmospheric river and flood forecasting. Senator Hyde-Smith emphasized that the act would provide greater certainty for NOAA and universities like Mississippi State and Southern Miss in understanding, protecting, and harnessing natural resources. She specifically mentioned the Northern Gulf Institute and the Cooperative Institute for Fostering A...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Former Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes Advocates for Improved Climate and Environmental Data Accessibility

Former Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes Advocates for Improved Climate and Environmental Data Accessibility

David J. Hayes, who served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior in three presidential administrations and as Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy, is emphasizing the critical need for accessible and usable climate and environmental data. Hayes, currently an Advisory Board Member and Co-Founder of the Center for Climate and Environmental Data (CCED) at the Data Foundation, highlights issues such as data fragmentation, lack of measurement standards, and insufficient granularity. He points out that greenhouse gas data, for instance, is spread across various federal scientific agencies like NASA, NOAA, and USGS, as well as policy-making bodies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy. This fragmentation makes it challenging for decision-makers, from foresters considering reforestation projects to city managers evaluating tree planting initiatives, to access and utilize the data effectively for actionable insights. Hayes's interest in en...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
San Miguel Island Fox Population Recovers Significantly After Conservation Efforts

San Miguel Island Fox Population Recovers Significantly After Conservation Efforts

The San Miguel Island fox population, once critically low at 15 individuals, has rebounded to approximately 322 by 2024. This recovery is attributed to comprehensive conservation strategies implemented on San Miguel Island, located off the coast of Southern California. These efforts included the removal of golden eagles, which preyed on the foxes, and the eradication of feral pigs that provided a food source for the eagles. Additionally, captive-breeding programs were initiated, and captive-bred foxes were reintroduced into the wild. Vaccination programs were also crucial in protecting the foxes from diseases like canine distemper. The decline in the fox population was linked to the disappearance of native bald eagles due to DDT contamination, which allowed golden eagles to establish themselves and prey on the smaller island foxes. While the 2024 population of 322 is lower than the previous year's peak of 525, researchers indicate that pup numbers are typical, and individual foxes appear healthy, suggestin...
Palm Beach PostPalm Beach Post
Coast Guard search for missing paddleboarder Matt Pawlowski hits Day 5

Coast Guard search for missing paddleboarder Matt Pawlowski hits Day 5

Matt Pawlowski, a 48-year-old executive at NextEra Energy, was last seen Sept. 14 on a lime-green-and-yellow paddleboard off the coast of Jupiter.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
U.S. House Passes Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, Awaiting President Trump's Signature

U.S. House Passes Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, Awaiting President Trump's Signature

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, sending it to President Trump for his signature. The bill, which originated in the U.S. Senate in January 2025 and passed there in July 2025, aims to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. A key provision of the legislation directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to collaborate on developing a field test kit. This kit will be capable of identifying the country of origin of seafood through chemical analysis, specifically focusing on red snapper and tuna during pilot studies. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) emphasized that the bill will help prevent consumers from being misled by mislabeled seafood and support law-abiding U.S. fishermen.
AP NewsAP News
Endangered salmon may soon swim freely up a Maine river, but a comeback isn’t guaranteed

Endangered salmon may soon swim freely up a Maine river, but a comeback isn’t guaranteed

Habitat restoration project manager Ellie Mason sees prime Atlantic salmon habitat on the Narraguagus River, but the fish are missing
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Representative Larsen Applauds $4.2 Million NOAA Grant for Salmon Restoration in Northwest Washington

Representative Larsen Applauds $4.2 Million NOAA Grant for Salmon Restoration in Northwest Washington

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is awarding $4.2 million to the Skagit River System Cooperative. This funding is designated for restoring fish passage to support Similk Estuary Chinook salmon, benefiting the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Representative Larsen emphasized the importance of this funding for improving fish passage and fostering salmon recovery. NOAA's Community-Based Restoration Program provides technical assistance and funding for habitat restoration projects nationwide, with only 16 projects selected out of 350 proposals in this round. Additionally, the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group in Washington state received $7.2 million from NOAA for floodplain habitat restoration for Chinook and steelhead in the Mid-Columbia River. Representative Larsen has consistently advocated for environmental protection in Northwest Washington, leading efforts to fund Regional Fisheries E...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Entergy Corporation Partners to Protect Endangered Whooping Cranes and Enhance Grid Reliability

Entergy Corporation Partners to Protect Endangered Whooping Cranes and Enhance Grid Reliability

Entergy Corporation is collaborating with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and FulcrumAir to install bird flight diverters on transmission lines across Louisiana. This initiative aims to protect endangered whooping cranes, a species that nearly went extinct in the 1940s but has since seen a significant recovery, with over 800 individuals now existing. Breeding pairs of these cranes reside year-round in Entergy's service territory, particularly in areas like Jefferson Davis Parish. The LDWF identified specific locations where transmission lines intersect the cranes' natural habitat, prompting Entergy to take action. The bird flight diverters are high-contrast devices suspended on power lines, designed to be visible from all angles and in low-light conditions, utilizing FulcrumAir's drone-deployed LineFly robotic tool for installation. This method allows for installation while lines are energized, reducing human safety risks and environmental disturbance.