Tiny Red HandsBack

NOAA's Great Lakes lab lost about 35 percent of its workforce

Date
2025-05-06
Entry type
environmental-lab-cut
Current status
Hiring freeze and departures left key forecasting roles vacant

The lab's toxic-algae and hypoxia forecasts guide drinking-water treatment for more than 1.3 million Cleveland-area residents.

Entities and roles

Relationships in this file

  1. Elon Muskcut the laboratory workforce protecting drinking waterNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  2. Donald J. TrumpTrump-appointed commerce secretaryHoward Lutnick
  3. Donald J. TrumpTrump-appointed senior adviser who led DOGE workElon Musk
  4. Donald J. TrumpTrump-appointed OMB director and acting CFPB directorRussell Vought

Claims and evidence

  1. factreported

    ProPublica reported that NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory lost about 35 percent of its 52-person workforce, including the only worker who published weekly harmful-algal-bloom sampling data, while local utilities relied on its forecasts.

  2. factdocumented

    Howard Lutnick was the Trump-appointed commerce secretary.

  3. factdocumented

    Elon Musk was the Trump-appointed senior adviser who led DOGE work.

  4. factdocumented

    Russell Vought was the Trump-appointed OMB director and acting CFPB director.

Measurements

  1. Great Lakes lab workforce lossabout 35%
    Basis
    Observed
    Population
    52-member NOAA Great Lakes laboratory workforce
    Period
    2025-02-01 to 2025-05-06
    Method
    Union roster and staffing changes reported by ProPublica.
    Uncertainty
    Includes firings, early retirements, and separations; later staffing may change.