The Biden administration has indicated it will undo a May decision to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) following pressure from the Senate. The reversal is expected to be announced later today.
The OOI, a $350 million array of ocean‑floor sensors, was abruptly ordered shut down without explanation, sparking concerns that the move was linked to climate‑change monitoring. Scientists and industry groups highlighted that the network also underpins weather forecasting and fisheries management, prompting broad criticism.
No formal statement has been released yet, but a New York Times report says an announcement is imminent, and Zoe Lofgren, the ranking Democrat on the House Science Committee, confirmed the decision has been made. Officials still need to assess any damage the system may have sustained during the month‑long hiatus before full operations can resume.
