AIBS has joined the Ecological Society of America and 70 other scientific societies in sending a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum expressing full support for the Ecosystems Mission Area within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Initial drafts of the federal budget proposal suggest that the Administration is planning to discontinue or defund the entire Ecosystems Mission Area in fiscal year (FY) 2026.
he letter urges the Secretary to fully fund the Ecosystems Mission Area—USGS’s biological research arm—at its FY 2025 funding level in the FY 2026 federal budget for the agency, so that it can “continue its critical work of maintaining our nation’s natural resources, ensuring environmental health, and protecting public health.”
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