1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

’m writing to urge you to push for the reinstatement of NOAA’s Atlas 15 Volume 2 project. This essential, nearly complete tool was shut down by the Trump administration despite being low-cost and close to delivery. It was designed to provide forward-looking rainfall data adjusted for climate change—data that communities urgently need. The July 4th floods in Texas are a tragic example. Rainfall records were shattered, emergency systems overwhelmed, and communities left underwater. Events like this are no longer rare. But local planners are still forced to rely on outdated data—some from the 1970s. While NOAA’s Atlas 14 provided updates between 2004 and 2023, it only reflects past weather. Atlas 15 was going to change that by projecting how extreme rainfall will evolve due to global warming. This would directly impact how we design stormwater systems, roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure. But this spring, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick indefinitely suspended the project after a review ordered by the Trump administration. This wasn’t about cost—it was part of a broader effort to weaken federal climate science. Private firms may offer climate projections, but NOAA is the national gold standard. Its data is embedded in FEMA flood maps, zoning codes, and safety standards. Without Atlas 15, cities are left guessing. That’s not just irresponsible—it’s dangerous. Please help ensure Atlas 15 Volume 2 is completed and released. Our communities need it to stay safe in a changing climate.