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Resolution R-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") COMMISSION TO
REAFFIRM THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO SCIENCE -BASED WEATHER
TRACKING AS THE FOUNDATION FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND
LOCAL FUNDING, TO MITIGATE LOCAL RISKS, TO COORDINATE WITH
REGIONAL PARTNERS TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL FEDERAL BUDGET
CUTS TO NOAA, AND TO ADOPT THE "SCIENCE -BASED TRACKING AND
OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE FOR MIAMI" (STORM) INITIATIVE
WHEREAS, the City of Miami's resilience and public safety are critically dependent on
science -based forecasts and data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), whose "primary mission" is the "protection
of life and property and enhancement of the national economy," and
WHEREAS, the Miami metropolitan area is home to over 6.4 million people and has a
regional economy exceeding $533 billior , with more than 85,000 residents in Miami -Dade
County living in low-lying land below three feet of elevation, making reliable preparedness
information essential to protect this significant population and economic hub; and
WHEREAS, the President's Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request proposes a 27%
reduction to NOAA's budget, and while the House and Senate Appropriations Committees
have rejected the most severe cuts, expert hurricane meteorologists, including Miami's John
Morales, Dr. John Cortines, Dr. Robert Atlas, and James Franklin warn that even potential
decreases could lead to a loss of essential observational systems and a 20-40% reduction in
staffing in South Florida forecast, monitoring, and research offices; and
WHEREAS, the immense economic value of NOAA's services is well -documented, with
multiple studies from sources including the American Meteorological Society and the Internet of
Water Coalition estimating that the benefit -to -cost ratio of federal weather forecasting is up to
15 to 1, which enables a thriving private weather sector, and that a 2022 study estimated that
forecast improvements since 2009 alone have generated savings of $7 billion, which is 20
times the agency's hurricane forecasting system budget during that period; and
WHEREAS, the increasing frequency of extremely rapid intensification events, such as
Hurricane Milton in October 2024, which intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 5
hurricane in lust over 7 hours, drastically reduces the lead time for public preparation and safe
evacuation; and
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WHEREAS, this compressed timeline, combined with a potential degradation of federal
forecasting, creates a problematic situation for decision -makers and a heightened risk of
"warning fatigue," a phenomenon where residents may disregard alerts after repeated, less -
precise warnings, leaving them dangerously unprepared for catastrophic events; and
WHEREAS, the increasing intensity of rainfall, as seen during Hurricane lan in 2022
where some areas of Florida received over 20 inches of rain, there was unprecedented storm
surge of 12 to 18 feet reported along the southwestern Florida coast, and approximately 2.7
million customers in Florida lost power, has demonstrated that water -related damage from
inland flooding and storm surge is a serious cause of loss of life and property; and
WHEREAS, the City's emergency management hierarchy, from municipal departments
to Miami -Dade County, the South Florida Regional Planning Council, and the Florida Division
of Emergency Management, relies on a coordinated regional approach to ensure consistent
and reliable information is available for all of South Florida, which ultimately depends on data
from NOAA and NWS, as established by Florida Statutes 252.38; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Miami Climate Resilience
Committee strongly recommends that the City Commission direct the City Manager to work
with all necessary departments to adopt the Science -based Tracking and Operational
Resilience for Miami (STORM) Initiative to:
1. Advocate for Federal, State, and Local Funding and Capacity: Formally advocate at
the federal level for the preservation of NOAA and NWS funding and capacity,
which are vital for protecting the public safety of Miami and other coastal
communities.
2. Mitigate Local Dependencies: Audit the City's reliance on NOAA data to proactively
identify potential shortcomings and prepare for contingencies. This includes
integrating supplemental data and technology from state, academic, and private
providers, including FEMA, USGS, the University of Miami, and Florida International
University.
3. Coordinate with Regional Partners: Lead a strengthened regional effort to
coordinate emergency data, resources, and public messaging with Miami -Dade
County, neighboring municipalities, and the Southeast Florida Climate Compact,
ensuring a unified and science -based approach to preparedness and response.
4. Announce the City of Miami's commitment to science -based weather tracking as the
foundation of emergency preparedness.
Aaron DeMayo
Chairman, CRC
Z7e-War
Date: September 15th, 2025
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Vote Record:
Aaron DeMayo, Chair, D2 Aye
Wayne Pathman, Esq., Member, D3 Absent
Grant Musser, Member, Manager Aye
Avra Jain, Member, At -Large Aye
Sarahi A. Perez, Member, At -Large (between ages 18-25) Aye
Silvio Frank Pupo-Casco, Member, D1 Aye
JennyLee Molina, Member, D4 Aye
Barbara K. Bisno, Member, Mayor Absent
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