Trump Admin Reverses Course on Climate Change Database After Public Outcry

2025-07-19 12:00:44.572

The Trump administration has reversed its decision to halt development of a new database, Atlas 15, designed to provide precise flash flood risk estimates for Americans, incorporating the effects of climate change. This reversal follows reports by CNN and the Washington Post, and subsequent discussions between NOAA leadership and Commerce Department officials. Atlas 15 will replace the outdated Atlas 14, which does not account for climate change. The updated database will be crucial for civil engineers, homeowners, and others in assessing flood risk, as global warming increases the frequency and severity of extreme precipitation events. The database will include projections for the likelihood and severity of 100-year and even 1000-year rainfall events under various warming scenarios. While the first phase of Atlas 15, focusing on updated precipitation frequency estimates without climate change projections, is on track for release later this year, the second phase, which incorporates climate change projections, had been paused until now. The administration's initial pause on the climate change component raised concerns about its commitment to climate science, given other recent actions, such as the removal of the climate.gov website and the disbanding of experts working on a national climate assessment. The completion of Atlas 15 will mark a significant step towards recognizing the changing precipitation extremes caused by climate change and enabling better preparedness for future flood events.