This is not government efficiency,” said former NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad. “It is the first steps toward eradication. There is no way to make these kinds of cuts without removing or strongly compromising mission capabilities.

Current and former agency officials and lawmakers said the cuts could have major impacts on Americans and the economy, compromising important functions.

A former NOAA official says another round of ‘malicious’ layoffs will affect more than 1,000 additional employee