Project 2025, a controversial plan that seeks to inform a future conservative administration, calls for the "break up" of the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA). NOAA houses the National Weather Service. The plan, spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation, says that the weather service should “fully commercialize its forecasting operations” and focus on providing data to private companies.  It also calls for a “review” of the work of the National Hurricane Center. It acknowledges that the center provides important public safety information, but also says its data should be presented “neutrally” rather than in a way that makes points about climate change. Climate change has been linked to greater hurricane intensity and rainfall. To cut federal spending, the GOP plan also calls for the privatization of the National Flood Insurance Program and shifting federal emergency spending to states and localities instead of the federal government.  The report also says that the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research should be “downsized” while much of its climate change research should be “disbanded.” Former President Trump has tried to distance himself from the plan, saying “I have nothing to do with Project 2025.” But, his political opponents have tried to tie Trump to the unpopular plan, noting that several of the authors were part of his first administration. The lead author of the section dealing with the Commerce Department, which houses NOAA and the National Weather Service, is Thomas Gilman, who was a Trump administration official. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and National Flood Insurance Program are housed under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS section’s lead author was Trump administration official Ken Cuccinelli.  Project 2025 has received renewed attention in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which devastated much of the Southeast and, as of Monday, had left 102 people dead.