'SharpieGate' Figure Will Lead NOAA

The Senate has approved Neil Jacobs as the new head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a move that brings back a familiar face from the "SharpieGate" hurricane forecast controversy. The atmospheric scientist who previously served as the NOAA's acting director was confirmed as part of a bloc of nominees with a 51-46 vote on Tuesday. Jacobs is regarded as capable and respected within NOAA circles, especially for his push to sharpen the accuracy of US weather models, per the New York Times. However, his record is complicated by the 2019 incident where President Trump displayed an altered hurricane forecast map, claiming Hurricane Dorian might hit Alabama, contradicting official forecasts.

Under political pressure, Jacobs released a statement criticizing Alabama forecasters, a move later found to breach NOAA's ethics code. During his July confirmation hearing, Jacobs acknowledged mishandling the incident and told senators he'd approach things differently if faced with a similar situation in the future. While he backed Trump's proposals to shrink the NOAA's climate research, he broke with the president's declaration that climate change is a "hoax." Jacobs told lawmakers he accepts that human activity contributes to global warming, aligning with the overwhelming scientific consensus. He's endorsed plans for a new natural disaster review board modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board, per NBC News.