"NOAA Officials Who Led ‘Sharpiegate’ Investigation Placed On Leave"

"The move comes days before a Senate committee votes on the nomination of Neil Jacobs, who was found to have violated the agency’s scientific integrity policy" 

"Two top officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who led the investigation into the so-called “Sharpiegate” scandal, were placed on leave amid clashes with the Trump administration, according to a report.

Steve Volz, assistant administrator in the agency’s Satellite and Information Service, and Jeff Dillen, deputy general counsel for the agency, were placed on leave this week, CNN first reported.

They both worked on the investigation into the “Sharpiegate” scandal. In 2019, President Donald Trump drew a map with a black marker depicting a path for Hurricane Dorian, suggesting it would hit Alabama. The agency then issued a statement that contradicted its own scientists and supported Trump’s claims. The storm then hit near the Carolinas."

Kelly Rissman reports for the Independent July 26, 2025.

SEE ALSO:

"US Weather Boss During ‘Sharpiegate’ Nears Return to a Shrinking Agency" (Bloomberg Green)

"Private Companies Step up to Gather Weather Data for NOAA as Staffing Cuts Hobble Agency Forecasting" (Inside Climate News)

"Top Climate Scientist’s Departure Is Sign Of ‘Brain Drain’ At NOAA Hub In Asheville – And Of Deep Cuts To Research Across The Country" (Ashville Watchdog)