A yearly national conference on hurricane preparedness and response began this week in New Orleans.
Federal weather experts, usually part of the discussion, were absent this year amid the Trump administration's cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Also missing from the National Hurricane Conference were representatives from Federal Emergency Management Agency, save for a speech made by acting administrator Cameron Hamilton when the conference opened Monday.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has suggested eliminating FEMA.
A former NOAA and FEMA employee under presidents Trump and George W. Bush told our partners at NOLA.com that input from federal officials at this conference is important.
"It's critical for them to be here," Julie Roberts said. "They need to be here to talk about what is going on."
Roberts said the administrations cuts to FEMA and NOAA puts property and even lives on the coast at risk.
