The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded NOAA $5 million to support the conversion of the Mauna Loa atmospheric baseline observatory in Hawaii to a net-zero carbon facility. The award, part of $250 million in funding announced by DOE’s Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) program, will help NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory purchase solar panels and...

NOAA’s satellites, known for their pivotal role in tracking weather and climate, were behind the rescue of 350 people from harrowing, life-threatening ordeals in the U.S. and its surrounding waters in 2023. NOAA’s polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites are part of the global Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking system, or COSPAS-SARSAT, which uses a network of U.S. and international...

As we welcome 2024, we have compiled a list of the top stories which not only generated the most attention in 2023, but also encompassed the Commerce Department’s mission to create conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all Americans. These stories reflect many of Commerce’s top priorities and accomplishments for the year including bringing affordable, reliable high-speed Internet...

By Oliver Wise, Sallie Ann Keller, and Victoria Houed In the past year, the explosion of generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in the public consciousness has created both excitement and trepidation. GenAI has the potential to change how we work, learn, play, and consume information. In response to this technology - and leaning into the momentum driven by the Executive Order on the Safe...

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo today announced a nationwide schedule of key export promotion events—ranging from in-person local events to trade missions around the world—to advance export opportunities for diverse businesses. These programs are made available to U.S. businesses through Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) and its export promotion arm, the U.S. Commercial...

Today, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamikawa Yoko. During the meeting, Secretary Raimondo expressed her condolences to Japan and the families of the victims of the New Year’s Day earthquake and reiterated President Biden’s commitment to supporting Japan and the Japanese people to recover from this tragedy. The two also discussed the successful...

Hello everyone. This weekend, we honor the indelible life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Day is a particularly special federal holiday, being the only one officially designated as a National Day of Service . As we reflect on Dr. King’s impact on today’s world, it’s important that we also acknowledge the impact we can make by following his example. If we are going to...

Today, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) announced that Under Secretary Donald “Don” Cravins will be stepping down from his role as MBDA Under Secretary. Under Secretary Cravins was the first-ever Under Secretary to lead the bureau, which operates within the Department of Commerce. During his tenure, the agency helped minority business enterprises secure more than $8.2 billion in...