NIST: Official response to closure questions
WWV building in Fort Collins, Colorado (photo courtesy: NIST)
I've just received the following formal response from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) regarding the President's NIST FY 2019 budget request:
(Source: NIST)
NIST has a long-standing history of providing time and frequency services through our radio stations and we appreciate that many people use these services. NIST's WWV is the longest continuously-operating radio service in the U.S. At the same time, the proposed NIST budget for FY 2019 required difficult choices about budget priorities.
The President's full NIST FY 2019 budget request to the Congress is available at the link below, including a brief description of why the shutdown of NIST's time and frequency radio stations is proposed. The proposal includes shutdown of NIST's three radio stations, WWV, WWVH, and WWVB, which communicate with consumer clocks, watches, broadcasting systems and other devices. It is important to note that no changes to NIST services have occurred, and if the proposal were to be implemented, public notice would be provided.
http://www.osec.doc.gov/bmi/budget/FY19CBJ/NIST_and_NTIS_FY2019_President's_Budget_for_508_comp.pdf. See page NIST-25.
Here is a link to the NIST Budget Table for the FY2019 Presidential Request.
Also, for context, it may be helpful to view links to press releases issued in May and June 2018 by the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate Committees on Appropriations about the FY2019 budget process.
This response leaves no room for debate: all three NIST radio stations-WWV, WWVH and WWVB-are included in the proposed cuts.
Of course, we're following this story closely. Bookmark and check the tag WWV for updates.