Report: Hurricane Center Director Should Lose His Job

July 19, 2007 — -- The embattled director of the National Hurricane Center should not be allowed to keep his job, according to a report made public today. The recommendation comes from a government team reviewing the short tenure of Bill Proenza at what is part of the Tropical Prediction Center.

"The current TPC director should be reassigned and not be allowed to return to his position at the center. This should be done due to his failure to demonstrate leadership within the TPC," according to the report obtained by ABC News.

Proenza, appearing today at a hearing on Capitol Hill, told lawmakers he wants to keep his job. He was placed on paid administrative leave earlier this month.

The report was compiled by a team from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration headquarters sent to investigate a festering mistrust of Proenza by many of the hurricane forecasters that work for him.

Employees at the National Hurricane Center in Miami were upset at Proenza for publicly criticizing NOAA for not working faster to replace the aging QuikScat weather satellite that is used in hurricane forecasting. Proenza said the loss of QuikScat would significantly hinder efforts to accurately track tropical storm behavior, but many employees there felt he had overplayed the importance of the satellite.

Many worried that the public would lose confidence in the National Hurricane Center during a season that is predicted to be above average, with 13 to 17 named storms, seven to 10 hurricanes, and three to five major hurricanes.

The rift appeared to become a mutiny when 23 members of his staff signed a letter calling for Proenza to be removed.

"The effective functioning of the National Hurricane Center is at stake," the letter stated.

Some lawmakers today expressed irritation that the controversy had become public.

"This is a personnel problem that should have been handled internally," said Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. "It's not our job as Congress to be dealing with personnel problems. Mr. Proenza, you've got a problem down there if half your employees say they don't have any confidence in you."

Despite the report's recommendation that he be removed, Proenza sounded a conciliatory note at today's hearing.

"I am still the center's director," he told lawmakers. "I need to get back to work. I am ready to repair bruised relationships, wherever they may be, with whatever mediators and things that we feel may be the best way to move forward."

He continued, however, to assert that the loss of QuikScat would be like "losing a limb" and would set hurricane forecasting back seven years.

"I dared to call attention to it. And by golly I am going to pay the price for bringing this to the attention of the American people," Proenza said.

Proenza testified at a joint hearing of the House Energy and Environment and Investigations and Oversight subcommittees.

The report released today harshly criticizes Proenza and notes the rift compromised the work being done at the center -- a potential public safety issue.

"The short term ability of the TPC to provide accurate and timely information was put at risk due to the TPC director's disruptive conduct and the lack of trust between many staff and the director," according to the report. "The negative work environment, exacerbated by the director, has had -- and is likely to continue to have -- a major deleterious impact on the center's ability to fulfill its mission, if he is allowed to return to his position."

Lawmakers urged the NOAA and the hurricane center to put aside the dispute and get back to its primary mission of providing the best hurricane predictions possible.

"I think the public is tired of hearing about this debate," said Rep. Ron Klein, D-Fla. "I think the public is much more interested in making sure that public safety is No. 1."

NOAA administrator Conrad Lautenbacher also appeared before the committee, reassuring members that his agency is ready.

"NOAA, the National Weather Serivce and the Tropical Prediction Center are fully prepared for this hurricance season," Lautenbacher said. "Our forecasting ability continues to improve, and the American people can expect nothing less than the full capabilities of the National Hurricane Center."