A federally funded ocean-monitoring network off the coast of Washington and Oregon is beginning to be dismantled after National Science Foundation budget cuts.

Why it matters: The removal of research buoys is the latest reduction in climate and ocean research under the Trump administration.

Catch up quick: The Ocean Observatories Initiative was established in 2015 as a way to gather long-term data from roughly 900 sensors in the Pacific, Atlantic and off Greenland.

• The Coastal Endurance Array in the Pacific Northwest consists of research buoys off Grays Harbor and Newport, Oregon, as well as underwater gliders and cables that collect real-time ocean data on temperature, current, ecosystems and extreme weather events.
• The worldwide network was designed to operate for at least 25 years. But last month, the initiative said the project was being "descoped" because of NSF cuts and that all equipment would be removed by next year.

Yes, but: Undersea cables that measure seismic activity will remain in place and operational in both states.

Follow the money: The initiative, which was deployed at a cost of $368 million, costs about $48 million a year to operate, per the Associated Press, though that doesn't include the significant cost of research vessels.

• There was no estimate for how much the buoy removal operation would cost.

The other side: Michael England, a spokesman for the NSF, told the New York Times the initiative is not being canceled, but moving to "a nimbler approach."

• Democrats have vowed to fight the cuts, per the Times.

The bottom line: "It's a crippling loss of information," Ed Dever, an Oregon State professor who helped lead the initiative in the Pacific Northwest, told the Associated Press.

• Dever described the buoy removals as part of a broader disinvestment in federally funded climate research.
• "It seems to really mark the end of a federal commitment to basic scientific research — a commitment that has served this nation very well for the last 70 years."

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Billionaire financier Todd Boehly is weighing a bid for the Seattle Seahawks, according to a Semafor report.

Why it matters: The Seahawks could fetch as much as $9 billion, according to Semafor, which would set a record sale price for an NFL franchise.

The team is currently owned by the estate of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, which is carrying out his wishes to sell his sports holdings and direct the proceeds to philanthropy.

• Boehly has approached potential partners including Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter and Middle East investors, Semafor reports.

What's next: Formal bids are expected in the coming weeks.

• Semafor reports that Indian steel executive Aditya Mittal, former Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla are also exploring bids.

🏢 More than 10,000 people applied to live in Seattle's first social housing building, a sign of demand for the mixed-income public housing program. (Seattle Times)

💰 Gov. Ferguson's office is warning state agencies to prepare for significant budget shortfalls and spending cuts in Washington's next two-year budget. (Washington State Standard)

📉 Seattle slipped from second to 13th in a ranking of top U.S. cities for foreign investment. (GeekWire)

🧭 Seattle's CARE Department has secured a new home for its East Precinct hub as the city expands its civilian crisis-response footprint. (Capitol Hill Seattle Blog)

⚽ A floating soccer festival featuring watch parties, a mini-pitch and fan events arrived at Seattle's waterfront yesterday ahead of the World Cup. (FOX 13)

Maya's Legacy Whale Watching in Friday Harbor has been named the best whale-watching tour operator in the country by USA Today readers.

Why it matters: Seeing whales in the wild is awesome.

• The recognition of the 20-year-old company is notable in a region packed with outfitters offering similar trips through the Salish Sea.

Break out the sunscreen, swimsuits and portable fans: The Pacific Northwest is about to crank up the thermostat.

The latest: Sunshine and a ridge of high pressure are expected to gradually increase temperatures every day this week.

• Seattle could flirt with 90 degrees on Sunday and Monday, when the heat is likely to peak, according the National Weather Service.
• Adding to the summer feel, overnight temperatures will stay warmer than usual, NWS meteorologist Jacob DeFlitch told Axios.

Yes, but: The hottest stretch looks relatively brief, with highs starting to dip on Tuesday.

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