Sky's not falling...

NOAA's 2016 "Blue Book" shows a $1.5B budget reduction comes nowhere near putting them out of business.

NOAA's 2016 budget is larger than their 2015 or 2014 budgets.

NOAA's prime mission, which could be inferred from the article as handing out grant money, does not have to change.

NOAA's budget is not decreasing, it's just not being allowed to increase so much. There is a difference. 

NOAA's bureaucracy like every other bureaucracy, simply want the money to which they believe they are entitled.

And are willing to use every ploy, including "the sky is falling!" to get it.