The Day, New London, Conn. | By Brian Hallenbeck
Published March 12, 2025 at 9:30am ET

New London — A U.S. Department of Homeland Security order banning “climate change activities and the use of climate change terminology in DHS policies and programs” caused a stir among Coast Guard Academy alumni last month.

After receiving “several letters of concern,” the academy’s alumni association sought a response from the academy’s provost, a senior academic official, who said the academy was required to heed the order.

The Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security’s jurisdiction.

“This is a lawful directive with which we are obligated to comply, and we are doing so,” the provost, Amy Donahue, said in a statement posted Feb. 28 on the Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association website. “Further, in order to be fully mission capable, the Coast Guard needs officers who understand and are prepared to function effectively in the operating environment of a maritime military service.”