CIA using assets to look at global warming?

So Fox and Friends had this story on this morning about the CIA using satellites to look into possible global warming evidence. An article over at the New York Times appears to be the source of the story. On its face this appears to be a serious misuse of intelligence assets but upon consideration it may be understandable. The article is careful to point out early:

The monitoring program has little or no impact on regular intelligence gathering, federal officials said, but instead releases secret information already collected or takes advantage of opportunities to record environmental data when classified sensors are otherwise idle or passing over wilderness.

Of course, "little" may mean something different to you and me than to the editors at the NYT or to unnamed "federal officials". Which federal officials you ask? Well, the Times doesn't say but maybe it's this one:

 A senior federal official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, defended the scientific monitoring as exploiting the intelligence field quite adroitly.

Ah, the infamous anonymous federal official; there's one in every Times story it seems. Once again we are forced to take the word of someone on a possibly critical issue who doesn't want their name used either because of political considerations or because it is a crime for them to speak about it. The article also goes on to mention that the scientists involved in this program have secret clearances, one presumes over the accuracy and capability of the satellites involved. An NDA is without a doubt part of these clearances... No doubt these scientists will take their responsibilities more seriously than these "federal officials".

That said, it is obvious that satellites do in fact spend time over areas that would otherwise be of no interest to us and I have no problem with using that "time" for other pursuits. Obviously we do have polar satellites and it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to see some spare available time for some scientific inspection so long as it doesn't interfere with the primary mission of the CIA - you know, security of the nation and all that jazz. The article also mentions that this program was suspended under Bush which does give me additional pause. Say what you will about Bush but he was serious about terrorism and security. This might be a case of walking and chewing gum at the same time but from where I sit I wouldn't bet on it.