As Hurricane Harvey grows in strength to a Category 2 storm and approaches Texas, local officials have a message to those considering riding out the storm: “Get out now.” The first major hurricane to hit Texas in nearly nine years, labeled by forecasters as a “life-threatening storm,” could bring up to three feet of rain, […]
Category: Domestic
United States Formally Submits Notice Of Withdrawal From Paris Climate Agreement
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department has officially informed the United Nations it will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement in a document issued on Friday, but left the door open to re-engaging if the terms improved for the United States. The State Department said in a press release the United States would continue […]
5.8 Richter Scale Earthquake Rocks Western States
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 startled many people out of their sleep in western Montana early Thursday. The shallow quake was felt for hundreds of miles from its epicenter southeast of Lincoln, including in parts of neighboring states and in Canada. “We have no reports of injuries due to the earthquake at this […]
Governors Will Uphold Paris Accord, Defy Trump Withdrawal
Three major states said Thursday they would form a “climate alliance” to work toward upholding the Paris accord after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would withdraw from the agreement. In a statement, the governors of New York, California and Washington announced they will form a “coalition that will convene U.S. states committed to upholding” […]
Trump To Nominate Non-Scientist For USDA’s Top Science Position
The Trump administration is planning to nominate Sam Clovis — the Department of Agriculture’s senior White House adviser — as head of USDA’s Research, Education and Economics division, according to individuals briefed on the decision. The move would mark a break with recent Republican and Democratic administrations alike, which have previously reserved the high-level position for […]
Nuclear Radiation Emergency Declared In Washington State
The Energy Department ordered hundreds of workers at its Hanford nuclear site in Washington state to “take cover” Tuesday morning after the collapse of 20-foot-long portion of a tunnel used to store contaminated radioactive materials. The Energy Department said it activated its emergency operations protocol after reports of a “cave-in” at the 200 East Area in […]
EPA Removes Info About Climate Change From Website
WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency is updating its website and, in the process, has removed a page that explained the causes and effects of climate change. The agency said Friday the website, epa.gov, is undergoing changes to reflect its new direction under President Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “As EPA renews its commitment […]
Trump Grants Pipeline Permits Without All Promised Guidelines
Trump Says Keystone XL Approval Is a ‘Great Day for Jobs’ President Donald Trump vowed to win a “better deal” for Americans before approving the Keystone XL and the Dakota Access oil pipelines, promising to extract concessions and force the builders to use U.S. steel. Now his administration has authorized both projects — with those conditions […]
No US Steel For Keystone Pipeline Despite Trump Promises
PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Keystone XL oil pipeline won’t use American steel in its construction, despite what President Donald Trump says. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday that’s due to language in a presidential directive Trump issued in January. The directive applies to new pipelines or those under repair. Sanders said it […]
3 Million Americans At Risk Of Earthquake Due To Fracking
Three million Americans, primarily in Oklahoma and Kansas, are at risk from human-induced earthquakes this year, the U.S. Geological Survey said Wednesday. That’s the conclusion of a new report that cites wastewater disposal from fracking as triggering the quakes. The number of Americans affected this year is less than last year, when the agency reported 7 million […]
Trump To Curb Obama’s Climate And Water Protections Through Executive Order
President Trump is preparing executive orders aimed at curtailing Obama-era policies on climate and water pollution, according to individuals briefed on the measures. While both directives will take time to implement, they will send an unmistakable signal that the new administration is determined to promote fossil-fuel production and economic activity even when those activities collide with […]
GOP Moves To Erase Protections For Endangered Species
Today, Senate Republicans are holding a hearing to find out how best to repeal the Endangered Species Act. Republican lawmakers have wanted to “modernize” the Endangered Species Act for years, mainly on the basis that the laws protecting the habitats of various species are inhibiting the potential for drilling, mining, and land development across America. With […]