https://thinkprogress.org/trump-eliminate-chemical-safety-agency-76e59a801270/
"The agency is charged with investigating major chemical fires, explosions, leaks, and other accidents."
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Monday, February 12, 2018
New emails reveal Scott Pruitt was personally involved in erasing climate data from EPA website
https://thinkprogress.org/scott-pruitt-epa-webiste-0b4f50ef76c4/
"Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt was personally involved in the purging of information from the agency’s website in the early months of the Trump administration, according to documents obtained by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)."
"Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt was personally involved in the purging of information from the agency’s website in the early months of the Trump administration, according to documents obtained by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)."
Trump Proves Record-Level Ignorance Regarding Ice Caps, Climate Crisis
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/01/29/trump-proves-record-level-ignorance-regarding-ice-caps-climate-crisis
"NOAA's latest Arctic Report Card—a government-generated document that anybody (even the president) can read—showed that rates of Arctic warming and sea ice decline are now at levels not seen in 1,500 years."
"NOAA's latest Arctic Report Card—a government-generated document that anybody (even the president) can read—showed that rates of Arctic warming and sea ice decline are now at levels not seen in 1,500 years."
Here’s how the Mercer family’s climate denial funding influenced Trump
https://thinkprogress.org/mercers-climate-denial-influenced-trump-fa45a181fff2/
"Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah, powerful conservative donors with close ties to the Trump administration, donated millions of dollars to climate science denial groups, newly released 2016 tax filing details show."
"Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah, powerful conservative donors with close ties to the Trump administration, donated millions of dollars to climate science denial groups, newly released 2016 tax filing details show."
Saturday, February 10, 2018
Top EPA official gets second chance to deregulate toxic air pollution
https://thinkprogress.org/epa-weakens-toxic-pollution-controls-f28dcab8d218/
"On Thursday, the EPA issued a guidance memorandum drafted by Wehrum’s office that significantly relaxes regulations governing the release of extremely toxic mercury, arsenic, and lead pollution by industrial facilities."
"On Thursday, the EPA issued a guidance memorandum drafted by Wehrum’s office that significantly relaxes regulations governing the release of extremely toxic mercury, arsenic, and lead pollution by industrial facilities."
Fracking companies won’t have to disclose chemicals thanks to Trump administration rollback
https://thinkprogress.org/fracking-repeal-consequences-4362a9587bfe/
"The regulations, finalized under the Obama administration, would have required companies that frack on federal lands to, among other things, disclose the chemicals used in their operations."
"The regulations, finalized under the Obama administration, would have required companies that frack on federal lands to, among other things, disclose the chemicals used in their operations."
Doomsday Clock Now '2 Minutes to Midnight' as Trump Drives Up Nuclear and Climate Threats
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/01/25/doomsday-clock-now-2-minutes-midnight-trump-drives-nuclear-and-climate-threats
"In response to rising nuclear tensions and concerns about inadequate action to address the climate crisis, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced Thursday the hands of the Doomsday Clock have been moved and it is now just two minutes midnight, a signal to the world that international scientists and policy experts are increasingly worried about the likeliness of global catastrophe. "In 2017, world leaders failed to respond effectively to the looming threats of nuclear war and climate change, making the world security situation more dangerous than it was a year ago—and as dangerous as it has been since World War II," said a statement from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The Bulletin was established decades ago by creators of the atomic bomb and aims to keep the world informed "about threats to the survival and development of humanity from nuclear weapons, climate change, and emerging technologies in the life sciences"."
"In response to rising nuclear tensions and concerns about inadequate action to address the climate crisis, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced Thursday the hands of the Doomsday Clock have been moved and it is now just two minutes midnight, a signal to the world that international scientists and policy experts are increasingly worried about the likeliness of global catastrophe. "In 2017, world leaders failed to respond effectively to the looming threats of nuclear war and climate change, making the world security situation more dangerous than it was a year ago—and as dangerous as it has been since World War II," said a statement from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The Bulletin was established decades ago by creators of the atomic bomb and aims to keep the world informed "about threats to the survival and development of humanity from nuclear weapons, climate change, and emerging technologies in the life sciences"."
Doomsday Clock Moves Closer To Midnight; George Schultz Sounds Alarm
Doomsday Clock Moves Closer To Midnight; George Schultz Sounds Alarm:
"Asked by Senator Jean Shaheen about the development of "small" nuclear arms here and overseas, Schultz took off: A nuclear weapon is a nuclear weapon. You use a small one; then you go to a bigger one. Nuclear weapons are nuclear weapons, and we need to draw the line there. One of the alarming things to me is this notion we can have something called a small nuclear weapon, which I understand the Russians are doing, and somehow that is usable. Your mind goes to the idea that nuclear weapons become usable, and then we are really in trouble because a big nuclear -- can wipe out the world. I have a great friend in San Francisco, William Swing, the retired Episcopal Bishop of California, and he started something terrific called United Religion Initiative. He made a statement about a year ago. I tried to get him to publish it, but he would not do it. He said When you put your hand on the Bible and swear to be President of the United States, that is the least of it. When you put your hand on the nuclear button, and you can start something that might kill a million people, you are not president anymore. You are God. And who are we to say we are God? These weapons are immoral, as President Reagan said many times. And we need to get rid of them. This goes so far in the face of everything Donald Trump has said about nuclear weapons, it isn't a subtle suggestion. Trump shouldn't play God with nukes. Period."
"Asked by Senator Jean Shaheen about the development of "small" nuclear arms here and overseas, Schultz took off: A nuclear weapon is a nuclear weapon. You use a small one; then you go to a bigger one. Nuclear weapons are nuclear weapons, and we need to draw the line there. One of the alarming things to me is this notion we can have something called a small nuclear weapon, which I understand the Russians are doing, and somehow that is usable. Your mind goes to the idea that nuclear weapons become usable, and then we are really in trouble because a big nuclear -- can wipe out the world. I have a great friend in San Francisco, William Swing, the retired Episcopal Bishop of California, and he started something terrific called United Religion Initiative. He made a statement about a year ago. I tried to get him to publish it, but he would not do it. He said When you put your hand on the Bible and swear to be President of the United States, that is the least of it. When you put your hand on the nuclear button, and you can start something that might kill a million people, you are not president anymore. You are God. And who are we to say we are God? These weapons are immoral, as President Reagan said many times. And we need to get rid of them. This goes so far in the face of everything Donald Trump has said about nuclear weapons, it isn't a subtle suggestion. Trump shouldn't play God with nukes. Period."
8 Things We Now Know That Happen (and That Don't Happen) When We Legalize Marijuana @alternet
8 Things We Now Know That Happen (and That Don't Happen) When We Legalize Marijuana @alternet:
"5. States with legal marijuana have lower rates of opioid-related harm. In Colorado, an upward trend in overdoses began to decline after 2014, the first year of retail pot sales in the state. Other positive indicia come from medical marijuana states, which report a nearly 25 percent drop in overdose death rates, a 23 percent reduction in opioid addiction-related hospitalizations and a 15 percent reduction in opioid treatment admissions. 6. Marijuana tax revenues are big—and bigger than predicted. Legalization states have collected more than a billion dollars in pot tax revenues—and that's not counting the monster market in California, where recreational sales just began this month. Likewise, slow roll-outs of taxed and regulated marijuana commerce in Maine and Massachusetts mean no tax dollars have yet been generated there. In the states that do have legal pot sales, overall sales and tax revenues quickly exceeded initial estimates. 7. Marijuana tax dollars are going for good things. Like $230 million to the Colorado Department of Education in two years to fund school construction, early literacy, school health, and bullying prevention programs. Likewise, schools in Oregon get 40 percent of the pot taxes and schools in Nevada will get $56 million in wholesale pot tax revenues. Oregon also allocates 20 percent of pot taxes for alcohol and drug treatment, while Washington kicks in 25 percent. In Washington state, 55 percent of pot tax revenues fund basic health plans."
"5. States with legal marijuana have lower rates of opioid-related harm. In Colorado, an upward trend in overdoses began to decline after 2014, the first year of retail pot sales in the state. Other positive indicia come from medical marijuana states, which report a nearly 25 percent drop in overdose death rates, a 23 percent reduction in opioid addiction-related hospitalizations and a 15 percent reduction in opioid treatment admissions. 6. Marijuana tax revenues are big—and bigger than predicted. Legalization states have collected more than a billion dollars in pot tax revenues—and that's not counting the monster market in California, where recreational sales just began this month. Likewise, slow roll-outs of taxed and regulated marijuana commerce in Maine and Massachusetts mean no tax dollars have yet been generated there. In the states that do have legal pot sales, overall sales and tax revenues quickly exceeded initial estimates. 7. Marijuana tax dollars are going for good things. Like $230 million to the Colorado Department of Education in two years to fund school construction, early literacy, school health, and bullying prevention programs. Likewise, schools in Oregon get 40 percent of the pot taxes and schools in Nevada will get $56 million in wholesale pot tax revenues. Oregon also allocates 20 percent of pot taxes for alcohol and drug treatment, while Washington kicks in 25 percent. In Washington state, 55 percent of pot tax revenues fund basic health plans."
Don’t let Trump’s solar tariff scare you. There’s an easy trick to beat it.
https://thinkprogress.org/avoid-trump-solar-power-price-hike-001a1e017e22/
"Ironically, whether or not people use the quote aggregators, Trump’s new tariff won’t actually hurt China very much. But the price hike will hurt both U.S. consumers and businesses, while risking tens of thousands of good paying jobs for solar installers. What’s more, it will disproportionately hurt the workers and consumers of the emerging solar markets in red states like Florida, Texas, South Carolina, and Georgia."
"Ironically, whether or not people use the quote aggregators, Trump’s new tariff won’t actually hurt China very much. But the price hike will hurt both U.S. consumers and businesses, while risking tens of thousands of good paying jobs for solar installers. What’s more, it will disproportionately hurt the workers and consumers of the emerging solar markets in red states like Florida, Texas, South Carolina, and Georgia."
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