As Irma and Harvey Slam the U.S., Climate Deniers Remain Steadfast
"The toll on Texas and risks to Florida and the islands from massive storms in an era of global warming did little to sway officials who deny climate change."
"The toll on Texas and risks to Florida and the islands from massive storms in an era of global warming did little to sway officials who deny climate change."
"MIAMI -- Dozens of personnel from the Environmental Protection Agency worked to secure some of the nation's most contaminated toxic waste sites as Hurricane Irma bore down on Florida. The agency said its employees evacuated personnel, secured equipment and safeguarded hazardous materials in anticipation of storm surges and heavy rains."
"When his investigators dug into corruption allegations at a Superfund site, Oklahoma State Auditor Gary Jones believed they'd found criminal wrongdoing. But Scott Pruitt, then Oklahoma's attorney general, didn't agree with Jones about activities at the Tar Creek site. In 2015, a little more than a year after getting Jones' report, he said he wouldn't bring criminal charges."
"HIGHLANDS, Texas -- Floodwaters have inundated at least seven highly contaminated toxic waste sites near Houston, raising concerns that the pollution there might spread."
"Top U.S. EPA officials are calling efforts to link Hurricane Harvey and climate change 'misplaced' and politically motivated."
"An Allegheny County Health Department hearing officer Tuesday denied a request to allow the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to attend a proceeding that was closed to the public at the request of Ramesh and Vikas Jain, who were appealing a $1.47 million fine for multiple violations of the county’s asbestos-removal regulations."
"The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday rejected a contention by scientists that the historic rainfall from Tropical Storm Harvey was linked to climate change, calling it 'an attempt to politicize an ongoing tragedy.'"
"I have covered as many as five wars on two continents, but nothing prepared me for when the big story collided with me and my family. As I write this, the home that I saved my entire career to buy is flooding fast and my wife, Paola, our 12-year-old daughter, Emilie, and I have moved to the second floor with some of our valuables, food, water, and of course our three-year-old cockapoo, Sweetie, who is now barking frantically out of fear."
"The catastrophic floods brought by Hurricane Harvey to southeastern Texas will pose an immediate test for the White House and Congress, pressing policymakers to approve billions of dollars in recovery funds even though they haven’t agreed on much else this year."
"The Texas Tribune and ProPublica last year published a multi-part investigation looking at what would happen if Houston was hit by a major hurricane."