Disasters

"As BOEM’s new principal deputy director, former lobbyist Matt Giacona is shaping Gulf of Mexico oil policy and facilitating industry access. Ethics experts sound the alarm."

"The Department of Defense on Monday reversed course, temporarily, on canceling the availability of satellite data that is key to monitoring hurricane movements and structures. The data will now be available to hurricane forecasters through July 31, rather than the previous June 30 deadline."

"Roughly 1.1 million gallons of crude oil spilled from a pipeline into the Gulf of Mexico in November 2023 because operators failed to shut it down for nearly 13 hours after their data first hinted at a problem, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday."

"Monitoring air quality is key to forecasting and assessing wildfire smoke. Right now, that’s a coordinated effort between federal, state, tribal, and local entities. Federally approved and privately operated monitors feed data into tools like the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow tool, and help forecast air quality and issue public health guidance. But air quality scientists worry that EPA budget and job cuts will make it difficult to get air quality information to people, endangering public health."

"John Dwyer coordinates emergency management in Champaign County, Illinois. He’s seeing a lot more weather extremes, from tornadoes to a major dust storm, even as federal money to keep people safe seems poised to drop." 

"The president canceled $4.5 billion in FEMA grants that helped communities prepare for rising disaster damage."

"Extreme heat is making air pollution worse, scientists say. And President Trump’s regulatory rollbacks could drive air pollution even higher." 

"An intense and nearly historic weather pattern is cooking much of America under a dangerous heat dome this week with triple-digit temperatures in places that haven’t been so hot in more than a decade."

"Ron Watson's new roof doesn't just protect him from storms. It's saving him money, too."