Day: March 10, 2017

White House proposes steep budget cut to leading climate science agency

Read the full story in the Washington Post.

The Trump administration is seeking to slash the budget of one of the government’s premier climate science agencies by 17 percent, delivering steep cuts to research funding and satellite programs, according to a four-page budget memo obtained by The Washington Post.

The proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would also eliminate funding for a variety of smaller programs, including external research, coastal management, estuary reserves and “coastal resilience,” which seeks to bolster the ability of coastal areas to withstand major storms and rising seas.

Trump’s War On The EPA

The Huffington Post is doing a two-part analysis of Trump’s war on the EPA. Part I: Deception examines how Trump is trying to please a narrow audience of special interests and supporters while misleading the public at large. Part II: Deconstruction examines the five fronts of the war and how Trump will go about weakening the Agency.

Sacramento Public Library Giving Away Prom Attire

Read the full story from Capital Public Radio.

Local teens looking to attend their prom won’t need to go far or pay a high price for their formal wear. That’s because the Sacramento Public Library is giving away free prom attire throughout March and April at various library locations.

EPA chief says Congress should weigh whether carbon dioxide is a pollutant

Read the full story from Reuters.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said on Thursday he is not convinced that carbon dioxide from human activity is the main driver of climate change and said he wants Congress to weigh in on whether CO2 is a harmful pollutant that should be regulated.

 

The EPA’s Science Office Removed “Science” From Its Mission Statement

Read the full story in New Republic.

The EPA’s Office of Science and Technology has historically been in charge of developing clean water standards for states. Before January 30 of this year, the website said those standards were “science-based,” meaning they were based on what peer-reviewed science recommended as safe levels of pollutants for drinking, swimming, or fishing. Since January 30, though, the reference to “science-based” standards has disappeared. Now, the office, instead, says it develops “economically and technologically achievable standards” to address water pollution.

What Hospitals Waste

Read the full story at ProPublica.

The nation’s health care tab is sky-high. We’re tracking down the reasons. First stop: A look at all the perfectly good stuff hospitals throw away.

Sustainable: Organizations warming to geothermal energy

Read the full story in Minnesota Finance & Commerce.

The Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies last year celebrated the opening of a 66,777-square-foot addition that included a geothermal exchange system for heating and cooling office space.

Cargill Philanthropies is one of a handful of organizations in Minnesota that have installed geothermal systems over the last few years. Although geothermal exchange systems require a significant upfront investment, the equipment generally lasts for decades and the fuel source, the Earth, costs nothing.