“May the relationship between man and nature not be driven by greed, to manipulate and exploit, but may the divine harmony between beings and creation be conserved in the logic of respect and care.” - Pope Francis
Happy Earth Day 🌎 🌱
Online NOAA climate data hubs serving 27 states — from Colorado and the Dakotas to Louisiana and Texas — have gone dark after a lapse in funding. The cause: expired contracts. This is becoming a pattern at NOAA 🧵 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
SCOOP: Nearly 60% of the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office has applied to opt into the administration's buy out program. If all are approved, this could send the office back to pre-Biden staffing levels (with a much larger portfolio to manage)
www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energ...
Sadly, climate-related risks will not vanish if they are denied. With the deliberate choice to undermine climate science, knowledge production and science-based university programs, people will be less informed, less prepared.
www.commerce.gov/news/press-r...
Almost all NOAA Research websites that rely on cloud services - including Amazon, Google and WordPress - are poised to disappear at midnight ET Saturday after a contract was targeted for "early termination." Labs may also feel the effects.
Story for @bloomberg.com (free link):
Grey seal in the water
Ever wondered why seals don't drown? New groundbreaking research from @smruecophys.bsky.social led by @chrismcknight.bsky.social published in @science.org reveals that, unlike other mammals, seals can sense blood oxygen levels.
Paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
There are two episodes left in our series on the women leading the conservative climate movement. Tune into today's to find out why for these leaders, permitting reform is at the crux of it all:
youtu.be/fdi4E_BJqhQ
The 4th episode of our series on the women leading the conservative climate movement takes a closer look at why these women believe Trump 2.0 and his flurry of energy EOs can actually move along climate reform.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIM_...
Kelly went on to say that if the U.S. changes its position to say greenhouse gases are not a contributor to climate change, it will get even harder to bend that curve.
"When you look at the plot over the years, the amount of carbon, trillions of tons, is a straight line going up. Even though we've put all this renewable energy in...we haven't really started bending the curve yet," Kelly said.
If the EPA is successful in reversing the 2009 Endangerment Finding, Sen. Mark Kelly told me this morning it would "of course" have an impact on Congress' ability to implement policy and programs looking to lower carbon emissions.
In the 3rd episode of our series on women leading the conservative climate movement, we take a closer look at how women have founded and help lead clean energy groups including CRES, the Rainey Center, ClearPath, ACC, and the Conservative Climate Caucus.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLz6...
In the second episode of our series on the Women Leading the Conservative Climate Movement, we take a look at why climate reform can be aligned with conservative values.
"Republicans are conservationists by nature," Rep. Miller-Meeks told me. Check it out here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI6g...
On the heels of #InternationalWomensDay, we're releasing a new series looking at the women leading the conservative climate movement. Be sure to follow this week as we look at how climate reform can still be possible under Trump 2.0: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Wu...
Federal employees, you can always reach me securely on Signal if you wish to share any updates, memos, or other tips related to recent funding pauses, layoffs, and more.
Primarily focused on climate, environmental, and energy related programs and departments.
President Trump just revealed that EPA administrator Lee Zeldin plans to cut 65% of staff -- a move that would impact more than 10,000 jobs.
If you are an EPA employee and want to discuss this decision (can always be anonymous or on background) you can find me on signal: calliepatteson.83
Federal employees, you can always reach me securely on Signal if you wish to share any updates, memos, or other tips related to recent funding pauses, layoffs, and more.
Primarily focused on climate, environmental, and energy related programs and departments.
Through our budgets, the Department of Defense will once again resource warfighting and cease unnecessary spending that set our military back under the previous administration, including through so-called "climate change" and other woke programs, as well as excessive bureaucracy. The time for preparation is over – we must act swiftly to deter current and impending threats and make the best use of taxpayers' dollars in doing so.
From a DoD statement released yesterday, about the thing the Pentagon has been calling a threat multiplier for like three decades
www.defense.gov/News/Release...
When I asked EPA if, as of today, they had made grant money available to grant recipients, including allowing them access to ASAP portals, I was referred to the DOJ about ASAP specifically.
DOJ then declined to comment; the story has been updated to reflect this: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
And finally, dive into one employee's story, having spent nearly his entire career at the facility:
www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energ...
Plus, take a look at the anticipated local impact of the restart:
www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energ...
You can find my magazine feature on the trip -- featuring exclusive photos by the Examiner's Graeme Jennings -- here: www.washingtonexaminer.com/premium/3291...
County officials are hopeful the restart will boost rural development in the region, using increased property taxes for infrastructure upgrades. Though some residents are concerned the economic benefits may lead officials to rush support for the restart, compromising safety.
A former Palisades employee is spearheading a petition against the restart. While he isn't against nuclear itself, he has pointed to safety concerns over Palisades’s design standards, decades-old steam generators, and lack of restart rules issued specifically by the NRC.
“I think there’s a lot riding on it,” said Dan Geerlings, shift manager w/ operations for the plant. “I mean, it’s a huge thing for the industry to try and bring a plant back that’s been shut down...I do hope there are a few other plants that are able to follow in our footsteps.”
This month, I traveled to western Michigan to tour the Palisades Nuclear Plant, which may be the first shuttered U.S. nuclear facility to come back online as soon as October of this year. We've since published a series of stories from our trip & here are some of the highlights:
I’m in Michigan this week getting a peak at the restart operations that are underway at the Palisades Nuclear Plant.
If they receive final approval from the NRC this summer, the plant will be the first decommissioned facility to come back online in the US.
After a two week hiatus, Daily on Energy is back! As always, our daily newsletter is still freely accessible. In today's edition, we take a look at Biden's offshore drilling ban, and exclusively share freshman Rep. Julie Fedorchak's (R-ND) first congressional action.
I have so been enjoying covering this beat and can't wait to dive more into it in 2025. Happy New Year!
