In spite of intense heat waves, Senate confirms climate denier as EPA Administrator
Attacks on climate science deepened this week even as across the globe, temperatures soared to dangerous new heights.
Oklahoma hit 100 degrees in the dead of winter, the arctic saw temperatures more than 20 degrees above normal (for the third time this winter!) and Australia faced one of the most intense heat waves in recorded history. While the mercury reached 47°C (116.6°F), Australian politicians argued that coal should fill the increasing energy demand brought on by more air-conditioners by bringing a chunk of coal into parliament- a move reminiscent of U.S. Senator Inhofe’s snowball fiasco.
This week, however, ongoing attacks on climate science and even meteorologists’ odd disbelief in climate science all seem insignificant to what is about to happen to the EPA.
After nearly 800 former EPA employees signed a letter demanding the Senate reject Trump’s EPA pick Scott Pruitt, Democrats, most of whom tirelessly pushed through all 30 extra hours of hearing time, proved unsuccessful in blocking the appointment. With two Democratic senators in coal-producing states voting with Republicans, the Senate confirmed Pruitt as head of the EPA on Friday afternoon.
The Senate vote was four days too early to include evidence of the extent of Pruitt’s fossil fuel ties, but the public will soon know the truth. The release of 3,000 emails ordered from Oklahoma’s Attorney General is expected next Tuesday.
Already, the scientific community knows what a Pruitt-led EPA could look like: gutting of basic environmental protections like the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act, repealing the Clean Power Plan and other Obama-era climate protections, removing basic principles of scientific integrity and using industry-produced faux science to mask anti-environment policies. Pruitt and the other equally scary EPA officials placed around him, threaten the entire meaning of the agency he is now leading.
And who knows what levels Trump’s war on science will reach with his picks leading federal agencies? Just this week, we saw glimpses: telecommunications companies look to auction off a band of the radio spectrum NOAA uses for weather data. Though the Federal Communications Commission claims this will “democratize weather information”, the action could compromise earth scientists’ access to NOAA’s data.
Even so, scientists and their allies have been preparing for this day. Religiously copying data, creating copies of websites, re-planning canceled conferences, coming up with creative ways for scientists to report any foul play to the public — scientists and those who love scientists are going in big to protect facts and to ensure we all have a livable future. In spite of Pruitt.
Just look at the @NASAClimate Twitter handle, boldly and unabashedly communicating climate science facts and impacts, never ceasing, despite the change of White House residents (Now that’s what I’m talking about.) It is acts of resistance like these that we need to appreciate and emulate.
While the future of climate science is unclear, the past is full of valuable guidance. It would be wise of us to take note of our neighbors to the north and the war on science Canada experienced during the Harper years.
In the words of Wendy Palen, “Reject interference. Stay vigilant and stay vocal. In other words, stay scientists.”
