Disasters

"Nuclear Rules in Japan Relied on Old Science"

"In the country that gave the world the word tsunami, the Japanese nuclear establishment largely disregarded the potentially destructive force of the walls of water. The word did not even appear in government guidelines until 2006, decades after plants — including the Fukushima Daiichi facility that firefighters are still struggling to get under control — began dotting the Japanese coastline."

Source: NY Times, 03/28/2011

"Trump Guts Basis For Climate Regulation, Setting Up A Courtroom Clash"

"President Donald Trump’s campaign to quash climate change policies notched its biggest win yet Thursday, as EPA eliminated the legal basis for regulations aimed at restricting greenhouse gas emissions from tailpipes and smokestacks that are heating the planet."

Source: E&E News, 02/13/2026

Iran’s Shadow Fleet Of Old Tankers A Ticking Bomb For Sea Life: Experts

"Decrepit oil tankers in Iran’s sanctions-busting shadow fleet are a “ticking time bomb”, and it is only a matter of time before there is a catastrophic environmental disaster, maritime intelligence analysts have warned."

Source: Guardian, 02/12/2026

FEMA Will Resume Staff Reductions That Were Paused During Storm: Managers

"The Federal Emergency Management Agency will resume staff cuts that were briefly paused during January’s severe winter storm, according to two FEMA managers, stoking concern across the agency over its ability to address disasters with fewer workers."

Source: AP, 02/10/2026

"Wildfire Urgency Unites Congress. The ‘Fix Our Forests’ Act Does Not."

"A House hearing exposed sharp divisions over whether loosening environmental laws and expanding logging will protect communities from catastrophic fires. Scientists urged a shift toward investing in fire-resilient homes and landscapes."

Source: Inside Climate News, 02/04/2026

"Global Aid Cuts Could Lead To 9.4 Million Deaths By 2030, Study Projects"

"A new study published Monday in the Lancet puts a number on the potential human toll as the global humanitarian system cracks apart, projecting an extra 9.4 million deaths by 2030 if the current trends persist." "The Lancet study examines how the dismantling of international aid by the U.S. and other countries could undo decades of health gains."

Source: Washington Post, 02/04/2026

Trump Energy Dept. Exempts New Nuclear Reactors From Environmental Review

"The Trump Administration has created an exclusion for new experimental reactors being built at sites around the U.S. from a major environmental law. The law would have required them to disclose how their construction and operation might harm the environment, and it also typically required a written, public assessment of the possible consequences of a nuclear accident."

Source: NPR, 02/03/2026

What South Carolina’s Soaring Measles Outbreak Means For Rest Of US

"South Carolina is battling the country’s largest measles outbreak since the disease was eliminated from the United States more than a quarter-century ago, with more than 840 cases overwhelmingly in unvaccinated children and adults."

Source: Washington Post, 02/02/2026

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