I heard about that pipeline break. What if oil companies didn't have to report that kind of thing or there were lesser standards for pipeline construction? Nothing is impossible. Trump has previously said that for every one regulation we add, two should be removed.
The man who previously wanted to get rid of the Energy Department, but couldn't remember that he did when he was asked to name the three agencies he wanted to get rid of, his "oops" moment during a former presidential campaign, is likely to now lead the department:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/13/trump-taps-former-texas-gov-rick-perry-to-head-energy-department-he-once-vowed-to-abolish/
So if they don't agree, maybe they'll just shut down the whole department?
Some of the article about Rick Perry and climate change...
"But environmentalists take a dim view of Perry. The former governor has repeatedly questioned scientific findings that human activity is helping drive climate change. In 2011 during a presidential debate, he compared the minority of scientists who challenged this assumption to 17th-century astronomer Galileo, who was persecuted by the Catholic Church after suggesting that the Earth revolved around the Sun, rather than the reverse.
'The science is not settled on this. The idea that we would put Americans' economy at jeopardy based on scientific theory that's not settled yet to me is just nonsense,' Perry said at the time. 'Just because you have a group of scientists who stood up and said here is the fact. Galileo got outvoted for a spell.'
In his 2010 book, 'Fed Up!' Perry described the science showing that climate change was underway and caused by humans as a 'contrived phony mess,' writing that those who embraced this idea 'know that we have been experiencing a cooling trend, that the complexities of the global atmosphere have often eluded the most sophisticated scientists, and that draconian policies with dire economic effects based on so-called science may not stand the test of time.'
'Al Gore is a prophet all right, a false prophet of a secular carbon cult, and now even moderate Democrats aren't buying it,' he added, referring to the former vice president and environmentalist. Gore met with Trump recently to discuss climate change.
Later, during the 2012 presidential campaign, Perry said, 'There are a substantial number of scientists who have manipulated data so that they will have dollars rolling into their projects.'"
As for Department of the Interior:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/13/trump-taps-montana-congressman-ryan-zinke-as-interior-secretary/
A little bit better on this guy, sounds like climate change is more of a tossup to him:
"Zinke recently criticized an Interior Department rule aimed at curbing inadvertent releases of methane from oil and gas operations on federal land as 'duplicative and unnecessary.'"
"'Clean air and clean water are absolute top priorities when we talk about responsible energy development, however the final rule issued by the Obama administration does nothing to further protect our resources,' he said in a statement. 'This rule is a stark reminder that we need to invest in infrastructure projects like the Keystone pipeline, so we don't need to flare excess gas.'"
"Still, many environmental groups are unlikely to embrace Zinke, who opposes safeguards the Obama administration has provided for temporary wetlands and intermittent streams, as well as its temporary moratorium on coal leasing on federal land. While he supported subsidizing renewable energy programs and climate change legislation before being elected to the House, during a 2014 debate he said of climate change, 'It's not a hoax, but it's not proven science either.'"
The ExxonMobil CEO, Rex Tillerson, will head State if he gets confirmed. We'll have to see if some of the views he had on climate change while at the oil company match his personal views:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-picks-exxonmobil-ceo-rex-tillerson-for-secretary-of-state/2016/12/12/23ce9c80-c0e3-11e6-897f-918837dae0ae_story.html
"In addition, Tillerson will have to deal with climate issues because the State Department is the lead agency in international climate negotiations. Unlike Trump, Tillerson has said he believes that climate change is real and has favored a revenue-neutral carbon tax of more than $20 a ton."
Here are the people Donald Trump has chosen for his Cabinet:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-administration-appointee-tracker/
Running out of cabinet positions to be disappointed about. That's good news I guess. Although then there are many, many more government positions to fill, many not needing confirmation.
And finally...
Scientists are frantically copying U.S. climate data, fearing it might vanish under Trump:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/13/scientists-are-frantically-copying-u-s-climate-data-fearing-it-might-vanish-under-trump/
'Something that seemed a little paranoid to me before all of a sudden seems potentially realistic, or at least something you'd want to hedge against,' said Nick Santos, an environmental researcher at the University of California at Davis, who over the weekend began copying government climate data onto a nongovernment server, where it will remain available to the public. 'Doing this can only be a good thing. Hopefully they leave everything in place. But if not, we're planning for that.'
And, well, because we all need a laugh, Kayne West visited Trump today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/us/politics/kanye-trump-tower-visit.html |