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

WA Prisoners Struggle With Wildfire Smoke As Ventilation Upgrades Go Unfunded

"When the wildfire smoke arrives, Harry Whitman has nowhere to go. “When there’s smoke or there’s a fire, they lock you in,” Whitman said. Whitman, president of the advocacy group Black Prisoners’ Caucus, is incarcerated at Airway Heights Corrections Center."

Source: Washington State Standard, 09/27/2023

"‘We Can’t Drink Oil’: How A 70-Year-Old Pipeline Imperils The Great Lakes"

"Tribes say Line 5 is a ‘ticking time bomb’ for the Great Lakes, which contain a fifth of the Earth’s surface fresh water, and risks destroying their relationship with land and water".

Source: Guardian, 09/27/2023

"The Human Limit: The Inequality Of Heat"

"After the third day without power, the residents of Kasia Bagan had had enough. Their city of Kolkata was in the midst of a blistering heat wave, with temperatures rising to 105 degrees, making life in the narrow lanes and in their tiny one-room homes nearly unbearable."

Source: Washington Post, 09/26/2023

Biden Tells Pacific Islands Leaders That He Will Act On Climate

"President Joe Biden on Monday told leaders from the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum that he has heard their warnings about the impact of climate change on their region and that his administration is committed to helping them meet the challenge."

Source: AP, 09/26/2023

FERC Recommends Revising Reliability Standards For Extreme Weather

"The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday recommended revising reliability standards for power grid and natural gas infrastructure to avoid issues during extreme weather, as part of findings from a report on winter storm Elliott in 2022."

Source: Reuters, 09/25/2023

Funding To Replace Lead Pipes Is Just the Start of the Story

Billions of dollars in federal funding to get rid of lead pipes is only the beginning — now the pipes have to be located, removed and replaced. And the latest TipSheet says that’s a story that’s found in many U.S. communities, so is ripe for local reporting. Here’s the backstory and why it matters, along with more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

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Disabilities and Disasters — What Questions Should You Be Asking Planners?

As hurricane season ramps up, how are the disaster planners considering those with disabilities in your community? Texas-based journalist Greg Harman shares the story of one group that sued their city over claims it failed to properly prepare. And he extracts some rules of thumb to help determine if emergency planners are taking those with disabilities into consideration where you are.

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