skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI; Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong but lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Teamsters choose not to endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts, and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least 17 states.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Analysis: Fed Budget Proposals Weaken Storm Protections

play audio
Play

Wednesday, October 4, 2017   

NEW YORK - Federal budget proposals that cut environmental programs would put New Yorkers at risk, according to a new analysis.

From Texas to Florida and Puerto Rico, hurricanes have brought catastrophic damage this year. But the report, called "Less Shelter from the Storm," said the Trump administration's proposed budget threatens programs that protect communities from storm-related damage.

According to Heather Leibowitz, director of Environment New York, five years after Superstorm Sandy hit New York, the Trump budget goes in the wrong direction.

"The budget proposal threatens coastal resiliency, removes protections for flood-absorbing wetlands, neglects funding for storm water and sewage treatment, and really exposes more Americans to toxic chemicals, as well," she said.

Claiming that environmental regulations hamper economic development, the Trump administration has proposed slashing the Environmental Protection Agency's budget by more than 30 percent.

Leibowitz said it isn't just coastal communities at risk; wetlands throughout the state help control flooding.

"Here in New York, we actually have 183,000 acres of wetlands," she said, "and the House budget and Trump administration blocked the Clean Water Rule, which leaves flood-absorbing wetlands more vulnerable to pollution degradation."

Six years ago, the remnants of Hurricane Irene dumped 11 inches of rain on the Hudson Valley in a single day, causing severe flooding.

Leibowitz said New York has taken important steps to reduce climate-changing carbon pollution, preserve wetlands and repair aging wastewater infrastructure, but the state can't do it all on its own.

"At a federal level," she said, "we also need to make sure that everything that can be done is being done, and see a fully-funded EPA that can also act on these issues as well."

The report is online at environmentnewyork.org.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

The American Heart Association said caregivers often experience personal and spiritual growth, discovering their own resilience, competence and capacity for sacrifice as they help a friend or loved one. (Justlight/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Self-Care Awareness Month and the American Heart Association in Missouri is urging caregivers to take some much-needed time for themselve…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

Environment

play sound

By Claire Elise Thompson for Grist.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for New Hampshire News Connection reporting for the Grist-Public News Service C…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021