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

Alabama woman works to help returning citizens rebuild their lives; Marist polls: Harris leads Trump in Michigan, Wisconsin; they're tied in Pennsylvania; UAW contract negotiations at VW focus on healthcare, safety, wages; NC dentists warn of crisis due to low Medicaid reimbursement rates.

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
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …


Medicaid has covered more than $28.6 million in claims for dental services since expansion began, according to state data. (DC Studio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

A 2023 report by Oceana and Turtle Island Restoration Network found that more than half of the animals caught in gillnets are thrown overboard as waste. (Oceana and Blancpain)

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

Environment

play sound

Rising demands for clean energy efficiency are producing a wealth of work opportunities in Illinois. These in-demand jobs are also promoting a …

 

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