- Joined
- Jun 18, 2018
- Messages
- 81,318
- Reaction score
- 86,219
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Progressive
"In the summer of 2017, Donald Trump stood in the lobby of Trump Tower and declared he would heal a “massive self-inflicted wound on our country” by eliminating red tape that he said was making construction in America an arduous, expensive process.
One policy he eradicated that day was a set of standards aimed at ensuring that anything built with taxpayer money — including hospitals, sewage treatment plants, bridges and libraries — could withstand flooding and rising seas caused by climate change.
Seven years later and in the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton, federal officials and flood experts say Trump’s decision to roll back those federal infrastructure standards has had financial ramifications. Those are just starting to come into view as officials continue to tally the damage from the storms.
....Quantifying the effects of the standard’s seven-year absence is no easy feat. But Chad Berginnis, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, said “hundreds of millions if not billions” had been spent on buildings that are unprepared for intense floods.
...The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment. If he wins the White House in November, Trump is widely expected to again eliminate climate policies, including the flood standards. Carlos Curbelo, a Republican and former congressman from Miami, said doing so would be “reckless,” adding, “This is a great example of how ideology and trying to win the culture wars can get in the way of protecting property and saving taxpayers resources.”"
Link
Trust Trump, or the dreaded experts?
One policy he eradicated that day was a set of standards aimed at ensuring that anything built with taxpayer money — including hospitals, sewage treatment plants, bridges and libraries — could withstand flooding and rising seas caused by climate change.
Seven years later and in the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton, federal officials and flood experts say Trump’s decision to roll back those federal infrastructure standards has had financial ramifications. Those are just starting to come into view as officials continue to tally the damage from the storms.
....Quantifying the effects of the standard’s seven-year absence is no easy feat. But Chad Berginnis, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, said “hundreds of millions if not billions” had been spent on buildings that are unprepared for intense floods.
...The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment. If he wins the White House in November, Trump is widely expected to again eliminate climate policies, including the flood standards. Carlos Curbelo, a Republican and former congressman from Miami, said doing so would be “reckless,” adding, “This is a great example of how ideology and trying to win the culture wars can get in the way of protecting property and saving taxpayers resources.”"
Link
Trust Trump, or the dreaded experts?