UPDATE: Uproariously laughable now, the White House state climate impact report claims there are 31 counties in Hawaii, when there are actually 5, see below – Anthony
This is verbatim from the White House Blog today, see my comments below:
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State-by-State Reports: President Obama’s Plan to Cut Carbon Pollution and Prepare for Consequences of Climate Change
On Tuesday, President Obama laid out his comprehensive plan to cut carbon pollution, prepare our country for the impacts of climate change, and lead global efforts to fight it.
Climate change impacts — ranging from more frequent and severe storms, floods, heat waves, and wildfires, to increased risk of asthma attacks and longer allergy seasons — are already affecting our security, our economy, and our communities. In 2012 alone, the cost of weather disasters exceeded $110 billion in the United States, and climate change will only increase the frequency and intensity of these events. Today, we already set limits for arsenic, mercury and lead, but we impose no limits on how much carbon pollution our power plants release– despite the fact carbon pollution is one of the largest drivers of climate change.
As the President explained yesterday, we have a moral obligation to leave our children a planet that’s not polluted or damaged, and by taking an all-of-the-above approach to develop homegrown energy and steady, responsible steps to cut carbon pollution, we can begin to slow the effects of climate change so we leave a cleaner, more stable environment for future generations. The President’s plan is a comprehensive approach to cutting the pollution that causes climate change and threatens public health, setting us on a path to make our communities healthier, safer, and more resilient.
The state-by-state reports below detail some of the impacts of extreme weather and pollution across the country, and underscore the importance of acting now to cut carbon pollution and protect the health of our communities.
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OK here is the laughable part. I decided to click on my state, California, and was presented with this:
The Threat of Carbon Pollution: California
We have a moral obligation to leave our children a planet that’s not polluted or damaged, and by takingan all-of-the-above approach to develop homegrown energy and steady, responsible steps to cut carbon pollution, we can protect our kids’ health and begin to slow the effects of climate change so we leave a cleaner, more stable environment for future generations.
Climate change impacts including severe weather, asthma attacks, prolonged allergy seasons, and sea-level rise are affecting our security, our economy, and our communities. In 2012 alone, the cost of weather disasters exceeded $110 billion in the United States, and climate change will only increase the frequency and intensity of these events. Today, we already set limits for arsenic, mercury and lead, but we impose no limits on how much carbon pollution our power plants release. Carbon pollution is contributing to a higher risk of asthma attacks and more frequent and severe storms, floods, heat waves, and wildfires, driving up food prices and threatening our communities. The President’s plan is a comprehensive approach to cutting the pollution that causes climate change and threatens public health, setting us on a path to make our communities healthier, safer, and more resilient.
THE IMPACT OF POLLUTION AND EXTREME WEATHER IN CALIFORNIA
In 2011, power plants and major industrial facilities in California emitted more than 100 million metric tons of carbon pollution metric tons of carbon pollution—that’s equal to the yearly pollution from more than 21 million cars.
Recent incidents provide a reminder of the impacts to our public health and costs due to extreme weather in California. Although we cannot say that climate change is responsible for any individual event, climate change is already increasing our risks from these events.
- A dry winter in 2011-12 meant that the snow pack, which provides critical drinking water and water to irrigate farmland, was the third lowest on record in the West.
- In California, there were over 32,700 hospital admissions for asthma in 2011, with an average charge of over $35,800 for each stay.
- In 2009, there were 4,073 emergency room visits in California due to heat stress.
- Changing temperature and precipitation patterns can affect the life cycle and distribution of insects, many of which transmit disease that already pose problems to public health in California. In 2010, there were 126 cases of Lyme disease in the state.
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Really, “carbon pollution” causes asthma and Lyme disease? This is the best they can do?
I don’t know of any credible study (or incredible for that matter) that suggests large scale impacts of asthma and Lyme disease for California. And look at the numbers, compared to the most recent census data. Infoplease says the 2010 resident population of California is: 37,253,956 people.
126 cases of Lyme disease in the state. – thats 0.000338% % of the population
4,073 emergency room visits in California due to heat stress – thats 0.011% of the population
32,700 hospital admissions for asthma in 2011 – thats 0.087% of the population
For these small numbers, we need to apply a draconian policy that affects EVERYONE in the state?
And, the section of the California impact report titled: ANTICIPATED CLIMATE-RELATED RISKS IN THE SOUTHWEST, doesn’t even mention California. It mentions Phoenix and Las Vegas. Where’s the Beef?
These aren’t even remotely worthwhile justifications.
And, get this comparison:
In 2011, power plants and major industrial facilities in California emitted more than 100 million metric tons of carbon pollution metric tons of carbon pollution—that’s equal to the yearly pollution from more than 21 million cars.
First, proofreading anyone? There’s a repeated phrase in the PDF issued by the WH:
in California emitted more than 100 million metric tons of carbon pollution metric tons of carbon pollution
Embarrassing sloppiness.
Plus, California DMV says there are 22,083,049 cars in California, and the fact that power plants and industry emitted less than the number of car-equivalents…this is a concern… how?
This is the best justification research they can offer? What the hell are they smoking there in the White House?
I’m sure readers can find more silly examples in the state links above.
UPDATE: Hawaiian born Obama seems to think there are 31 counties in the state of Hawaii. From the White House Hawaii state impacts report:
The US Department of Agriculture designated 31 counties in Hawaii as primary natural disaster areas due to damages and losses from drought in 2012.
Screencap from the PDF:
10 seconds with a search engine can clear that up, from the University of Hawaii, there’s 5 counties in Hawaii (though some say each island is a county, as there is confusion by due to small Kalawao County):
It is sometimes said that each of the five major islands of Hawaii are counties. This is not true. Kauai is Kauai county. The Big Island [Hawaii] is Hawaii county. Oahu is Honolulu County. But both Molokai and Maui are Maui county.
The inhabited islands relate to counties as follows:
- Hawaii County comprises Hawaii.
- Honolulu County, officially the City and County of Honolulu, comprises Oahu and the small islands northwest of Kauai and Niihau extending from Nihoa to Kure except for Midway. Prior to 1959 Palmyra, located about 1000 miles south of the Hawaiian chain, also was included.
- Kauai County comprises Kauai and Niihau.
- Maui County comprises Kahoolawe, Lanai, Maui, and Molokai, except that Kalawao County occupies a small portion of Molokai.
Here are the FIPS codes, showing five:
Of course I’m sure its pretty hard for Obama to keep track of when he’s there for the beach or the golf course. 😉
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May I kindly remind Barry Dunham … whoops, I meant Barack Obama (his current, exotic, political name) … that when he talks about “carbon pollution” that we are all, indeed, carbon based life forms. So, with that knowledge in mind, may I please request, that in his war against carbon, he could be so kind as to make at least a few billion exceptions other than himself, alone (which I know he’s prone to do).
“Carbon pollution?” What about oxygen pollution?
Oxygen, through the agency of rust and corrosion, is a major contributor to the degradation of American infrastructure, damaging bridges, pipes, power lines, vehicles, boats, and other metal structures .
Oxygen is a critical factor in both forest and structure fires, causing billions of dollars a year in loss.
The well documented health effects of oxidative stress, including cancer and heart disease, result in shortened lifespan and loss of untold days of worker productivity.
What is the definition of pollution?
“Carbon pollution” does cause hotdrywetcold
I wonder if they even read what they wrote.
Here are the “problems” for Oregon:
Higher winter temperatures are causing more precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow. This
is depleting snowpack, which is increasing competition for freshwater between people, salmon,
and hydroelectricity. While there was above average snowfall for many locations in the
Northwest in 2012, Oregon experienced the third smallest winter and spring snow cover
footprints on record.
In Oregon, there were over 2,000 hospital admissions for asthma in 2011, with an average
charge of over $14,000 for each stay.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated 23 counties in Oregon as natural disaster areas
due to losses and damage from freezing temperatures, snow accumulation, and freezing rain in
2008.
Compare the first bullet to the last.
Less snow … meaning that more damage was caused by snow, freezing temperatures and freezing rain.
A rich nation can find the cash to sort out most medical and environmental issues.
A poor nation can’t!
Self-imposed poverty is masochism; imposed on others, poverty is sadism.
The report is a joke. How does Kansas (population estimated at about 2.9 million people in 2012) have one half of the emissions of California (population given above as about 37 million people)?? And 20 $1 billion weather events in the past 10 years (but from 2010-2012, the total cost of hazardous weather was only $900 million). Therefore, from 2003 to 2009, there were 20 events with damages greater than $1 billion each. When did they happen?? I have been here for 20 years. I don’t remember multiple weather disasters in any year, much less multiple years.
The opening page for each state appears identical. I checked my state, Virginia, and saw nothing specific to the state. What a waste of time, energy, and money! In any event, Virginians know how to deal with Virginia’s problems; we don’t need to cross the Beltway to find out. What a crock.
Bacteria kills millions of people a year…. except the ones that keep everyone alive. (in the stomach, etc). Differentiating the good bacteria from the bad is the key, unfortunately we seem a long, long way off from doing this with most environmental issues and current human intelligence.
climate change = 1/2 a degree
Obama believes in fundamentals, which is why is head is so far up his (fundament).
His science, economics and politics all reside there.
Obvious contrary-to-fact assertions appear to be the WH stock-in-trade.
I hope everyone realizes they have focused on a non – problem…
…and are completely ignoring the real problems
Ahmed the dead terrorist does a better job at being scarier
What? No mutant sharks?
Excuse me Mr. President, there hasn’t been any climate change for the last 17 years, mission complete, take a bow, move on.
“State by state” – country by country there will be absolutely no impact of carbon dioxide.
Let’s consider some facts. Is the Arctic warming? Yes, like everywhere else, with a long-term trend for 500 years rising out of the Little Ice Age at the rate of about half a degree per century, due to turn to cooling at least within 200 years. But is there a hockey stick? No.
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/2865/xkbx.jpg
In fact the Arctic is no hotter than it was in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s.
http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/5030/pso0.jpg
Is there a super-imposed 60 year natural cycle that caused all the alarm during the 30 years of rising prior to 1998? Yes.
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2496/otc3.png
But it’s all natural – every bit of it. And it’s nothing whatsoever to do with carbon dioxide, radiative forcing, back radiation, greenhouse effects or any such travesties of physics.
According to the EPA. ozone and particulate pollution are the problem with asthma. No mention of CO2.
http://www.epa.gov/airnow/asthma-flyer.pdf
The descent into psuedo-science accelerates.
I clicked on Arizona and it reads much like California however no mention of how they will reliably replace the Navajo power plant which they are trying to shut down. Arizona and California’s power grid are tied together and if you cut back Arizona too much, California will go dark as well. Arizona generates “clean” power that California buys. Our “dirty coal” power is used in state. However the grids are one so guess what happens if there isn’t enough “dirty” power.
Forget “Carbon pollution”, there’s the much bigger problem of dihydrogen monoxide to think about!
The well documented health effects of oxidative stress, including cancer and heart disease, result in shortened lifespan and loss of untold days of worker productivity.
Oxygen is also poisonous.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_toxicity
Declared 31 counties in Hawaii disaster areas due to drought. 31 out of 5.
REPLY: confirmed, and updated the post, thanks very much – Anthony
Just depressing that our government is wasting time on so-called carbon pollution. Appalling ignorance on display from Obama; is he really that stupid – or is this just some twisted political stunt?
So we are down to “appalling ignorance” vs. “twisted political stunt.”
Depressing.
Lmao.. pine beetles, which really hit in the 80’s and sage grass wildfires (most of which are started by lightning or man) for Idaho. Im not impressed Mr. president flim flam man.
Any weather-related incident is counted and added up. Virginia data looks at every cost from any weather for 33 years. Michigan doesn’t have that much weather, apparently, other than a freeze that killed cherries and asthma. Either the President thinks his subjects are idiots or the President is such an idiot that he can’t differentiate normal weather from something else. Asthma caused by CO2? Particulate pollution has decreased over the last few decades and asthma has increased. US CO2 emissions have decreased, yet dear leader wants to say that decreases in “pollution” increases asthma.
This pitch makes swampland sellers look good.
I am from the Old Dominion as well and I found this part of the piece on Va interesting.
Investing in Clean Energy: During the President’s first term, the United States more than doubled its use of renewable energy from wind, solar, and geothermal sources. Since 2009, the Administration has supported tens of thousands of renewable energy projects throughout the country, including nearly 90 in Virginia, generating enough energy to power more than 2,000 homes and helping Virginia meet its own goal of generating 15 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025.
Can anyone tell me if this is true at all, and where I can find information about this. I find it hard to believe. Then again, renewable energy is such a small part of our energy portfolio it wouldn’t be hard to double. Let me be clear, I think renewable energy is a farce and light years away from competing on its own with fossil fuels and nuclear, if it ever can. Just sounds like more exaggerated claims to me.