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Today, we will be looking at the American Southwest’s worst megadrought in over 1,000 years, reforms at Bureau of Indian Affairs, and a probe into a visible methane cloud from space.
Rachel Frazin, Zack Budryk and I are The Hill’s editors. Send tips to [email protected], [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter @RachelFrazinAnd @BudrykZack.
Let’s get going.
Megadrought worst in 1,200 Years: Study
A new study shows that the Southwest has now been hit by the most severe weather conditions since 800.
The megadrought continues to outstrip the record-holder, a late-16th-century dry spell, previously considered the worst drought in the last 1,200 years. According to the study, published Monday in Nature Climate Change.
What they are saying:The majority of the megadrought, which is a drought lasting more than two decades, was attributed to human-induced climate changes.
Park Williams, UCLA geographer and lead author of the study, stated that without climate change, the 22 years since 1997 would have been the driest time in 300 years.
He said, “But it wouldn’t be holding a candle the megadroughts in the 1500s and 1200s or even 1100s.”
The scientists looked at the area from southern Montana up to northern Mexico, and from the Pacific Ocean to Rocky Mountains. They found repeat megadroughts periods between 800 and 1600 that were more severe then any subsequent events through the 1900s.
How did they get to this conclusion?The authors used tree ring patterns to pinpoint droughts that were particularly severe. They also compared historical climate data with their results. They concluded that such dry conditions were associated to high levels of “soil moistness deficit,” which is a measure that compares soil water with normal saturation levels.
Scientists found that the average soil moisture deficit since 2000 was twice as severe than the deficit in any 20th century drought. This is more severe than the driest periods in all of the severe megadroughts over the past 1,200 year.
According to the study, soil moisture plays a crucial role in drought. It can impact runoff levels, streamflow and agricultural productivity as well as ecosystem health, wildlife activity, and ecosystem health.
You can read more from Sharon Usadin, The Hill’s Sharon Usadin, here.
Feds unveil Native American detention reforms
Monday’s announcement by the Bureau of Indian Affairs was a continuation of a series of reforms to its correctional programs after a period of four years that saw 16 deaths inmates.
The Bureau’s Office of Justice Services announced reforms. These include the geographical positioning of the bureau’s Internal Affairs inspectors in locations that enable quicker responses. Also, the OJS director will receive monthly briefings on investigations of in-custody victims. It would also update existing law enforcement and detention handbooks to reflect the new policies.
Bryan Newland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, said in a statement, “We won’t shy away from acknowledging our past and taking ownership on the path to improve conditions at our facilities.” “The Bureau of Indian Affairs is moving forward with organizational culture change. The reforms that we announce today are a new chapter.”
This is the end of the story:Interior Secretary Deb HaalandFirst Native American Cabinet Secretary, Judith Sullivan has announced several initiatives that aim to improve tribal relations as well as address historical wrongs. In September last year, she announced a joint investigation with tribal leaders into the legacy federal boarding schools. These were places where generations of Indigenous children were forced out of their culture and language.
These initiatives are also coming amid controversy after the announcement last Wednesday that Darren Cruzan (the former assistant director of Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers) will be hired as a contractor to review in-custody cases. Cruzan would be responsible for investigating a number death that occurred during his tenure as an assistant director of Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. According to an NPR investigation.
Learn more about the announcement.
OFFICIALS CHECK SPACE FOR METHANE PLUME
Officials in Louisiana are investigating the cause for a methane cloud large that was detected on satellite imagery. Bloomberg reports.
On Jan. 21, a plume of the gas was detected – the highest concentration of powerful greenhouse gas seen by satellites in the U.S.A since October.
Bloomberg reports that the release would have had the same negative short-term effects if it had lasted for an hour.
Louisiana’s Department of Natural Resources now investigates what may have caused the plume. It is believed that it originated near three gas pipelines owned or operated by Kinder Morgan Inc., Energy Transfer LP, and Boardwalk Pipelines LP. None of the companies have claimed responsibility.
According to U.S. According to the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration, there were no reports of gas releases in the area.
November, the Biden administration announced A series of actionsThis initiative aims at tackling methane which accounts for 10 percent of climate change in the United States.
Find out more about the probe.
TOMORROW: ON TAP
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The House Natural Resources Committee is holding a HearEnvironmental justice legislation
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The Energy and Commerce Committee will host a Hear“Restoring Brownfield Sites to Economic Engines”
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The House Climate Crisis Committee will host a HearGrid resilience and reliability
WHAT WE ARE READING
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DOE plans to convert fossil fuel waste into rare materials that can be used in tech componentsCNN)
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Texas Prisons Without Air Conditioner Are Heating Up (The Intercept)
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Climate change is disrupting the invisible ecosystem of the air.Grist)
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Virginia’s Fight Over Wheeler nomination expands (The Associated Press)
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Formaldehyde is a known risk factor for memory and thinking problems that can be increased by 17 percent.The Washington Post)
Finally, something a little off-beat and unusual: It is in the eyes.
This is it for today. Thanks for reading. Visit The Hill. Energy & Environment pageGet the latest news and coverage. We will see you Tuesday.
