The Biden administration is pitching Earth Day. Asbestos hazards are expected to persist despite federal action. Elizabeth Warren is warning about this. Failure to take climate action will lead to mid-term disaster.
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Biden will highlight climate policies in support of Earth Day
The Biden administration says it plans to highlight several of its climate change accomplishments ahead of and on Earth Day this Friday.
Tuesday: Senior officials informed reporters Monday that the administration will provide an update on its efforts against extremely powerful climate-warming gasses called hydrofluorocarbons, which the Environmental Protection Agency is currently phasing out after a 2020 law mandated it to.
Wednesday: The administration will highlight its achievements in clean energy.
Thursday: The Department of Transportation is expected make an announcement regarding the bipartisan legislation on infrastructure and to help states cut their transportation emissions. Biden is expected to visit Portland, Ore. to discuss the bipartisan legislation.
Friday: Biden will travel to Seattle, where he will showcase how we are using mother nature to help tackle climate change, an official said.
This string of announcements and events is occurring as lawmakers struggle to reach a climate legislation deal, leaving the administration’s climate agenda largely in flux.
The story so far: Last year, Democrats and the administration praised their Build Back better bill. It would have provided clean energy tax credits and incentivized industry to stop methane leakage.
Swing vote Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said in December that he opposed the bill effectively killing it.
On Monday, however, a government official stated to reporters that the administration is still pushing for reconciliation bills, which would only need Democratic support to pass.
An official stated that they are in touch about a reconciliation program that will reduce some of families’ biggest expenses. It will fight inflation and it will continue to reduce deficit at a historic rate.
Find out more about the plans for the administration here.
US faces major asbestos problem
Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recently made a major step toward curbing asbestos usage, experts say that even with these new regulations, exposure to the substance will likely continue to be a problem for many years.
It has been estimated the substance lingers in more than 700,000 public and commercial buildings in the U.S., leaving millions of people potentially vulnerable, particularly maintenance workers, construction crews and firefighters.
It is still a real problem, said Arthur Frank of Drexel University, an environmental and occupational medicine professor who studies asbestos exposure.
What you need: A group of six minerals called asbestos are made up of very fine fibers. It was once used in roofing and cement. However, its use has decreased since the 1970s as more people became aware of its health hazards.
Exposure to toxic material can lead to diseases like asbestosis. This is a form of lung scarring caused by inhaling large amounts. It can also increase the risk of developing lung carcinoma and mesothelioma. These are cancers of the membrane that covers the lungs, chest cavity, and surrounding organs.
Asbestos exposure has been estimated to kill 40,000 Americans every year.
Earlier this month the EPA proposed a ban on six ongoing uses of a type of asbestos called chrysotile asbestos, prohibiting the substances use in asbestos diaphragms, sheet gaskets, oilfield brake blocks, automotive brakes and linings as well as other vehicle friction products and gaskets.
Despite being banned from these uses, asbestos is still found in many structures, including schools and homes.
Tim Carroll, an EPA spokesperson, stated in an email that approximately 20 percent of commercial and public buildings (or 733,000 structures) contain asbestos that can be crumbled. He cited a 1984 national study.
Learn more about the challenges.
Warren: Dems need to do more to prevent wipeout
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) (D-Mass.)
Democrats win elections when we show we understand the painful economic realities facing American families and convince voters we will deliver meaningful change, Warren wrote in a New York Times op-ed published on Monday.
To put it bluntly, Democrats will suffer big losses in the midterms if we don’t use the remaining months to implement more of our agenda.
She writes that time is running out. We must reach a budget reconciliation agreement, where giant corporations are required to pay their fair share to help fund critical investments in climate change mitigation and lowering family costs. This can be done with just 50 Senate votes.
She writes that other priorities can be achieved with the president’s executive authority. It’s not secret that I believe it is necessary to abolish the filibuster. If Republicans want to use it in order to block policies that Americans support, they should be forced to vote for those policies in plain sight.
Continue reading from The Hills Hanna Trudo.
WHAT WE’RE READING
- Is there a link between brain cancer and New Jersey high schools? (WABC)
- Biden’s high pressure, low-skilled environmental shop (E&E News), is a sparsely staffed place.
- The Guardian: The US calls on Australia for a greater 2030 emission reduction pledge to help stop more destruction
ICYMI
Finally, something a bit off-beat and unusual:A picture is worth a thousand phrases
That’s all for today. Thank you for reading. For the most current news and coverage, check out The HillsEnergy & Environment. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
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