From the WashPost: Federal government blasts PG&E’s deal with fire victims.
The Diva admits to being baffled by the issues raised here. She welcomes comments from those who understand them.
Complex Fire Recovery Outcome in CA
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New NAS Report on Resilience of Supply Chains
From HSWire: Ways to Strengthen the Resilience of Supply Chains After Hurricanes.
A new report from the National Academies of Sciences recommends ways to make supply chains — the systems that provide populations with critical goods and services, such as food and water, gasoline, and pharmaceuticals and medical supplies – more resilient in the face of hurricanes and other disasters, drawing upon lessons learned from the 2017 hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.
Effects of Multiple Disasters in PR
From the WashPost: Puerto Rico earthquake aftershocks again rattle coastline as residents deal with disaster after disaster. An excerpt:
The fallout from the worst disaster in Puerto Rico’s history and last summer’s political convulsions that resulted in upheaval and the ouster of a governor has left a population traumatized and distrustful of government at all levels. The hurricane, the resultant struggle for survival, the unsettled governance and now days of strong quakes have deteriorated the emotional and mental health of some of the poorest and most vulnerable citizens of the United States.
From USAToday, this article: 950 earthquakes have hit Puerto Rico so far this year. Why? Blame it on an ‘earthquake swarm’
Will the Reality of the Australian Disaster Change Minds re Climate Change?
Can the catastrophic fires bring some sanity to Australian climate politics? “It might be a moment.”
Australian Fires -the Worst Has Yet to Come
Australian Fires: The Worst Is Yet to Come.
Recent droughts, fires, and extreme heat indicate that Australians have more at stake in the effort to reduce global emissions than perhaps any other developed country. At the same time, Australia benefits economically from emissions – it is the world’s largest exporter of coal and the third largest exporter of carbon from fossil fuels (after Russia and Saudi Arabia), according to a recent report by the Australia Institute. Australia faces some tough decisions. The world will be watching closely how they choose to proceed.
For more information and a list of ways to help the Australians with their record setting fires go the the U.S. Center for Disaster Philanthropy.
Delay in Disaster Funds for Puerto Rico is Deadly Serious
From the WashPost: Hit by devastating earthquakes, Puerto Rico still waiting on billions for hurricane relief. Democratic lawmakers raise new concerns about the Trump administration’s use of disaster funds.
According to this CNN article, the Dept of HHS has declared a Public Health Emergency in Puerto Rico. PR also got a Presidential Emergency Declaration.
Superfund Program in Trouble
From HuffPost: EPA’s Superfund Program, A Trump Priority, Is A Shambles. It turns out it’s hard to clean up toxic waste without money.
FEMA Administrator Pick Resigns
From NBCNews: Trumps’ Former Pick to Lead of FEMA Resigns from Agency.
Puerto Rico is Floundering Not Recovering
From the NYTimes: Hurricane Maria, 2 Years Later: ‘We Want Another Puerto Rico’. From the ruins of the storm rose a grass-roots movement that unseated a governor. But what happens now?
Disasters of the Decade
From Direct Relief: 10 Disasters That Changed the World. Over the past decade, these crises have stretched the world’s ideas about what a disaster can do and how best to respond.
Recovery Diva 