Experts in autocracies have pointed out that it is, unfortunately, easy to slip into normalizing the tyrant, hence it is important to hang on to outrage. These incidents which seem to call for the efforts of the Greek Furies (Erinyes) to come and deal with them will, I hope, help with that. As a reminder, though no one really knows how many there were supposed to be, the three names we have are Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. These roughly translate as “unceasing,” “grudging,” and “vengeful destruction.”
Last month, the EPA (you know, the Environmental Pollution Agency) sent an emailed memo to
employees prescribing how to discuss climate change. Because, you know, “Administrator Pruitt encourages an open, transparent debate on climate science.” Mother Jones obtained the actual email and I quote it in full, with the emphasis which the sender indicated included, and no additional emphasis of mine.
QQ Dear Colleagues:
During the recent meeting of our Cross-EPA Work Group on Climate Adaptation, several individuals suggested it would be helpful to develop consistent messages about EPA’s climate adaptation efforts that could be used across all Program and Regional Offices. I’m pleased to report that the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) has developed a set of talking points about climate change that include several related to climate adaptation. These talking points were distributed today by Nancy Grantham (OPA) to the Communications Directors and the Regional Public Affairs Directors.
The following are the talking points distributed by OPA. I have highlighted those relating specifically to our adaptation work.
- EPA recognizes the challenges that communities face in adapting to a changing climate.
- EPA works with state, local, and tribal governments to improve infrastructure to protect against the consequences of climate change and natural disasters.
- EPA also promotes science that helps inform states, municipalities, and tribes on how to plan for and respond to extreme events and environmental emergencies.
- Moving forward, EPA will continue to advance its climate adaptation efforts, and has reconvened the cross-EPA Adaptation Working Group in support of those efforts.
- Human activity impacts our changing climate in some manner. The ability to measure with precision the degree and extent of that impact, and what to do about it, are subject to continuing debate and dialogue.
- While there has been extensive research and a host of published reports on climate change, clear gaps remain including our understanding of the role of human activity and what we can do about it.
- As a key regulatory voice, it is important for the Agency to strive for a better understanding of these gaps given their potential significant influence on our country’s domestic economic viability
- Administrator Pruitt encourages an open, transparent debate on climate science.
Best regards,
Joel
Joel D. Scheraga, Ph.D
Senior Advisor for Climate Adaptation
Office of Policy
Dear Furies, – You know what to do.
The Furies and I will be back.
Cross posted to Care2 HERE.
10 Responses to “Everyday Erinyes # 120”
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This is certainly disheartening and sad, to read of how he (Pruitt) wants things done…about climate change.
Go get ’em, Furies, and bring back some sanity too, while you’re at it.
Thanks, Joanne for post.
So, EPA employees are again allowed to speak of Climate Change, but only when stressing how the EPA is helping people to adapt to it, to fight its consequences and warn people ahead of time when disasters strike’. However they are never to acknowledge that Climate Change is man-made, and especially not that many of its dire consequences could, and possibly still can be avoided by changing our way of living globally.
EPA’s main reason for still existing is to give a free pass to Big Corporations, notably Big Fossil Fuel, to continue worsening Climate Change and destroy this planet and try to cover that all up by diverting attention to cleaning up the mess after them. Employees now know exactly what their talking points are and where the boundaries of discussion are. Have a great open and transparent debate!
Don’t worry folks, the EPA will do nothing to prevent more disastrous extreme weather, but they’ll let you know sooner when your house and family are going to be wiped from this earthy by a storm or flood. But for now they’re mainly going to talk about doing that, and tell you you just have to learn to live with it (ADAPT!), unless you’re one of the 1% of course, in which case the EPA will make sure your estate is up high and dry is some well sheltered area.
?????
Thanks for printing this memo in full, Joanne. It really didn’t need any comment, it spoke clearly for itself. Now where’s my barf bag…
Please view this!
Betsy Southerland left the EPA in 2017, after working at the agency for over 30 years – under Democratic and Republican administrations. Here’s what she told FRONTLINE about the Trump administration’s EPA: http://to.pbs.org/2fRA7Rp
OR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ1P9IcTGV
Earlier this month, “The New Yorker” magazine had an excellent article on how Pruitt is destroying the EPA, the USA, THE WORLD!
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/04/02/scott-pruitts-dirty-politics
And more recently they had letters in response further ripping Pruitt limb-by-limb.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/04/16/letters-from-the-april-16-2018-issue
Of all of Trump’s tragic administration selections, I think Pruitt will do the most lasting damage (unless Bolton gets the nuclear war he’s itching for).
I think you’ve nailed it.
There’s been so much recently about Pruitt’s personal corruption that I didn’t want us to forget the corruption of the EPA’s entire mission.
All three of the Furies need to scourge Pruitt’s arse into hamburger – and chase him the hell out of D.C.
This kind of propaganda twisting the facts as the scientific community knows them to be is reminiscent of G.W.B.’s “Blue Sky” initiative on pollution. That was “Blue Sky” as in Newspeak, meaning “Screw the blue skies, pump them fossil fuels like crazy, boys!”
Excellent piece JD. I’ve seen this approach before. It’s the same approach politicians that were supporting tobacco companies discussed health hazards.
Thanks boss. Yes, it is indeed the same technique, and the source article referenced the tobacco industry also. (The reference dropped out when I decided to showcase just the email.)
YVW! Great minds fall in the same ditch.