On August 23, 2011, a 5.8 earthquake centered in Virginia was felt throughout the mid-Atlantic. Minor by the standards of the West Coast, the earthquake, even on the less-prepared East Coast, resulted in no deaths or serious injuries and only minor structural damage. Yet President Obama still declared the earthquake a “Major Disaster” and, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Administration has distributed over $25.2 million in recovery aid as of January 16. This incident is one of the countless examples of the overuse of FEMA aid …
Youngstown, Ohio, had a rockin’ New Year’s Eve, but not the kind it hoped for—a 4.0 magnitude earthquake shook the city just one week after a 2.7 magnitude earthquake hit. Fortunately, there was no significant damage or injuries; the focus has primarily been on the cause of the earthquake. Although no definitive connection has been made, seismologists are pointing to oil and gas activity as a likely culprit; consequently, Ohio state officials indefinitely closed five wells used to store wastewater from natural gas drilling. D&L Energy, the owners of the …
Heritage’s Jim Carafano appeared on CBS’s “Early Show” to discuss the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) wanting a blank check. FEMA says it has too little money in the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) due to its federalizing a record number of natural disasters this year. (Watch the video here.) As Carafano notes, FEMA needs to save its resources—funding especially—for truly catastrophic events, and get out of the business of bailing out states for natural disasters that occur with fairly predictable regularity. This issue of federalization of disasters is vividly illustrated …
With earthquakes and Hurricane Irene ripping through the East Coast last week, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) was tested. How well did they do? Will more funding better the response? Click here to join the chat! We are joined by Heritage Fellow Matt Mayer, and he is taking your questions about the role of FEMA and the role of local governments in disaster response. Lunch with Heritage feat. Matt Mayer
In last week’s Heritage Libertad Radio program, we covered topics ranging from Libya and the earthquake, to Heritage member questions. For the Spanish segment, click here. For the English segment, click here. You’ll hear Heritage’s position on Libya moving forward and hear answers to questions such as: is the War Powers Act unconstitutional? How much are we spending on defense? Is there a Social Security Trust Fund, and where does that money go? The Spanish segment also includes an interview with Fidelia Friedman, vice president of Pocono Republican Hispanic Association. …
Yesterday at 1:51 p.m. Eastern Time, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck near a small town outside Washington, D.C., the strongest such tremor in 67 years. The geological event, which affected the eastern third of the United States, sent thousands of workers in our nation’s capital (and in New York City) scurrying into the streets waiting for news of what to do next. Fortunately, the quake resulted in only some minor injuries and minor damage to buildings, a shortened workday, and gridlock on the streets of Washington, but it is a reminder of …
This morning we wrote about hurricanes, and then Washington, D.C., had an earthquake. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides information about what to do before, during, and after an earthquake. FEMA also provides an index with contact information on state agencies. As residents of the East Coast found out today, earthquakes can happen anywhere. Earthquakes result from shifts in tectonic plates that comprise the Earth’s surface. The edges of the plates impact one another, creating intense geologic activity, including earthquakes, violent fracturing of the earth’s crust. There are also …
There is no limit to the amount of distortion the enviro-left is willing to deploy to accomplish their policy goals. Last month, the Obama Commerce Department issued a report finding that the “scientists at the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration did not manipulate data or otherwise engage in wrongdoing.” But as University of California at Berkeley Professor of Physics and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Faculty Senior Scientist Richard A. Muller explains in the accompanying video, this does not mean that what these scientists produced on global warming can be considered science: …
The impact of the Japanese earthquake on its nuclear reactors continues to capture the world’s attention. Reports of radioactive releases, elevated radiation levels, and malfunctioning power systems all strike fear into the public as memories of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl quickly enter the national and global conscious. It is important, however, to understand what these terms mean and how different actions taken by Japanese nuclear officials actually impact human health and safety. One area where this is particularly important is regarding the potential release of radioactive steam. According to …
On behalf of the entire Heritage Foundation family, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the people of Japan as they confront the aftermath of today’s massive earthquake and related tsunami. Our hearts and prayers go to the victims of this tragedy and their families. Japan is one of America’s best allies, a stalwart of democracy whose ingenious and creative people have contributed much in the fields of arts, industry and technology. I know Japan personally, having visited there many times. I have come away a great admirer of its remarkable …
