Trump’s Cuts to Forecasting and Disaster Preparedness Left Alaskans Vulnerable to Typhoon Halong
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Washington, D.C. – Trump’s reckless cuts to weather forecasting and disaster preparedness put Alaskans at risk during Typhoon Halong. The storm devastated communities in Western Alaska with high winds and extreme flooding, displaced more than 1,000 people, and killed at least one person. Trump’s cuts forced the National Weather Service to reduce weather balloon launches in Alaska, leaving gaps in the data needed for the life-saving alerts that people rely on. Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency also canceled a $20 million flood protection grant for the Alaska Native village of Kipnuk months before the village was devastated by extreme flooding during the typhoon. Trump has gutted our disaster preparedness – leaving communities vulnerable and putting lives at risk.
Climate Power Communications Director Alex Glass issued the following statement: “The policies of the Trump administration are endangering lives from North Carolina to Alaska. The climate crisis, which he deems a hoax, is putting Americans at risk every single day while Trump slashes the resources we need to protect our families and businesses. In Alaska, Trump’s cuts to the National Weather Service left communities without accurate forecasts and less prepared for extreme flooding. Are Americans better off with Trump’s reckless cuts? The devastation in Alaska speaks for itself.”
Trump’s gutting of forecasting and disaster preparedness put Alaskans in danger:
- Trump’s cuts to the National Weather Service reduced weather balloon launches, leaving gaps in critical data and forcing forecasters to issue warnings “without the aid of accurate model projections.” This threatened the accuracy of forecasts and life-saving weather alerts during Typhoon Halong.
- Trump’s EPA canceled a $20 million flood protection grant for the Alaska Native village of Kipnuk months before the village was devastated by flooding from Typhoon Halong. The grant would have helped stabilize the riverbank the village was built on and protect it from the twin threats of erosion and flooding.