Energy, Climate Change,
and Our Environment

The President has taken unprecedented action to build the foundation for a clean energy economy, tackle the issue of climate change, and protect our environment.

Energy and Environment Latest News

  • Lost and Found: Preparing Workers for New Careers

    Posted by Secretary Hilda Solis on August 27, 2010 at 1:36 PM EST

    Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, I traveled there with other members of Congress.  We flew in helicopters to survey entire neighborhoods submerged in dirty water.  Those neighborhoods not underwater were abandoned.  We toured the 9th Ward and saw the broken levees.  Trash was everywhere.  We visited hospitals jammed to over-capacity, and in chaos. We met with students at a local public school.

    I knew then that we would have a lot of work to do to restore the community’s trust, respect and confidence in government.  When I returned home to Los Angeles, I donated cleaning supplies and clothing to displaced hurricane victims.  A small gesture, but I hoped to encourage others to do whatever they could to help, no matter what that was.

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  • Strengthening the Gulf's Health Care Infrastructure for Generations to Come

    Posted by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on August 27, 2010 at 11:02 AM EST

    We can’t look back on the five years since Hurricane Katrina ripped through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama’s Gulf Coast communities without recognizing the extraordinary determination of the people who live there.  When the wind subsided and the clouds cleared, more than 1800 people had lost their lives; and property damage was as high as $75 billion. But folks rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

    Our job at the Department of Health and Human Services was to make sure the health system was there for them.  There are families who have called the Gulf region home for generations, and they aim to call it home for generations to come.  That’s why this Department worked quickly in the immediate aftermath of the storm to provide emergency services and supplies to the region, and it’s why we have set out to rebuild the health care infrastructure to meet Gulf communities’ long-term medical needs.

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  • Restoring the Gulf's Priceless Natural Resources

    Posted by Administrator Lisa Jackson on August 27, 2010 at 8:50 AM EST

    EPA hurricane katrina jackson

    Administrator Jackson speaks with a response worker at the Incident Command Post in Alabama. June 3, 2010. (by USEPA photo by Eric Vance)

    I grew up in New Orleans.  As a chemical engineering student at Tulane University, I worked and studied in the local environment, particularly the wetlands, marshes and swamps.  I saw then that the wetlands were the beating heart of the region.  The coastal waters support a multi-billion-dollar fishing industry that is a way of life for many families and communities.  The rich sediment and marsh grasses help filter pollution and provide the home for a priceless and delicate ecosystem.  And the abundant vegetation growing above the surface helps buffer storm surges during hurricanes – a vital function whose importance was all too apparent after Hurricane Katrina.

    My mother was still living in New Orleans when Katrina struck.  I happened to be visiting her at the time, and drove her to safety.  But her house – the house where I grew up – was destroyed by the flooding. After the storm, she and many other Gulf residents learned that the flooding had been made worse because the marshes and wetlands had been destabilized by navigation channels, covered over by levee construction, and most damagingly, cut away for the placement of oil and gas lines.

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  • 200,000 Homes Weatherized Under the Recovery Act

    Posted by Andy Oare on August 26, 2010 at 4:26 PM EST

    Ed. Note: Cross posted from the Energy Blog

    Today Vice President Biden announced that 200,000 homes have been weatherized under the Recovery Act. Cathy Zoi, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy shares her thoughts:

    We're still talking about weatherization on Facebook and Twitter. Ask questions, share your thoughts and we’ll follow-up with tips and answers from our experts in the coming days.

    Andy Oare is a New Media Specialist at the Department of Energy

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  • SBA Disaster Assistance: Then and Now

    Posted by Administrator Karen Mills on August 26, 2010 at 12:02 PM EST

    Tommy and Maria DeLaune are a prime example of small business owners who suffered a one-two punch from Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater BP oil spill.  They run Tommy’s Seafood, a New Orleans seafood processor and wholesaler that employs about 20 people. 

    When Hurricane Katrina hit, the business suffered major damage at its two facilities, including loss of equipment and inventory.  They applied for an SBA disaster loan in October 2005 but didn’t get approved until May 2006 and the loan wasn’t fully disbursed until October 2006, a year later.

    They got hit again when the oil spill forced closures on fishing waters in the Gulf of Mexico, where their suppliers work.  Tommy and his wife Maria had to look 500 miles away to find more seafood to process, so they had higher expenses and lower profit margins.  This time around, however, their experience with SBA was “amazing,” according to Maria.  Their disaster loan was approved in just 16 days and it was fully disbursed just a month later. Additionally, SBA deferred their existing Katrina loan for 12 months so they can use more of their resources to deal with the financial strain caused by the oil spill.

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  • Cutting Red Tape and Helping Communities Rebuild

    Posted by Administrator Craig Fugate on August 26, 2010 at 8:24 AM EST

    Five years ago, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated communities across the Gulf Coast. Five years later, the communities are still working to recover and rebuild from the destruction and damage wrought by those storms. We know these efforts have been incredibly challenging and frustrating at times, but they have also been a powerful testament to the courage, hope and determination of the people of the Gulf Coast – and those across our country who helped.

    The Obama Administration remains committed to supporting the people of the Gulf Coast in their ongoing efforts to rebuild stronger, vibrant communities. FEMA will continue to be a partner to the Gulf Coast region and support the ongoing work of our state and local partners, the private sector, and the numerous faith groups and non-profits throughout the region.  We’re also continuing to work with our federal partners to build on the improvements that have been made in recent years, accelerate the recovery by cutting through red tape, and get money moving to important projects on the ground, from schools to police stations to hospitals to libraries and transportation systems. We know a lot of work still lies ahead.

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