Hurricane season begins today. The National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration is predicting a "very active hurricane season" -- "13 to 16 named storms, with eight to 10 becoming hurricanes, of which four to six could become 'major' hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher." NOAA also has a scary graphic that shows why they expect this year to be bad.
Let's focus for a moment on one of those factors, the one being driven by global warming -- sea temperature, which is the energy source for hurricanes. Already, on June 1, surface temperatures are very hot in the area south of the tip of Florida.
Are we ready? Well, the government does seem determined to do a better job of scaring people into evacuating during a major storm, which will save lives. But, except for that one step, and except for the desperate and just-completed effort to restore the levees and dikes around New Orleans to their previously inadequate level, the bold promises made a year ago to change the way we respond to these threats are largely, sadly, unfulfilled. The Sierra Club just issued a report this week, "The School of Big Storms," that concludes that there were lessons, but "that in most cases, we have yet to learn the necessary elements for a safe and secure Gulf coast. Much of the devastation from recent hurricanes could have been lessened if we had learned the lessons outlined here."
For example, the Army Corps of Engineers still hasn't decided to close the MRGO shipping channel, even though it knows, as our report states, "that the MRGO acted as a funnel -- increasing the height of the storm surge by several feet and sharply increasing its speed -- causing levees to crumble under the assault. The 25-foot wall of water that shot through the MRGO destroyed the levees in its path and inundated St. Bernard Parish and New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward."
Even when it comes to oil and gas operations, the Houston Chronicle reports that "federal officials report that 22 percent of crude oil production and 13 percent of natural gas production in the Gulf is still derailed." So what is the response by the White House and the Congressional leadership? Invest still more of America's energy eggs in the fragile and dangerous basket of additional offshore oil and gas production.
Hurricane country is dangerous country. It demands prudence and care. Our leaders don't seem to get that -- even after Katrina.