EDF Battens Down Hatches

Texas Tribune Photo Illustration By: Todd Wiseman / Bob Daemmrich / Vince Petaccio

In Response To Governor Perry’s Proclamation, EDF Texas Office Closes Early To Allow Staff To Go Buy Umbrellas

West Texas wildfires have been raging for weeks, a result of a dangerous combination of the worst drought since 1917 and higher than normal temperatures that has devastated homes, communities and is even now threatening the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.  This tragic environmental disaster is exactly the kind of circumstances leading scientists have predicted as a result of climate change.  Instead of preparing for, or even better, trying to prevent these kinds of events, Rick Perry has been busy trying to score political points by filing frivolous lawsuits – insisting that the EPA leave Texas alone to take care of its own environmental issues, be it climate change, air quality or safe drinking water. 

Lawsuits don’t stop climate change though, and they certainly aren’t stopping these wildfires.  So Rick Perry has been forced to ask the same Obama Administration (the one that he’s suing several times over to let us deal with our own problems) for help in dealing with this disaster.  We obviously support his appeal for help from the Federal Government in dealing with environmental issues; Texans are losing their homes, livelihoods and – in some cases – their lives.  We only hope that this change of heart also means that Governor Perry will stop wasting his time in the courtroom and start taking real action to help keep environmental disasters from getting worse in Texas. 

The first such action from his office is telling: Today Governor Perry issued the following proclamation: “Gov. Rick Perry has proclaimed the three-day period from Friday, April 22, to Sunday, April 24, as Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas, following extreme drought conditions that have sparked dangerous wildfires across the state, which have taken lives, engulfed more than 1.8 million acres and destroyed nearly 400 homes.”

It is comforting to know that Governor Perry has a plan in place, though, and we hope this will help Texas deal with a multitude of serious issues.  He might want to think of hiring Bill Starbuck from “The Rainmaker” too.  Whatever the research may show on any number of issues, whether it’s using questionable methods to prevent teenage pregnancy rates far above the national average or praying for rain to save us from the effects of global warming, it’s clear that Governor Perry has a plan.  For my part, I’ll be closing our Texas offices early today so that we can all go out and buy umbrellas.