News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

New Orleans health officials brace for cuts as Trump admin eyes ‘woke’ programs • Louisiana Illuminator

Published

1 month ago

February 2, 2025

Staff Editor

lailluminator.com – Katie Jane Fernelius, Verite – 2025-02-02 05:00:00

New Orleans health officials brace for cuts as Trump admin eyes ‘woke’ programs

by Katie Jane Fernelius, Verite, Louisiana Illuminator
February 2, 2025

NEW ORLEANS – Last week’s move by the Trump administration to freeze trillions of dollars of federal grants and loans — pending a top-to-bottom review to identify spending that does not align with the president’s ideological agenda — sent shockwaves through the country.

States reported that they couldn’t access Medicaid funds; nonprofit groups providing services such as crime victim advocacy and grants for scientific research warned that they may have to scale back their work; and colleges and universities cautioned that research and services supported by grants could come to a standstill.

The pause also caused consternation in New Orleans City Hall. The city’s government, like many municipalities, depends heavily on federal funding to operate.

According to the city’s adopted budget for 2025, New Orleans expects to receive more than $400 million in federal funds – more than 20% of total expected revenues for the year.

The funding pause, however, is itself now paused. First, the Office of Management and Budget rescinded the order. Then a judge temporarily blocked the order, following a lawsuit by a group of nonprofits. But city officials worry that even if the pause may be temporarily on hold, federal funding for vital services may still be eventually withdrawn.

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

Federal funds that go to the city aren’t concentrated in one department but can be found across various city departments and agencies. Federal money supports the Mosquito Control Board, the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the Office of Resilience and Sustainability, among others.

But perhaps no department is at greater risk than the New Orleans Health Department, where more than half of the departmental budget and two-thirds of the staff would be immediately impacted by a full freeze on federal funding.

“No health department has enough funding to make up for a 60% cut in revenue,” New Orleans Health Department spokeswoman Isis Casanova said in an email. “We are discussing with city leaders about options to continue services and staff uninterrupted should a temporary freeze come to pass, but a permanent cut would be devastating to our operations (and those of cities in general).”

That’s no longer an immediate concern. But the federal review still looms, and a significant chunk of the department’s budget goes to the types of so-called “woke” programs that Trump says he wants to eliminate, including those used to provide health care services to homeless people, maternal and infant health and community-based anti-violence work.

‘Real and immediate consequences for public health’

On Monday, the federal Office of Management and Budget, which administers federal funding, announced a temporary pause to seemingly all such funding – an estimated $3 trillion of financial assistance provided across the country and abroad. The dramatic move left countless cities, states and organizations scrambling, as they questioned how the wide-reaching pause would impact them in both the short- and long-term.

The memo called for an across-the-board ideological review of all federally funded programs as part of the concentrated effort by President Donald Trump to attack progressive initiatives.

“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” wrote Matthew J. Vaeth, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, in the memo.

Over the past several years, NOHD has shifted much of its focus to social and economic justice, following its most recent Community Health Improvement Plan, which addresses the social determinants of health. Under a Trump administration making broad attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion and other allegedly “Marxist” ideas, these justice-focused initiatives could come under fire.

Because of this, the city has long anticipated that it might need to fight to keep its federal funding.

Before Trump took office, New Orleans Health Department officials made a list of all programs they feared could be on the chopping block due to a Republican-controlled Congress paired with a Trump-led White House. They also developed a strategy to address any risks to their funding: planning, first, to proactively discuss the importance of these programs with federal agency staff and members of the congressional delegation and, second, to identify potential alternative sources of funding so they could maintain programming and staffing.

But the threat of a sudden and comprehensive funding pause has forced the department to act quickly to defend its programs.

In a Thursday document listing all the programs at immediate risk, Casanova wrote, “This is More Than A Funding Issue – It’s a Public Health Emergency.”

“The disruption of these programs is not just an administrative challenge — it has real and immediate consequences for public health,” Casanova continued. “Families, children, seniors, and vulnerable populations who rely on these services will be directly impacted.”

According to Casanova, some of the impacted programs include Healthy Start, which supports maternal and infant health, Health Care for the Homeless, which provides primary health care services, and Ubuntu Peace Ambassadors, a community-based violence interruption program. All three of the federal funding streams that back these initiatives are on a list of the more than 2,600 programs currently under OMB’s review, The New York Times reported.

According to data provided by the city, Healthy Start, which seeks to reduce infant mortality, served over 700 families in 2024, providing home visitation, prenatal support, breastfeeding support and car seat education, among other services. Healthy Start has also screened families for mental health and intimate partner violence.

Similarly, NOHD’s violence prevention efforts have been extensive. It also supported the distribution of more than 700 biometric firearm safes through the Children’s Hospital. And the Ubuntu Peace Ambassadors program has responded to over 100 shootings in the city.

“These programs have allowed us to effectively change the landscape within our communities,” Casanova said.

City health officials hope that they can keep funding in place to support these critical services. But at least one community partner says that it will keep up its work – regardless of whatever threats may come.

In an interview conducted before the funding pause commotion last week, Ernest Johnson, director of Ubuntu Village, cautioned against being swept up in the fearmongering caused by the Trump administration.

“Sometimes narrative can get people thinking and have a predictive threat,” Johnson said. “We aren’t going to shift, because of this threat. We may be a little more strategic, but that doesn’t mean we will abandon it because of what may come.”

YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.

SUPPORT

This article first appeared on Verite News New Orleans and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: “https://veritenews.org/2025/01/31/city-health-department-trump-funding/”, urlref: window.location.href }); } }

Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.

Up Next

Foggy mornings next week, very warm afternoons

Don't Miss

Federal immigration officials have extensive technology at their disposal • Louisiana Illuminator

News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Professor Carl Nivale Parade Report: Elks, Barkus, Mardi Paws, and more

Published

2 hours ago

March 9, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – WWLTV – 2025-03-09 07:09:25

SUMMARY: Good morning! I’m Professor Carl Nivale, here with your parade preview for March 9th. Today kicks off with the crew of Elks Orans at 11 a.m., celebrating their 90th anniversary with plenty of throws. Following them, the Mystic crew of Barkus will parade in the French Quarter at 2 p.m., featuring the 610 Stompers for the first time. Meanwhile, I will be at the Mardi Paws parade in Covington at 2 p.m., celebrating pets and their owners, with Grand Marshal NY the nutria. Additionally, the St. Patrick’s Day parade rolls in Old Town Sidell at 1 p.m. Happy parading!

Mardi Gras Expert Professor Carl Nivale has all the details on the parades rescheduled to roll Sunday, March 9, 2025,

Source

News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Strong storms possible tonight

Published

14 hours ago

March 8, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – WDSU News – 2025-03-08 19:17:31

SUMMARY: Strong storms are possible tonight across Southeast Louisiana, with showers and thunderstorms expected, particularly on the North Shore. A low-pressure system and frontal boundary are driving the stormy weather, which could bring large hail, isolated tornadoes, and damaging winds, though flooding is not anticipated. Temperatures will be in the 70s tonight, dropping into the 50s and 60s by morning. The severe weather threat is categorized as a level one marginal risk. Tomorrow’s weather will be cooler, with sunny conditions expected by Monday afternoon. Rain chances increase later in the week, particularly Thursday and Friday.

Strong storms possible tonight

Subscribe to WDSU on YouTube now for more: http://bit.ly/1n00vnY

Get more New Orleans news: http://www.wdsu.com
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/wdsutv
Follow us: http://twitter.com/wdsu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wdsu6/

Source

News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Trump withdraws new pipeline rules inspired by CO2 leaks in Mississippi, Louisiana

Published

19 hours ago

March 8, 2025

Staff Editor

lailluminator.com – Tristan Baurick, Verite – 2025-03-08 13:48:00

Trump withdraws new pipeline rules inspired by CO2 leaks in Mississippi, Louisiana

by Tristan Baurick, Verite, Louisiana Illuminator
March 8, 2025

Nearly five years after a pipeline spewed poison gas across a Mississippi town, federal regulators appeared ready in recent weeks to institute new safety rules aimed at preventing similar accidents across the U.S.’s fast-growing network of carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines.

But the proposed rules, unveiled five days before the end of Joe Biden’s presidency, were quietly derailed during the first weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term.

A federal pipeline safety official not authorized to speak publicly said the proposed rules were “withdrawn” in accordance with a Jan. 20 executive order that freezes all pending regulations and initiates a review process by Trump’s newly appointed agency leaders. Putting the pipeline rules in further doubt is a Feb. 19 executive order aimed at rooting out all regulations that are costly to “private parties” and impede economic development.

Trump’s choice to lead the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which proposed the rules, is Paul Roberti, an attorney strongly backed by pipeline and energy industry groups. Roberti, who is awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation, oversaw PHMSA’s safety enforcement during Trump’s first term, a time marked by fewer citations and smaller fines than the Obama and Biden administrations.

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

Pipeline safety advocates still hope to push the Trump administration to approve the rules, which they say are critically important for reducing the risks of potentially deadly accidents across a growing number of states.

“It’s not dead yet,” said Paul Blackburn, an energy policy advisor for the Bold Alliance, an environmental group that tracks pipeline development. “It can be brought back by Trump, and I think the Trump administration should be pressured to do that.”

The more than 5,000 miles of CO2 pipelines in the U.S. are primarily used for enhanced oil recovery, a process that injects carbon dioxide into old oil reserves to squeeze out leftover deposits. Much of the current and predicted growth of the CO2 pipeline network is linked to the recent boom in carbon capture technologies, which allow industrial plants to store CO2 underground instead of releasing it into the air.

The CO2 pipeline network could top 66,000 miles – a thirteenfold increase – by 2050, according to a Princeton University-led study.

The Trump administration isn’t as supportive of carbon capture, but industry experts say growth will continue as companies try to meet state-level climate benchmarks.

While proponents say carbon capture will help address climate change, transporting pressurized CO2 comes with dangers, especially for rural stretches of the Midwest and Gulf Coast, where the network is concentrated.

CO2 can cause drowsiness, suffocation and sometimes death. Colorless, odorless, and heavier than air, carbon dioxide can travel undetected and at lethal concentrations over large distances.

The proposed rules would establish the first design, installation and maintenance requirements for CO2 pipelines. Companies operating pipelines would need to provide training to local police and fire departments on how to respond to CO2 leaks, and emergency communication with the public would need to be improved.

Operators would be required to plan for gas releases that could harm people within two miles of a pipeline. The proposed rules show that PHMSA finally recognizes that the threats from CO2 pipelines are different from oil and natural gas pipelines, which can spill, burn or explode, but don’t usually imperil people miles away, said Bill Caram, executive director of the Pipeline Safety Trust, a nonprofit watchdog group.

“These are relatively strong proposals,” he said. “Would these rules make CO2 pipelines completely safe? No. But it would modernize the pipelines.”

In April 2024, a Denbury carbon dioxide pipeline in Calcasieu Parish ruptured, causing a plume of CO2 to be released along the ground for two hours. Residents in the area were told to shelter in place. (Calcasieu Parish Police Jury)

PHMSA currently has no specific standards for transporting CO2. Rules governing the CO2 pipeline network haven’t undergone significant review since 1991, according to the trust.

The proposed rules apply “lessons learned” from a 2020 pipeline rupture in Sataria, Miss., PHMSA officials said in an announcement on Jan. 15.

The rupture in the small community 30 miles northwest of Jackson forced about 200 Satartia residents to evacuate. Emergency responders found people passed out, disoriented and struggling to breathe. At least 45 people were treated at nearby hospitals.

“I have learned first-hand from affected communities in Mississippi and across America why we need stronger CO2 pipeline safety standards,” then-PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown, a Biden appointee, said in a statement on Jan. 15. “These new requirements will be the strongest, most comprehensive standards for carbon dioxide transportation in the world and will set our nation on a safer path as we continue to address climate challenges.”

Accidental releases have occurred from CO2 pipelines 76 times since 2010, according to PHMSA data reviewed by Verite News. Of the more than 67,000 barrels of CO2 released over the past 15 years, the vast majority – about 54,000 barrels – came from pipelines owned by ExxonMobil subsidiary Denbury Inc.

Denbury operates the 925-mile pipeline network that failed in Satartia and more recently in southwest Louisiana. In April, a pipeline at a Denbury pump station near the Calcasieu Parish town of Sulphur ruptured, triggering road closures and a shelter-in-place advisory. Some residents reported feeling tired and light-headed, but local authorities reported no serious illnesses.

The pump station and pipeline weren’t equipped with alarms or other methods of alerting nearby residents when accidents occur.

Several Sulphur-area residents said they received no notice of the leak or became aware of it via Facebook posts more than an hour after the gas began to spread.

“There should have been alarms, and the whole community should have been notified,” Roishetta Ozane, a community organizer who lives near the station, told Verite in April. “I don’t trust the system we have at all.”

Unless the proposed rules are enacted, similar or worse accidents are likely, said Kenneth Clarkson, the trust’s communications director.

“In the absence of a rule, blatant regulatory shortfalls will remain, leaving the public fully exposed to the risks of CO2 pipelines,” he said.

YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.

SUPPORT

This article first appeared on Verite News New Orleans and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: “https://veritenews.org/2025/03/07/trump-carbon-dioxide-pipeline-louisiana/”, urlref: window.location.href }); } }

The post Trump withdraws new pipeline rules inspired by CO2 leaks in Mississippi, Louisiana appeared first on lailluminator.com