Senate investigates federal role in mitigating extreme weather

Mammatus clouds that are usually associated with thunderstorms.

On February 12, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing on "Extreme Weather Events: The Costs of Not Being Prepared."

President hopes to create new climate change resilience fund

This February the President pitched a new climate change resilience fund to help communities across the country react to the impacts of climate change.

Simpson to introduce companion wildfire legislation in the House

Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) have recently introduced a bill (S.1875) to permit the use of emergency funding in fighting wildfires, in addition to money allocated in the Forest Service discretionary budget.

Human-induced earthquakes up, USGS reports

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reports that human-induced seismicity may be the cause of increased domestic earthquake activity over the past several years.

New legislation would further delay FEMA Flood Insurance Program

Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) are calling for a delay in new flood insurance rates that took effect in 2013.

EARTH Magazine: Warring Trolls Explanation for Mysterious Basalt Pillars Revised

Alexandria, VA – A complex interaction between lava and water, rather than a fight between mythical troll-beasts of lore, is responsible for the occurrence of rare terrestrial basalt pillars. EARTH Magazine uncovers the truth behind the pillars in the February issue.

EARTH Magazine: Humans are influencing some extreme weather events, but not all

It has often been said that individual weather events cannot be attributed to global climate change, but recent advances in the science of attribution are challenging that notion. A recent report from 18 different research teams that analyzed 12 extreme weather events in 2012 suggests that climate change was a contributing factor in about half of them.

Reauthorization of NIDIS

The House Science, Space and Technology Committee passed the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Reauthorization Act of 2013 (H.R. 2431).

Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2013

The Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2013 (H.R. 2413) was passed in December by the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

EARTH Magazine: Navigating the Risks of Hazard Research

After the 2012 conviction of six Italian geoscientists on manslaughter charges related to communication about the hazards prior to the L'Aquila earthquake in 2009, scientists worldwide are keen to understand the risks of their hazards research. EARTH Magazine investigates the complicated and often nuanced risks scientists face in hazard research.

American Geosciences Institute

natural hazards