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lsommer.bsky.social
Climate correspondent for NPR. West Coast-based. Wildfires, water, oceans, adaptation and accountability. Signal: sommer.55
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NOAA employees, both current and those affected by the firings, please feel free to get in touch. I'm a climate reporter at NPR who has covered NOAA a long time. I'm on Signal at sommer.55

submitted 4 hours ago • 1 comment

Great episode from @wunc.org about rebuilding after Hurricane Helene. A lot of roads need repair, but how do you design them to withstand the future climate? North Carolina is working on that, something not many communities do after a disaster. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

submitted 9 hours ago • 0 comments

As animals get close to extinction, some are brought into captivity as a last resort. It's not easy to find a way to release them again, but in Hawaii, a rare crow is making its way back to the wild again. On @npr.org www.npr.org/2025/02/18/n...

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

I am collecting instances of California-based wildfire mitigation projects delayed because of layoffs at US Forest Service, Park Service, BLM. Pls reach out to me if you have tales of certain projects to share: d venton at kqed dot org. Signal: DVenton.09

submitted 6 days ago • 4 comments

To help homes survive more intense disasters, FEMA has been developing recommendations for stronger building codes. The Trump Administration has pulled them back.

submitted 7 days ago • 73 comments

SCOOP: For 25 years, FEMA has helped develop building codes that help homes survive floods and hurricanes. Now, FEMA is pulling back on that work, taking its name off recommendations its experts have written. On @npr.org www.npr.org/2025/02/20/n...

submitted 7 days ago • 4 comments

Hey NOAA, FEMA and federal scientists and staff — I’m a climate reporter at NPR. To share info anonymously, you can reach me on Signal at sommer.55

submitted 10 days ago • 7 comments

Hey NOAA, FEMA and federal scientists and staff — I’m a climate reporter at NPR. To share info anonymously, you can reach me on Signal at sommer.55

submitted 10 days ago • 7 comments

There's been a lot of discussion after the Los Angeles fires about clearing brush to reduce the fire risk. It's not that simple -- Southern California's chaparral is vastly different than the state's forests. On @npr.org today www.npr.org/2025/02/11/n...

submitted 16 days ago • 2 comments

In an email obtained by NPR, employees at EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights were told they were on administrative leave, effective immediately.

submitted 20 days ago • 134 comments

This is what happens when you go to rural.gov which used to be the site the Biden admin used to connect/discuss federal programs targeting rural communities. USDA is the only fed agency with the specific rural mandate, including housing, internet, + infrastructure

submitted 24 days ago • 3 comments

Bring on the rat puns... www.npr.org/2025/01/31/n...

submitted 27 days ago • 0 comments

Thoughtful piece on rebuilding Altadena.

submitted 27 days ago • 0 comments

Many communities are struggling with where to build housing - there's a big shortage but the risk from wildfires and floods is getting worse. Los Angeles County had that debate right before these fires destroyed thousands of homes. On @npr.org today www.npr.org/2025/01/30/n...

submitted 27 days ago • 1 comment

I've interviewed NASA climate scientist Ben Hamlington over the years. Then I heard he lost his home in the Los Angeles wildfires. www.npr.org/2025/01/23/n...

submitted 35 days ago • 1 comment

Even in extreme wildfires, some houses survive. A team on the ground in Los Angeles is studying those untouched houses to see what homeowners did right. On @npr.org today www.npr.org/2025/01/17/n...

submitted 41 days ago • 1 comment

Los Angeles has some of the toughest wildfire policies in the country when it comes to building codes and vegetation. But these fires show there’s more to do. On @npr.org today www.npr.org/2025/01/15/n...

submitted 43 days ago • 3 comments

Los Angeles has wildfire policies that are far tougher than many of those in Western states. The destruction from the recent fires shows there are still major gaps to address. via @lsommer.bsky.social

submitted 43 days ago • 14 comments

Many communities are in the same situation as Pacific Palisades - few evacuation routes, lots of homes and not enough community planning. With today's wildfires, evacuation is more critical than ever -- on @npr.org today. www.npr.org/2025/01/09/n...

submitted 48 days ago • 0 comments

Countries are debating $$ at the COP29 climate summit. What does that involve? Some of the first payments for climate damages are starting go out.

submitted 98 days ago • 1 comment

It’s been 1 year since Maui’s fires, the US’s deadliest in last century. It’s a crucial time for the community - because it’s deciding whether to build back the same or better able to handle future disasters. Here’s my reporting from Lahaina www.npr.org/2024/08/06/n...

submitted 203 days ago • 0 comments