Declarations

NOAA Loses Data Source

“NOAA’s data sources are fully capable of providing a complete suite of cutting-edge data and models that ensure the gold-standard weather forecasting the American people deserve.”

— Kim Doster, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) communications director, commenting on how NOAA and the U.S. Navy and will no longer accept and distribute readings from the long-running Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. The military satellite data is just one piece of a “robust suite of hurricane forecasting and modeling tools,” Doster said. Storm models still include data from other satellite systems and from NOAA’s hurricane hunter aircraft, among other sources.

More Options for Florida

“More companies entering the Florida market is a surefire sign that the legislative reforms to address legal system abuse are working. As competition in the marketplace increases, rates are stabilizing and even decreasing for consumers. Florida is doing something right and other states are taking notice.”

— Adam Shores, senior vice president of state government relations at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, commenting on the number of property insurers venturing into the catastrophe-prone state’s insurance market. Two more property insurers have put their toes in the Florida market this summer, making 14 new carriers in the state since 2023.

Natural Gas Deemed Green

“I don’t think it’s anything crippling to wind or solar, but you got to realize the wind don’t blow all the time and the sun don’t shine every day.”

— Said Louisiana Republican Rep. Jacob Landry, the author of a new state law redefining natural gas as green energy. Louisiana’s law orders state agencies and utilities regulators to “prioritize” natural gas, along with nuclear power, on the grounds that it will improve the affordability and reliability of the state’s electricity. Landry runs an oil and gas industry consulting firm. The legislation “is saying we need to prioritize what keeps the grid energized,” he added.

Blocking FAIR Unfair

“We support the Department of Insurance’s effort to dismiss Consumer Watchdog’s reckless lawsuit–a necessary step to prevent further destabilization of California’s already fragile insurance market. Blocking FAIR Plan cost recovery would jeopardize the last-resort coverage option for homeowners and push the market closer to collapse. It is critical that recovery costs be spread equitably across a broader pool of policyholders to stabilize the system and protect access to coverage for all Californians.”

— American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) statement on a lawsuit from Consumer Watchdog that challenges the way the FAIR Plan recovers costs.

Reasonable Effort

“I have no legal obligation to do so.”

— Bicyclist Brendan Linton, when asked in court why he didn’t pull his bike off the road to allow traffic to pass. Linton fought a $25 ticket for violating the provision on slow speed impeding of traffic all the way to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, arguing that the slow-speed laws did not apply to bicyclists, or were at the very least ambiguous. The court’s decision: While Pennsylvania cyclists must make “reasonable efforts” to not impede traffic, the law does not mandate that they always and immediately pull off the road to let faster traffic pass. The law does require slow-going motor vehicles to pull off the road. Linton was clocked going 19 mph in a 55 mph zone.

Fraud Hurts Healthcare

“The submission of false claims undermines the integrity of our federal healthcare system.”

— Said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, after Illinois chiropractor Carrie Musselman was guilty of one count of healthcare fraud and five counts of wire fraud. Musselman was sentenced to 20 months in prison and ordered to repay more than $2.3 million following convictions on multiple charges related to a scheme to defraud Medicare and 12 other insurance companies.