In a move that has raised eyebrows, California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared that the state will invest $100 million in launching methane-detecting satellite sensors.
This announcement comes at a time when California is borrowing over $6 billion to plug gaps in its healthcare system, as reported by Breitbart.
California, known as the Golden State, is currently grappling with a cash crunch. Its Medicaid system, Medi-Cal, is reportedly insolvent due to Newsom's decision to extend free healthcare to illegal immigrants. The state is also battling wildfires, homelessness, and crime. Despite these pressing issues, Newsom, who recently started his own podcast, is confident that the state has sufficient funds to launch satellite sensors to monitor local methane emissions, a greenhouse gas, in a bid to lower global emissions.
Interestingly, over the past 17 years, California has released six times more carbon dioxide than any other state in the Union. This is largely due to wildfires that have spiraled out of control, partly because of the state's failure to clear brush in forests.
Newsom's announcement of the satellite launch is seen as a jab at the Trump administration over climate change. However, he is simultaneously relying on President Donald Trump and the Republicans to provide $40 billion in aid for the California fires.
The governor's office issued a statement saying, "The new initiative comes as the Trump Administrations EPA works to dismantle decades of clean air and clean water protections. Specifically, the U.S. EPA is reconsidering the 'endangerment finding,' which is the basis for federal actions to curb planet-warming emissions of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide and methane."
The technology involves satellite-mounted methane sensors that transmit data, enabling the state to locate and monitor large methane emissions that might otherwise go undetected. "This new data will allow state and local agencies to work together with industry to stop the leaks and protect public health," the statement added.
The satellite project and the data it will generate is funded by a $100 million investment from the state's Cap-and-Trade program. One satellite has already been launched, with up to seven more to be deployed.
While California does not own these satellites, state agencies will be able to select specific regions for observation. The data will also be available to communities to view methane mitigation efforts, education, and for outreach.
Last year, California fulfilled a promise by former Governor Jerry Brown when a philanthropically-backed coalition, including the state, launched its 'own damn satellite' to help track dangerous pollutants like methane.
Newsom has sought recognition for the "fastest major cleanup in American history" in the Los Angeles wildfires, even though federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency have been responsible for progress. "And thank you to the EPA, thank you [EPA Administrator] Lee Zeldin, thank you to President Trump directly for helping," Newsom acknowledged in his recent podcast, when conservative radio legend Michael Savage was his guest.
While seeking financial assistance from the Trump administration and lenders, Newsom recently approved $50 million in spending to combat the administration's policies and to provide legal assistance to illegal immigrants resisting deportation. This move, juxtaposed with the state's current financial woes, raises questions about the governor's priorities and fiscal responsibility.
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