White House webpage on climate change vanishes

By Barry Eitel

SAN FRANCISCO (AA) – The White House website on Friday was scrubbed of any specific mention of climate change or global warming after Donald Trump was inaugurated as president.

A webpage dedicated to the topic was deleted entirely and the changes appear to have been made at noon local time (1700GMT), the moment by law Trump took over the office from former President Barack Obama, who deemed climate change a top issue.

To many, the website edits showcase a staunch difference in attitude toward the climate between the two administrations.

Trump’s new White House has published an “America First Energy Policy” that offers a hint of how the new administration views how global warming should be handled.

“For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry. President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule,” the plan reads. “Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years.”

Trump has waffled on his position on climate change over the years, from deeming it a scheme invented by the Chinese government to saying that his position on the topic has softened since winning the presidential election in November.

Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency told at a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday that he believed in the existence of global warming, but invited skepticism as to whether humans are the major cause of climate change.

The new WhiteHouse.gov site briefly mentions environmental policy but it appears to back away from supporting climate change.

“Protecting clean air and clean water, conserving our natural habitats, and preserving our natural reserves and resources will remain a high priority,” the website said. “President Trump will refocus the EPA on its essential mission of protecting our air and water.”