The Trump administration will not grant Hurricane Dorian refugees from the Bahamas temporary protected status (the same program applied to the victims of Haiti's 2010 earthquake), officials told NBC News and CNN this week.
The big picture: Temporary protected status would only be applicable to those in the U.S. at the time of designation. As of Monday, 1,500 Bahamians have come to the U.S. after being displaced by Dorian, with at least 3,500 people evacuated from the islands and the death toll currently standing at 50. The Department of Homeland Security said this week that displaced Bahamians traveling to the U.S. must have a valid passport and travel visa.
T. Boone Pickens, who made billions investing in oil and gas, died Wednesday of natural causes at age 91, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Where it stands: "Pickens wasn't a billionaire when he died, with his last reported net worth standing at a mere $500 million. That's because he'd given away more than $1 billion to philanthropic and educational causes."
The long-promised electric car revolution is finally getting underway this week at the Frankfurt auto show, but a host of industry challenges — both economic and technological — "threaten to wipe out profits and shake it to the core," writes Forbes.
Why it matters: Carmakers warned that trade tensions risk dragging the global economy into a recession, according to Bloomberg, casting a pall over the event, one of the industry's most important showcases for future technologies. This is not the way you want to launch some of the most important vehicles in decades.
One of the Trump administration's fiercest climate skeptics William Happer is leaving his position on the White House National Security Council on Friday, according to E&E News.
Why it matters: Happer's resignation comes after he failed to encourage the White House to challenge the government's official description of climate change as a national security threat. He was one of the White House's strongest voices against climate science, per E&E News.
NOAA acting administrator Neil Jacobs on Tuesday both defended the Trump administration and thanked forecasters who contradicted the president’s claims about Hurricane Dorian threatening Alabama, AP and the Washington Post report.
Why it matters: Per AP, meteorologists have been concerned that NOAA had risked the credibility of the U.S. weather and science agency, and perhaps even lives, by issuing an unsigned statement Friday supporting President Trump's claim, after the National Weather Service's Birmingham office tweeted that Alabama would not be impacted.
The electric vehicle startup Rivian on Tuesday announced a $350 million equity investment from Cox Automotive, a big industry data and information company.
Why it matters: It's a fresh sign of intense interest in Michigan-based Rivian from deep-pocketed players. It also illustrates how there's lots of money flying around in the EV space as investors look where to place their bets.
Volta Charging, which provides free electric vehicle charging at stations supported by ads, announced Tuesday that it raised another $20 million in Series C funding to fuel the 9-year-old company's expansion.
Why it matters: Availability of plenty of charging is important to the growth of EVs, which remain just a tiny slice of vehicle sales right now.
Volkswagen took the wraps off its ID.3 electric vehicle — one that will be available in Europe and starts at roughly $33,000 for the base model — just ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show yesterday.
Why it matters: The compact EV, which will start deliveries in mid-2020, could be a big step toward production of moderately priced battery-powered cars for a mass market.
