NPR: Longtime Climate Science Denier Hired At NOAA
David Legates, a University of Delaware professor of climatology who has spent much of his career questioning basic tenets of climate science, has been hired for a top position at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Legates confirmed to NPR that he was recently hired as NOAA's deputy assistant secretary of commerce for observation and prediction. The position suggests that he reports directly to Neil Jacobs, the acting head of the agency that is in charge of the federal government's sprawling weather and climate prediction work.
Neither Legates nor NOAA representatives responded to questions about Legates' specific responsibilities or why he was hired. The White House also declined to comment. Legates has a long history of using his position as an academic scientist to publicly cast doubt on climate science.
Myron Ebell, the former head of President Trump's EPA transition team and the director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute said this shows that
"Trump wants to do more than roll back climate policy by actively trying to reshape climate science... Legates could play a significant role in shaping the next National Climate Assessment.
It's a very good sign that after sitting on their hands for three-and-a-half years, the administration is finally going to inject some science into official climate science...This is the kind of thing we have been pushing for since before Trump was elected, to get real science into the assessment, instead of junk science, which NASA and NOAA have been doing for years."
Ebell neglects to mention that the State of Delaware fired Legates for pushing junk climate science in 2011:
Controversial Delaware state climatologist steps down July 19, 2011
University of Delaware professor David Legates has stepped down as State Climatologist...
Back in February 2007, then Governor Ruth Ann Minner... asked him not to speak on behalf of the Governor’s office, since his views did not align with those of her administration... in an email sent to WHYY,
Legates... writes, “I believe that... carbon dioxide is only a minor player in climate change. Minor to the point that very little evidence of climate change in the recent past can be attributed to rising carbon dioxide concentrations.”
