It cannotbediscernedwhetherit wasHapper
orWysmullerwhoputthatpressureonthenew
NASAchief.Theirexchangeis includedinemails
from 2018 and 2019 thatwereobtainedbythe
EnvironmentalDefenseFundunderthefederal
FreedomofInformationActandprovidedtoThe
AssociatedPress.
ButtheemailsshowthatHapper,whowasthen
advisingTrump’sEnvironmentalProtection
Agency,keptupthepressureafterhejoinedthe
NationalSecurityCouncillatelastyear.
InFebruary,heemailedNASAdeputy
administratorJamesMorhard,relayinga
complaintaboutNASA’swebsitesfroman
unidentifiedrejecterofman-madeclimate
change.“I’mconcernedthatmanychildren
arebeingindoctrinatedbythisbadscience,”
saidtheemailthatHapperrelayed.(Happer’s
ownmessagewasredactedfromtherecords
obtainedbytheenvironmentalgroup.)
NASAdoesnotappeartohavebuckled
undersuchheat.Specificstatements
targetedintheemailstillappearonthe
spaceagency’swebsite.
A NASAspokesmanupheldthespaceagency’s
publicstatementsonclimatechange.
“Weprovidethedatathatinformspolicymakers
aroundtheworld,”spokesmanBobJacobs
said.“Ourscienceinformationcontinuestobe
publishedpubliclyasit alwayshas.”
HeartlandInstitutespokesmanJimLakelysaid
inanemailthatNASA’spubliccharacterization
ofclimatechangeasman-madeanda global
threat“isa disservicetotaxpayersandscience
thatit is stillpushedbyNASA.”
Image: Aubrey Gemignani