Reply #20: Alaskans fume over Jindal volcano-monitoring gripe [View All]

[RamboLiberal]

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Jindal's comments provoked an eruption of their own. Alaska politicians, liberal bloggers and some scientists began pointing out how useful it is to let people know when a volcano in their neighborhood is about to explode.

"Volcano monitoring is a matter of life and death in Alaska," Democratic Sen. Mark Begich said in an open letter to Jindal.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski quickly agreed, noting in a press statement how "absolutely appropriate" it is to spend money on volcano monitoring. However, said Murkowski, Jindal raised "a legitimate question about funding volcano monitoring in legislation that's supposed to create jobs for unemployed Americans."

Jindal appears to have exaggerated by tenfold the $140 million he said was destined for the nation's volcano observatories.

Nearly all of that amount -- included in the stimulus bill for funding U.S. Geological Survey projects -- will go to other USGS functions nationwide, such as repairing facilities and mapping, said John Eichelberger, who heads the agency's Volcano Hazards Program in Reston, Va.

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/702875.html

And as usual for Repukes, Jindal can't even get his facts straight!