University of Nebraska scientists won't participate in climate study rigged by state senator Beau McCoy

Beau McCoy, president of Nebraska Roof
Savers and anthropogenic climate change
denier. McCoy (bmccoy@leg.ne.gov)
represents District 39, including parts of
Omaha.

Last year, homeschooled GOP State Sen. Beau McCoy, of Elkhorn, a western Omaha suburb, tried to outlaw municipal antibias LGBT ordinances statewide when he introduced LB912, subsequently killed in the Judiciary Committee.
     It seems he also has put his evangelical thumb on the scale of a proposed climate change study — he got language added to LB583 to focus the study on "cyclical" climate change, a term that state climatologist Al Dutcher said the scientific community does not recognize and doesn't use because it offers no clarity.
     McCoy, who owns a roofing company, appears to care less about science than his recklessly deviant personal "philosophical" views on global warming and wants to make sure the state tows the line on his denialism. He said this last year:

"I, for one, and this is a philosophical position, don't subscribe to global warming, to that theory. I think there are normal cyclical and rhythmic climate changes that are not caused by man-made attempts."

     Leading climate and weather scientists in Nebraska are having nothing to do with this latest of McCoy's tricks.

• Barbara Mayes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service also noted that "cyclical" is not a scientific term.
• Mike Hayes, director of UNL's National Drought Mitigation Center, said, "We would be uncomfortable in sending it to our peers within the scientific community if the human component wasn't included. For me, it's really tough to separate those out. Everything with climate is connected with humans."
• Sen. Ken Haar of Malcolm, a Democrat and an environmental leader in the Unicameral, said his intent was to examine all aspects of climate change. He said that any analysis that rejected science and excluded the role of humans would make the state “look stupid... 'Let's just embrace ignorance, and let our children deal with the consequences.' That's what that sounds like,” he said.
• Mark Svoboda, a climatologist with the university's acclaimed National Drought Mitigation Center, said he wouldn't send out a study proposal to his peers if it excluded the role of humans.
• Climatologist Martha Shulski, director of the High Plains Regional Climate Center, said of the study's scope:“If it's only natural (causes), but not human, we would not be interested.”

     The World-Herald's excellent coverage of this betrayed the invisible hand of GOP Gov. Dave Heineman, undercutting unfettered inquiry, but, as usual, not willing to answer direct questions about his office's below-the-radar machinations.

     Asked after the meeting whether “cyclical” includes or excludes human influences on climate change, Kriz-Wickham declined to answer and instead referred to the Legislature's floor debate and final bill.
     Kriz-Wickham is the assistant director of the Department of Agriculture, which answers to the Governor's Office. The climate committee also is under the umbrella of the Governor's Office.
     Sue Roush, spokeswoman for Gov. Dave Heineman, said his office does not plan to become directly involved in defining “cyclical.” She said Heineman believes that should be left to the committee.