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Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Mining Issues – Greenpeace welcomes Northland mining pullout

    Source: Greenpeace

    Greenpeace is welcoming the decision by an Australian mining giant to pull the plug on its plans to mine for minerals in a forest reserve in the Far North.
    Seabed mining campaigner Juressa Lee says: “The victory over mining company Mineralogy International demonstrates the collective power of resistance in iwi, local communities and environmental groups working together.
    Lee says the victory sends a powerful message to other would-be miners, such as Australian-owned mining company Trans-Tasman Resources, which wants to start seabed mining in the South Taranaki Bight.
    “Trans-Tasman Resources has faced years of determined opposition from Greenpeace, local iwi and hapū, scientists, boaties and the fishing industry over its plans to plunder the seas off the Taranaki coast.
    “TTR has been defeated in the courts again and again but is now betting the Luxon government’s Fast Track process will enable it to circumvent any proper transparent scrutiny of its plans.
    “But Greenpeace and our allies will continue to resist this every step of the way. We won’t let seabed mining take place in Aotearoa without a fight.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Reintroduces Legislation to Protect Water Supply for More than One Million Nevadans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) reintroduced the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Horizon Lateral Water Pipeline Act. This bill would allow the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) to construct a new water pipeline to provide water for over one million Nevadans, dramatically improving the reliability of Las Vegas’s water system and protecting residents from outages, while safeguarding ecosystems in Sloan Canyon. The bill also expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation (NCA) area by nearly 9,300 acres – increasing its size by nearly 20 percent.

    “Completing the Horizon Lateral pipeline is a critical step in ensuring that Southern Nevada’s water infrastructure is reliable, sustainable, and resilient for decades to come,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “My bill allows SNWA to build this pipeline in a way that saves taxpayer dollars, minimizes disruptions to the City of Henderson and to our public lands, and protects the water supply for residents across the Las Vegas Valley.”

    Currently, SNWA operates one large water pipeline, the South Valley Lateral, that serves approximately 40% of the residents and businesses in the Las Vegas valley, including the entire City of Henderson. The Las Vegas valley needs another water pipeline to increase the reliability and capacity of the existing water delivery system and protect Las Vegas residents from water outages in the event of an emergency.

    After years of study and engagement with valley stakeholders, SNWA determined the safest, most effective, and least disruptive route for the Horizon Lateral would be via an underground pipeline below the Sloan Canyon NCA, as opposed to constructing it through the City of Henderson. This route saves ratepayers $200 million, minimizes disturbances to both Henderson residents and the land in Sloan Canyon. Cortez Masto’s legislation to support the pipeline’s construction on this route would also expand Sloan Canyon’s conservation area by 9,290 acres to bring the total NCA acreage to 57,728 acres. Last Congress, this legislation passed out of the Senate with bipartisan support.

    Senator Cortez Masto has been a leader working to support conservation efforts and combat drought. As part of the Great American Outdoors Act, she secured permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Cortez Masto fought to deliver $4 billion to combat drought in the states bordering the Colorado River in the Inflation Reduction Act and helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will continue to make a historic amount of funding available for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across the country over five years.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ADB, Fiji Sign Landmark Agreement for Urban Waste Management

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    • From left: UNDP Team Leader for Inclusive Growth Patrick Tuimalealiifano, ADB Head of Office of Markets Development and Public–Private Partnerships F. Cleo Kawawaki, Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Sivendra Michael, Permanent Secretary for Local Government Seema Sharma, and ADB Regional Director for the Pacific Subregional Office Aaron Batten.

    News from Country Offices | 05 February 2025

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    SUVA, FIJI (5 February 2025) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a Transaction Advisory Services Agreement with Fiji’s Ministry of Local Government (MLG) to support the development of a new sanitary landfill and the rehabilitation of four open dumpsites in the Western District of Fiji. The project, envisioned as a public–private partnership (PPP), aims to address critical urban waste management challenges while ensuring environmental and public health benefits. The project will be implemented by MLG together with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. 

    Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Local Government Seema Sharma and the Head of ADB’s Office of Markets Development and Public–Private Partnerships Cleo Kawawaki signed the agreement in Suva in the presence of the Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office in Fiji, Aaron Batten, and the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Sivendra Michael.

    “This project is a crucial step toward sustainable waste management in Fiji,” said Mr. Batten. “By leveraging public–private partnerships, we can bring innovative solutions to improve infrastructure, protect the environment, and support healthier communities.”

    The project envisions the construction of a sanitary landfill, including engineered cells, and leachate collection. The rehabilitation of existing open dumpsites will mitigate pollution and health risks, while paving the way for sustainable urban development.

    ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Environment and Conservation – Endangered endemic birds flock to Makarora following proactive predator trapping

    Source: Southern Lakes Sanctuary

    A collective predator control effort over the past 15 months has helped to lower rat and stoat numbers – a positive sign for native birds in the area.

    The collaborative efforts by conservation groups Southern Lakes Sanctuary, Department of Conservation, and Central Otago Lakes branch of Forest and Bird have curbed the ‘rat plague’ of the 2023/24 summer by installing over 700 bait stations, servicing more than 1400 traps, and undertaking a 1080 operation by DOC, across the Makarora area over the past 15 months.
     
    And, much to the delight of all involved, a family of endangered whio (blue duck) with five youngsters have been observed on the southern end of the Young River over recent months.

    Southern Lakes Sanctuary project director Paul Kavanagh says the whio sighting is excellent news following the localised conservation work.  

    “The presence of whio in the Young River is an optimistic sign that indicates good stoat control in the area, which comes down to the great collaborative effort last summer,” he says. “These endemic manu (birds) nest on the banks of rivers, in caves or in dense vegetation, and nesting whio are very vulnerable to stoats.”

    Central Otago Lakes Forest and Bird chairman Andrew Penniket says extensive trapping is one of the factors for the increased presence of the birds.

    “The whio family has been seen over the space of a month by several groups and is the largest number seen on this river, or in our catchments, in our collective memories,” he says. “The sightings are a wonderful reward, coinciding with the work undertaken to put an extra 20 traps into the southern end of the Young River, specifically for the protection of rock wren and whio.
     
    “It has been heartening that we have had very low catch rates of rats and stoats on all our trapping lines. It is probably the lowest ever, that I can recall,” Penniket adds.
     
    In the summer of 2023/24 rat numbers exploded due to a ‘mast season’ of native beech trees, where a larger number of tree seeds are produced. A mast season generally occurs every two to six years and results in a dramatic increase in rat numbers, and then stoats.

    The collaborative predator control effort has achieved positive results for other species in the area.
     
    “We were concerned about the survival of the endangered mohua (yellowhead) with the siege of rats swarming to the area last spring and summer,” Kavanagh explains. “However, in the core trapping and bait station areas, most of the mohua chicks that we have monitored have survived in both this year’s and last year’s breeding seasons.”

    This area is a priority site for the Department of Conservation’s National Predator Control Programme and as such received landscape scale predator control via aerial 1080 in March 2024, in response to rodent plagues following beech masts. Working in partnership with DOC ensures the best outcome for predator control.  
     
    “The mohua and whio survival shows the power of working together,” Kavanagh says. “The amazing efforts of volunteers and staff, who strapped on their tramping boots and frequently checked and cleared thousands of traps and bait stations. Collectively, they contributed thousands of hours towards this important mahi to protect wildlife in Makarora.”

    Introduced predators such as rats and stoats kill more than 25 million native birds and wildlife every year in New Zealand. An estimated 1382 rats were dispatched in traps and an estimated 3600 rats from the bait station network alone, in Makarora between November 2023 – November 2024.
     
    About Southern Lakes Sanctuary                                                      
    The Southern Lakes Sanctuary Trust that oversees this project is a consortium of six local groups that collectively represent 84 community groups, landowners, and businesses, who in turn have been working for many years to protect and restore the declining biodiversity of the Southern Lakes region. The consortium relies on the mahi of hundreds of committed and dedicated volunteers, throughout the district. Their tireless work, which has been quietly ploughing on for many years, is the foundation upon which the Southern Lakes Sanctuary is built. Donations to the Trust can be made at https://southernlakessanctuary.org.nz/get-involved/

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, DeLauro Introduce Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) introduced the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act (EFSIA), legislation that would grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to collect microbial samples from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), also known as factory farms, during outbreaks or when there is a public health need. 

    Factory farming is at the heart of the spread of bird flu. The reintroduction of this legislation comes as public health experts raise alarms about the ongoing threat of H5N1, avian influenza, as variations continue to mutate, and in addition to persistent foodborne illness risks.  

    The CDC reports that 1 in 6 Americans suffer from foodborne illnesses annually, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Many of these illnesses stem from bacteria and other microbes originating in animal agriculture. Over 55 percent of foodborne Salmonella cases are linked to animals and animal products. Harmful bacteria from animal production facilities also contaminate fields of produce, further endangering consumers.

    Despite these clear threats, public health agencies currently lack the authority to conduct microbial sampling on factory farms, limiting their ability to investigate and prevent outbreaks. Investigators are frequently denied access to farms, obstructing efforts to pinpoint the source of outbreaks and implement safeguards.

    “Every year, thousands of Americans fall victim to foodborne illnesses,” said Senator Booker. “Currently, the FDA lacks the jurisdiction to investigate outbreaks and identify the sources of contaminated food stemming from animal agriculture. This bicameral legislation will reduce the prevalence of foodborne diseases by empowering the FDA and other public health agencies to properly respond to and investigate outbreaks when they happen and get contaminated food off our grocery shelves.”

    “It is clear that corporate consolidation has made our food system more vulnerable—not only to foodborne illness but also to emerging public health threats like H5N1,” said Representative DeLauro. “This crisis is exacerbated by a weak FDA, which lacks the authority to properly investigate outbreaks and remove contaminated food from the market. Under current law, multinational corporations can obstruct FDA foodborne illness investigations, delaying critical public health interventions. That cannot continue. That is why I am reintroducing the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act, which will ensure FDA has the power to investigate corporate agribusinesses, respond effectively to public health threats, and protect American consumers.”

    “The Expanded Food Safety Act would close a critical gap in our public health safety net by allowing outbreak investigators a chance to trace the source of outbreaks on large animal farms,” said Sarah Sorscher, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Center for Science in the Public Interest. “This common sense safeguard is long overdue and can help provide solutions to stop outbreaks at their source.”

    The legislation is endorsed by American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Animal Rights Initiative, Antibiotic Resistance Action Center at The George Washington University, Associated Humane Societies, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Ceres Community Project, Chilis on Wheels, Compassionate Action for Animals, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, Earthjustice, Environmental Working Group, Farm Forward, Farm Sanctuary, Food and Water Watch, Food Animal Concerns Trust, Friends of the Earth, Godspeed Horse Hostel Inc, Government Accountability Project, Iowa Environmental Council, KWT Consulting, Mercy For Animals, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, Mercy For Animals, PIRG, San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility, Slow Food USA, STOP Foodborne Illness, Strategies for Ethical & Environmental Development (SEED), Texas Humane Legislation Network, Vegan Activist Alliance, and World Animal Protection.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New research funded to find plastic waste solutions

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 5 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Environment and Heritage

    Three pioneering projects have been awarded $1.25 million by the NSW Government to tackle plastic pollution through innovative and impactful solutions.

    Previous governments left Greater Sydney on the brink of a waste crisis. Without new waste and recycling solutions, Greater Sydney’s landfill capacity will be exhausted by 2030.

    The Minns Labor Government is committed to solving the waste challenges and supporting future technologies that will continue to drive us to a circular economy where nothing is wasted.

    Universities and government research institutions were invited to apply for funding under the Plastic Research Program.

    Following a competitive process, three exciting projects were successful in securing funding:

    • Research to develop ways to reliably collect and analyse microplastics in soil, compost and treated sewage (NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and CSIRO).
    • A project to create tools to identify and prioritise harmful chemicals from plastics in agricultural soils (NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and CSIRO).
    • Study into plastic fabrics like polyester to track harmful chemicals in new and recycled textiles (University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures).

    The Plastic Research Program is focused on making NSW a leader in managing plastic waste and the findings from these projects will guide future policies, regulations, and actions.

    Each project will receive between $308,000 and $493,000, and completion is expected by 31 May 2027.

    For more information, visit the webpage of the Plastics Research Program. 

    Quote attributable to Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe:

    “NSW is facing a landfill crisis. New solutions are needed and needed quickly.

    “Hidden chemicals in plastic waste make recycling harder.

    “This investment into cutting edge research will help uncover hidden chemicals in soils and everyday fabrics, to assist in finding better solutions to get rid of them.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: CORROBINNIE ROAD, COOTRA GRASS FIRE (Grass Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Issued on
    05 Feb 2025 10:07

    Issued for
    COOTRA GRASS FIRE in Pinkawillinie Conservation Park on the Eyre Peninsula.

    Warning level
    Advice – Monitor Conditions

    Action
    Monitor local conditions and stay informed if you are in this area. Decide what you will do if the situation changes.

    At this time there is no threat to life or property and firefighters are attending this fire.

    More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rare, almost mythical Australian tree kangaroos can finally be studied, thanks to new tech

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emmeline Norris, PhD Candidate, Conservation Biology, James Cook University

    Tree kangaroos are easily spotted with thermal drones. Emmeline Norris

    Bennett’s tree kangaroos, one of Australia’s most mysterious marsupials, have long eluded researchers. Our new study, published in Australian Mammalogy today, has achieved a breakthrough: using thermal drones to detect these rare animals with unprecedented efficiency.

    Tree kangaroos are found only in the tropical rainforests of Australia and New Guinea. Unlike their ground-dwelling relatives, they spend their lives in treetops, feeding on leaves and vines. Their dependence on rainforest trees makes them vulnerable to deforestation and climate change.

    Alarmingly, 12 of the 14 species of tree kangaroos are listed as threatened. Yet we know little about their numbers or habits due to difficulties studying them in dense rainforest.

    Our new findings mark a significant step forward, offering hope for improved conservation of these elusive, near-mythical creatures. Thermal drones, which detect animals by their body heat, may help to unravel the mysteries of tree kangaroos and guide efforts to protect them.

    Rugged, dense rainforests

    Bennett’s tree kangaroos inhabit Australia’s most rugged and densely vegetated rainforests north of the Daintree River in Far North Queensland. They rarely descend from their vine-covered treetop roosts, which can be up to 40 metres high.

    Traditional survey methods like spotlighting (that is, methodically using flashlights) or handheld thermal cameras (using infrared sensors to detect warm bodies) often fail to detect tree kangaroos, as these tools are limited to what can be seen from the ground.

    As a result, there have been no systematic surveys of Bennett’s tree kangaroos. Population estimates rely on outdated observations and anecdotal evidence, leaving their conservation status unclear.

    We need robust population estimates to detect shifting population trends and prevent population declines. This requires new monitoring methods to help us find these elusive animals.

    Hotspots in the treetops

    Thermal drones are just what they sound like – drones equipped with infrared cameras that detect heat signatures from the air.

    Warm-blooded animals like tree kangaroos stand out against the cooler rainforest background, even when partially hidden by foliage. This technology offers a powerful advantage over traditional methods, allowing researchers to scan large areas from above and see past vegetation.

    In our study, we conducted three drone flights at the Daintree Rainforest Observatory, Cape Tribulation, during the morning and evening.

    To our surprise, we detected six Bennett’s tree kangaroos in under an hour of flight time – an unprecedented result. These included a solitary animal, a pair, and a group of three, all consistent with known home range sizes for the species.

    By comparison, traditional ground surveys often require several nights of survey effort to spot a single animal. The drones not only made detection easier but also allowed us to closely observe the animals’ behaviour, such as feeding on specific plant species, without disturbing them.

    Side-by-side comparison of the same image in colour and in thermal view, with three tree kangaroos clearly visible (circled in yellow) in the thermal image.
    Emmeline Norris

    Shedding light on a hidden species

    Our findings suggest Bennett’s tree kangaroos are thriving in Cape Tribulation’s lowland rainforest.

    While this is encouraging, further systematic surveys are needed to assess how population density varies with forest type, elevation and other factors.

    Another intriguing discovery was the tree kangaroos’ diet. Using the drone’s colour zoom camera, we identified the vines and leaves they were eating. Mile-a-minute vine (Decalobanthus peltatus) and fire vine (Tetracera daemeliana) were popular choices on the menu.

    These observations deepen our understanding of the species’ habitat needs and could inform future conservation efforts.

    Conservation research methods must prioritise minimising stress on wildlife. The tree kangaroos showed no signs of disturbance, continuing to forage after briefly pausing to look at the drone.

    This non-invasive approach is a promising alternative to traditional methods, like radio tracking (where a tag is attached to the animal), which can disrupt natural behaviours.

    A Bennett’s tree kangaroo peeks at the thermal drone through the vines.
    Emmeline Norris

    Craning for a better view

    Despite showing promise, drone-based wildlife monitoring has its challenges. Regulations require drone operators to maintain visual line of sight with their drone. This can be difficult in a rainforest due to the height and density of the canopy.

    To overcome this, we remotely operated our drone from a 47-metre-high canopy crane designed for research. This extra height allowed us to maintain a clear view while surveying a larger area.

    The 47-metre high canopy crane at the Daintree Rainforest Observatory, Cape Tribulation.
    Emmeline Norris

    However, canopy cranes are rare – there’s only one in tropical Australia. Expanding this approach will require alternative strategies, such as using mountaintops or canopy walkways as vantage points.

    Our study is just the beginning. The next step is designing methods to estimate population densities more accurately – not only for Bennett’s tree kangaroos but also other tree kangaroo species in the remote mountains of New Guinea. By identifying individual tree kangaroos based on their unique fur markings, we aim to also study their social structure and sex ratios.

    Thermal drones have the potential to revolutionise conservation efforts for hard-to-study wildlife. They offer a powerful tool to monitor populations and guide management decisions.

    For the rare and remarkable Bennett’s tree kangaroo, this technology could make the difference between obscurity and security.

    The study authors flying drones from the upper platform of the canopy crane.
    Emmeline Norris

    Emmeline Norris does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Rare, almost mythical Australian tree kangaroos can finally be studied, thanks to new tech – https://theconversation.com/rare-almost-mythical-australian-tree-kangaroos-can-finally-be-studied-thanks-to-new-tech-246334

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Funding secured for next phase of major flood defence scheme

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby’s Our City, Our River (OCOR) project has been handed a £35 million boost by the Government, with the allocation of Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid to deliver the next phase of the scheme

    The funding has been released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) from their Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Investment Programme and will be managed by the Environment Agency on their behalf.

    This secures the future of Derby Riverside, which will deliver significant flood resilience protection to many properties along the east bank of the Derwent. It will now go to Cabinet to be formally accepted and allows the Council to enter into contract with construction partners.

    Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability, said: 

    It’s incredible news for Derby that this funding package has been allocated by the government to protect our city from the risk of flooding. This will be such welcome news for households and businesses alike. We can now really start to push ahead with the works at Derby Riverside as we continue to future proof the city against extreme weather. 

    Here in Derby, we’re all too familiar with the effects of climate change. In the last six years we have seen the five highest river levels on record. The Our City, Our River flood prevention scheme has already delivered enhanced protection to thousands of properties, but there is still more work to do to ensure our city has the best defences possible.

    This £35 million investment from the Government means we can now build on the years of hard work from the Council and Environment Agency to deliver this critical infrastructure our city needs.

    Alex McDonald, Strategic Senior Flood Risk Management Advisor at the Environment Agency said:

    We know the devastating effect that flooding can have on communities and businesses including within Derby City. OCOR represents a long-standing partnership between Derby City Council and the Environment Agency. The Derby Riverside element will replace aging flood defences in the city, provide space for water and help to transform the city centre. As the project moves into its next phase we will continue to support Derby City Council to deliver this vital infrastructure for the city centre, helping the city to keep pace with our changing climate.

    The city saw the effects of climate change in action in 2023 when river levels reached their highest point ever recorded during Storm Babet, and while the flood gates and defences built during earlier phases of OCOR have not been called into action since, there have been several named storms in recent months.

    Derby Riverside will deliver enhanced protection along the east bank of the river, starting at Causey Bridge and ending at the Railway Bridge across the river. The new flood wall and flood gates will offer far better protection for Exeter House and properties on Meadow Road and Meadow Lane, as well as unlocking the potential for regeneration in this part of the city. 

    This next stage will also provide enhanced protection to businesses such as Rolls-Royce, which is planning to expand its riverside site at Raynesway. Terry Meighan, Director – Infrastructure at Rolls-Royce Submarines said: 

    We continue to work closely with Derby City Council and the Environment Agency on future flood defences, which will protect our Raynesway site and play an important role in our expansion plans. The work we do helps protect the UK by powering the Royal Navy’s fleet of nuclear submarines and defending against flooding helps us maintain our delivery commitments to the UK Ministry of Defence.

    These works will involve the demolition of the riverside office blocks on Stuart Street to create a new riverside green area, providing more space for water to pass through the city in a controlled corridor during a flood event. The Council are currently working with affected businesses to acquire the necessary land.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A record £2.65 billion will be committed to build or maintain up to 1,000 flood defences, protecting more than 66,000 properties.

    Environment Agency: Ipswich Tidal Barrier

    Tens of thousands of homes and business will be better protected from flooding as the government unveils a record package to build new flood defences and maintain and repair those already in place.  

    As part of the Plan for Change, the Government is committing a record two-year investment of £2.65 billion with 52,000 properties set to benefit from new defences by March 2026. To shore up creaking defences in need of repairs, funding will be reprioritised for investment in much-needed maintenance, benefitting a further 14,500 properties. This means a total of 66,500 properties will benefit from this funding.   

    With the frequency of extreme weather events only continuing to rise, leading to devastating impacts for people, homes, businesses and communities and costing the UK economy billions each year, decisive action to invest in adapting to climate change has never been more important.  

    As well as protecting families from the devastation of flooding, the investment supports economic growth by protecting businesses, supporting jobs, and supporting a stable economy in the face of the increasing risk of flooding as a result of climate change. It will also protect farmland which has been badly hit by recent storms, in turn helping to safeguard farm businesses and farmers’ profits. 

    This Government inherited flood assets in their poorest condition on record, as years of underinvestment and damaging storms left 3,000 of the Environment Agency’s 38,000 high-consequence assets at below the required condition.   

    The announcement comes as the Government’s Floods Resilience Taskforce meets today, with Floods Minister Emma Hardy joined by ministers from across government alongside representatives from the Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, and the National Farmers’ Union. They will look at further steps that can be taken to protect the 6.3 million properties in England at risk from flooding, and discuss lessons to learn from Storms Bert, Conall and Éowyn this winter.

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said: 

    The storms this winter have devastated lives and livelihoods.   

    The role of any Government is to protect its citizens. 

    Under our Plan for Change, we are investing a record £2.65 billion to build and maintenance flood defences to protect lives, homes and businesses from the dangers of flooding.

    Up to 1000 projects are set to receive a share of the funding. Projects receiving funding include:   

    • Bridgwater Tidal Barrier Flood Defence Scheme in Somerset, which will receive £43 million. 

    • The Derby Flood Risk Management Scheme “Our City Our River”, which is set to receive £35 million. 

    • In the West Midlands, the Beales Corner project, which protects communities in Bewdley, will benefit from £2 million.  

    • An additional £3.5 million for the Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill Flood Defences in Dorset 

    • Support for property flood resilience schemes across Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, receiving £2.5 million. 

    Essential maintenance will be made to defences across the country including:

    • Phase 3 of the Stallingborough Sea Defences along the Humber estuary, receiving over £7 million 

    • A further £3.8 million will be spent to improve protection in Pevensey Bay, as part of work to repair local sea defences.  

    Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell said:  

    The impact of flooding on our communities will only become greater as climate change brings more extreme weather, like Storms Bert, Conall and Éowyn. 

    With this new funding, we will work closely with the Government to deliver the vital projects that are needed across the country, ensuring our investment goes to those communities who need it the most.

    Recognising many flood defence projects have stalled, £140 million from the investment programme will be prioritised for 31 projects that are ready for delivery, ensuring nearby communities are protected as soon as possible. The full list of schemes to benefit will be announced in the coming months.  

    In addition to providing this crucial funding, the Government will be focused on fixing the foundations of the nation’s flood defences and giving communities confidence that they will protect them. This year, £36 million is being spent to undertake urgent repairs to defences damaged in last winter’s extreme flooding events.  

    For the next year, a further £72 million will go towards maintaining and repairing assets, including those damaged in recent flood events, to ensure they are as resilient as possible and operate as expected.   

    Today’s Floods Resilience Taskforce will be hosted by Flood Re, a joint initiative between the Government and insurers aimed at making the flood cover part of household insurance policies more affordable. 

    The expert group’s discussions will focus on the national and local response to this winter’s flooding. It will also discuss further the long-term delivery of the Government’s flood resilience strategy and investment, including the planned review of the government’s funding formula for allocating money to flood and coastal erosion defence schemes.  

    Wider action to improve the nation’s flood resilience 

    The government is committed to delivering a refreshed and updated approach to flood defences, fit for the challenges we face. 

    • The existing funding formula for allocating money to defences slows down the delivery of new schemes through a complex application process and neglects more innovative approaches to flood management – which is why a consultation to update the formula will be launched shortly. 

    • In addition, to support rural communities impacted by flooding, more than £57 million has paid out to farmers impacted by severe weather between October 2023 and March 2024. The Farming Recovery fund has supported 12,700 businesses to cover the cost of restoring their farmland. 

    • Elsewhere, the government has allocated £50 million to internal drainage boards (IDBs) as part of a one-off £75 million IDB Fund. This funding will empower IDBs to manage water levels effectively for agriculture and environmental needs, ensuring their crucial role in flood and water management is supported for years to come.  

    • In addition, the Environment Agency has also confirmed that 34 natural flood management projects will move ahead to delivery. These projects, which are located across England, will use nature to increase the nation’s flood resilience. These projects, which are located across England, will use nature to increase the nation’s flood resilience. 

    • Beneficiaries include Leicester City Council, which is working in partnership with Trent Rivers Trust to reduce flood risk across 13 locations in Leicestershire. Their work includes implementing blue green sustainable drainage at several schools, tree planting, and creating new wetlands to improve floodplain connectivity and increase flood water storage.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Delivers Floor Speech in Support of RFK, Jr. to be HHS Secretary

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    [embedded content]

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor today to detail his decision to vote for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Cassidy delivered the speech after voting to advance Kennedy’s nomination in the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. The nomination now awaits a full vote in the U.S. Senate.
    Cassidy’s speech as prepared for delivery can be found below:
    Mr. President, I’d like to make a statement regarding my vote in Committee on behalf of Robert F. Kennedy to be the Secretary of HHS. First, I thank everyone who has contacted me over the last few days. Almost all have been respectful and seek the best for our country. And I’ve been contacted by text, by phone, by email. And if I did not respond to anyone, it was not to be rude. It’s just I was getting hundreds of messages a day personally and thousands through the office. And I just physically could not.
    Now Mr. President, believe it or not, of these hundreds of people calling me or contacting me, however they did, many of them disagreed with each other. Diametrically, three dimensionally, they disagreed. But the unifying factor is that they all desire the best for our country, even though they differ from each other so much. And maybe that kind of frames my feelings about this nomination.
    For context, before entering politics, before ever thinking running for political office, I practiced medicine for 30 years in a public hospital for the uninsured. Caring for those who otherwise would not have been able to afford the access to the care that I provided. After seeing patients die from vaccine preventable diseases, I dedicated much of my time to vaccine research and immunization programs. Personally witnessing the safety monitoring, and the effectiveness of immunization. But simply, vaccines save lives.
    This is the context that informed me when considering Robert F. Kennedy Jr as the nominee to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
    It was a decision I studied exhaustively. I took very seriously. As I said I would, I spoke with Mr. Kennedy not once, but multiple times over the weekend, including this morning. We had in-depth conversations about the medical literature and the science behind the safety of vaccines. He referred me to studies and people. I reviewed them and spoke to those whom he mentioned I should speak to.
    Now, the most notable opponents of Mr. Kennedy were pediatricians on the front lines of our children’s health who regularly have to combat misinformation; combating vaccine skepticism with correct information—correct information that comes from their education, training and experience as physicians. They are aware of the falling vaccine rates and the inevitability of increasing hospitalizations and deaths of children from vaccine-preventable diseases. They are aware that children are now contracting diseases that they would not have contracted if the children were vaccinated.
    I heard from others impassioned about the need to address chemicals in our food, and a belief that we are victims of large, impersonal forces maximizing profits while sacrificing our health. There is evidence for that. Although food safety is principally a USDA concern, I strongly agree that this is an issue society must address.
    Other RFK supporters are concerned regarding environmental risk. They fear these risks are being ignored by authorities. Mr. Kennedy’s history of environmental activism motivates their support. I pointed out that the Environmental Protection Agency monitors this, not the Department of Health and Human Services but they still feel that he can make a difference.
    So, as I looked how to resolve this, I returned to where I began. Would it be possible to have Mr. Kennedy collaborate in helping public health agencies re-earn the trust of the American people? 
    Regarding vaccines, Mr. Kennedy has been insistent that he just wants good science and to ensure safety. But on this topic, the science is good, the science is credible. Vaccines save lives. They are safe. They do not cause autism. There are multiple studies that show this. They are a crucial part of our nation’s public health response.
    But as someone who has discussed immunizations with thousands of people, I do recognize that many mothers need reassurance that the vaccine their child is receiving is necessary, effective, and most of all safe. 
    While I am aligned with Mr. Kennedy as regards to ultra-processed foods, reforming NIH, taking on chronic disease—once more, it still leaves vaccines.
    Now, Mr. Kennedy and the administration reached out seeking to reassure me regarding their commitment to protecting the public health benefit of vaccination.
    To this end, Mr. Kennedy and the administration committed that he and I will have an unprecedently close collaborative working relationship if he is confirmed. We will meet or speak multiple times a month. This collaboration will allow us to work well together and therefore to be more effective.
    Mr. Kennedy has asked for my input into hiring decisions at HHS, beyond Senate-confirmed positions. This aspect of our collaboration will allow us to represent all sides of those folks that were contacting me this weekend. 
    He has also committed that he would work within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems, and not establish parallel systems. If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes. CDC will not remove statements on their website pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism. Mr. Kennedy and the administration also committed that this administration will not use the subversive techniques employed under the Biden administration, like sue and settle, to change policies enacted by Congress without first going through Congress.
    Mr. Kennedy and the administration committed to a strong role of Congress. Aside from us meeting regularly, he will come before the Committee on a quarterly basis, if requested. He committed that the HELP Committee Chair, whether it’s me or someone else, may choose a representative on any board or commission formed to review vaccine safety.
    If he is confirmed, HHS will provide a 30-day notice to the HELP Committee if the agency seeks to make changes to any of our federal vaccine safety monitoring programs, and HELP Committee will have the option to call a hearing to further review. 
    These commitments, and my expectation that we can have a great relationship to make America healthy again, is the basis of my support. He will be Secretary, but I believe he will also be a partner in working for this end. 
    If Mr. Kennedy is confirmed, I will use my authority as Chairman of the Senate Committee with oversight of HHS to rebuff any attempts to remove the public’s access to life-saving vaccines without ironclad, causational scientific evidence that can be defended before the mainstream scientific community and before Congress. I will carefully watch for any effort to wrongfully sow public fear about vaccines between confusing references of coincidence and anecdote. 
    But my support is built on assurances that this will not have to be a concern and that he and I can work together to build an agenda to make America healthy again.
    We need a leader at HHS who will guide President Trump’s agenda to Make America Healthy Again. Based on Mr. Kennedy’s assurances on vaccines and his platform to positively influence Americans’ health, it is my consideration that he will get this done. 
    As I’ve said, it’s been a long, intense process. But I’ve assessed it as I would assess a patient as a physician. Ultimately, restoring trust in our public health institutions is too important and I think Mr. Kennedy can get that done. And as Chairman of the Senate committee with oversight authority of HHS, I will do my best to make sure that is what we accomplish.
    I want Mr. Kennedy to succeed in making America healthy again. His success will be tied to the health of our nation. He has the opportunity to address the most pertinent issues affecting Americans’ health. We also need to reform our health institutions like FDA and NIH. Those, as already been indicated, are my priorities as Chairman of HELP Committee. I look forward to his support in accomplishing this.
    If confirmed, I look forward to working together with Mr. Kennedy to achieve President Trump’s mission of improving the health of all Americans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, Colleagues Call for Reinstatement of Inspectors General Illegally Fired by President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), alongside a group of 37 senators, wrote to President Trump strongly condemning the President’s recent order to remove Inspectors General (IGs) from at least 18 government agencies and called on the President to immediately reinstate the officials. According to the Inspector General Independence and Empowerment Act, which was signed into law in 2022, the President is required to provide a 30-day notice and substantive reasons for removal in writing to Congress before an Inspector General can be removed. President Trump failed to alert Congress or provide substantive reasoning.

    In Virginia, IGs have played key roles in much-needed oversight, including over the quality of the United States Postal Services’ work, and in responding to the horrific animal abuse committed by Envigo Global Services against 4,000 beagles in Cumberland County.

    “These officials, which include those appointed by Presidents of both parties, including many during your first Administration, collectively conduct oversight of trillions of dollars of federal spending and the conduct of millions of federal employees,” wrote the senators. “Removing these non-partisan watchdogs without providing a substantive and non-political reason is not lawful, and undermines their independence, jeopardizing their critical mission to identify and root out waste, fraud, and abuse within federal programs.”

    The senators continued, “While the President has the authority to remove Inspectors General from office, Congress has established clear requirements to ensure such removals are transparent and are not politicized.  The law requires that the President provide a written 30-day notice to both Houses of Congress and include “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons for any such removal or transfer.” With respect to your firings Friday night, Congress has not received either the mandatory 30-day notice or a rationale for their removal. Because your actions violated the law, these Inspectors General should be reinstated immediately…”

    IGs are responsible for providing independent oversight of federal programs and play a key role in improving government efficiency and effectiveness. IGs were removed from at least 18 departments and agencies, including Departments of Defense, State, Education, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Energy, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration, the Social Security Administration, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

    In addition to Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Ed Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and John Fetterman (D-PA). 

    The full text of the letter is available here and below.

    Dear Mr. President,  

    Your decision Friday evening to remove Inspectors General (IGs) from at least 18 offices across government—including those overseeing the Departments of Defense, State, Education, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Energy, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration, as well as the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction—does not comply with current law and could do lasting harm to IG independence.  These officials, which include those appointed by Presidents of both parties, including many during your first Administration, collectively conduct oversight of trillions of dollars of federal spending and the conduct of millions of federal employees.  Removing these non-partisan watchdogs without providing a substantive and non-political reason is not lawful, and undermines their independence, jeopardizing their critical mission to identify and root out waste, fraud, and abuse within federal programs. 

    Inspectors General are responsible for providing independent oversight of federal programs by working to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and protect taxpayer dollars – oversight our federal agencies desperately need.  They play a key role in improving government efficiency and effectiveness and have helped identify and recover billions of taxpayer dollars.  IG independence is the foundation of this work, and IGs must be free of political influence so that they can carry out their important mission with integrity and credibility.  The federal government and the American people count on these officials to operate in a professional and non-partisan way to hold our government accountable—regardless of who is in power.  Without strong, qualified, and independent officials to lead these critical efforts, the Administration risks wasting taxpayer dollars, and allowing fraud and misconduct to go unchecked. For example, just this week the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued an unlawful memo directing agencies to pause nearly all federal grants and loans, which significantly disrupts the administration of over a trillion dollars of critical assistance to communities, businesses, and organizations across the country.  It is especially vital to have independent watchdogs at each of these agencies to conduct oversight of the impacts of this unconstitutional and unprecedented directive.     

    While the President has the authority to remove Inspectors General from office, Congress has established clear requirements to ensure such removals are transparent and are not politicized.  The law requires that the President provide a written 30-day notice to both Houses of Congress and include “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons for any such removal or transfer.” With respect to your firings Friday night, Congress has not received either the mandatory 30-day notice or a rationale for their removal.  Because your actions violated the law, these Inspectors General should be reinstated immediately, until such time as you have provided in writing “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for each of the affected Inspectors General and the 30-day notice period has expired.   

    Lastly, if you believe it is necessary to place any of the affected IGs on administrative leave before the 30-day notice period has ended, the law requires that you submit a separate notification to Congress explaining how the IG presents a threat as defined in the Administrative Leave Act. 

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Create Atmospheric River Forecasting Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Create Atmospheric River Forecasting Program

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) announced bipartisan legislation that will reduce flood risks and bolster emergency preparedness by improving atmospheric river forecasting to more precisely predict the timing and location of these storms. The Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a forecast improvement program within the National Weather Service.

    The legislation was announced as major atmospheric river storms bring high winds and heavy rain and snowfall to California.

    Atmospheric rivers — often described as “rivers in the sky” that are hundreds of miles wide and can carry water vapor equivalent to multiple Mississippi Rivers — cause more than 80 percent of flood damage across the West. Climate change will only make these storms increasingly catastrophic: by 2090, atmospheric rivers are expected to cost $2.3 to $3.2 billion in annual damages and increase in width by nearly 25 percent. Over 50 atmospheric rivers made landfall across the West Coast from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.

    “For the past several years, California communities have witnessed firsthand the ongoing threat of destructive flooding caused by increasingly intense and frequent atmospheric river storms,” said Senator Padilla. “California has led the way in improving our understanding of these storms, and this bipartisan bill will strengthen forecasts to reduce flood risks while bolstering our water supply and drought resilience.”

    “With greater frequency, we are seeing that atmospheric rivers instill dangerous climate conditions that pose deadly threats to Alaska communities,” said Senator Murkowski. “While there are numerous atmospheric river observatories in the Lower 48, none are in Alaska. This bill ensures that all states along the West coast, including Alaska, have at least one atmospheric river observatory. Along with improved modeling, data collection, and risk communication, this legislation will help protect our communities and ultimately save lives across Alaska.” 

    “Atmospheric rivers are responsible for 30-50% of annual precipitation along the western U.S. and cause the majority of the flooding, with more than $1 billion in annual average flood damage in the western 11 states,” said Marty Ralph, Founding Director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “The introduction of this act is critically important to advance forecasts of atmospheric rivers to enable more flexible and resilient water management, improved warning around flooding and overall improvements to public safety. It will also enhance the opportunities for reservoir operators to safely implement Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) at more reservoirs to save additional water after a storm for the dry summer, or release it to mitigate flood risk if an AR storm is predicted in the next few days.”

    Specifically, the Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act would direct NOAA to establish a standalone atmospheric river forecast improvement program that would:

    • Develop accurate, effective, and actionable storm forecasts and warnings in collaboration with public and private partners across the weather forecasting sectors;
    • Evaluate innovative observation tools and emerging technologies to improve atmospheric river analysis, modeling, forecasts, and warnings;
    • Authorize NOAA to procure equipment, aircraft, and personnel contracts to fully monitor atmospheric river events each winter; and
    • Improve atmospheric river hazard communication.

    The Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act is endorsed by the Association of California Water Agencies, Bay Planning Coalition, Central Valley Flood Protection Board, Contra Costa Water District, Covington Water District, Irvine Ranch Water District, Kings River Conservation District, the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies, Orange County Water District, Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, San Diego County Water Authority, San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Sofar Ocean Technologies, Solano County Water Agency, Sonoma Water, Union Sanitary District, Valley Water, WindBorne Systems, and Yuba Water.

    Senator Padilla has fought consistently for California communities devastated by atmospheric river flooding. Last year, Padilla urged the Biden Administration to prioritize sustained federal investment in the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project to protect disadvantaged communities along the central coast of California. Padilla also introduced the Atmospheric Rivers Reconnaissance, Observation and Warning (ARROW) Act to bolster West Coast atmospheric river forecasting, which was passed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024.

    Padilla has also championed funding for programs such as the Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) to improve U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir operations to increase water conservation and reliability at Lake Sonoma and Prado Dam, for example, while maintaining flood control and enhanced public safety during extreme precipitation events.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Hoeven Introduce CRA to Repeal Methane Tax Rule

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) in introducing a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal a rule proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) included in Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act that creates a new tax on natural gas production. The tax would increase our dependence on foreign nations for energy and cause higher energy costs for consumers. Last month, Senator Tuberville also joined U.S. Senator Ted Cruz in reintroducing legislation to repeal the Natural Gas Tax.

    “For the last four years, Americans have felt the impacts of Bidenflation from the gas pump to the grocery store,” said Senator Tuberville. “Democrats have shut down our offshore drilling and made us reliant on foreign adversaries for our energy without considering the impact that it has on Americans’ daily lives. The last thing hardworking Americans need right now are more taxes and higher prices. I look forward to seeing this disastrous methane tax overturned and working with President Trump to make America energy independent once again.

    Full text of the resolution can be read here.

    Also joining Senators Tuberville and Hoeven in introducing the resolution are U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Lee (R-UT), James Lankford (R-OK), Steve Daines (R-MT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Katie Britt (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), James Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Kennedy (R-LA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and John Barrasso (R-WY).

    BACKGROUND:

    For the last four years, Senator Tuberville has helped introduce numerous pieces of legislation pushing back against the Biden administration’s war on American energy, citing the impacts rising energy costs would have on hardworking Americans and Alabamians that work in the Gulf of America’s energy industry. Senator Tuberville has also been vocal about how increased energy costs cut into farmers’ bottom lines and the need to bring down energy costs so that we can preserve our small family farms.  

    MORE:

    Tuberville, Cruz Introduce Legislation Eliminating Natural Gas Tax, Bolstering American Energy Security 

    Tuberville, Cruz Introduce Legislation to Repeal Biden’s Natural Gas Tax for Unleashing American Energy

    ICYMI: Tuberville in Fox News: How Congress Can Reverse Biden’s Radical Energy Agenda

    Tuberville Blasts Biden Administration For Playing Politics With U.S. Energy

    Tuberville Applauds NOAA Decision Rejecting Biden Administration’s Rule Threatening Gulf’s Energy Sector

    Tuberville Continues to Fight Biden Administration’s Rule Threatening Gulf’s Energy Sector

    Tuberville Sponsors Legislation to Prevent Administration From Shutting Down Offshore Energy Development

    ICYMI: Tuberville and NOIA President Sound Alarm on Biden Rule Proposal Threatening Gulf’s Energy Sector

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 4th, 2025 Heinrich Announces Appropriations Committee Assignments for 119th Congress

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Heinrich named Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced his assignments on the Senate Appropriations Committee for the 119th Congress. Heinrich’s positions on the Appropriations Committee allow him to directly advocate for and deliver investments that improve New Mexicans’ safety, well-being, and quality of life.

    “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have delivered hundreds of millions of dollars in investments to New Mexico, helping to lower costs for working families, grow local economies, and create jobs New Mexicans can build their families around. Our appropriations bills are essential to New Mexico’s economy. They support our local law enforcement, fire departments, hospitals, schools, newborns, elders and veterans, and help keep communities safe across New Mexico.

    “I will stand up to anybody who tries to prevent investments I’ve secured from reaching New Mexicans. The Constitution is clear: the president cannot override, delay, or rescind Congress’s funding laws. Donald Trump’s attacks on federal funding for our state cannot stand.”

    Heinrich has been assigned to the following Senate Appropriations Subcommittees:

    • Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
    • Energy and Water Development Subcommittee
    • Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
    • Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
    • Legislative Branch Subcommittee

    Heinrich will be Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, which oversees the funding of:

    • Joint Committee on Taxation
    • Joint Economic Committee
    • Congressional Budget Office
    • Government Accountability Office
    • Architect of the Capitol
    • Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (Library of Congress)
    • Botanic Garden (Architect of the Capitol)
    • Capitol Police
    • Congressional Research Service (Library of Congress)
    • Copyright Office (Library of Congress)
    • Government Publishing Office
    • House of Representatives
    • John C. Stennis Center for Public Service, Training, and Development
    • Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
    • Library of Congress
    • Office of Compliance
    • Office of Congressional Accessibility Services
    • Office of the Attending Physician
    • Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund
    • Senate

    This will be Heinrich’s third Congress serving on the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations.

    Heinrich’s Committee assignments for the 119th Congress:

    In the 119th Congress, Heinrich is serving as Ranking Member for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee. The ENR Committee plays a critical role in setting national energy policies and managing our nation’s public lands within the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service. The Committee also oversees the U.S. Department of Energy and has jurisdiction over U.S. territories and nuclear waste policy.

    Heinrich will continue to serve on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee.

    Heinrich will also serve as Co-Chair of the Senate Artificial Intelligence (AI) Caucus, the Senate Fusion Energy Caucus, the Bicameral Electrification Caucus, the International Conservation Caucus, and the Senate Outdoor Recreation Caucus. Heinrich will serve as a member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, Senate Democratic Hispanic Task Force, National Service Congressional Caucus, Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus, and the Congressional Directed Energy Caucus.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Mouse plague threatens rare skink

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  05 February 2025

    Mouse numbers have been tracking consistently high in the area where the skinks live. Mice are small enough to enter the small holes and burrows where the skinks live and eat them alive.

    This operation, in Victoria Forest Park, will protect the only known population of the Alborn skink, which is at high risk of extinction. It’s classified as Threatened – Nationally Critical with the population estimated to be 30 individuals.

    DOC Operations Manager Chris Hickford says that the 10-hectare pest control operation is an interim measure to protect the skinks, until a predator proof fence can be built.

    “We are working with the New Zealand Nature Fund (NZNF) to raise funds to build a predator proof fence for the skinks. Once we can enclose an area, and remove any predators inside it, we’ll be able to protect the skinks without needing to use toxins.

    “The pest control operation will utilise the toxin brodifacoum, placed in bait stations. Brodifacoum is the most effective toxin to control mice and is less likely to lead to bait shyness than other toxins.”

    Map of caution zones
    Image: DOC

    Because brodifacoum persists in the environment, an area around the operation will become a “caution zone” for three years due to the risk of game animals consuming sub-lethal amounts of the toxin, which could then enter the food chain. There is a five-kilometre radius zone for pigs, and two-kilometre radius for deer.

    Hickford says, “We have designed the operation to minimise this risk as much as is practical. We have evidence that pig and deer numbers are very low in the treatment area and will monitor for interactions with the bait stations throughout the operation.”

    You can donate to this project to build a fence for the Alborn skink through DOC’s partner, New Zealand Nature Fund (NZNF). NZNF is a charitable trust responsible for funds donated to this project. Visit NZNF to secure the future of the Alborn skink

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Cloud-based Confluence Software Helps Hydrologists Study Rivers on a Global Scale

    Source: NASA

    Rivers shape ecosystems and economies, yet hydrologists have limited tools to study them. Enter Confluence—a groundbreaking, open-source framework leveraging NASA’s SWOT mission and HLS data to estimate river discharge and sediment levels worldwide. Hosted by PO.DAAC, Confluence delivers rapid, global insights, revolutionizing hydrology with cloud-based efficiency. A game changer for river monitoring.

    Rivers and streams wrap around Earth in complex networks millions of miles long, driving trade, nurturing ecosystems, and stocking critical reserves of freshwater.
    But the hydrologists who dedicate their professional lives to studying this immense web of waterways do so with a relatively limited set of tools. Around the world, a patchwork of just 3,000 or so river gauge stations supply regular, reliable data, making it difficult for hydrologists to detect global trends.
    “The best way to study a river,” said Colin Gleason, Armstrong Professional Development Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, “is to get your feet wet and visit it yourself. The second best way to study a river is to use a river gauge.”
    Now, thanks to Gleason and a team of more than 30 researchers, there’s another option: ‘Confluence,’ an analytic collaborative framework that leverages data from NASA’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission and the Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 archive (HLS) to estimate  river discharge and suspended sediment levels in every river on Earth wider than 50 meters. NASA’s Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC) hosts the software, making it open-source and free for users around the world.
    By incorporating both altimetry data from SWOT which informs discharge estimates, and optical data from HLS, which informs estimates of suspended sediment data, Confluence marks the first time hydrologists can create timely models of river size and water quality at a global scale. Compared to existing workflows for estimating suspended sediment using HLS data, Confluence is faster by a factor of 30.

    I can’t do global satellite hydrology without this system. Or, I could, but it would be extremely time consuming and expensive.

    Colin Gleason

    Nikki Tebaldi, a Cloud Adoption Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Co-Investigator for Confluence, was the lead developer on this project. She said that while the individual components of Confluence have been around for decades, bringing them together within a single, cloud-based processing pipeline was a significant challenge.
    “I’m really proud that we’ve pieced together all of these different algorithms, got them into the cloud, and we have them all executing commands and working,” said Tebaldi.
    Suresh Vannan, former manager of PO.DAAC and a Co-Investigator for Confluence, said this new ability to produce timely, global estimates of river discharge and quality will have a huge impact on hydrological models assessing everything from the health of river ecosystems to snowmelt.
    “There are a bunch of science applications that river discharge can be used for, because it’s pretty much taking a snapshot of what the river looks like, how it behaves. Producing that snapshot on a global scale is a game changer,” said Vannan.
    While the Confluence team is still working with PO.DAAC to complete their software package, users can currently access the Confluence source code here. For tutorials, manuals, and other user guides, visit the PO.DAAC webpage here.
    All of these improvements to the original Confluence algorithms developed for SWOT were made possible by NASA’s Advanced Intelligent Systems Technology (AIST) program, a part of the agency’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO), in collaboration with SWOT and PO.DAAC.
    To learn more about opportunities to develop next-generation technologies for studying Earth from outer space, visit ESTO’s solicitation page here.
    Project Lead: Colin Gleason / University of Massachusetts, Amherst
    Sponsoring Organization: Advanced Intelligent Systems Technology program, within NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CFS urges public not to consume several kinds of prepackaged seasonings that may contain plastic foreign matter

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CFS urges public not to consume several kinds of prepackaged seasonings that may contain plastic foreign matter
    CFS urges public not to consume several kinds of prepackaged seasonings that may contain plastic foreign matter
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 4) urged the public not to consume several kinds of Cape Herb & Spice’s prepackaged seasonings because the products might possibly contain plastic foreign matter. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batches of the products immediately if they possess them.     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted notifications from the relevant overseas food safety authorities that the following batches of products might contain plastic foreign matter and initiated recalls overseas. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers for follow-up. Preliminary investigation found that the importer, European Gourmet Limited, had imported into Hong Kong the first four of the following products concerned.”Brand: Cape Herb & SpicePlace of origin: South AfricaNames of affected products and batches:(1) Seasoned Salt (Net weight: 240g) (Best-before dates: from January 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027)(2) Extra Bold Peppercorns (Net weight: 185g) (Best-before dates: November 6, 2025, and from January 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027)(3) Himalayan Pink Salt (Net weight: 390g) (Best-before dates: November 8, 2025, and from January 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027)(4) Atlantic Sea Salt (Net weight: 360g) (Best-before dates: November 6, 2025, February 8, 2026, April 25, 2026 and May 21, 2026)(5) Atlantic Sea Salt (Net weight: 380g) (Best-before dates: from January 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027)(6) Salt & Pepper (Net weight: 310g) (Best-before dates: October 18, 2025, and from January 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027)(7) Sizzling Steak House Seasoning (Net weight: 230g) (Best-before dates: January 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027)(8) Chilli & Garlic (Net weight: 190g) (Best-before dates: from January 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027)(9) Rainbow Pepper (Net weight: 175g) (Best-before dates: from January 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027)(10) Sweet & Smoky BBQ (Net weight: 230g) (Best-before dates: December 12, 2025, December 14, 2025 and May 9, 2026)     The importer concerned has stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and initiated a recall according to the CFS’s instructions. Members of the public may call the hotline of the importer at 2880 0588 during office hours for enquiries.     The spokesman urged members of the public not to consume the affected batches of the products if they have bought them. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately.     The CFS has alerted the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, February 4, 2025Issued at HKT 22:55

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 2.4.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 4, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Mark Tollefson, of Rancho Cordova, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Tollefson has been Undersecretary of the California State Transportation Agency since 2022. He was Senior Counselor on Infrastructure and Fiscal Affairs in the Office of Governor Newsom in 2022, where he was previously Deputy Cabinet Secretary from 2019 to 2022. Tollefson held several positions at the California Department of Finance from 2007 to 2019, including Assistant Program Budget Manager, Principal Program Budget Analyst, and Finance Budget Analyst. Tollefson earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Science degree in Managerial Economics from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $275,004. Tollefson is a Democrat.

    Ken DaRosa, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. DaRosa has been the Chief Deputy Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities since 2021. He was the Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery from 2012 to 2021. DaRosa held multiple positions at the California Department of Finance from 2004 to 2012, including Program Budget Manager from 2011 to 2012, Assistant Program Budget Manager from 2010 to 2011, Principal Program Budget Analyst from 2006 to 2010, and Staff Finance Analyst from 2004 to 2006. He earned a Master of the Arts degree in Literature, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Psychology from the California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $185,004. DaRosa is registered without party preference. 
     
    Sloane Viola, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California Conservation Corps, where she has been the Deputy Director of Legislative and External Affairs since 2024. Viola was the Acting Assistant Secretary of Climate Change at the California Natural Resources Agency in 2024. She has had several positions at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation from 2019 to 2024, including Council Program Manager from 2021 to 2024, Acting Deputy Director of Climate Resilience in 2022, and Legislative Director from 2019 to 2021. Viola held two positions in the Office of Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom from 2017 to 2018, including Sea Grant Fellow in 2017 and Staff Scientist from 2018 to 2019. She held multiple positions at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 2010 to 2016, including Graduate Student Researcher from 2014 to 2016, Teaching Assistant from 2015 to 2016, and Laboratory Assistant I, Marine Science Institute from 2010 to 2014. Viola is a member of American MENSA. She earned a Master of the Arts degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aquatic Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $170,004. Viola is a Democrat. 

    Mandi Bane, of Redondo Beach, has been appointed Deputy Director of Hazardous Waste Management at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Bane has been an Environmental Protection Specialist at the United States Environmental Protection Agency since 2024. She has held multiple positions at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health from 2011 to 2024, including CENS Unit Manager, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control from 2021 to 2024, Staff Analyst, Environmental Health Division from 2015 to 2021, and Research Analyst II; Assistant Staff Analyst, Family Services Unit from 2011 to 2015. Bane earned her Doctor of Philosophy and Master of the Arts degrees in Sociology from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Oregon. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $199,128. Bane is registered without party preference. 

    Georgia “Pat” Urena, of Calexico, has been reappointed to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission, where she has served since 2018.  Urena was a Recreation Supervisor at the City of El Centro from 1982 to 2024. She is the Chair of the Calexico Wellness Center and the Juvenile Justice Commission, and a Board Member of Rite Track. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Urena is a Democrat.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 4, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order removing bureaucratic barriers, extending deadlines, and providing critical regulatory relief to help LA fire survivors rebuild, access essential services, and recover more quickly. LOS…

    Feb 3, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring February 2025 as Black History Month.The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONThis month, we pay homage to the rich history and contributions of…

    Feb 2, 2025

    News What you need to know: At Governor Gavin Newsom’s directive, crews have been working around the clock to install nearly 60 miles of emergency protective materials in the recent Los Angeles-area burn scars. Los Angeles, California – As another storm system is…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom signs new executive order to fast-track more relief for LA fire survivors

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 4, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order removing bureaucratic barriers, extending deadlines, and providing critical regulatory relief to help LA fire survivors rebuild, access essential services, and recover more quickly.

    LOS ANGELES — Governor Gavin Newsom today signed a new executive order to cut red tape by suspending regulations and extending deadlines to assist in helping survivors recover quickly from the Los Angeles area firestorms. The order removes bureaucratic barriers, extends deadlines, and provides critical regulatory relief to help families rebuild, access essential services, and recover more quickly by waiving regulations that could make it more difficult for survivors to access important services, such as child care, education, rental housing, health care, and obtaining tax relief.

    “As Los Angeles rises, we will continue to remove the barriers that would stand in the way. This executive order provides targeted relief from regulations that impact victims and would otherwise slow this community’s quick recovery.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The executive order issued by Governor Newsom today:

    • Suspends caps on administrative costs for state-funded preschool programs and Community Development Block Grants.

    • Extends deadlines for families to submit documentation for state-funded preschool and child care programs.

    • Extends deadlines for reporting requirements for state-funded preschool and child care programs.

    • Extends deadlines for health care providers to submit requests to the Department of Health Care Services for changes in scope of service.

    • Allows the Department of Developmental Services to suspend certain legal requirements to ensure individuals with developmental disabilities continue to receive services without interruption.

    • Extends deadlines for families to submit eligibility documentation for participation in CalWORKs program. 

    • Extends deadlines for public officials in Los Angeles County to submit FPPC reports.

    • Terminates suspensions of regulatory requirements for private firefighters.

    • Extends the deadline for individuals claiming disaster-related tax relief to submit required documentation.

    • Adds three new ZIP codes to prior executive orders providing tax relief and prohibiting real estate speculation.

    • Exempts housing in zip codes with high fair market values, which has not previously been on the rental market, from statutory rent caps to help ensure that they are available for rental during recovery efforts.

    • Expands rental price gouging protections to leases of any length, rather than only leases of one year or less, in response to examples of leases being offered for 366 days to avoid the protections.

    Recovery and rebuilding, faster than ever

    Governor Newsom has launched historic recovery and rebuilding efforts, cutting red tape and suspending regulations to help make the recovery process faster than ever before:

    • Cutting red tape to help rebuild Los Angeles faster and stronger. Governor Newsom issued an executive order to streamline the rebuilding of homes and businesses destroyed — suspending permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Act. The Governor also issued an executive order further cutting red tape by reiterating that permitting requirements under the California Coastal Act are suspended for rebuilding efforts and directing the Coastal Commission not to issue guidance or take any action that interferes with or conflicts with the Governor’s executive orders.

    • Providing tax and mortgage relief to those impacted by the fires. California postponed the individual tax filing deadline to October 15 for Los Angeles County taxpayers. Additionally, the state extended the January 31, 2025, sales and use tax filing deadline for Los Angeles County taxpayers until April 30 — providing critical tax relief for businesses. Governor Newsom suspended penalties and interest on late property tax payments for a year, effectively extending the state property tax deadline. The Governor also worked with state– and federally-chartered banks that have committed to providing mortgage relief for survivors in certain zip codes.

    • Fast-tracking temporary housing and protecting tenants. To help provide necessary shelter for those immediately impacted by the firestorms, the Governor issued an executive order to make it easier to streamline the construction of accessory dwelling units, allow for more temporary trailers and other housing, and suspend fees for mobile home parks. Governor Newsom also issued an executive order that prohibits landlords in Los Angeles County from evicting tenants for sharing their rental with survivors displaced by the Los Angeles-area firestorms.

    • Mobilizing debris removal and cleanup. With an eye toward recovery, the Governor directed fast action on debris removal work and mitigating the potential for mudslides and flooding in areas burned. He also signed an executive order to allow expert federal hazmat crews to start cleaning up properties as a key step in getting people back to their properties safely. The Governor also issued an executive order to help mitigate risk of mudslides and flooding and protect communities by hastening efforts to remove debris, bolster flood defenses, and stabilize hillsides in affected areas. 

    • Safeguarding survivors from price gouging. Governor Newsom expanded restrictions to protect survivors from illegal price hikes on rent, hotel and motel costs, and building materials or construction. Report violations to the Office of the Attorney General here.

    • Directing immediate state relief. The Governor signed legislation providing over $2.5 billion to immediately support ongoing emergency response efforts and to jumpstart recovery efforts for Los Angeles. California quickly launched CA.gov/LAfires as a single hub of information and resources to support those impacted and bolsters in-person Disaster Recovery Centers. The Governor also launched LA Rises, a unified recovery initiative that brings together private sector leaders to support rebuilding efforts. 

    • Getting kids back in the classroom. Governor Newsom signed an executive order to quickly assist displaced students in the Los Angeles area and bolster schools affected by the firestorms.

    • Protecting victims from real estate speculators. The Governor issued an executive order to protect firestorm victims from predatory land speculators making aggressive and unsolicited cash offers to purchase their property.

    • Helping businesses and workers get back on their feet. The Governor issued an executive order to support small businesses and workers, by providing relief to help businesses recover quickly by deferring annual licensing fees and waiving other requirements that may impose barriers to recovery.

    Get help today

    For those Californians impacted by the firestorms in Los Angeles, there are resources available. Californians can go to CA.gov/LAfires – a hub for information and resources from state, local and federal government.  

    Individuals and business owners who sustained losses from wildfires in Los Angeles County can apply for disaster assistance:

    • Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
    • By calling 800-621-3362
    • By using the FEMA smart phone application
    • Assistance is available in over 40 languages
    • If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.

    Recent news

    Feb 3, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring February 2025 as Black History Month.The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONThis month, we pay homage to the rich history and contributions of…

    Feb 2, 2025

    News What you need to know: At Governor Gavin Newsom’s directive, crews have been working around the clock to install nearly 60 miles of emergency protective materials in the recent Los Angeles-area burn scars. Los Angeles, California – As another storm system is…

    Feb 1, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES — As recovery efforts continue in the wake of the early January firestorm, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the deployment of additional state law enforcement resources to help Los Angeles maintain checkpoints and keep the Pacific Palisades…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 04 FEB 2025 7:00PM by PIB Delhi

    Soil Health and Fertility Scheme has been implemented by the Government since 2014-15. So far, 24.74 crore Soil Health Cards(SHC) have been generated across the country and funds amounting to ₹1706.18 crore have been released to various States/UTs. Till date, 8272 Soil Testing Labs (1068 Static Soil Testing Labs, 163 Mobile Soil Testing Labs, 6376 Mini Soil Testing Labs and 665 Village Level Soil Testing Labs) have been established across the country.

    The Soil and Land Use Survey of India, a subordinate office under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, organizes short-term training courses (3 days) on topics such as the application of soil databases through Geographic Information System (GIS), Soil Health Management, Integrated Watershed Management (IWMP), Geo-Spatial Technology for Natural Resources Management, and Soil Survey & Mapping. These training programs are designed for officers and officials from various user agencies in different States and Union Territories. In 2024, training program was conducted for officers from the Agriculture, Forest, and Soil & Water Conservation departments of the Government of West Bengal and the North-Eastern States, and in 2025 for the officers of Agriculture Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir.

    Till date, 665 Village-level Soil Testing Labs (VSTL) have been established in 17 States. These include those set up by the entrepreneurs and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), but their data is not maintained centrally.

    So far, the Soil and Land Use Survey of India has completed soil mapping at 1:10,000 scale for approximately 290 lakh hectares, covering 40 aspirational districts. To promote judicious use of fertilizer by farmers, the Soil and Land Use Survey of India has also generated 1,987 village-level soil fertility maps for 21 States and Union Territories.

    This information was given by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    ******

     MG/KSR

    (Release ID: 2099759) Visitor Counter : 53

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: District Mineral Foundation (DMF)

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 04 FEB 2025 6:19PM by PIB Delhi

    PMKKKY mandates DMFs to spend funds on priority sectors viz. Drinking Water, Environment Preservation and Pollution Control measures, Health Care, Education, Welfare of Women and Children, Welfare of aged and differently-abled, Skill Development and Livelihood generation, Sanitation, Housing, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and other priority sectors which helps in improving the lives of peoples in mining-affected areas. Till November 2024, cumulative amount of Rs 1,02,083.03 Cr. has been collected in DMFs across country, out of which Rs 87,357.28 Cr. has been sanctioned for 3.60 lakh projects. A total 2.01 lakh projects have been completed and an amount of Rs.54,892 Cr. has been spent.

    To ensure effective implementation of the PMKKKY scheme, the Central Government has issued revised PMKKKY guidelines in January, 2024. Some of the key features of these guidelines includes utilisation of at least 70% of DMF funds in the directly affected area and high priority sectors, mandatory audit of DMF accounts by C&AG, inclusion of elected representatives i.e. MPs, MLAs and MLCs in the Governing Council, grievance redressal, compliance mechanism, and establishment of State Level Monitoring Committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary.

    The PMKKKY guidelines 2024 provides that Gram Sabha/ Local Bodies may aid in preparation of perspective plan. Further, these guidelines also mandates that the utilization of DMF Funds in the scheduled areas shall be guided by the provisions contained in Article 244 read with Schedule V and Schedule VI to the Constitution relating to administration of the Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas and the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension of the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

    This information was given by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy on 3rd February, 2025 in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

    ****

    Shuhaib T

    (Release ID: 2099731) Visitor Counter : 13

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Hungary, Canada, Korea and Poland suspended

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Hungary, Canada, Korea and Poland suspended
    Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Hungary, Canada, Korea and Poland suspended
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 4) that in view of notifications from the Ministry of Agriculture of Hungary, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in Hungary, Canada and Korea; and outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza and highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in areas in Poland respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the relevant areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.     The relevant areas are as follows:     Hungary—-(1) Heves County(2) Pest CountyCanada—-Province of Ontario(3) Wellington CountyKorea—-Jeollanam-do Province(4) Damyang-gunGyeongsangnam-do Province(5) Geochang-gunChungcheongnam-do Province(6) Dangjin-siPoland—-Podkarpackie Region(7) Ropczycko-Sędziszowski DistrictŁódzkie Region(8) Zgierski DistrictWielkopolskie Region(9) Kolski District(10) Kępiński District(11) Kalisz DistrictLubuskie Region(12) Nowa Sól District     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Hungary for the import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 300 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Hungary; about 400 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Canada; about 80 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 21.9 million poultry eggs from Korea; and about 6 600 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland last year.     ​”The CFS has contacted the Hungarian, Canadian, Korean and Polish authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, February 4, 2025Issued at HKT 19:52

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: GAMCO Investors, Inc. Reports Results for the Fourth Quarter and Year Ended December 31, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Quarter End AUM of $31.7 billion
    • Operating Margin of 32.3% for the Fourth Quarter and 31.0% for 2024
    • Fourth Quarter Earnings of $0.70 per Share versus $0.66 per Share in the Fourth Quarter of 2023
    • 2024 Earnings of $2.65 per Share versus $2.38 per Share for 2023
    • $182.8 million in Cash, Cash Equivalents, Seed Capital, and Investments and No Debt
    • Board Authorizes 100% Increase of the Regular Quarterly Dividend
    • Repurchased 1.3 million Shares, or 3% of Outstanding Shares, During the Fourth Quarter of 2024 and Increased Buyback Authorization to 1.5 Million Shares

    GREENWICH, Conn., Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GAMCO Investors, Inc. (“Gabelli”) (OTCQX: GAMI) today reported its operating results for the quarter ended December 31, 2024.

    Financial Highlights

    (In thousands, except percentages and per share data)      
        Three Months Ended  
        December 31,
    2024    		   December 31,
    2023    		  
    U.S. GAAP          
    Revenue   $ 59,262     $ 57,313    
    Expenses     40,109       41,517    
    Operating income     19,153       15,796    
    Non-operating income     3,452       6,199    
    Net income     16,797       16,560    
    Diluted earnings per share   $ 0.70     $ 0.66    
    Operating margin     32.3 %     27.6 %  
               

    Giving Back to Society – $80 million since IPO

    Since our initial public offering in February 1999, our firm’s combined charitable donations total approximately $80 million, including $48 million through the shareholder designated charitable contribution program. Based on the program created by Warren Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway, our corporate charitable giving is unique in that the recipients of Gabelli’s charitable contributions are chosen directly by our shareholders, rather than by our corporate officers. Since its inception in 2013, Gabelli shareholders have designated charitable gifts to approximately 350 charitable organizations.

    On August 6, 2024, Gabelli’s board of directors authorized the creation of a private foundation, headquartered in Reno, Nevada, to continue our charitable giving program with an initial contribution of $5 million.

    Revenue

    (In thousands)   Three Months Ended    
        December 31,
    2024    		   December 31,
    2023    		    
    Investment advisory and incentive fees            
       Funds   $ 40,441   $ 37,748    
       Institutional and Private Wealth Management   15,057     13,712    
       SICAV     4 (a)   1,541 (a)  
          Total   $ 55,502   $ 53,001    
    Distribution fees and other income     3,760     4,312    
          Total revenue   $ 59,262   $ 57,313    
                 
    (a) Reflects change in reporting methodology. See AUM table.        

    The year over year increase in Funds revenues was primarily the result of higher average assets under management. The increase in Institutional and Private Wealth Management revenues was primarily the result of higher beginning of the quarter equity assets under management, which are generally used to calculate the revenues. The decrease in SICAV revenues reflects a change in the agreement for the merger arbitrage SICAV, an open-end fund available to non-U.S. shareholders, which became effective in December 2023. The change better aligns the financial arrangements with the services rendered by each party in managing the fund and did not have a material impact on the financial results. The decrease in distribution fees and other income was primarily the result of a decrease in equity mutual funds AUM that pay distribution fees.

    Expenses

    (In thousands)   Three Months Ended  
        December 31,
    2024    		   December 31,
    2023    		  
    Compensation   $ 26,593   $ 27,316  
    Management fee     2,512     2,444  
    Distribution costs     5,634     5,848  
    Other operating expenses   5,370     5,909  
       Total expenses   $ 40,109   $ 41,517  
               
    • The lower compensation expense in the fourth quarter of 2024 reflected $2.9 million of waived compensation partially offset by increased fixed compensation of $1.4 million and increased variable compensation of $0.8 million.
    • The $0.1 million increase in management fee is attributable to the higher pre-management fee income of $0.7 million; and,
    • Other operating expenses this quarter were lower versus the fourth quarter of 2023 reflecting the change in the agreement for the merger arbitrage SICAV beginning in December 2023.

    Operating Margin

    The operating margin, which represents the ratio of operating income to revenue, was 32.3% for the fourth quarter of 2024 compared with 27.6% for the fourth quarter of 2023.  

    Non-Operating Income

    (In thousands)   Three Months Ended  
        December 31,
    2024    		   December 31,
    2023    		  
    Gain from investments, net   $ 644     $ 3,529    
    Interest and dividend income     3,090       2,951    
    Interest expense (a)     (282 )     (281 )  
       Total non-operating income   $ 3,452     $ 6,199    
               
    (a) Related to GAAP accounting of finance lease.      

    Non-operating income decreased $2.7 million for the quarter, reflecting the lower mark-to-market net gains on our investment portfolio for the quarter slightly offset by an increase in interest and dividend income.

    Other Financial Highlights

    The effective income tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 25.7% versus 24.7% for the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Cash, cash equivalents, and investments were $182.8 million with no debt at December 31, 2024.

    Assets Under Management

    (In millions)   As of  
        December 31,
    2024    		   September 30,
    2024    		   December 31,
    2023    		  
                   
    Mutual Funds   $ 8,078   $ 8,440   $ 7,973  
    Closed-end Funds     7,344     7,459     7,097  
    Institutional & PWM (a) (b)     10,700     10,984     10,738  
    SICAV (c)     9     9     631  
    Total Equities     26,131     26,892     26,439  
                   
    100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund     5,552     5,268     4,615  
    Institutional & PWM Fixed Income     32     32     32  
    Total Treasuries & Fixed Income     5,584     5,300     4,647  
    Total Assets Under Management   $ 31,715   $ 32,192   $ 31,086  
                   
    (a) Includes $242, $278, and $370 of AUM subadvised for Teton Advisors, Inc. at December 31, 2024, September 30,  
    2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively.            
    (b) Includes $237, $212, and $227 of 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund AUM at December 31, 2024,  
    September 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively.          
    (c) Includes $0, $0, and $620 of the SICAV AUM subadvised by Associated Capital Group, Inc. at December 31, 2024,  
    September 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively.          
                   

    Assets under management on December 31, 2024 were $31.7 billion, a decrease of 1.6% from the $32.2 billion on September 30, 2024. The quarter’s decrease consisted of net market depreciation of $0.2 billion, net outflows of $0.2 billion, and distributions, net of reinvestments, of $0.1 billion.

    Mutual Funds

    Assets under management in Mutual Funds on December 31, 2024 were $8.1 billion, a decrease of 4.3% from the $8.4 billion at September 30, 2024. The quarterly change was attributed to:

    • Distributions, net of reinvestment, of $27 million;
    • Net outflows of $209 million; and
    • Net market depreciation of $126 million.

    Closed-end Funds

    Assets under management in Closed-end Funds on December 31, 2024 were $7.3 billion, a decrease of 1.5% from the $7.5 billion on September 30, 2024. The quarterly change was comprised of:

    • Distributions, net of reinvestment, of $129 million;
    • Net inflows of $169 million, including the issuance of $150 million preferred shares, the issuance of $62 million common shares less the redemption of $30 million of preferred shares, and the repurchase of $13 million of common stock ; and
    • Net market depreciation of $155 million.

    Institutional & PWM

    Assets under management in Institutional & PWM on December 31, 2024 were $10.7 billion, a decrease of 0.9% from the $10.8 billion on December 31, 2023. The quarterly change was due to:

    • Net outflows of $345 million; and
    • Net market appreciation of $61 million.

    SICAV

    Assets under management were $9 million in the GAMCO All Cap Value sleeve and the GAMCO Convertible Securities sleeve on December 31, 2024 versus $11 million in those sleeves at December 31, 2023.

    100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund

    Assets under management in our 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund (GABXX) on December 31, 2024 were $5.6 billion, up from $5.3 billion at September 30, 2024.

    The Gabelli Growth Fund – Up 35.8% For 2024

    The Growth team of Howard Ward, CFA, and John Belton, CFA, commented on The Gabelli Growth Fund’s 2024 performance:

    “The environment remained favorable for growth stocks in 2024, underpinned by a resilient economy and the start of a Federal Reserve interest rate cutting cycle. Earnings growth accelerated for many US companies, aided by healthy consumer spending trends, robust technology investments, and continued cost discipline. Artificial Intelligence (AI) remained a key stock market theme, as capital expenditure plans across the hyperscale cloud computing group reached astronomical levels, and given a host of new AI-centric business models which have started to take shape. To date, this technology appears to be making some of the strongest companies, stronger, and to that end we maintained positions in many of the largest AI beneficiaries including NVIDIA, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta Platforms. This group remains a cornerstone of our portfolio, and as of year-end more than half of the portfolio’s assets are invested across the Technology Sector as a whole. Outside of the Megacap Tech group, top performers to performance this year included Eli Lilly (boosted by continued success across an industry-leading incretin drug portfolio), ServiceNow (which is an early leader in AI software commercialization) and Intuitive Surgical.”

    The Gabelli Gold Fund – Up 15.2% For 2024

    Portfolio manager Caesar Bryan commented on The Gabelli Gold Fund’s 2024 performance:

    “Gold performed strongly for the second consecutive year largely driven by overseas central bank purchases. However, gold equities underperformed the gold price. Recently the rise in the gold price has not been fully reflected in the profit margins of gold mining companies. This has largely been due to cost pressures emanating from a variety of sources, exacerbated by covid. But we believe the market may be too pessimistic concerning both cost pressures which are diminishing and enhanced revenues from a higher gold price. Gold equities are inexpensive relative to their history and on an absolute basis. But a catalyst is needed to alter investor perception. This could be gold backed ETFs adding ounces reflecting a recovery in investor interest in the sector, a decline in other asset markets which may highlight gold as a portfolio diversifier, increased takeover activity or simply continued strength in the gold price. Some of our smaller gold producers such as Lundin Gold and Wesdome Gold Mines, had stellar returns. Among our larger producers Kinross and Agnico Eagle contributed significantly to performance. We continue to favor mid capitalization gold producers with good assets that trade at a big discount to some of the larger producers.”

    The Gabelli Small Cap Growth Fund

    We utilize our own in-house team of over 40 industry equity analysts and portfolio managers to analyze the stocks in the fund, using our bottom-up research-intensive process and, more importantly, our accumulated and compounded knowledge of selected industry sectors. We use GAPIC – gather, array, project, interpret, and communicate data daily. We have consistently applied our Private Market Value with a Catalyst approach to help generate our long-term returns since the inception of the fund in 1991.

    ETFs

    In 2024, Gabelli Growth Innovators (NYSE: GGRW), managed by Howard Ward and John Belton, generated a 41.8% total return, the Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF (NYSE: GABF), led by Macrae Sykes, produced a 44.6% total return, and the Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE: GCAD), managed by Lieutenant Colonel G. Anthony (Tony) Bancroft, USMCR returned 22.2%. The firm launched its first active ETF, the Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF (NYSE: LOPP) in January 2021 to extend the tax benefits of owning exchange traded funds to our investors. Since the initial launch, the Gabelli platform has steadily grown the differentiated suite of ETFs. We are pleased with the client adoption progress and excited about this growth area of the market and positioning of these unique funds supported by our investment team. To accelerate the growth of these funds, each of the funds (with the exception of GGRW) has fee and expense waivers on the first $25 million of assets, whereas LOPP has a fee and expense waiver for the first $100 million of assets under management.

    Assets Under Administration

    (In millions)   As of  
        December 31,
    2024    		   September 30,
    2024    		   December 31,
    2023    		  
                   
    Teton-Keeley Funds (a)   $ 809   $ 883   $ 964  
    SICAV     408     431     –  
    Total Assets Under Administration $ 1,217   $ 1,314   $ 964  
                   
    (a) Includes $242, $278 and $370 of AUM subadvised for Teton Advisors, Inc. at  
         December 31, 2024, September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.  
                   

    AUA on December 31, 2024 were $1.2 billion, a slight decline from the $1.3 billion at September 30, 2024.

    Return to Shareholders

    During the fourth quarter of 2024, Gabelli returned to shareholders $86 million in the form of a special dividend of $2.00 per share totaling $50.5 million that was declared in the third quarter of 2024, the repurchase of 1,304,358 shares for $34.4 million at an average investment of $26.37 per share, and a regular quarterly dividend of $0.04 per share totaling $1.0 million. From January 1, 2025 to February 4, 2025, the Company has repurchased 12,971 shares at an average price of $23.95 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $0.3 million. On February 4, 2025, the board of directors increased the buyback authorization to 1.5 million shares.

    On February 4, 2025, Gabelli’s board of directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share, an increase of 100%, which is payable on March 25, 2025 to class A and class B shareholders of record on March 11, 2025.

    Balance Sheet Information 

    As of December 31, 2024, cash, cash equivalents, and U.S Treasury Bills were $116.5 million and investments were $66.3 million, compared with cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. Treasury Bills of $160.8 million and investments of $44.1 million as of December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2024, stockholders’ equity was $136.6 million compared to $181.0 million as of December 31, 2023. The decline in stockholders’ equity resulted from the payment of $59.5 million in dividends, $49.3 million of stock buybacks, offset partially by $64.4 million in net income.

    Symposiums/Conferences

    • On November 4th and 5th, we hosted the 48th Annual Automotive Aftermarket Symposium at the Encore at Wynn in Las Vegas. The symposium featured presentations from senior management of leading automotive and trucking companies, with a lineup that enabled investors to understand everchanging dynamics within the automotive industry.
       
    • On November 15th, we hosted the 6th Annual Healthcare Symposium in connection with Columbia Business School.
       
    • On December 5th, we hosted the 2nd Section 852(b)(6) Conference.
       
    • In addition to the above, we hosted the following during 2024:
       
      • 34th Pump, Valve & Water Systems Symposium
      • 30th Aerospace & Defense Symposium
      • 18th Omaha Research Trip
      • 16th Media & Entertainment Symposium
      • 15th Specialty Chemicals Symposium
      • 10th Waste & Environmental Services Conference
      • 2nd PFAS Symposium

    We are hosting the following symposiums and conferences in 2025:

    About Gabelli

    Gabelli is best known for its research-driven value approach to equity investing (known as PMV with a CatalystTM). Gabelli conducts its investment advisory business principally through two subsidiaries: Gabelli Funds, LLC (24 open-end funds, 14 closed-end funds, 5 actively managed ETFs, and a SICAV) and GAMCO Asset Management Inc. (approximately 1,400 institutional and private wealth separate accounts). Gabelli serves a broad client base including institutions, intermediaries, offshore investors, private wealth, and direct retail investors. In recent years, Gabelli has successfully integrated new teams of RIAs by providing attractive compensation arrangements and extensive research capabilities. As we stated in the past, Gabelli continues to look for new acquisitions / lift-outs and will pay finder’s fees for successful opportunities.

    Gabelli offers a wide range of solutions for clients across Value and Growth Equity, Convertibles, actively managed ETFs, sector-focused strategies including Gold and Utilities, Merger Arbitrage, Fixed Income, and 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market.

    CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    Our disclosure and analysis in this press release, which do not present historical information, contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements convey our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements because they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning. They also appear in any discussion of future operating or financial performance. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, future performance of our products, expenses, the outcome of any legal proceedings, and financial results. Although we believe that we are basing our expectations and beliefs on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of what we currently know about our business and operations, the economy, and other conditions, there can be no assurance that our actual results will not differ materially from what we expect or believe. Therefore, you should proceed with caution in relying on any of these forward-looking statements. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance.

    Forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, some of which are listed below, that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from any future results or outcomes expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that may cause our actual results to differ from our expectations include risks associated with the duration and scope of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic resulting in volatile market conditions, a decline in the securities markets that adversely affect our assets under management, negative performance of our products, the failure to perform as required under our investment management agreements, and a general downturn in the economy that negatively impacts our operations. We also direct your attention to the more specific discussions of these and other risks, uncertainties and other important factors contained in our Annual Report and other public filings. Other factors that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We do not undertake to update publicly any forward-looking statements if we subsequently learn that we are unlikely to achieve our expectations whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

    Gabelli Funds, LLC is a registered investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is a wholly owned subsidiary of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (OTCQX: GAMI).

    Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the fund before investing. The prospectus, which contains more complete information about this and other matters, should be read carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus, please call 800 GABELLI or visit www.gabelli.com
    Fitch rating drivers include: credit quality, interest rate risk, liquid assets, maturity profiles, and the capabilities of the investment advisor

    Active Transparent Exchange-Traded Funds
    GABELLI FINANCIAL SERVICES OPPORTUNITIES: GABF

    IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES

    • Shares of this ETF are bought and sold at market prices (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the fund.
    • Buying or selling ETF shares may require additional fees such as brokerage commissions, which will reduce returns.
    • These traditional risks may be even greater in challenging or uncertain market conditions.
    • Financial service companies operate in heavily regulated industries, which are subject to change. The underlying securities are subject to credit and interest rate sensitivity risk, which could affect earnings. Additionally, since financial services firms are correlated to GDP, a decline in the economic environment could impact profitability.

    Active Exchange-Traded Funds
    GABELI LOVE OUR PLANET & PEOPLE: LOPP
    GABELLI GROWTH INNOVATORS: GGRW
    GABELLI COMMERCIAL AEROSPACE & DEFENSE: GCAD

    IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
    These ETFs are different from traditional ETFs. Traditional ETFs tell the public what assets they hold each day. These ETFs do not. This may create additional risks for your investment. For example:
    • You may have to pay more money to trade the ETFs’ shares. These ETFs will provide less information to traders, who tend to charge more for trades when they have less information.
    • The price you pay to buy ETF shares on an exchange may not match the value of an ETF’s portfolio. The same is true when you sell shares. These price differences may be greater for these ETFs compared to other ETFs because they provide less information to traders.
    • These additional risks may be even greater in challenging or uncertain market conditions.
    • The differences between these ETFs and other ETFs may also have advantages. By keeping certain information about the ETFs undisclosed, these ETFs may face less risk that other traders can predict or copy its investment strategy. This may improve the ETFs’ performance. If other traders are able to copy or predict the ETFs’ investment strategies, however, this may hurt the ETFs’ performance. For additional information regarding the unique attributes and risks of these ETFs, see the ActiveShares prospectus/registration statement.

    You should consider the ETFs’ investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before you invest. The ETFs’ Prospectus is available from G.distributors, LLC, a registered broker-dealer and FINRA member firm, and contains this and other information about the ETFs, and should be read carefully before investing.

    GABF
    Financial services companies operate in heavily regulated industries, which are subject to change. The underlying securities are subject to credit and interest rate sensitivity risk, which could impact earnings. Additionally, since financial services firms are correlated to GDP, a decline in the economic environment could impact profitability.

    GGRW
    Securities of growth companies may be more volatile since such companies usually invest a high portion of earnings in their business, and they may lack the dividends of value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market.

    GCAD
    Government aerospace regulation and spending policies can significantly affect the aerospace industry because many companies involved in the aerospace industry rely to a large extent on U.S. (and other) Government demand for their products and services.

    LOPP
    The application of the Adviser’s socially responsible criteria will affect the Fund’s exposure to certain issuers, industries, sectors, regions, and countries, and may impact the relative financial performance of the Fund.

    Money Market Fund
    Investment in the fund is neither guaranteed nor insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the fund at any time. You could lose money by investing in the fund.

    Growth
    Securities of growth companies may be more volatile since such companies usually invest a high portion of earnings in their business, and they may lack the dividends of value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market.

    As of December 31, 2024, GAMI and affiliates owned less than one percent of all stocks mentioned in the Growth Fund.

    Gold
    Investments related to gold and other precious metals and minerals are considered speculative and are affected by a variety of worldwide economic, financial, and political factors. Investing in foreign securities involves risks not ordinarily associated with investment in domestic issues. Funds concentrating in specific sectors may experience greater fluctuations in value than funds that are more diversified. Not FDIC Insured. Not Bank Guaranteed. May Lose Value.

    As of December 31, 2024, GAMI and affiliates owned less than one percent of all stocks mentioned in the Gold Fund.

    Small Cap
    Small capitalization stocks are subject to significant price fluctuations and business risks. The stocks of smaller companies may trade less frequently and experience more abrupt price movements than stocks of larger companies; therefore, investing in this sector involves special challenges.

    Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Investment returns and the principal value of an investment will fluctuate. When shares are redeemed, they may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data presented. Visit www.gabelli.com for performance information as of the most recent month end.

    GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Subsidiaries              
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)        
    (in thousands, except per share data)              
        Three Months Ended  
        December 31,
    2024    		   September 30,
    2024    		   December 31,
    2023    		  
    Revenue:              
      Investment advisory and incentive fees   $ 55,502     $ 53,829     $ 53,001    
      Distribution fees and other income     3,760       3,717       4,312    
         Total revenue     59,262       57,546       57,313    
    Expenses:              
      Compensation     26,593       22,566       27,316    
      Management fee     2,512       2,517       2,444    
      Distribution costs     5,634       6,033       5,848    
      Other operating expenses     5,370       4,801       5,909    
        Total expenses     40,109       35,917       41,517    
    Operating income     19,153       21,629       15,796    
    Non-operating income:              
      Gain from investments, net     644       3,370       3,529    
      Interest and dividend income     3,090       2,947       2,951    
      Interest expense     (282 )     (290 )     (281 )  
      Charitable giving contribution     –       (5,000 )     –    
        Total non-operating income     3,452       1,027       6,199    
    Income before provision for income taxes     22,605       22,656       21,995    
    Provision for income taxes     5,808       5,822       5,435    
    Net income   $ 16,797     $ 16,834     $ 16,560    
                   
    Earnings per share attributable to common            
    stockholders:              
      Basic   $ 0.70     $ 0.69     $ 0.66    
      Diluted   $ 0.70     $ 0.69     $ 0.66    
                   
    Weighted average shares outstanding:              
      Basic     23,971       24,263       25,038    
      Diluted     23,971       24,263       25,038    
                   
      Shares outstanding     22,930       24,235       24,906    
                   
    GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Subsidiaries          
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition (Unaudited)      
    (in thousands)          
           
        December 31,   December 31,  
        2024   2023  
    Assets          
      Cash and cash equivalents   $ 17,254   $ 61,801  
      Short-term investments in U.S. Treasury Bills     99,216     99,025  
      Investments in securities     36,855     19,998  
      Seed capital investments     29,452     24,044  
      Receivable from brokers     3,103     4,562  
      Other receivables     21,246     21,178  
      Deferred tax asset and income tax receivable     7,553     8,927  
      Other assets     9,509     9,896  
         Total assets   $ 224,188   $ 249,431  
               
    Liabilities and stockholders’ equity          
      Income taxes payable   $ 196   $ 17  
      Compensation payable     38,489     23,399  
      Accrued expenses and other liabilities     48,929     45,036  
        Total liabilities     87,614     68,452  
               
      Stockholders’ equity     136,574     180,979  
         Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 224,188   $ 249,431  
               
      Shares outstanding     22,930     24,906  
               
    GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Subsidiaries                    
    Assets Under Management                      
    By investment vehicle                      
    (in millions)                      
          Three Months Ended   % Changed From  
          December 31,   September 30,   December 31,   September 30,   December 31,  
           2024     2024     2023    2024    2023   
    Equities:                      
    Mutual Funds                      
    Beginning of period assets   $ 8,440     $ 8,035     $ 7,546            
      Inflows     211       175       153            
      Outflows     (420 )     (415 )     (451 )          
      Net inflows (outflows)     (209 )     (240 )     (298 )          
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     (126 )     652       744            
      Fund distributions, net of reinvestment     (27 )     (7 )     (19 )          
      Total increase (decrease)     (362 )     405       427            
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 8,078     $ 8,440     $ 7,973     -4.3 %   1.3 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     25.5 %     26.2 %     25.6 %          
    Average assets under management   $ 8,447     $ 8,177     $ 7,593     3.3 %   11.2 %  
                             
    Closed-end Funds                      
    Beginning of period assets   $ 7,459     $ 7,052     $ 6,727            
      Inflows     212       25       16            
      Outflows     (43 )     (32 )     (63 )          
      Net inflows (outflows)     169       (7 )     (47 )          
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     (155 )     540       544            
      Fund distributions, net of reinvestment     (129 )     (126 )     (127 )          
      Total increase (decrease)     (115 )     407       370            
    Assets under management, end of period     7,344     $ 7,459     $ 7,097     -1.5 %   3.5 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     23.2 %     23.2 %     22.8 %          
    Average assets under management   $ 7,610     $ 7,260     $ 6,785     4.8 %   12.2 %  
                             
    Institutional & PWM                      
    Beginning of period assets   $ 10,984     $ 10,436     $ 10,034            
      Inflows     62       87       63            
      Outflows     (407 )     (373 )     (371 )          
      Net inflows (outflows)     (345 )     (286 )     (308 )          
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     61       834       1,012            
      Total increase (decrease)     (284 )     548       704            
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 10,700     $ 10,984     $ 10,738     -2.6 %   -0.4 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     33.7 %     34.1 %     34.5 %          
    Average assets under management   $ 11,085     $ 10,905     $ 10,005     1.7 %   10.8 %  
                             
    SICAV                      
    Beginning of period assets   $ 9     $ 9     $ 622            
      Inflows     –       –       82            
      Outflows     –       –       (110 )          
      Net inflows (outflows)     –       –       (28 )          
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     –       –       37            
      Total increase (decrease)     –       –       9            
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 9     $ 9     $ 631     0.0 %   -98.6 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     0.0 %     0.0 %     2.0 %          
    Average assets under management   $ 9     $ 9     $ 628     0.0 %   -98.6 %  
                             
    Total Equities                      
    Beginning of period assets   $ 26,892     $ 25,532     $ 24,929            
      Inflows     485       287       314            
      Outflows     (870 )     (820 )     (995 )          
      Net inflows (outflows)     (385 )     (533 )     (681 )          
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     (220 )     2,026       2,337            
      Fund distributions, net of reinvestment     (156 )     (133 )     (146 )          
      Reclassification to AUA     –       –       –            
      Total increase (decrease)     (761 )     1,360       1,510            
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 26,131     $ 26,892     $ 26,439     -2.8 %   -1.2 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     82.4 %     83.5 %     85.1 %          
    Average assets under management   $ 27,151     $ 26,351     $ 25,011     3.0 %   8.6 %  
                             
                             
    GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Subsidiaries                    
    Assets Under Management                      
    By investment vehicle – continued                      
    (in millions)                      
          Three Months Ended   % Changed From  
          December 31,   September 30,   December 31,   September 30,   December 31,  
           2024     2024     2023    2024    2023   
    Fixed Income:                      
    100% U.S. Treasury fund                      
    Beginning of period assets   $ 5,268     $ 5,159     $ 4,217            
      Inflows     1,656       1,245       1,424            
      Outflows     (1,440 )     (1,205 )     (1,088 )          
      Net inflows (outflows)     216       40       336            
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     68       69       62            
      Total increase (decrease)     284       109       398            
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 5,552     $ 5,268     $ 4,615     5.4 %   20.3 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     17.5 %     16.4 %     14.8 %          
    Average assets under management   $ 5,415     $ 5,246     $ 4,418     3.2 %   22.6 %  
                             
    Institutional & PWM Fixed Income                      
    Beginning of period assets   $ 32     $ 32     $ 32            
      Inflows     –       –       –            
      Outflows     –       –       –            
      Net inflows (outflows)     –       –       –            
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     –       –       –            
      Total increase (decrease)     –       –       –            
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 32     $ 32     $ 32     0.0 %   0.0 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     0.1 %     0.1 %     0.1 %          
    Average assets under management   $ 32     $ 32     $ 32     0.0 %   0.0 %  
                             
    Total Treasuries & Fixed Income                      
    Beginning of period assets   $ 5,300     $ 5,191     $ 4,249            
      Inflows     1,656       1,245       1,424            
      Outflows     (1,440 )     (1,205 )     (1,088 )          
      Net inflows (outflows)     216       40       336            
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     68       69       62            
      Total increase (decrease)     284       109       398            
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 5,584     $ 5,300     $ 4,647     5.4 %   20.2 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     17.6 %     16.5 %     14.9 %          
    Average assets under management   $ 5,447     $ 5,278     $ 4,450     3.2 %   22.4 %  
                             
    Total AUM                      
    Beginning of period assets   $ 32,192     $ 30,723     $ 29,178            
      Inflows     2,141       1,532       1,738            
      Outflows     (2,310 )     (2,025 )     (2,083 )          
      Net inflows (outflows)     (169 )     (493 )     (345 )          
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     (152 )     2,095       2,399            
      Fund distributions, net of reinvestment     (156 )     (133 )     (146 )          
      Reclassification to AUA     –       –       –            
      Total increase (decrease)     (477 )     1,469       1,908            
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 31,715     $ 32,192     $ 31,086     -1.5 %   2.0 %  
    Average assets under management   $ 32,598     $ 31,629     $ 29,461     3.1 %   10.6 %  
                             
    GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Subsidiaries            
    Assets Under Management              
    By investment vehicle              
    (in millions)              
          Twelve Months Ended    
          December 31,   December 31,      
           2024     2023    % Change  
    Equities:              
    Mutual Funds              
    Beginning of period assets   $ 7,973     $ 8,140        
      Inflows     751       711        
      Outflows     (1,626 )     (1,616 )      
      Net inflows (outflows)     (875 )     (905 )      
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     1,023       772        
      Fund distributions, net of reinvestment     (43 )     (34 )      
      Total increase (decrease)     105       (167 )      
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 8,078     $ 7,973     1.3 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     25.5 %     25.6 %      
    Average assets under management   $ 8,173     $ 8,035     1.7 %  
                     
    Closed-end Funds              
    Beginning of period assets   $ 7,097     $ 7,046        
      Inflows     281       41        
      Outflows     (226 )     (130 )      
      Net inflows (outflows)     55       (89 )      
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     700       654        
      Fund distributions, net of reinvestment     (508 )     (514 )      
      Total increase (decrease)     247       51        
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 7,344     $ 7,097     3.5 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     23.2 %     22.8 %      
    Average assets under management   $ 7,274     $ 7,058     3.1 %  
                     
    Institutional & PWM              
    Beginning of period assets   $ 10,738     $ 10,714        
      Inflows     340       241        
      Outflows     (1,701 )     (1,739 )      
      Net inflows (outflows)     (1,361 )     (1,498 )      
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     1,323       1,522        
      Total increase (decrease)     (38 )     24        
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 10,700     $ 10,738     -0.4 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     33.7 %     34.5 %      
    Average assets under management   $ 10,891     $ 10,670     2.1 %  
                     
    SICAV              
    Beginning of period assets   $ 631     $ 867        
      Inflows     –       357        
      Outflows     (2 )     (624 )      
      Net inflows (outflows)     (2 )     (267 )      
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     –       31        
      Reclassification to AUA     (620 )     –        
      Total increase (decrease)     (622 )     (236 )      
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 9     $ 631     -98.6 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     0.0 %     2.0 %      
    Average assets under management   $ 9     $ 694     -98.7 %  
                     
    Total Equities              
    Beginning of period assets   $ 26,439     $ 26,767        
      Inflows     1,372       1,350        
      Outflows     (3,555 )     (4,109 )      
      Net inflows (outflows)     (2,183 )     (2,759 )      
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     3,046       2,979        
      Fund distributions, net of reinvestment     (551 )     (548 )      
      Reclassification to AUA     (620 )     –        
      Total increase (decrease)     (308 )     (328 )      
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 26,131     $ 26,439     -1.2 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     82.4 %     85.1 %      
    Average assets under management   $ 26,347     $ 26,457     -0.4 %  
                     
                     
    GAMCO Investors, Inc. and Subsidiaries            
    Assets Under Management              
    By investment vehicle – continued              
    (in millions)              
          Twelve Months Ended    
          December 31,   December 31,      
           2024     2023    % Change  
    Fixed Income:              
    100% U.S. Treasury fund              
    Beginning of period assets   $ 4,615     $ 2,462        
      Inflows     5,796       5,498        
      Outflows     (5,122 )     (3,536 )      
      Net inflows (outflows)     674       1,962        
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     263       191        
      Total increase (decrease)     937       2,153        
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 5,552     $ 4,615     20.3 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     17.5 %     14.8 %      
    Average assets under management   $ 5,140     $ 3,823     34.4 %  
                     
    Institutional & PWM Fixed Income              
    Beginning of period assets   $ 32     $ 32        
      Inflows     –       –        
      Outflows     –       –        
      Net inflows (outflows)     –       –        
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     –       –        
      Total increase (decrease)     –       –        
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 32     $ 32     0.0 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     0.1 %     0.1 %      
    Average assets under management   $ 32     $ 32     0.0 %  
                     
    Total Treasuries & Fixed Income              
    Beginning of period assets   $ 4,647     $ 2,494        
      Inflows     5,796       5,498        
      Outflows     (5,122 )     (3,536 )      
      Net inflows (outflows)     674       1,962        
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     263       191        
      Total increase (decrease)     937       2,153        
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 5,584     $ 4,647     20.2 %  
    Percentage of total assets under management     17.6 %     14.9 %      
    Average assets under management   $ 5,172     $ 3,855     34.2 %  
                     
    Total AUM              
    Beginning of period assets   $ 31,086     $ 29,261        
      Inflows     7,168       6,848        
      Outflows     (8,677 )     (7,645 )      
      Net inflows (outflows)     (1,509 )     (797 )      
      Market appreciation (depreciation)     3,309       3,170        
      Fund distributions, net of reinvestment     (551 )     (548 )      
      Reclassification to AUA     (620 )     –        
      Total increase (decrease)     629       1,825        
    Assets under management, end of period   $ 31,715     $ 31,086     2.0 %  
    Average assets under management   $ 31,519     $ 30,312     4.0 %  
                     
    Contact: Kieran Caterina
      Chief Accounting Officer
      (914) 921-5149
       
      For further information please visit
      www.gabelli.com 

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/67be43da-4ba8-4a8b-adfc-6568958b2c5f
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/184b5374-0f9b-4bf5-a782-689155142d7e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Emergency response beacons can cut drownings at the beach – but 72% of people haven’t heard of them

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Brander, Professor, UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney

    Rob Brander

    Do you know what an emergency response beacon or “ERB” is? Do you know what it does? Do you know which beaches have one? If you answered “nope!” to any of those questions, you’re not alone – and that’s a problem.

    In short, an emergency response beacon basically consists of a telephone and camera that sits on a pole on a beach. These can be triggered with a button press by anybody who sees someone in trouble in the water or on the sand.

    In New South Wales, where emergency response beacons are located on some beaches, pressing the button puts you in immediate contact with a 24/7 duty officer at the Surf Life Saving New South Wales state operations centre.

    This duty officer can then talk with the person, give instructions and dispatch the nearest suitable emergency resources to that location. The beacons are solar powered and 4G/5G enabled.

    But our new research, recently published in the journal Ocean & Coastal Management, found only 28% of surveyed beachgoers have heard of emergency response beacons – and only half of those actually knew what they were for.

    Our findings show a clear need to better communicate with and educate the public about the purpose and location of emergency response beacons. Otherwise, these potential lifesaving devices might not be as effective as authorities assume.

    Why NSW installed ERBs

    In 2023-24 there were 61 coastal drowning deaths in NSW, representing a 27% increase from the previous year and a 33% increase above the ten-year average.

    Most of these coastal drowning deaths occurred at beaches (56%) and along rocky coastal locations (25%).

    All of them occurred away from patrolled areas or outside of patrol hours.

    The traditional response to keeping people safe in unpatrolled coastal locations has been to install various signs warning visitors about potential hazards such as rip currents.

    However, previous studies have highlighted these signs don’t always work – many people look past them or don’t understand them.

    In 2018, the NSW state government committed A$16 million over four years to install emergency response beacons at identified drowning hotspots.

    At least 53 have now been installed along the NSW coast, including at both unpatrolled and patrolled beaches, with additional funding available to install more units from 2024 to 2028.

    All will eventually have rescue tubes attached (a rescue tube is a flotation device often used in lifesaving efforts).

    This all sounds great, but how effective have emergency response beacons actually been in reducing drowning?

    Our new research, conducted by the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group on public awareness and understanding of emergency response beacons, has shown there is significant work to do.

    What we did and what we found

    Our study involved surveying 301 people at beaches along the NSW coast, both beaches with and without emergency response beacons, and both unpatrolled and patrolled.

    Only 28% of the surveyed beachgoers had actually heard of emergency response beacons.

    Of those, only half (54%) actually knew what they were for and 50% were not aware if the beach they were visiting had one installed.

    Most people who were aware of the beacons (82%) lived within ten kilometres from the coast and had learned about them from direct experience visiting a beach with a beacon. In other words, they were locals.

    Given that between 2014 and 2024, 73% of coastal drowning deaths were associated with visitors who lived more than ten kilometres from the location where they drowned, this finding suggests that knowledge of emergency response beacons may not be getting through to the people who need it most.

    Our results also showed that, after being briefed about their purpose, most people (72%) surveyed thought that emergency response beacons were a great idea.

    At least 53 ERBs have now been installed along the NSW coast.
    Rob Brander

    Concerningly, though, people with lower swimming abilities said they’d feel safer and more likely to go in the water if they knew an emergency response beacon was there. This is definitely not the intended outcome at an unpatrolled beach, and suggests the presence of beacons may give some people an unjustified sense of safety and confidence.

    Collectively, our results suggest there is an urgent need for vastly improved communication to enhance public awareness and understanding of emergency response beacons to all types of visitors to beaches in NSW.

    People are using ERBs but more detail required

    Nevertheless, emergency response beacons are clearly being used. Earlier this summer, Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce said there had been more than “100 documented rescues and activations as a direct result of the ERBs being installed”. You can also find examples on social media of people using the beacons.

    Much like beach safety messaging in general, we need more evidence-based research to assist in the strategic placement of future emergency response beacons, including in other Australian states apart from NSW.

    The response times to emergency response beacon activations should also be examined in further detail; in areas with full mobile phone reception, it might be faster, easier and cheaper to alert emergency services by phoning 000.

    Ultimately, the best way to stay safe at a beach is to swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches.

    On unpatrolled beaches it really comes down to always thinking about beach safety, understanding and being aware of hazards like rip currents, knowing your own abilities and sticking to the mantra: “if in doubt, don’t go out”.

    If you want to learn more about emergency response beacons and their locations before venturing out to a beach in New South Wales, please visit the Surf Life Saving NSW website.

    Rob Brander receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC), the NSW State government, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) and Surfing NSW.

    – ref. Emergency response beacons can cut drownings at the beach – but 72% of people haven’t heard of them – https://theconversation.com/emergency-response-beacons-can-cut-drownings-at-the-beach-but-72-of-people-havent-heard-of-them-248676

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pet flea treatments may be harming wildlife – but owners can help

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu, Research Fellow, Ecology & Evolution, University of Sussex

    Toxic substances used in flea and tick treatments pet owners give to their dogs and cats have been detected in birds’ nests, according to new UK research.

    Fipronil and imidacloprid, two common insecticides distributed by vets in pipettes to kill or stunt fleas, were previously found in nearly all English rivers. These chemicals are known to harm aquatic insects, which has repercussions for the species that eat them. Birds are also known to ingest these insecticides in their food and water.

    Our study now raises the risk of direct skin contact, as veterinary drugs were the most common insecticides colleagues and I found in bird nests. How do they get there – and what are they doing?

    Many birds, including garden visitors such as blue tits and great tits, nest in tree hollows and nest boxes. To keep their eggs and chicks warm, these birds line their nests with soft materials such as fur. In fact, around 74% of European bird species use fur as nest insulation.

    Across the UK, pet owners and wildlife enthusiasts leave brushed pet fur outside for birds to collect. But with around 80% of the country’s 22 million cats and dogs receiving regular flea and tick treatments, this well-meaning act can inadvertently expose birds to harm.

    A previous study in the Netherlands found that insecticides used in flea treatment were appearing in birds’ nests. The study I led with colleagues is the first to identify the problem in the UK.

    Banned on farms, used in homes

    We examined 103 nests of blue tits and great tits and found the residue of 17 out of 20 insecticides commonly used as flea treatments in the UK. The most prevalent were fipronil, which we found in every single nest, imidacloprid and permethrin, which were both detected in 89% of nests.

    All three of these chemicals are banned for use as pest control on EU farms due to their harmful effects on wildlife. Studies have shown that these insecticides can damage the nervous and reproductive systems of birds, and threaten their overall health. Yet they remain widely used in veterinary medicine.

    We collected nests months after the breeding season, and so the concentrations of chemicals we found are likely to be lower than what was present in the nests during spring, when birds gather material for nests. This suggests that eggs and chicks were exposed during the whole breeding season.

    The nests we found with higher concentrations of insecticides contained more unhatched eggs and dead chicks. Other factors could explain these deaths, such as predation. But the known dangers of these chemicals should make us question their wider impact on the environment. While more research is needed to fully understand their risks, the evidence already suggests that exposure could be harming nestlings, which are at a critical stage of development.

    Flea and tick treatments either kill insects or halt their development.
    Nick Alias/Shutterstock

    Scientists and conservation groups are urging the UK government to conduct a more thorough environmental risk assessment of veterinary treatments, particularly those used on dogs and cats.

    Public awareness will also be key to addressing the problem. Many pet owners do not know that their routine flea treatments affect wildlife. Small changes could help reduce this impact. For example, year-round flea treatment is not necessary, particularly in winter when fleas and ticks are less active.

    If treatment is required then tablets could be a better choice as they do not involve direct skin contact for birds and would not wash away every time a pet swims or is bathed either. They may be excreted in faeces and contaminate the soil, however – that’s why a thorough environmental risk assessment is necessary.

    Pet owners who enjoy helping birds can still leave out fur as nesting material, perhaps by saving the brushed fur from untreated pets during winter and putting it out the following spring.

    As awareness of this issue grows, pet owners, scientists and policymakers can ensure that veterinary treatments do not come at the cost of the UK’s wildlife.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu receives funding from UK charity SongBird Survival.

    – ref. Pet flea treatments may be harming wildlife – but owners can help – https://theconversation.com/pet-flea-treatments-may-be-harming-wildlife-but-owners-can-help-248481

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Hoeven introduce resolution to block Biden-era fee on American energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and 23 other senators in introducing a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act to overturn the Biden administration’s proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule to implement a fee on methane emissions. 

    “Americans want our country to ‘drill, baby, drill’ to lower their energy costs. To restore American energy dominance, we need to beat back the anti-energy policies and taxes the Biden administration shackled us with,” said Kennedy. 

    The EPA’s proposed methane fee would effectively create a new tax on key parts of the American oil and gas business, including both onshore and offshore natural gas production and liquefied natural gas import, export and storage. 

    “When it comes to bringing down prices and making America energy secure again, we have our work cut out for us. The Biden-Harris administration imposed countless policies like the Natural Gas Tax that drive up the cost of production and limit the ability to fully utilize our nation’s abundant energy resources, and it will take real time and effort to undo the effects of their Green New Deal agenda. Through efforts like this CRA resolution, we are working to get our nation back on the right track, providing needed regulatory and tax relief to deliver real cost savings to American energy producers and consumers,” said Hoeven.

    The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to overturn certain federal agency regulations and actions through a joint resolution of disapproval. If both houses of Congress approve such a joint resolution and the president signs it, or if Congress successfully overrides a presidential veto, the regulation at issue becomes invalid.

    Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) introduced the resolution in the House.

    “As part of his war on energy, former President Biden took radical steps to end fossil fuels during his administration which hurt the hardworking energy producers in my district who have worked diligently to increase production while fueling our allies abroad. Biden’s burdensome natural gas tax has handicapped technological innovation, reduced supplies of affordable energy, and increased both costs and emissions. With President Trump back in office, it is time to restore American energy dominance—which is why I am proud to lead this CRA to rescind this ill-conceived natural gas tax,” said Pfluger.

    Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) cosponsored the resolution. 

    Text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Weevil used to control floating pennywort in the Cam Washes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    An innovative biocontrol project has been launched aiming to reduce the spread of floating pennywort in the Cam Washes, SSSI.

    Weevil (Listronotus elongatus)

    Led by CABI (www.cabi.org), a not-for-profit inter-governmental organisation specialising in natural solutions for invasive non-native plants, the project is funded by the Environment Agency, working in partnership with CABI scientists.

    Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides), an invasive aquatic weed plant native to South America, has become a major threat to the UK’s waterbodies. It is known for its rapid growth and ability to spread up to 20cm a day, forming dense mats that disrupt ecosystems, causing deoxygenation, blocking flood defences, impacting recreational activities, and contributing to flood risk issues.

    The cost of controlling floating pennywort, together with the impact on tourism and recreation is estimated to exceed £25 million annually in the UK. To address this growing problem and reduce the spread of the plant, a South American weevil Listronotus elongatus, was approved for release in the UK in 2021 after a decade of safety testing; this is the fourth weed biological control solution approved for release in the UK.

    Unlike traditional control methods such as manual or mechanical removal and herbicide applications, which are costly, labour-intensive, and often ineffective, the biocontrol with the weevil presents a long-term, self-sustaining solution. The weevil has evolved to only feed and develop on floating pennywort, reducing biosecurity issues that can arise from disturbance.

    The trial involved the release of weevils on the Cam Washes SSSI. This site was chosen for the weevil release due to the difficulties of controlling floating pennywort using traditional methods and the need to manage the reinfestation of the River Cam.

    Prior to the release, the extent of floating pennywort spread was captured using drone footage. It is hoped that continued drone monitoring will help to show how effective these weevils could be as a cost-effective solution to managing this invasive species.

    Djami Djeddour, Senior CABI project lead said: “We are thrilled to be able to work in partnership with the Environment Agency to help tackle floating pennywort in the Cam Washes. Biological control of non-native, invasive aquatic weeds using specialist insects has proved highly effective globally, and we are hopeful that these released weevils (beetles) will be the plant’s Achilles’ heel. Once the weevil populations are successfully established, they will play an important role in the sustainable control of floating pennywort, reducing its impact on native habitats and enhancing their biological diversity and function”.  

    Pippa Keynes, Environment Agency project lead, said “We are very happy to partner with CABI in this important project. Following on from extensive Floating Pennywort control work that has been carried out on the Bedford Ouse, we are keen to explore different ways of controlling this invasive plant which can cause havoc on our waterways.”

    For East Anglia press office please contact (24 hours): 0800 917 9250

    All Environment Agency news releases, both area and national, can be found under Announcements at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency

    Follow us on Twitter @EnvAgencyAnglia

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Hayes, DeLauro, Larson, Himes Urge Immediate Reversal Of EPA’s Illegal Efforts To Withold Toxic Clean Up Funding From Naugatuck Valley

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 03, 2025

    HARTFORD—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04), and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn-05), on Monday wrote a letter to President Donald Trump urging the immediate reversal of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) suspension of $8.6 million in federal funding for the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG).
    “We are deeply concerned about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) illegal efforts to withhold congressionally appropriated funding from our constituents, in response to the swath of Executive Orders you have issued since being sworn in,” the lawmakers wrote.
    “In Connecticut, we have heard from the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments that their access to an open Fiscal Year 2022 Revolving Loan Fund grant was suspended by EPA. As of the afternoon of Wednesday, January 29, they were unable to access already promised funds through the federal portal – an $8.66 million balance. This grant provides vital funding to remediate brownfield sites, helping local communities conduct environmental clean-up. Cleaning up brownfields is one of the best investments the federal government can make in a community,” they continued. “We demand that you immediately rescind this order.”
    Last week, NVCOG’s access to their Fiscal Year 2022 Revolving Loan Fund grant was suspended with no notice. The grant provides vital funding to remediate brownfield sites, helping local communities conduct environmental clean-up that lead to vital private real estate development deals, housing initiatives, and regional economic revitalization efforts. With its suspension, municipalities and developers alike are left facing stalled projects, financial uncertainty, and scrambling to find alternative funding sources. This suspension will impact 13 projects across Naugatuck Valley.
    Last week, the Trump Administration announced a decision to freeze all federal grants, including those already approved by Congress and signed into law, through a memo from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The OMB memo was later rescinded, but the Trump Administration’s efforts to freeze funding persist while organizations across Connecticut report difficulty accessing federal funding. The President’s Executive Order on “Unleashing American Energy” directs all agencies to immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below.
    Dear President Trump,
    We are deeply concerned about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) illegal efforts to withhold congressionally appropriated funding from our constituents, in response to the swath of Executive Orders you have issued since being sworn in. These executive orders to freeze funding, including “Unleashing American Energy,” are clearly unconstitutional and should be rescinded immediately.
    On January 27, 2025, your administration made the unconstitutional and unilateral decision to freeze all federal funding through a memorandum issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). As a result, chaos and confusion halted payments to everything from veterans’ programs to Head Start to Medicaid. While the sweeping OMB memo has since been rescinded – after a federal court stepped in – many critical programs remain unable to access federal funding.
    In Connecticut, we have heard from the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments that their access to an open Fiscal Year 2022 Revolving Loan Fund grant was suspended by EPA. As of the afternoon of Wednesday, January 29, they were unable to access already promised funds through the federal portal – an $8.66 million balance. This grant provides vital funding to remediate brownfield sites, helping local communities conduct environmental clean-up.
    Cleaning up brownfields is one of the best investments the federal government can make in a community. It is an investment that creates jobs and helps transform polluted land into economically viable and environmentally safe parcels that communities will use for years to come. Federal brownfield funding protects people’s health, incentivizes economic growth and development, and improves quality of life for all.
    We understand this funding is being withheld in accordance with Section 7 of the Executive Order on “Unleashing American Energy.” This section, titled “Terminating the Green New Deal,” directs all agencies to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58).”
    We demand that you immediately rescind this order.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Man prosecuted for running illegal waste site near Milton Keynes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Waste including asbestos was burned next to a housing estate and ancient woodland

    Burning waste found at the illegal waste site

    A man has been fined for operating an illegal waste site near Milton Keynes, following an investigation by the Environment Agency.

    Mark Greenhalgh, age 64 of Walnut Tree, Milton Keynes, pleaded guilty to two waste crime charges at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court on 31st January. He has been ordered to pay fines, victim surcharges and prosecution costs totalling £20,864.

    From 2018 to 2023, Environment Agency officers investigated the site in Woburn Sands which Mr Greenhalgh operated without an environmental permit. Despite repeated visits, he ignored the Environment Agency’s guidance and failed to comply with a notice requiring him to clear the waste from the land. Officers found an increased amount of waste on site with each visit.

    Drone image showing part of the illegal waste site

    Waste was burned repeatedly including asbestos, plastic, metals, wood, soft furnishings, vehicles, domestic appliances and commercial refrigeration units. Scrap vehicles were also stored and broken on site.

    The waste site is surrounded by a housing estate and ancient woodland. The activities of the illegal operation put the neighbouring residents and nature at huge risk of harm.

    All types of waste were stored improperly, creating even more fire risk. The local fire and rescue service were called to the site numerous times throughout the years, and in August 2022 there was a significant fire on site. The fire service had to close a road and deploy multiple pumps, using an estimated 800,000 litres of water.

    Louis de Quincey, East Anglia Environmental Crime Officer, said:

    Waste criminals make their profits by breaking the law and not paying tax. Illegal waste sites such as the one operated by Mr Greenhalgh undermine legitimate businesses which carry out their activities with consideration for the environment. 

    The Environment Agency works to stop waste criminals and support legitimate business whilst protecting communities and nature from harm. We take illegal waste activity very seriously and will not hesitate to disrupt criminal activity and prosecute those responsible.

    Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity should report it to our 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060, or anonymously through CrimeStoppers on 0800 555111.

    Background information

    Charges:

    1. Mark Greenhalgh, between 13 September 2018 and 10 July 2023, did deposit controlled waste on land at the north side of Bow Brickhill Road, Woburn Sands, registered under title number BM146933, when there was not in force an environmental permit authorising such a deposit.

    2. Mark Greenhalgh, between 13 September 2018 and 10 July 2023, did knowingly cause or knowingly permit the deposit of controlled waste on land at the north side of Bow Brickhill Road, Woburn Sands, registered under title number BM146933, when there was not in force an environmental permit authorising such a deposit.

    Sentence:

    Mark Greenhalgh was ordered to pay a total of £20,864.23 within 12 months, after which the debt will be enforced. This total consists of:

    • Fines: £720 (£360 fine for each charge)
    • Victim surcharges: £288 (£144 for each charge)
    • Prosecution costs: £19,856.23

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –