NewzIntel.com

Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Introduce Bill to Support Veterans Exposed to Radiation and Toxins While Serving in Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), introduced legislation to ensure service members and veterans who served at classified locations within the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) since 1951 are able to prove that they served there, and can finally get the PACT Act benefits they deserve following exposure to radiation and toxins. 
    From the 1950s through the 1990s, the NTTR – and the Nevada Test Site contained within it – conducted over 900 explosive nuclear weapons tests and other dangerous, toxic activities. Currently, due to issues with the classified nature of their location while serving, veterans who served at the NTTR are unable to prove their service there to the VA and, therefore, are unable to receive care and benefits connected with exposure to radiation and toxins from burn pits. The Fighting for the Overlooked Recognition of Groups Operating in Toxic Test Environments in Nevada (FORGOTTEN) Veterans Act would help to correct a historic wrong and inequity by officially recognizing the risk that veterans assumed during their service at the NTTR, and other Department of Energy (DOE) Covered Facilities, where DOE employees are already automatically presumed to have been exposed, while the service members who served alongside them are not. Senator Rosen also worked to secure commitments from multiple high-ranking military officials to address this care gap.
    “As a nation, it is our obligation to take care of all veterans once their service has ended,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This is especially true for veterans of the Nevada Test and Training Range, who faced toxic exposure daily as part of their duties and should have parity with their civilian counterparts. I will continue to push for these brave men and women to receive the care and benefits they’re due.”
    “Veterans have been exposed to radiation and toxic chemicals as a result of their selfless service to our nation, and the least we can do is ensure they get the treatment they need,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m introducing this bill to recognize the radiation and toxic exposure experienced at the Nevada Test and Training Range so our veterans can access the care and benefits they deserve. It is unconscionable that one U.S. government agency deems portions of the range as contaminated and their personnel exposed, while another U.S. government agency does not. I’ll continue working to make sure we take care of our veterans and their loved ones.”
    “Today, after decades of denial by our own government, the veterans who were exposed to toxic radiation and materials on the Nevada Test and Training Range are closer than ever to getting the recognition and benefits they’ve earned,” said Dave Crete, Chairman of The Invisible Enemy, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans who have experienced toxic exposure at the Nevada Test and Training Range. “We thank Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto for making the FORGOTTEN Veterans Act a legislative priority in the U.S. Senate, and all of our allies in Congress who are dedicated to righting this wrong, and securing justice for the brave men and women who risked their lives and lost their lives fighting this invisible enemy.”
    Specifically, the FORGOTTEN Veterans Act would: 
    Classify the Nevada Test and Training Range as contaminated.
    Require the Department of Defense (DOD) to document all exposures, including those that occur domestically, into the service member’s Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record, so it can be seen by the VA when service members transition to civilian life, while still protecting the classified nature of the location of their service. 
    Require the Secretary of the Air Force to identify all those who served within the NTTR since January 27, 1951, establish a process for service members and veterans to provide proof of their assignment within the NTTR, and make all efforts to identify individuals, without requiring them to submit evidence of their stationing.
    Establish a presumption of toxic exposure for DOD personnel who served at any Department of Energy (DOE) Covered Facilities – such as those within the NTTR – where DOE employees have a presumption of exposure and are covered under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. One such DOE-covered facility within the NTTR is the Tonopah Test Range, which is both a DOE and DOD installation. 
    Add service at military installations within the NTTR to the list of recognized “radiation-risk activities” under VA law, dating back to January 27, 1951, including veterans who participated in the development, construction, operation, or maintenance of military installations at NTTR—beyond just nuclear test observers.
    Establish a presumption of toxic exposure for veterans who served on or above NTTR, easing the burden of proof in VA claims.
    Expand presumptive conditions for service connection by adding lipomas and tumor-related conditions to the list of automatically presumed service-connected illnesses.
    Senator Cortez Masto is a champion for our service members and veterans. She worked across the aisle to get legislation helping veterans exposed to Agent Orange and expanding benefits for women veterans signed into law. The senator sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Collins demanding he provide answers on the mass terminations of personnel across the VA, specifically those in Nevada, and how those terminations would impact services to Nevada veterans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Great Walks popularity supporting tourism growth

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A significant boost in the number of people booking bednights along the country’s Great Walks is a good sign for conservation tourism and local businesses, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

    Opening day bookings for each of the Great Walks were up by over 10,000 bednights compared to last year, totalling more than 140,000 bednights and bringing in more than $9 million to the Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai, says Mr Potaka.

    “Booking system upgrades – including a new online lobby – successfully processed a peak of nearly 12,000 people waiting to book the Milford when it opened on 28 May in an hour.

    “People across the world are dreaming of walking our beautiful whenua. Great Walks bookings are our golden tickets. You don’t need rivers of chocolate when you’ve got the Routeburn Track. 

    “Even this time of year, places like Abel Tasman Great Walk have space to escape under the stars for Matariki mā Puanga – take some hot Milo,” says Mr Potaka. 

    In 2024 nearly three-quarters of international visitors said they did a hike, walk or tramp while in Aotearoa New Zealand, and around half visited a National Park. Conservation-related tourism is worth around $3.4 billion a year. 

    “This is great for local businesses, local jobs and incomes. Before and after their walk they stay, eat and adventure locally, injecting money into local economies. 

    “The Government is backing sustainable conservation tourism that supports local economies. That’s why we will continue to invest funds from the International Visitor Levy into protecting and enhancing our biodiversity such as in Rakiura National Park.”

    Great Walks opening day bookings

    All Great Walks increased their bednights booked, except for Heaphy and Whanganui River Journey; see table – this is a snapshot of bookings made on the opening days.

    2025/26 Total Bednights NZ bednights International bednights 2024/25 % change
    Abel Tasman 28,618 24,301 4,317 24,943 +15
    Heaphy 15,297 14,185 1,112 16,367 -7
    Kepler 23,094 16,758 6,336 21,603 +7
    Paparoa 11,205 10,636 569 9,924 +13
    Rakiura 5,369 4,810 559 5,117 +5
    Routeburn 20,910 14,236 6,674 19,561 +7
    Whanganui 6,465 5,869 6,505 6505 -1
    Milford  21,903 13,356 8,537 21,387 +2
    Waikaremoana 7,569 7,053 516 6,429 +18
    TOTAL 140,430 111,204 29,226 131,836 +7

    DOC bookable huts and campgrounds

    Top 10 most popular huts

    • Pinnacles hut (Coromandel Forest Park)
    • Mueller hut (Aoraki Mt Cook National Park)
    • Waitawheta hut (Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park)
    • Woolshed Creek hut (Mount Somers, Canterbury)
    • Kōhanga Atawhai – Manson Nicholls hut (Lewis Pass)
    • McKellar hut (Greenstone, Otago)
    • Aspiring hut (Mount Aspiring)
    • Welcome Flat hut (Westland Tai Poutini National Park)
    • Greenstone hut (Otago)
    • Angelus hut (Nelson Lakes National Park)

    Top 10 most popular campgrounds

    • Tōtaranui campground (Golden Bay)
    • Waikawau Bay campsite (Northern Coromandel)
    • Otamure Bay (Whananaki) campsite (Northland)
    • Momorangi Bay campsite (Marlborough Sounds)
    • Puriri Bay campsite (Northland)
    • Urupukapuka Bay campsite (Northland)
    • Anaura Bay campsite (East Coast Tairawhiti)
    • Waikahoa Bay campsite (Whangarei)
    • White Horse Hill campsite (Aoraki Mt Cook)
    • Uretiti Beach campsite (Whangarei)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyle, Wyden, Merkley: EPA Prioritizing J.H. Baxter Superfund Site Cleanup for Eugene Community

    Source: US Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04)

    July 09, 2025

    For Immediate Release: July 9, 2025 

    EUGENE, OR – Oregon’s U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), alongside Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, welcomed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) addition of the former J.H. Baxter site in Eugene to its Superfund National Priorities List (NPL)—an essential action, as sites included on the list are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup efforts.

    This announcement comes after Merkley led the Oregon lawmakers in pressing EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to add the J.H. Baxter site to the Superfund NPL to safeguard the public health and environment of the Eugene community.

    “We raised our family in West Eugene and I know that our community has spent decades fighting to get the J.H. Baxter site cleaned up for the health of our community,” said Hoyle. “That’s why I joined Senators Wyden and Merkley in urging the EPA to take action, and I’m glad they listened. The Superfund designation is a critical step toward delivering the cleanup and accountability this community deserves.”

    “This Superfund announcement takes a significant public health step forward for Oregonians who make west Eugene their home and place of business,” Wyden said. “I’m glad the teamwork with Senator Merkley and Congresswoman Hoyle has generated this community win for the contaminated J.H. Baxter site, and I’ll keep watchdogging this process to make sure federal officials follow through fully on this commitment.”

    “The EPA adding the old J.H. Baxter site to its Superfund National Priorities List is a huge step forward in addressing the dangerous contamination that’s long concerned folks living and working in West Eugene,” Merkley said. “This designation I pushed for means a timely and comprehensive cleanup of chemical substances at the site is now within reach—essential to protecting the health and environment of the Eugene community for generations to come.”

    The EPA Superfund NPL is the list of U.S. sites where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment—and this list now includes the J.H. Baxter site.

    For nearly 80 years, J.H. Baxter treated wood products at a 35-acre facility in West Eugene. Hazardous substances and classified probable carcinogens, including creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP), were often used to treat wood products before the company ceased operations in January of 2022. But despite a halt in operations, toxic substances remained on site, contaminating soil and groundwater at the former facility and in the surrounding community.

    The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) sampling of the surrounding community in 2021 found elevated levels of dioxins – widening the original scope of response efforts. DEQ has started the work to cleanup properties with the highest levels of dioxins, and EPA’s Region 10 is currently conducting a Time Critical Removal Action (TCRA) at the site. While the TCRA is considered an interim measure to prevent additional releases of hazardous substances, it will not address all contamination.

    The Superfund NPL listing will now allow EPA to comprehensively address issues at the J.H. Baxter site, including by conducting a further evaluation of the nature and extent of the contamination, the risks posed by hazardous substances at the site, and ensure a thorough cleanup.

    A public meeting for the EPA to explain next steps in the Superfund process is slated for July 16 in Eugene. The agency expects Superfund site work to begin in early fall.

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Hoyle: EPA Prioritizing J.H. Baxter Superfund Site Cleanup for Eugene Community

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    July 09, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), welcomed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) addition of the former J.H. Baxter site in Eugene to its Superfund National Priorities List (NPL)—an essential action, as sites included on the list are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup efforts.

    This announcement comes after Merkley led the Oregon lawmakers in pressing EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to add the J.H. Baxter site to the Superfund NPL to safeguard the public health and environment of the Eugene community.

    “The EPA adding the old J.H. Baxter site to its Superfund National Priorities List is a huge step forward in addressing the dangerous contamination that’s long concerned folks living and working in West Eugene,” Merkley said. “This designation I pushed for means a timely and comprehensive cleanup of chemical substances at the site is now within reach—essential to protecting the health and environment of the Eugene community for generations to come.”

    “This Superfund announcement takes a significant public health step forward for Oregonians who make west Eugene their home and place of business,” Wyden said. “I’m glad the teamwork with Senator Merkley and Congresswoman Hoyle has generated this community win for the contaminated J.H. Baxter site, and I’ll keep watchdogging this process to make sure federal officials follow through fully on this commitment.

    “We raised our family in West Eugene and I know that our community has spent decades fighting to get the J.H. Baxter site cleaned up for the health of our community,” said Hoyle. “That’s why I joined Senators Wyden and Merkley in urging the EPA to take action, and I’m glad they listened. The Superfund designation is a critical step toward delivering the cleanup and accountability this community deserves.”

    The EPA Superfund NPL is the list of U.S. sites where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment—and this list now includes the J.H. Baxter site.

    For nearly 80 years, J.H. Baxter treated wood products at a 35-acre facility in West Eugene. Hazardous substances and classified probable carcinogens, including creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP), were often used to treat wood products before the company ceased operations in January of 2022. But despite a halt in operations, toxic substances remained on site, contaminating soil and groundwater at the former facility and in the surrounding community.

    The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) sampling of the surrounding community in 2021 found elevated levels of dioxins – widening the original scope of response efforts. DEQ has started the work to cleanup properties with the highest levels of dioxins, and EPA’s Region 10 is currently conducting a Time Critical Removal Action (TCRA) at the site. While the TCRA is considered an interim measure to prevent additional releases of hazardous substances, it will not address all contamination.

    The Superfund NPL listing will now allow EPA to comprehensively address issues at the J.H. Baxter site, including by conducting a further evaluation of the nature and extent of the contamination, the risks posed by hazardous substances at the site, and ensure a thorough cleanup.

    A public meeting for the EPA to explain next steps in the Superfund process is slated for July 16 in Eugene. The agency expects Superfund site work to begin in early fall.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Hoyle: EPA Prioritizing J.H. Baxter Superfund Site Cleanup for Eugene Community

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    July 09, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), welcomed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) addition of the former J.H. Baxter site in Eugene to its Superfund National Priorities List (NPL)—an essential action, as sites included on the list are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup efforts.
    This announcement comes after Merkley led the Oregon lawmakers in pressing EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to add the J.H. Baxter site to the Superfund NPL to safeguard the public health and environment of the Eugene community.
    “The EPA adding the old J.H. Baxter site to its Superfund National Priorities List is a huge step forward in addressing the dangerous contamination that’s long concerned folks living and working in West Eugene,” Merkley said. “This designation I pushed for means a timely and comprehensive cleanup of chemical substances at the site is now within reach—essential to protecting the health and environment of the Eugene community for generations to come.”
    “This Superfund announcement takes a significant public health step forward for Oregonians who make west Eugene their home and place of business,” Wyden said. “I’m glad the teamwork with Senator Merkley and Congresswoman Hoyle has generated this community win for the contaminated J.H. Baxter site, and I’ll keep watchdogging this process to make sure federal officials follow through fully on this commitment.
    “We raised our family in West Eugene and I know that our community has spent decades fighting to get the J.H. Baxter site cleaned up for the health of our community,” said Hoyle. “That’s why I joined Senators Wyden and Merkley in urging the EPA to take action, and I’m glad they listened. The Superfund designation is a critical step toward delivering the cleanup and accountability this community deserves.”
    The EPA Superfund NPL is the list of U.S. sites where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment—and this list now includes the J.H. Baxter site.
    For nearly 80 years, J.H. Baxter treated wood products at a 35-acre facility in West Eugene. Hazardous substances and classified probable carcinogens, including creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP), were often used to treat wood products before the company ceased operations in January of 2022. But despite a halt in operations, toxic substances remained on site, contaminating soil and groundwater at the former facility and in the surrounding community.
    The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) sampling of the surrounding community in 2021 found elevated levels of dioxins – widening the original scope of response efforts. DEQ has started the work to cleanup properties with the highest levels of dioxins, and EPA’s Region 10 is currently conducting a Time Critical Removal Action (TCRA) at the site. While the TCRA is considered an interim measure to prevent additional releases of hazardous substances, it will not address all contamination.
    The Superfund NPL listing will now allow EPA to comprehensively address issues at the J.H. Baxter site, including by conducting a further evaluation of the nature and extent of the contamination, the risks posed by hazardous substances at the site, and ensure a thorough cleanup.
    A public meeting for the EPA to explain next steps in the Superfund process is slated for July 16 in Eugene. The agency expects Superfund site work to begin in early fall.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Hoyle: EPA Prioritizing J.H. Baxter Superfund Site Cleanup for Eugene Community

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    July 09, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), welcomed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) addition of the former J.H. Baxter site in Eugene to its Superfund National Priorities List (NPL)—an essential action, as sites included on the list are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup efforts.

    This announcement comes after Merkley led the Oregon lawmakers in pressing EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to add the J.H. Baxter site to the Superfund NPL to safeguard the public health and environment of the Eugene community.

    “The EPA adding the old J.H. Baxter site to its Superfund National Priorities List is a huge step forward in addressing the dangerous contamination that’s long concerned folks living and working in West Eugene,” Merkley said. “This designation I pushed for means a timely and comprehensive cleanup of chemical substances at the site is now within reach—essential to protecting the health and environment of the Eugene community for generations to come.”

    “This Superfund announcement takes a significant public health step forward for Oregonians who make west Eugene their home and place of business,” Wyden said. “I’m glad the teamwork with Senator Merkley and Congresswoman Hoyle has generated this community win for the contaminated J.H. Baxter site, and I’ll keep watchdogging this process to make sure federal officials follow through fully on this commitment.

    “We raised our family in West Eugene and I know that our community has spent decades fighting to get the J.H. Baxter site cleaned up for the health of our community,” said Hoyle. “That’s why I joined Senators Wyden and Merkley in urging the EPA to take action, and I’m glad they listened. The Superfund designation is a critical step toward delivering the cleanup and accountability this community deserves.”

    The EPA Superfund NPL is the list of U.S. sites where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment—and this list now includes the J.H. Baxter site.

    For nearly 80 years, J.H. Baxter treated wood products at a 35-acre facility in West Eugene. Hazardous substances and classified probable carcinogens, including creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP), were often used to treat wood products before the company ceased operations in January of 2022. But despite a halt in operations, toxic substances remained on site, contaminating soil and groundwater at the former facility and in the surrounding community.

    The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) sampling of the surrounding community in 2021 found elevated levels of dioxins – widening the original scope of response efforts. DEQ has started the work to cleanup properties with the highest levels of dioxins, and EPA’s Region 10 is currently conducting a Time Critical Removal Action (TCRA) at the site. While the TCRA is considered an interim measure to prevent additional releases of hazardous substances, it will not address all contamination.

    The Superfund NPL listing will now allow EPA to comprehensively address issues at the J.H. Baxter site, including by conducting a further evaluation of the nature and extent of the contamination, the risks posed by hazardous substances at the site, and ensure a thorough cleanup.

    A public meeting for the EPA to explain next steps in the Superfund process is slated for July 16 in Eugene. The agency expects Superfund site work to begin in early fall.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Sens. Warner & Kaine Applaud Senate Reapproval of VA Medical Facility Leases

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works voted to approve updated authorizations for 18 Veterans Affairs (VA) major medical facility leases, including a proposed lease for an outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads:

    “We are very encouraged to see the Senate EPW Committee heed our request to quickly reauthorize 18 VA medical facility leases, including one for a new outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads. This facility would fill a critical gap, providing broader access and more convenient services for veterans on the south side of the region, who currently represent over 60 percent of the Hampton VA Medical Center’s patient base. We will continue to press our colleagues in the House of Representatives to finalize the reauthorization process and ensure that our nation’s veterans are not forced to endure unacceptable wait times or travel burdensome distances to access the high-quality care they have earned through their sacrifice and dedication.”

    While these leases were originally authorized under the PACT Act, which both senators strongly supported, updated cost estimates and rent bids prompted the VA and the General Services Administration (GSA) to seek reauthorization from four congressional committees. To date, the leases have been reapproved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. One final approval, from the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, remains.

    Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought to expand health care and benefits for Virginia’s nearly 700,000 veterans. Sens. Warner and Kaine began raising the alarm about the significant backlog of unapproved VA leases in 2016. After putting significant pressure on officials across the federal government, Congress unanimously passed the Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act, legislation written by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine, to cut the backlog and get over two dozen delayed VA medical facilities’ leases approved.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Sens. Warner & Kaine Applaud Senate Reapproval of VA Medical Facility Leases

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works voted to approve updated authorizations for 18 Veterans Affairs (VA) major medical facility leases, including a proposed lease for an outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads:

    “We are very encouraged to see the Senate EPW Committee heed our request to quickly reauthorize 18 VA medical facility leases, including one for a new outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads. This facility would fill a critical gap, providing broader access and more convenient services for veterans on the south side of the region, who currently represent over 60 percent of the Hampton VA Medical Center’s patient base. We will continue to press our colleagues in the House of Representatives to finalize the reauthorization process and ensure that our nation’s veterans are not forced to endure unacceptable wait times or travel burdensome distances to access the high-quality care they have earned through their sacrifice and dedication.”

    While these leases were originally authorized under the PACT Act, which both senators strongly supported, updated cost estimates and rent bids prompted the VA and the General Services Administration (GSA) to seek reauthorization from four congressional committees. To date, the leases have been reapproved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. One final approval, from the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, remains.

    Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought to expand health care and benefits for Virginia’s nearly 700,000 veterans. Sens. Warner and Kaine began raising the alarm about the significant backlog of unapproved VA leases in 2016. After putting significant pressure on officials across the federal government, Congress unanimously passed the Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act, legislation written by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine, to cut the backlog and get over two dozen delayed VA medical facilities’ leases approved.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Pushes Energy Nominee to Uphold Hanford Tri-Party Agreement & Consent Decree

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    07.09.25

    Cantwell Pushes Energy Nominee to Uphold Hanford Tri-Party Agreement & Consent Decree

    Questions Timothy Walsh, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management, on support for Hanford cleanup plan

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, pushed Timothy Walsh, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management, to prioritize Hanford cleanup and uphold the Tri-Party Agreement and the Consent Decree milestones.

    Sen. Cantwell questioned Mr. Walsh today during a hearing of the committee.

    Sen. Cantwell: Do you commit to upholding the Tri-Party Agreement and the Consent Decree milestones that are part of this process?

    Walsh: Yeah. Thank you for that question. Senator Cantwell, and you know, before I really look forward to getting out to Hanford, meeting you out there, and digging into this. It’s a critically important mission. The people of Washington state and indeed, all Americans deserve to live in a safe, clean environment. I know this has been an ongoing process.

    Cantwell: This is a federal responsibility, right?

    Walsh: It is.

    Cantwell: So, it’s the federal government’s responsibility. We just are a little more of a watchdog just because we’re there. Yes, and we have to be.

    Walsh: And I’m a man of action. I understand the consent agreement. I understand the Tri-Party Agreement. It has outlined the framework of the cleanup and responsibilities, and has, it’s a living document that’s been modified a few times over the last 20 years, and you have my commitment that we’re going to work together and that it’s going to be a priority in the Office of Environmental Management.

    Cantwell: What nuclear waste understanding and technical expertise would you bring to the situation?

    Walsh: Well, I can tell you that I’m a quick learner [and have] an engineering background. I’m a sort of an engineering geek, and like anything I’ve accomplished in my life, whether it was building a complex semiconductor plant, you rely on the experts. And I think what Washington, you know, Hanford site needs is really leadership and a good, solid plan that’s well executed, and that’s what I intend to bring.

    The negotiated agreement, which includes the Tri-Party Agreement, spells out how the State of Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S.. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must cooperate to ensure that cleanup of the radioactive nuclear waste at Hanford remains in compliance with federal law.

    Sen. Cantwell has long championed Hanford clean-up and played a leading role in overseeing the DOE’s cleanup efforts, fighting numerous Administration proposals to cut Hanford budgets. 

    Throughout the first Trump administration, Sen. Cantwell repeatedly led the charge in opposing drastic cuts to the Hanford budget, and in 2020 she led a successful effort to defeat a provision in the annual National Defense Authorization Act that could have diverted billions in funding from ongoing clean-up projects.

    In January 2021, at the nomination hearing for former Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Sen. Cantwell secured a pledge to fully fund Hanford cleanup from the nominee. Secretary Granholm visited the DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland and the Hanford site with Sen. Cantwell in August 2022 and they discussed the need for increased and sustained funding.

    Sen. Cantwell also questioned Audrey Robertson, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, about cuts to that department that could affect battery technology research at Pacific Northwest National Labs (PNNL). The administration’s proposed budget for DOE would require PNNL to conduct significant layoffs.

    Video of today’s committee hearing is available HERE, and a transcript HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace holds dawn commemoration of 40 years since Rainbow Warrior bombing, death of photographer Fernando Pereira

    Source: Greenpeace

    Greenpeace Aotearoa held a dawn ceremony on board the Rainbow Warrior this morning to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the bombing of the original Rainbow Warrior and the death of photographer Fernando Pereira. The ceremony was hosted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and attended by over a 150 people.
    Greenpeace Aotearoa Executive Director Dr Russel Norman, speaking from the deck of the Rainbow Warrior says, “French government agents came from the other side of the planet not only to kill our friend and colleague, and to kill our ship, but most of all they came here to try to kill our dream of a nuclear free Pacific.
    “And it is true that they killed Fernando, and it is true that they sank the first Rainbow Warrior, now resting in the north of Aotearoa under the watchful eye of Ngāti Kura at Matauri Bay.
    “But it is not true that they killed our dream of a nuclear-free Pacific. In fact, their act of violence was a catalyst for the further growth of the nuclear-free movement here and around the world.”
    At the time of the bombing in 1985, the Rainbow Warrior was preparing to lead a flotilla to Mororoa to protest French nuclear testing.
    Greenpeace International Programme Director Carmen Gravitt, also speaking from the Rainbow Warrior, said, “The French government tried to silence these voices with violence, fear, and intimidation. But they miscalculated. Instead of breaking our movement, they amplified it. They blew wind into our sails.”
    “We built a new Rainbow Warrior and sailed to Moruroa. The peoples of the Pacific rose. And the world joined them. Together, we did not stop – not until we won and France halted its nuclear testing.
    “Every right we have today was won by people who dared to fight for it. People who demanded the vote even when it was dangerous, workers who demanded dignity even when it cost them everything, indigenous peoples and frontline communities who demanded justice even when no one thought they could win. Today, we also honour them. And humbly seek to carry their legacy forward.”
    In the wake of the bombing of the first Rainbow Warrior, protests and international pressure against nuclear weapons testing continued to build. Greenpeace mounted three further protest expeditions to Mururoa in 1990, 1992 and 1995 on board the second Rainbow Warrior.
    In 1995, the Rainbow Warrior sailed into the test zone, defying exclusion orders and attempting to disrupt the tests, drawing global media attention and support. French forces seized the ship and arrested the crew, sparking widespread international condemnation. Although six tests went ahead, the intense backlash contributed to France announcing a permanent end to nuclear testing in 1996.
    Greenpeace Aotearoa says today is a moment to reflect on the past, and remember the life of Fernando Pereira, the photographer who was killed in the bombing. But the organisation also says it is a moment to look to the future and to challenge current attacks on environmental protest.
    “There’s no doubt that we’re facing challenging times. Nature is under attack. Peace and democracy are under attack too. The world feels more unstable than ever,” says Norman.
    “But when the environment and democracy are threatened, we all have to step up and get braver. The bravery of the nuclear-free activists – who sailed into a test zone and put themselves at enormous risk – is an inspiration for the courage we need to find now in the face of the climate and biodiversity crisis.”
    The Rainbow Warrior will be open for tours of the ship for the next two week

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Winter break for the 42 Traverse

    Source: NZ Department of Conservation

    Date:  10 July 2025

    The 42 Traverse, or T42, is a popular multi-use track and off-roading destination in the Tongariro Forest Conservation Area in the Central North Island. The area provides habitat for iconic species including kiwi and whio.

    Department of Conservation Team Lead Tongariro Michael Christie says the winter closure to four-wheel drives protects the track and provides safe access for critical conservation work – including protecting threatened species.

    “Winter off-roading causes heavy track damage, affecting our work and impacting the track experience for other users.

    “It’s also a safety issue – large vehicles can increase the risk of slips from sodden soils.”

    To protect the 42 Traverse, four-wheel drive vehicles are not permitted on the track between May 1 and November 30. These restrictions are outlined in the Tongariro/Taupō Conservation Management Strategy (CMS).

    “To be clear, we have to focus our efforts and funding where it matters most, and we cannot afford to continue fixing a road purely so a few can tear it up again,” says Michael.

    “If you wreck it, it will likely become inaccessible to everyone.”

    The 42 Traverse extends through native forest, offers superb views back to Tongariro National Park, and is enjoyed by people doing a range of other activities including tramping, hunting, and mountain biking.

    The 42 Traverse will reopen to four-wheel drive vehicles from December 1.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Next stage of engagement begins on Heritage Conservation Act improvements

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Province, in partnership with First Nations, is moving to the third stage of consultation and engagement on improving the Heritage Conservation Act, which was last substantively updated 30 years ago, in 1996.

    Project background

    For many years, people and organizations that interact with the act – First Nations, industry, landowners, professional archeologists, heritage organizations and more – have raised challenges with the act and its administration.

    These include a lack of awareness of the presence of heritage on properties, lack of clarity regarding First Nations’ role in the management of their cultural heritage, unintended impacts to protected heritage sites, and project delays.

    A number of recent improvements have been made under the current act to address challenges raised, including revisions to existing processes and policies that have reduced the act’s permitting timelines for residential projects by 24% since January 2024 and will see reduction in turnaround times across all sectors; as well as improving resources for landowners navigating rebuilding after disasters. Some administrative amendments were also made to the act in 2019.

    However, it has been broadly recognized that substantive amendments to the act and the regulations it enables are necessary to address key deficiencies in the current state of protection, management and conservation of heritage in B.C., including:

    • lack of awareness of the presence of protected heritage sites that leads to preventable impacts, permitting delays and project uncertainty;
    • the administration of multiple act permits, each averaging 300 days for review and processing with the need for permits often discovered mid-project, that leads to costly work stoppages and unanticipated delays; and
    • significant changes in the recognition and interpretation of First Nations rights, authority and jurisdiction since the act was last substantively updated in 1996 and the passage of the Declaration Act.

    In 2021, the minister of forests was mandated to partner with First Nations through the joint working group on First Nations Heritage Conservation to engage broadly with First Nations and stakeholders to improve the act.

    Mandating process

    The minister was given a mandate for two project phases with broad engagement, prior to returning to cabinet for a mandate to conduct a third phase of engagement to refine potential legislative and regulatory changes and, ultimately, develop updates to the legislation. Phase 1 engagement was undertaken in 2022–23, with feedback from 108 First Nations and 188 stakeholder organizations. Engagement included 12 audience-specific sessions to understand specific needs of archeology and heritage professionals, the land and resource development sector, the construction and real estate industry, and local and federal government agencies, seven First Nations sessions, written submissions and an online survey.

    Phase 2 engagement was undertaken in 2023, with feedback from 43 First Nations and 184 organizations. Engagement included stakeholder and First Nations sessions.

    A mandate has now been given to undertake Phase 3 engagement between July and early October 2025 with First Nations, stakeholder organizations with interest in the act, and the general public.

    Following Phase 3 engagement, legislative amendments will be developed in consultation and co-operation with First Nations and with feedback from stakeholders, with a goal to table updated legislation in spring 2026.

    What we heard

    Feedback received to date can be distilled into four core needs:

    1. Speed up permitting decisions, prevent unanticipated and unnecessary delays, and reduce costs for project work under the act.
    2. Help people and communities rebuild quicker after disasters, such as wildfires and floods.
    3. Protect heritage more effectively, reducing the risk of accidental damage to sacred or historic sites.
    4. Strengthen the role of First Nations in decision-making about their own heritage and ancestors, consistent with the Declaration Act. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Where do giant volcanic eruptions come from? New study finds missing link to ‘blobs’ deep within Earth

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicolas Flament, Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow, Environmental Futures, School of Science, University of Wollongong

    Volcanic eruptions at Earth’s surface have significant consequences. Smaller ones can scare tourists on Mount Etna or disrupt air traffic.

    Giant, large-scale eruptions can have more serious impacts. One such event contributed to the demise of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Giant volcanoes also triggered events that led to the largest mass dying on Earth, the Permian–Triassic extinction 252 million years ago).

    But what fuels a giant eruption, and how does it make its way to the surface from deep within the planet?

    In a new study published in Communications Earth and Environment, we show that columns of hot rock, which rise some 3,000 kilometres through Earth’s mantle and cause giant eruptions, are connected to continent-sized source regions we call BLOBS.

    Hidden blobs within Earth

    BLOBS are hot regions at the bottom of Earth’s mantle (between about 2,000km and 3,000km in depth) which might be composed of different material compared with the surrounding mantle rocks.

    Scientists have long known about these two hot regions under the Pacific Ocean and Africa. Geologist David Evans from Yale University suggested the acronym BLOBS, which stands for Big LOwer-mantle Basal Structures.

    These BLOBS have possibly existed for hundreds of millions of years. It is unclear whether they’re stationary or if they move around as part of mantle motion (called convection).



    Read more:
    Volcanoes, diamonds, and blobs: a billion-year history of Earth’s interior shows it’s more mobile than we thought

    Mantle plumes were the implicit link in previous studies relating BLOBS to giant volcanic eruptions. Their shape is a bit like a lollipop: the “stick” is the plume tail and the “candy” is the plume head.

    Connection between the deep mantle and Earth’s surface showing the relationship between BLOBS, mantle plumes and giant volcanic eruptions – not drawn to scale.

    Mantle plumes rise very slowly through the mantle because they transport hot solid rock, not melt or lava. At lower pressures in the uppermost 200km of Earth’s mantle, the solid rock melts, leading to eruptions.

    A long-sought relationship

    In our new study, we simulated mantle convection from 1 billion years ago and found that mantle plumes rise from moving BLOBS and can sometimes be gently tilted.

    Giant volcanic eruptions can be identified by the volume of volcanic rocks preserved at Earth’s surface. The ocean floor preserves detailed fingerprints of mantle plumes for the past 120 million years or so (there is not much seafloor older than that).

    Oceanic plateaus, such as the Ontong Java-Manihiki-Hikurangi plateau currently in the southwest Pacific Ocean, are linked to plume heads. In contrast, series of volcanoes such as the Hawaii-Emperor seamount chain and the Lord Howe seamount chain are linked to plume tails.

    We used statistics to show that the locations of past giant volcanic eruptions are significantly related to the mantle plumes predicted by our models. This is encouraging, as it suggests that the simulations predict mantle plumes in places and at times generally consistent with the geologic record.

    Model BLOBS, plume tails, and giant volcanic eruptions under the African hemisphere from 300 million years ago. BLOBS are coloured in dark red and plume tails are coloured by depth in yellow to orange tones, with warmer colours at greater depths. At the surface, the outlines of continental blocks are shown in transparent grey, and giant volcanic eruption locations are shown as green triangles.

    Are BLOBS fixed or mobile?

    We showed that the considered eruption locations fall either onto or close to the moving BLOBS predicted by our models. Eruption locations slightly outside moving BLOBS could be explained by plume tilting.

    We represented fixed BLOBS with 3D images of Earth’s interior, created using seismic waves from distant earthquakes (a technique called seismic tomography). One out of the four seismic tomographic models that we considered matched the locations of past giant volcanic eruptions, implying that the fixed BLOBS scenario cannot be ruled out for geologically recent times – the past 300 million years.

    One of the next steps for this research is to explore the chemical nature of BLOBS and plume conduits. We can do so with simulations that track the evolution of their composition.

    Our results suggest the deep Earth is dynamic. BLOBS, which are some 2,000km below Earth’s surface, move hundreds of kilometres over time, and are connected to Earth’s surface by mantle plumes that create giant eruptions.

    To take a step back and keep things in perspective: while deep Earth motions are significant over tens of millions of years, they are generally in the order of 1 centimetre per year. This means BLOBS shift at roughly the rate at which human hair grows.



    Read more:
    Where should we look for new metals that are critical for green energy technology? Volcanoes may point the way

    Nicolas Flament receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Anglo American and De Beers.

    Annalise Cucchiaro receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Anglo American and De Beers.

    – ref. Where do giant volcanic eruptions come from? New study finds missing link to ‘blobs’ deep within Earth – https://theconversation.com/where-do-giant-volcanic-eruptions-come-from-new-study-finds-missing-link-to-blobs-deep-within-earth-259804

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Working together to promote 4R practices to farmers

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Assisting Flood Recovery Efforts in Texas

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that four New York State Police staff and three canines will deploy to Kerr County, Texas to support search efforts following devastating floods. This assistance was primarily deployed as part of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), the nation’s all-hazards national mutual aid system. EMAC has been ratified by the U.S. Congress (PL 104-321) and is law in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands. EMAC’s Members can share resources from all disciplines, protect personnel who deploy and be reimbursed for mission-related costs.

    “Our hearts break for the tragic loss of life in Texas, and we are sending our prayers as they continue to heal and recover from this devastating flooding,” Governor Hochul said. “New York State is committed to helping those in need, and I am grateful for our State Police personnel who will be assisting officials in Kerr County as they continue their search efforts.”

    Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “Disaster recovery requires an immense amount of resources and we are grateful to be able to answer the call to help when needed. New York is always prepared to support our neighbors in moments of need, and our thoughts are with the people of Texas.”

    New York State Superintendent Steven G. James said, “The New York State Police is proud to support the people of Texas during this difficult time. Our Troopers and canines are trained for exactly these types of missions, and we are honored to assist in the search and recovery efforts. Whether here at home or across the country, we stand ready to help when called.”

    New York State has a history of deploying resources to neighbors in need. In 2024, More than 200 emergency management staff members from numerous State agencies responded to calls for help in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in October and November. Team members included staff from the National Guard, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Police, Thruway Authority, Agriculture and Markets, Office of Information Technology Services, New York City and Ulster and Montgomery counties.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Thirsty future: Australia’s green hydrogen targets could require vastly more water than the government hopes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madoc Sheehan, Adjunct Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering, James Cook University

    totajla/Shutterstock

    Green hydrogen is touted by some as the future – a way for Australia to slowly replace its reliance on fossil fuel exports. The energy-dense gas has the potential to reduce emissions in sectors challenging to decarbonise, such as steelmaking and fertiliser manufacturing.

    The Albanese government wants it to be a massive new export industry and has laid out a pathway through its National Hydrogen Strategy.

    Unfortunately, there’s a real gap between rhetoric and reality. Despite ambitious plans, no green hydrogen project has yet succeeded in Australia. The technology’s most prominent local backer, billionaire miner Twiggy Forrest, has dialled down his ambition. Globally, just 7% of announced green hydrogen projects are up and running.

    Economic viability is one problem. But there’s a much larger issue flying under the radar: water. Hitting the 2050 target of 15 million to 30 million tonnes of hydrogen a year would use 7–15% of the amount Australia’s households, farms, mines and black coal power plants use annually. That’s simply not sustainable.

    Splitting water

    Green hydrogen uses renewable energy to power electrolyser machines, which split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

    On the surface, this is an appealing use of clean energy, especially during solar peak periods.

    But what the government hasn’t properly accounted for is the water cost for green hydrogen. The strategy states water use is likely to be “considerable but not prohibitive”.

    This is questionable. For every kilogram of hydrogen produced through electrolysis, nine litres of water are directly consumed.

    That’s not all. The water needed to make hydrogen has to be extremely pure. Salt water has to be desalinated, and even fresh water needs purification. Equipment also needs cooling, which consumes even more water.

    All these processes incur substantial indirect water losses, such as the water used for industrial processes and cooling. The volumes used are highly uncertain. They can be up to 20 times greater than the direct water use.

    A key input value for the government’s hydrogen strategy modelling is taken from a 2015 report by the Argonne National Energy Laboratory in the United States, which assumes each kilogram of green hydrogen produced requires just over 30 litres of water.

    The Australian hydrogen strategy suggests 30 litres per kilogram of hydrogen would cover “all system losses including purification processes and cooling water required”. But it’s not clear if this figure covers other uses of water in making hydrogen, such as water treatment.

    Green hydrogen could help industrial sectors transition from fossil fuels. The problem is the water use.
    Audio und werbung/Shutterstock

    How much water would this use?

    According to the government’s modelling, making 15 million tonnes would require 740 billion litres of water. That would be about 7% of the 10,450 billion litres used by all of Australia’s households, farms, mines and black coal power plants.

    The government’s National Hydrogen Strategy shows the water use by major industries. Their total water use is 10,450 gigalitres annually.
    Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

    That’s substantial. One and a half Sydney Harbours worth, every year. But it might be a major underestimate. After all, estimates on indirect water use differ widely. The government’s figures are at the very bottom of the range.

    For instance, the latest research gives water consumption figures of about 66 litres per kilogram – more than twice as large. Other sources give values between 90 and 300 litres per kilogram of hydrogen – three to ten times higher.

    Uncertainty in modelling is normal. But the wide research suggesting much higher water use should give rise to real concern.

    If we take a middle-of-the-range figure of 95 litres per kilogram, this would mean that making 15 million tonnes of green hydrogen would use up 22% of the 10,450 billion litres used by households, farms, mines and black coal power plants annually by 2050.

    If hydrogen was even thirstier at 310 litres per kilogram, that would translate to 72% of that figure.

    These estimates are enormous. Even under the most optimistic scenario, the draw on Australia’s scarce freshwater resources would simply be too much. Where would this water come from? Farmers? Groundwater? Environmental flows from rivers?

    As the Queensland Farmers Federation pointed out in its response to the hydrogen strategy, the figures on water use “beg the question if they are in fact sustainable”.

    The Water Services Association of Australia has called for much greater attention to the water demands of green hydrogen, which it says are “often seriously underestimated”.

    What about saltwater? Australia has no shortage of oceans. The problem here becomes energy and wastewater. Desalination is still very energy intensive. Converting saltwater to fresh also produces large volumes of super-salty brine, which must then be managed as waste.

    Which way forward?

    Does this mean green hydrogen is a non-starter? Not necessarily. Improved electrolyser technology might offer ways to slash water use, while circular economy approaches such as resource recovery from brine could also reduce losses.

    But these concerns about water must be front and centre in future discussions about the shape and size of the industry in Australia.

    Madoc Sheehan 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. Thirsty future: Australia’s green hydrogen targets could require vastly more water than the government hopes – https://theconversation.com/thirsty-future-australias-green-hydrogen-targets-could-require-vastly-more-water-than-the-government-hopes-252044

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CS chairs meeting of steering committee on handling extreme weather (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, chaired a meeting of the steering committee on handling extreme weather yesterday (July 9) to holistically review and steer cross-departmental overall preparations and response plans for typhoons and rainstorms, and to make advance preparations for the forecast adverse weather conditions, such as rainstorms and squally thunderstorms, in the coming two days. The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, and representatives from relevant bureaux and departments also attended the meeting.

    Over the past year, under the Chief Executive’s instruction, Mr Chan has been directing various bureaux and departments to implement and enhance response measures in four areas, namely advance preparations, enhanced early warning, decisive emergency response and speedy recovery, with a view to protecting people’s safety as first priority, as well as minimising the damage and impact of extreme weather.

    According to the present forecast, Tropical Cyclone Danas, now over Fujian, will enter Guangdong today (July 10), and weaken gradually. The active southwest monsoon to its south will generally affect the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary today and tomorrow (July 11). There will be torrential rain and squally thunderstorms over the territory. The weather may be relatively severe by then. The public are advised to pay attention to the latest weather forecast and warnings from the Observatory.

    In response to the possible adverse weather conditions, Mr Chan co-ordinated the advance preparatory work of relevant departments in the meeting, which includes:

    • The Drainage Services Department had made special arrangement to inspect and carry out necessary clearance last night at about 240 locations which are prone to flooding because of blockages. The “just-in-time” arrangement will continue, with 180 emergency response teams to conduct inspection and clearance of drainage channels in different districts across the territory.
    • The Highways Department will inspect again the flood warning systems installed at road tunnels and pedestrian subways with a higher risk of flooding today, such as Kwun Tong Road Underpass, some pedestrian subways along Shing Mun River in Sha Tin, Lam Tsuen River in Tai Po and Tai Po River, to ensure normal operation. The Highways Department has also reminded relevant staff members and contractors to pay close attention to the weather conditions in order to make advance preparations for the activation of the Emergency Control Centres when necessary.
    • District Offices have immediately initiated relevant response measures, including co-ordinating with other departments and organisations to enhance preparedness. They will also mobilise District Council members, members of “the three committees” and Care Teams to disseminate the latest weather information to residents in flood-prone areas, reminding them to make necessary preparations.
    • The Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) of the Security Bureau will be fully activated from 5pm today to monitor the situation in the city. Utilising the Common Operational Picture, the EMSC will conduct real-time citywide monitoring, and integrate updates from various departments to swiftly assess risks and formulate response plans and measures. Various emergency response teams, including the Fire Services Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service, have completed all necessary preparatory work and are on standby, so as to handle possible emergencies during heavy rainstorms and high wind, and to provide assistance to those in need.
    • The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre of the Transport Department will continue to operate round-the-clock. It will also closely monitor traffic and transport conditions with public transport agencies, and disseminate emergency traffic information and public transport service arrangements to the public in a timely manner.

    The Education Bureau will closely monitor the weather conditions and announce the arrangements for schools and Primary Six students’ registration with their allocated secondary schools under the Secondary School Places Allocation as early as necessary to facilitate parents and students to make early preparations.

    The Labour Department reminded employers to make prior work arrangements for employees during rainstorm warnings and extreme conditions as early as possible, including arrangements on reporting for duty, release from work, resumption of work and remote work (if applicable). In drawing up and implementing the arrangements, employers should give prime consideration to employees’ safety and the feasibility of employees travelling to and from their workplaces, etc. Employers should also give consideration as much as possible to the different situations and actual difficulties faced by individual employees, and adopt a sympathetic and flexible approach.

    The Government departments will continue to serve with dedication and make advance preparations on all fronts to safeguard the lives and property of the public as well as public safety. The Government urges the public to stay alert and stay away from dangerous places such as rivers and slopes in adverse weather conditions, refrain from water sports, and continue to pay attention to the latest news released by the Government.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CS chairs meeting of steering committee on handling extreme weather (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, chaired a meeting of the steering committee on handling extreme weather yesterday (July 9) to holistically review and steer cross-departmental overall preparations and response plans for typhoons and rainstorms, and to make advance preparations for the forecast adverse weather conditions, such as rainstorms and squally thunderstorms, in the coming two days. The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, and representatives from relevant bureaux and departments also attended the meeting.

    Over the past year, under the Chief Executive’s instruction, Mr Chan has been directing various bureaux and departments to implement and enhance response measures in four areas, namely advance preparations, enhanced early warning, decisive emergency response and speedy recovery, with a view to protecting people’s safety as first priority, as well as minimising the damage and impact of extreme weather.

    According to the present forecast, Tropical Cyclone Danas, now over Fujian, will enter Guangdong today (July 10), and weaken gradually. The active southwest monsoon to its south will generally affect the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary today and tomorrow (July 11). There will be torrential rain and squally thunderstorms over the territory. The weather may be relatively severe by then. The public are advised to pay attention to the latest weather forecast and warnings from the Observatory.

    In response to the possible adverse weather conditions, Mr Chan co-ordinated the advance preparatory work of relevant departments in the meeting, which includes:

    • The Drainage Services Department had made special arrangement to inspect and carry out necessary clearance last night at about 240 locations which are prone to flooding because of blockages. The “just-in-time” arrangement will continue, with 180 emergency response teams to conduct inspection and clearance of drainage channels in different districts across the territory.
    • The Highways Department will inspect again the flood warning systems installed at road tunnels and pedestrian subways with a higher risk of flooding today, such as Kwun Tong Road Underpass, some pedestrian subways along Shing Mun River in Sha Tin, Lam Tsuen River in Tai Po and Tai Po River, to ensure normal operation. The Highways Department has also reminded relevant staff members and contractors to pay close attention to the weather conditions in order to make advance preparations for the activation of the Emergency Control Centres when necessary.
    • District Offices have immediately initiated relevant response measures, including co-ordinating with other departments and organisations to enhance preparedness. They will also mobilise District Council members, members of “the three committees” and Care Teams to disseminate the latest weather information to residents in flood-prone areas, reminding them to make necessary preparations.
    • The Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) of the Security Bureau will be fully activated from 5pm today to monitor the situation in the city. Utilising the Common Operational Picture, the EMSC will conduct real-time citywide monitoring, and integrate updates from various departments to swiftly assess risks and formulate response plans and measures. Various emergency response teams, including the Fire Services Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service, have completed all necessary preparatory work and are on standby, so as to handle possible emergencies during heavy rainstorms and high wind, and to provide assistance to those in need.
    • The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre of the Transport Department will continue to operate round-the-clock. It will also closely monitor traffic and transport conditions with public transport agencies, and disseminate emergency traffic information and public transport service arrangements to the public in a timely manner.

    The Education Bureau will closely monitor the weather conditions and announce the arrangements for schools and Primary Six students’ registration with their allocated secondary schools under the Secondary School Places Allocation as early as necessary to facilitate parents and students to make early preparations.

    The Labour Department reminded employers to make prior work arrangements for employees during rainstorm warnings and extreme conditions as early as possible, including arrangements on reporting for duty, release from work, resumption of work and remote work (if applicable). In drawing up and implementing the arrangements, employers should give prime consideration to employees’ safety and the feasibility of employees travelling to and from their workplaces, etc. Employers should also give consideration as much as possible to the different situations and actual difficulties faced by individual employees, and adopt a sympathetic and flexible approach.

    The Government departments will continue to serve with dedication and make advance preparations on all fronts to safeguard the lives and property of the public as well as public safety. The Government urges the public to stay alert and stay away from dangerous places such as rivers and slopes in adverse weather conditions, refrain from water sports, and continue to pay attention to the latest news released by the Government.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Man sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment for illegal possession of local wild and endangered turtles

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    A local man was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 20 months at the District Court today (July 9) for illegal possession of local wild and endangered turtles. The case marks the first time that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has successfully applied to the court under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 455) for enhanced sentencing for the charge of illegal possession of endangered species.

    A spokesman for the AFCD said that the offender was active on social media platforms and instant messenger groups, posting messages about poaching wild animals online and offering regulated species of unknown origin for sale through these groups. In July 2023, the AFCD and the Police mounted a joint operation and seized 29 endangered turtles from the offender’s residential premises in Tai Po District, including 14 big-headed turtles (Platysternon megacephalum) listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I; two yellow-margined box turtles (Cuora flavomarginata), four Southeast Asian box turtles (Cuora amboinensis), two giant Asian pond turtles (Heosemys grandis) and four wattle-necked softshell turtles (Palea steindachneri), listed in CITES Appendix II; and three Reeve’s turtles (Mauremys reevesii) listed in CITES Appendix III. All the turtles are listed as “Endangered” or “Critically Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586). Scientific testing confirmed that all seized big-headed turtles were taken from the wild in Hong Kong and are protected under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170).

    The man was prosecuted on three charges for illegal possession of Appendix I and Appendix II endangered species, as well as illegal possession of live protected wild animals taken in Hong Kong. The offender was convicted today at the District Court. The AFCD applied to the court for an enhanced sentence under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance. The application was accepted by the court, and the sentence was increased by 25 per cent. The defendant was sentenced to immediate imprisonment for 20 months.

    The spokesman added, “Illegal possession of endangered species is a serious offence. Any person who contravenes the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years, and the specimens will also be forfeited upon conviction. In addition, the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance also stipulates that unless otherwise permitted, no one shall hunt, wilfully disturb, buy, sell, export, offer for sale or export, possess or control protected wild animals (including all wild chelonians). Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year upon conviction.”

    The spokesman added that the Government is committed to combating illegal hunting of and trading in wild animals to protect local wild species and endangered species. The AFCD will remain vigilant and continue to monitor information on various platforms and social media, and proactively take enforcement action against illegal trade in endangered species.

    Members of the public may call 1823 to report any suspected irregularities to the AFCD and visit the AFCD website at www.cites.hk regarding the control of endangered species in Hong Kong.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Man sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment for illegal possession of local wild and endangered turtles

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    A local man was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 20 months at the District Court today (July 9) for illegal possession of local wild and endangered turtles. The case marks the first time that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has successfully applied to the court under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 455) for enhanced sentencing for the charge of illegal possession of endangered species.

    A spokesman for the AFCD said that the offender was active on social media platforms and instant messenger groups, posting messages about poaching wild animals online and offering regulated species of unknown origin for sale through these groups. In July 2023, the AFCD and the Police mounted a joint operation and seized 29 endangered turtles from the offender’s residential premises in Tai Po District, including 14 big-headed turtles (Platysternon megacephalum) listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I; two yellow-margined box turtles (Cuora flavomarginata), four Southeast Asian box turtles (Cuora amboinensis), two giant Asian pond turtles (Heosemys grandis) and four wattle-necked softshell turtles (Palea steindachneri), listed in CITES Appendix II; and three Reeve’s turtles (Mauremys reevesii) listed in CITES Appendix III. All the turtles are listed as “Endangered” or “Critically Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586). Scientific testing confirmed that all seized big-headed turtles were taken from the wild in Hong Kong and are protected under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170).

    The man was prosecuted on three charges for illegal possession of Appendix I and Appendix II endangered species, as well as illegal possession of live protected wild animals taken in Hong Kong. The offender was convicted today at the District Court. The AFCD applied to the court for an enhanced sentence under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance. The application was accepted by the court, and the sentence was increased by 25 per cent. The defendant was sentenced to immediate imprisonment for 20 months.

    The spokesman added, “Illegal possession of endangered species is a serious offence. Any person who contravenes the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years, and the specimens will also be forfeited upon conviction. In addition, the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance also stipulates that unless otherwise permitted, no one shall hunt, wilfully disturb, buy, sell, export, offer for sale or export, possess or control protected wild animals (including all wild chelonians). Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year upon conviction.”

    The spokesman added that the Government is committed to combating illegal hunting of and trading in wild animals to protect local wild species and endangered species. The AFCD will remain vigilant and continue to monitor information on various platforms and social media, and proactively take enforcement action against illegal trade in endangered species.

    Members of the public may call 1823 to report any suspected irregularities to the AFCD and visit the AFCD website at www.cites.hk regarding the control of endangered species in Hong Kong.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – Amending Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 on certain measures for the purpose of the conservation of fish stocks in relation to countries allowing non-sustainable fishing – P10_TA(2025)0150 – Wednesday, 9 July 2025 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

    Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(2) and Article 207 thereof,

    Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

    After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

    Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee(1),

    Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure(2),

    Whereas:

    (1)  In line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982(3) (‘UNCLOS’) and the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks of 4 August 1995(4) ▌ (‘UNFSA’), the management of certain straddling and highly migratory fish stocks requires the cooperation of all the countries whose fleets exploit that stock. Such cooperation could be established within the framework of regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) or by means of ad hoc arrangements among the countries having an interest in the fishery concerned.

    (2)  Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council(5) establishes a framework to allow for the identification and the adoption of measures with regard to third countries which fail to cooperate and allow non-sustainable fishing of a stock of common interest for the Union.

    (3)  In accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012, it is possible for a country to be identified as allowing non-sustainable fishing if, inter alia, it fails to cooperate in the management of a stock of common interest in full compliance with the provisions of the UNCLOS and the UNFSA, or any other international agreement or rule of international law, and if it fails to adopt necessary fishery management measures.

    (4)  A definition of ‘failure to cooperate’ should be introduced in order to better define, for the purposes of Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012, the scope and meaning of the requirement to cooperate pursuant to UNCLOS and UNFSA.

    (5)   The ‘best available scientific advice’ should be understood to refer to publicly available scientific advice that is supported by the most up-to-date scientific data and methods and that has been either issued or reviewed by an independent scientific body that is recognised at Union or international level.

    (6)  It is also necessary to clarify that it should be possible for a country to be considered as allowing non-sustainable fishing if it does not implement or enforce the necessary fishery management measures, and that such measures include control measures, including within the framework of RFMOs.

    (7)  It is also appropriate to reinforce the procedures prior and subsequent to the adoption of measures in respect of countries allowing non-sustainable fishing, including within the framework of RFMOs.

    (8)   In order to assess the appropriate measures to be taken with regard to a country allowing non-sustainable fishing, it is necessary to provide for an accurate understanding of the trade relations of the Union with the country under evaluation, including by assessing historical data for imported products that reflect the real import patterns in relation to that country.

    (9)  Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 should therefore be amended accordingly,

    HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

    Article 1

    Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 is amended as follows:

    (1)   Article 2 is amended as follows:

    (a)  point (b) is replaced by the following:“

    ‘(b) “associated species” means any fish that belongs to the same ecosystem as the stock of common interest and that preys upon that stock, is preyed on by it, competes with it for food and living space or co-occurs with it in the same fishing area, and that is exploited or accidentally taken, including as by-catch, in the same fishery or fisheries;’;

    ”

    (b)   point (f) is replaced by the following:“

    ‘(f) “unsustainable state” means the condition where the stock is not continuously maintained at or above the levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield or, if those levels cannot be estimated, where the stock is not continuously maintained within safe biological limits in line with the precautionary approach to fisheries management as referred to in Article 6 of UNFSA; the stock levels determining whether the stock is in an unsustainable state are to be determined on the basis of best available scientific advice;’;

    ”

    (c)  the following point is added:”

    ‘(i) “failure to cooperate” means the failure by countries to engage in good faith and have meaningful consultations, including within the framework of RFMOs, in which substantial effort is made with a view to reaching an agreement on the adoption of necessary fishery management measures, and examples of failure to cooperate include, but are not limited to:
       (1) refusing to consult or to involve in consultations all the relevant coastal States and fishing States;

    ▌
       (2) unjustified unilateral breaking-off of consultations;
       (3) undue delays, including in replying to requests or engaging in consultations;
       (4) withholding information relevant for consultations;
       (5) making unreasonable information requests;
       (6) disregarding agreed procedures;
       (7) systematically refusing to take into consideration counter-proposals or other parties’ interests;
       (8) systematically insisting upon own positions for an extended period, irrespective of flexibility offered by other parties in the consultations;
       (9) refusing to take into account the best available scientific advice or historic fishing activities regarding the relevant stock or stocks;
       (10) while consultations for comprehensive sharing arrangements are ▌ on-going, pursuing consultations with a view to concluding partial sharing arrangements, or subsequently concluding such partial sharing arrangements, excluding some relevant coastal States or fishing States for stocks of common interest.’;

    ”

    (2)  in Article 3, point (b), points (i) and (ii) are replaced by the following:”

    ‘(i) it fails to adopt, implement or enforce necessary fishery management measures, including control measures, ensuring the effective conservation and management of stocks of common interest, including within the framework of an RFMO or where agreed bilaterally or multilaterally; or
       (ii) it adopts fishery management measures, such as quotas or discriminatory measures, without due regard to the rights, interests and duties of other countries and the Union, and those fishery management measures, when considered in conjunction with measures taken by other countries and the Union, lead to fishing activities which could result in the stock being in an unsustainable state; this condition is considered to be complied with also where the fishery management measures adopted by that country did not lead to the stock being in an unsustainable state solely due to measures adopted by others.’;

    ”

    (3)  Article 6 is amended as follows:

    (a)  the title is replaced by the following:“

    ‘Procedures prior and subsequent to the adoption of measures in respect of countries allowing non-sustainable fishing’;

    ”

    (b)   paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:“

    ‘1. Where the Commission considers that it is necessary to adopt measures referred to in Article 4, it shall notify the country concerned of the intention to identify it as a country allowing non-sustainable fishing. In such cases, the European Parliament and the Council shall be immediately informed and regularly updated on developments and the actions taken.’;

    ”

    (c)   the following paragraph is inserted:“

    ‘2a. Where the stock of common interest falls under the scope of an RFMO, the Commission shall raise the matter of a country allowing non-sustainable fishing with the compliance body of that RFMO prior to the notification under paragraph 1, as applicable, with a view to remedying the situation.’;

    ”

    (d)  paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:”

    ‘3. Prior to the adoption of measures pursuant to Article 4, the Commission shall provide the country concerned with a reasonable opportunity to respond to the notification referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article in writing and to provide any relevant information.’;

    ”

    (e)  the following paragraphs are added:”

    ‘4. The Commission shall give the country concerned a maximum of 90 days to reply to the notification referred to in paragraph 1 and a reasonable time to remedy the situation.

    5.  Following the adoption of measures pursuant to Article 4, the Commission shall continue to engage and maintain an open dialogue with the country concerned and shall promote cooperation bilaterally and multilaterally, with a view to that country ▌ ceasing to allow non-sustainable fishing.

    6.  Where the country concerned enters into consultations with the Union in good faith, the Commission shall engage in such consultations without delay.’;

    ”

    (4)  in Article 7, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:“

    ‘1. The measures referred to in Article 4 shall cease to apply when the country allowing non-sustainable fishing adopts appropriate corrective measures necessary for the conservation and management of the stock of common interest and those corrective measures:
       (a) have either been adopted autonomously or have been agreed in the context of consultations with the Union and, where applicable, other countries concerned or within the framework of RFMOs; and
       (b) do not undermine the effect of measures taken by the Union, whether autonomously, in cooperation with other countries or within the framework of RFMOs, for the purpose of the conservation of the fish stocks concerned.’.

    ”

    Article 2

    This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

    This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

    Done at … ▌ ,

    For the European Parliament For the Council

    The President The President

    (1) OJ C, C/2025/1191, 21.3.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/1191/oj.
    (2) Position of the European Parliament of 9 July 2025.
    (3) United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (OJ L 179, 23.6.1998, p. 3, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/convention/1998/392/oj).
    (4) Agreement for the implementing of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the conservation and management of straddling stocks and highly migratory fish stocks (OJ L 189, 3.7.1998, p. 17, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/1998/414/oj).
    (5) Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on certain measures for the purpose of the conservation of fish stocks in relation to countries allowing non-sustainable fishing (OJ L 316, 14.11.2012, p. 34, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/1026/oj).

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Patrushev: 3 billion rubles will be allocated for the implementation of the national project “Ecological Well-being” in Kuzbass by 2030

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    During a working visit to Kemerovo Oblast, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev met with the head of the region, Ilya Seredyuk, and visited a number of large industrial enterprises in Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk. At the meeting, the parties discussed the socio-economic development of the region, the performance indicators of the agro-industrial complex, and the implementation of the activities of the national project “Environmental Well-Being”.

    Dmitry Patrushev noted that the Kemerovo Region is among the leaders of the Siberian Federal District in terms of gross regional product. The main contribution is made by the extractive industry. The region strives to create favorable conditions for economic development. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, an important mechanism for socio-economic development is the implementation of the relevant Strategies for the socio-economic development of the Siberian Federal District (SFD) until 2035, approved by the Russian Government, which in the long term will create more than 20 thousand jobs.

    “Speaking about agriculture, I would like to note that Kuzbass is a major producer of grain and oilseed crops in Siberia. We expect that the unfavorable weather that accompanies field work will not seriously affect the final harvest. As for environmental activities, Kuzbass is participating in the relevant national project. The Government has allocated more than 3 billion rubles for this until 2030. The funds will be allocated, among other things, for reforestation, reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere in Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk, developing a waste management system and improving the health of water bodies. We expect high-quality implementation of all planned projects,” said Dmitry Patrushev.

    During his trip to Kemerovo, the Deputy Prime Minister visited the mineral fertilizer plant of KAO Azot. The company ranks fifth in Russia in terms of nitrogen fertilizer production. At the same time, much attention is paid to the implementation of environmental protection measures. Dmitry Patrushev inspected the liquid carbon dioxide production workshop, the selective cleaning construction site, and the engineering and design center.

    “Russia is one of the world’s largest producers of mineral fertilizers and is a leader in their export. Without fertilizers, it is impossible to talk about a systematic increase in crop yields. Therefore, the Government is taking measures that have allowed a significant increase in fertilizer supplies to the domestic market in recent years. Your plant is one of the country’s leaders in the production of nitrogen fertilizers,” he noted.

    In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister familiarized himself with the history of the development of the coal industry in the Kemerovo Region in the historical and architectural museum-reserve “Krasnaya Gorka”. The coal industry has historically played a key role in the economy of Kuzbass; in the Kemerovo Region, the industry provides jobs for about 100 thousand people. The museum was founded at the site of the discovery of the Kuznetsk coal basin and preserves evidence of the formation of the industrial center of Siberia.

    Dmitry Patrushev also visited the largest industrial enterprises of Novokuznetsk and got acquainted with the progress of environmental projects aimed at reducing the negative impact on the environment within the framework of the federal project “Clean Air”. Thus, the Deputy Prime Minister got acquainted with the progress of construction of the sulfur gas purification unit of the Evraz metallurgical plant. The modern powerful unit will ensure a high degree of purification of flue gases from sulfur dioxide and reduce its emission into the atmosphere by 70%. The commissioning of the complex is expected in 2026.

    In addition, Dmitry Patrushev inspected the dry gas cleaning facility under construction at the Kuznetsk Ferroalloys plant. The enterprise is the country’s largest producer of ferrosilicon – an alloy of silicon and iron used in ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering and the chemical industry. The best available technology for environmentally friendly modernization of production is the installation of dry gas cleaning complexes for ferroalloy furnaces. Currently, emissions of pollutants into the city’s atmosphere have been reduced by 30% from the 2017 level.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 497 Status Reports

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Valley in Tajikistan officially recognized as “globally important agricultural heritage system”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Almaty, July 9 (Xinhua) — The Almosi Valley in Tajikistan’s Gissar district has been officially recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as a “globally important agricultural heritage system,” the Khovar news agency reported on Wednesday, citing the press center of the FAO office in Tajikistan.

    The corresponding decision was made at the meeting of the FAO scientific advisory group held in Rome on July 7-8. The Almosi Valley has become the first and only site in Central Asia with the status of “globally important agricultural heritage system”.

    “Until now, only 12 sites in the Europe and Central Asia region have been included in FAO’s Agricultural Heritage List… Now, the Almosi Valley in Tajikistan has joined them, becoming a bridge between Central Asia’s rich natural and cultural heritage and the international community,” said Kaveh Zahedi, Director of FAO’s Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment Division. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Secures Ruling to Allow Idaho Forest Landscape Resilience Project to Proceed

    Source: US State of California

    Last week, a ruling from the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho cleared the way for the Forest Service’s Buckskin Saddle Project on the Panhandle National Forest to proceed. The forest is in northwest Idaho’s panhandle region, and the project area includes approximately 13,000 acres of timber harvest and approximately 6,500 acres of noncommercial fuel reduction treatment.

    The district court rejected a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) challenge to the project, which is designed to reduce fire hazards and improve forest landscape resilience. Specifically, the court found that the Forest Service complied with NEPA in all respects, including its summary of how the proposed treatments would meet the tree-size and composition goals set by the forest plan for the project area and its assessment of the effects of the project on wildlife species that rely on large tree habitat. The decision is subject to appeal in the Ninth Circuit.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement.

    Trial Attorney Hayley Carpenter of ENRD’s Natural Resources Section handled the case. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Secures Ruling to Allow Idaho Forest Landscape Resilience Project to Proceed

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Last week, a ruling from the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho cleared the way for the Forest Service’s Buckskin Saddle Project on the Panhandle National Forest to proceed. The forest is in northwest Idaho’s panhandle region, and the project area includes approximately 13,000 acres of timber harvest and approximately 6,500 acres of noncommercial fuel reduction treatment.

    The district court rejected a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) challenge to the project, which is designed to reduce fire hazards and improve forest landscape resilience. Specifically, the court found that the Forest Service complied with NEPA in all respects, including its summary of how the proposed treatments would meet the tree-size and composition goals set by the forest plan for the project area and its assessment of the effects of the project on wildlife species that rely on large tree habitat. The decision is subject to appeal in the Ninth Circuit.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement.

    Trial Attorney Hayley Carpenter of ENRD’s Natural Resources Section handled the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Quigley Calls for Protection of National Parks; Highlights Threats They Face

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

    This week, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Co-Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), concluded his tenth Climate Change Tour of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and announced the re-introduction of his National Parks protection legislation, the Reducing Waste in National Parks Act.

    “For a decade, my National Park Climate Change Tours have allowed us a firsthand look at how climate change damages our parks’ plants, wildlife, and waterways. During our visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I visited places like Chilhowee Lake and learned about habitat restoration efforts to protect endangered fish populations and ensure ecological diversity,” said Quigley. “This year, we also spent time visiting with nearby towns that were hit by Hurricane Helene, where we discussed the importance of federal services to rebuilding and fighting severe weather. The Great Smoky Mountains are ultimately just one of the many national treasures threatened by extreme weather, rising carbon emissions, and plastic pollution. We all have to work together to fight that threat.”

    Last month, Trump’s Secretary of the Interior, Doug Bergum, reversed the Interior Department’s policy to phase out single-use plastics across national parks and other public lands. The Biden policy, modeled after Obama-era guidelines, banned the sale and distribution of unnecessary single-use plastic products, like bottles and plastic foam foodware, in protected areas. 

    The Reducing Waste in National Parks Act would restore Biden’s policy, codifying a call for the National Park Service to decrease the availability of single-use plastics in parks. U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

    “Oregonians and Americans love our national parks, but instead of protecting them from dangerous plastic pollution, Secretary Burgum is dead set on reopening the floodgates to plastic in our parks,” said Senator Merkley, Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. “Single-use plastics threaten our natural treasures and the ability of folks to enjoy their beauty. As the Trump Administration continues to recklessly endanger natural wonders and wildlife nationwide—just like during the first administration—I’ll keep fighting to protect and preserve our parks and public lands so they can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

    “Our national parks should be full of scenic views and free of plastic pollution,” said Christy Leavitt, Campaign Director at Oceana. “Reducing single-use plastics in our national parks is a win for wildlife and the millions of visitors who come to enjoy these remarkable places. Plastics can persist in our oceans and environment for years and years, fouling the landscape and harming fragile ecosystems. We applaud Sen. Merkley and Rep. Quigley for closing the floodgates of plastic pollution and standing up for plastic-free parks.”

    “We greatly appreciate Rep. Quigley’s enduring leadership in helping to ensure that the National Park Service takes action to reduce plastic disposable waste in our parks, ” said Madeleine Foote, Healthy Communities Program Director at the League of Conservation Voters. “The Park Service had made considerable progress towards their goal of eliminating single-use plastics by 2032, and it’s incredibly disappointing to see this new administration reversing course. We commend Rep. Quigley, and other members like him, who are working to protect our public lands, waters, and special places for generations to come.”

    During his Climate Change Tour of the Great Smoky Mountains, Quigley and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06), Jared Huffman (CA-02), and Maxine Dexter (OR-03) saw the impacts of climate change on our National Parks firsthand. They also learned from subject matter experts about the tactics deployed to combat the effects of climate change and the measures that could be implemented going forward to help adapt to coming climate impacts. The Reducing Waste in National Parks Act is just one federal initiative that will help these experts in their mission to preserve our nation’s precious natural treasures.

    “Our national parks are among our most important American treasures,” said Representative Casten. “I was honored to join my colleagues this past week in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to see local efforts to preserve crucial ecosystems and ensure that our parks will be around for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. I also appreciated hearing directly from folks managing the recovery and rehabilitation efforts following Hurricane Helene and look forward to taking what we learned back to Washington to help mitigate the next climate-driven extreme weather disaster.”

    “Visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park made one thing clear: our national parks represent the best of America — clean air, clear water, thriving wildlife, and shared spaces for all of us to enjoy. But Trump’s Interior Department would rather flood them with single-use plastics than protect these national treasures. We should be investing in resilience, restoration, and partnerships that strengthen these lands—not selling them out to polluters,” said Representative Huffman, Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee. “I’m proud to back Rep. Quigley’s Reducing Waste in National Parks Act to keep plastics out of our parks and ensure future generations inherit public lands that are healthy and thriving.”

    The Reducing Waste in National Parks Act would:

    • Restore the previous Interior Department policy of phasing out single-use plastic products across national parks and other public lands. 
    • Decrease the availability of single-use plastic products, like bottles and plastic foam foodware, in protected areas by banning their sale and distribution.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: New Analysis of Five Major U.S. LNG Export Projects Finds Every One Fails the “Climate Test” 

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    For Immediate Release 

    July 9, 2025

    Contacts: Katie Nelson, Greenpeace USA, [email protected], +1 (678) 644-1681, (GMT -8)

    Rebecca Stoner, Oil Change International, [email protected], +1 (917) 561-2607, (GMT -4)

    As the Trump administration barrels forward with its pro-fossil fuel agenda, and European and Asian governments and financial institutions debate whether to increase investments in U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) projects, a report published today by Greenpeace USA, Earthworks, and Oil Change International highlights the climate threats and financial risks posed by five major new liquefied gas export projects proposed for the United States Gulf Coast, all but one of them still awaiting a final investment decision. 

    “What we found was crystal clear – any further investment in LNG is not compatible with a livable climate,” says Andres Chang, Senior Research Specialist at Greenpeace USA and lead author of the report. “The massive growth in infrastructure along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast has already created significant public health and ecosystem impacts, threatening entire coastal communities. But it doesn’t stop there. We believe this report shows that if built, these projects would put global climate goals even further out of reach.” 

    The report analyzes five major U.S. LNG projects – Venture Global CP2, Cameron LNG Phase II, Sabine Pass Stage V, Cheniere Corpus Christi LNG Midscale 8-9 [1], and Freeport LNG Expansion – and finds that each and every one fails a “climate test” derived from models in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2024 LNG Export public interest studies. Contrary to industry claims, the report shows that decreasing methane venting and leaking during gas drilling, transportation, and liquefaction is not enough to make these projects “climate neutral.” 

    “Focusing the Department of Energy’s model on individual US LNG terminals that are yet to be built, we found that they all result in increased greenhouse gas emissions because they pollute the climate, displace renewable energy, and drive up gas demand,” says Lorne Stockman, Oil Change International Research Director and report co-author. “It is very clear that governments, investors, and insurers must stop supporting the reckless LNG buildout now and instead invest in a rapid and just transition to renewable energy that will protect our communities from toxic pollution and climate-fueled superstorms.” 

    Future administrations could revoke export authorizations that were rubber-stamped under Trump based on their failure to pass the DOE “climate test,” which introduces a new layer of uncertainty to these already-risky projects. This report adds to a rapidly growing body of evidence that financing U.S. LNG is not a sound decision for insurers, investors, or purchasers – something the EU and America’s Asian allies must keep in mind as President Trump pressures them to increase their imports of U.S. LNG under threat of sweeping tariffs. “Countries with climate commitments, such as those in the EU, should be very wary of the climate cost of importing US LNG,” says Dr. Dakota Raynes, Senior Manager of Research, Policy, and Data at Earthworks and report co-author.

    “Fossil fuel dependency has long externalized its true costs, forcing communities to bear the burden of pollution, sickness, and economic instability,” says James Hiatt, founder and director of For a Better Bayou. “For decades the oil and gas industry has known about the devastating health and climate impacts of its operations, yet it continues to expand, backed by billions in private and public financing. These harms are not isolated – they’re systemic, and they threaten all of us. This report is a call to conscience. It’s time we stop propping up deadly false solutions and start investing in a transition to energy systems that sustain life, not sacrifice it.”

    Notes:

    Read the full report here. 

    A recording of yesterday’s press briefing with authors, community members, and other subject experts can be found here. 

    [1] As of the drafting of the report, all five were awaiting a final investment decision. On June 24, 2025, Cheniere Corpus Christi LNG announced a positive final investment decision. 

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    Oil Change International campaigns to expose the true costs of fossil fuels and facilitate the ongoing transition towards clean energy. Oil Change International is dedicated to identifying and overcoming barriers to that transition.
    Earthworks protects communities and the environment from the adverse impacts of mineral and energy development while promoting sustainable solutions.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Introduce Bill to Support Veterans Exposed to Radiation and Toxins While Serving in Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced a bill to ensure servicemembers and veterans who served at classified locations within the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) since 1951 are able to prove that they served there, and can finally get the PACT Act benefits they deserve following exposure to radiation and toxins. 
    From the 1950s through the 1990s, the NTTR – and the Nevada Test Site contained within it – conducted over 900 explosive nuclear weapons tests and other dangerous, toxic activities. Currently, due to issues with the classified nature of their location while serving, veterans who served at the NTTR are unable to prove their service there to the VA and, therefore, are unable to receive care and benefits connected with exposure to radiation and toxins from burn pits. The Fighting for the Overlooked Recognition of Groups Operating in Toxic Test Environments in Nevada (FORGOTTEN) Veterans Act would help to correct a historic wrong and inequity by officially recognizing the risk that veterans assumed during their service at the NTTR, and other Department of Energy (DOE) Covered Facilities, where DOE employees are already automatically presumed to have been exposed, while the servicemembers who served alongside them are not. Senator Rosen also worked to secure commitments from multiple high-ranking military officials to address this care gap.
    “Veterans have been exposed to radiation and toxic chemicals as a result of their selfless service to our nation, and the least we can do is ensure they get the treatment they need,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m introducing this bill to recognize the radiation and toxic exposure experienced at the Nevada Test and Training Range so our veterans can access the care and benefits they deserve. It is unconscionable that one U.S. government agency deems portions of the range as contaminated and their personnel exposed, while another U.S. government agency does not. I’ll continue working to make sure we take care of our veterans and their loved ones.”
    “As a nation, it is our obligation to take care of all veterans once their service has ended,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This is especially true for veterans of the Nevada Test and Training Range, who faced toxic exposure daily as part of their duties and should have parity with their civilian counterparts. I will continue to push for these brave men and women to receive the care and benefits they’re due.”
    “Today, after decades of denial by our own government, the veterans who were exposed to toxic radiation and materials on the Nevada Test and Training Range are closer than ever to getting the recognition and benefits they’ve earned,” said Dave Crete, Chairman of The Invisible Enemy, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans who have experienced toxic exposure at the Nevada Test and Training Range. “We thank Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto for making the FORGOTTEN Veterans Act a legislative priority in the U.S. Senate, and all of our allies in Congress who are dedicated to righting this wrong, and securing justice for the brave men and women who risked their lives and lost their lives fighting this invisible enemy.”
    The FORGOTTEN Veterans Act would: 

    Classify the Nevada Test and Training Range as contaminated.
    Require the Department of Defense (DOD) to document all exposures, including those that occur domestically, into the servicemember’s Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record, so it can be seen by the VA when servicemembers transition to civilian life, while still protecting the classified nature of the location of their service. 
    Require the Secretary of the Air Force to identify all those who served within the NTTR since January 27, 1951, establish a process for servicemembers and veterans to provide proof of their assignment within the NTTR, and make all efforts to identify individuals, without requiring them to submit evidence of their stationing.
    Establish a presumption of toxic exposure for DOD personnel who served at any Department of Energy (DOE) Covered Facilities – such as those within the NTTR – where DOE employees have a presumption of exposure and are covered under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. One such DOE-covered facility within the NTTR is the Tonopah Test Range, which is both a DOE and DOD installation. 
    Add service at military installations within the NTTR to the list of recognized “radiation-risk activities” under VA law, dating back to January 27, 1951, including veterans who participated in the development, construction, operation, or maintenance of military installations at NTTR—beyond just nuclear test observers.
    Establish a presumption of toxic exposure for veterans who served on or above NTTR, easing the burden of proof in VA claims.
    Expand presumptive conditions for service connection by adding lipomas and tumor-related conditions to the list of automatically presumed service-connected illnesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Introduce Bill to Support Veterans Exposed to Radiation and Toxins While Serving in Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced a bill to ensure servicemembers and veterans who served at classified locations within the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) since 1951 are able to prove that they served there, and can finally get the PACT Act benefits they deserve following exposure to radiation and toxins. 
    From the 1950s through the 1990s, the NTTR – and the Nevada Test Site contained within it – conducted over 900 explosive nuclear weapons tests and other dangerous, toxic activities. Currently, due to issues with the classified nature of their location while serving, veterans who served at the NTTR are unable to prove their service there to the VA and, therefore, are unable to receive care and benefits connected with exposure to radiation and toxins from burn pits. The Fighting for the Overlooked Recognition of Groups Operating in Toxic Test Environments in Nevada (FORGOTTEN) Veterans Act would help to correct a historic wrong and inequity by officially recognizing the risk that veterans assumed during their service at the NTTR, and other Department of Energy (DOE) Covered Facilities, where DOE employees are already automatically presumed to have been exposed, while the servicemembers who served alongside them are not. Senator Rosen also worked to secure commitments from multiple high-ranking military officials to address this care gap.
    “Veterans have been exposed to radiation and toxic chemicals as a result of their selfless service to our nation, and the least we can do is ensure they get the treatment they need,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m introducing this bill to recognize the radiation and toxic exposure experienced at the Nevada Test and Training Range so our veterans can access the care and benefits they deserve. It is unconscionable that one U.S. government agency deems portions of the range as contaminated and their personnel exposed, while another U.S. government agency does not. I’ll continue working to make sure we take care of our veterans and their loved ones.”
    “As a nation, it is our obligation to take care of all veterans once their service has ended,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This is especially true for veterans of the Nevada Test and Training Range, who faced toxic exposure daily as part of their duties and should have parity with their civilian counterparts. I will continue to push for these brave men and women to receive the care and benefits they’re due.”
    “Today, after decades of denial by our own government, the veterans who were exposed to toxic radiation and materials on the Nevada Test and Training Range are closer than ever to getting the recognition and benefits they’ve earned,” said Dave Crete, Chairman of The Invisible Enemy, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans who have experienced toxic exposure at the Nevada Test and Training Range. “We thank Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto for making the FORGOTTEN Veterans Act a legislative priority in the U.S. Senate, and all of our allies in Congress who are dedicated to righting this wrong, and securing justice for the brave men and women who risked their lives and lost their lives fighting this invisible enemy.”
    The FORGOTTEN Veterans Act would: 
    Classify the Nevada Test and Training Range as contaminated.
    Require the Department of Defense (DOD) to document all exposures, including those that occur domestically, into the servicemember’s Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record, so it can be seen by the VA when servicemembers transition to civilian life, while still protecting the classified nature of the location of their service. 
    Require the Secretary of the Air Force to identify all those who served within the NTTR since January 27, 1951, establish a process for servicemembers and veterans to provide proof of their assignment within the NTTR, and make all efforts to identify individuals, without requiring them to submit evidence of their stationing.
    Establish a presumption of toxic exposure for DOD personnel who served at any Department of Energy (DOE) Covered Facilities – such as those within the NTTR – where DOE employees have a presumption of exposure and are covered under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. One such DOE-covered facility within the NTTR is the Tonopah Test Range, which is both a DOE and DOD installation. 
    Add service at military installations within the NTTR to the list of recognized “radiation-risk activities” under VA law, dating back to January 27, 1951, including veterans who participated in the development, construction, operation, or maintenance of military installations at NTTR—beyond just nuclear test observers.
    Establish a presumption of toxic exposure for veterans who served on or above NTTR, easing the burden of proof in VA claims.
    Expand presumptive conditions for service connection by adding lipomas and tumor-related conditions to the list of automatically presumed service-connected illnesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –