The Government has today opened public consultation on options to reform New Zealand’s freshwater national direction Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. National direction refers to rules and policies sitting under the Resource Management Act (RMA) that inform how councils develop and implement local plans and rules. The Government is today releasing three discussion documents proposing amendments to 12 different instruments and the introduction of four new instruments, centred on three packages: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater. “This is a key step toward restoring balance in how freshwater is managed across the country and ensuring the interests of all water users, including farmers, growers, and rural communities, are properly reflected,” Mr McClay says. This move follows the Government’s decisive intervention in 2024 to stop the Otago Regional Council from pushing ahead with a freshwater plan that would have imposed unnecessary costs and uncertainty on rural landowners. “Regional councils must work within national direction that is fit for purpose, not pursue agendas that undermine local economies or the people who rely on the land,” Mr McClay says. “We’re committed to a freshwater system that protects the environment while also supporting the people who feed and grow New Zealand,” Mr Hoggard says. “The current rules are too complex, too expensive, and too often ignore the practical realities of landowners. We’re fixing that.” The consultation proposes replacing the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 and related regulations with a more practical, efficient, and regionally adaptable system. “The current system’s Te Mana o te Wai has caused frustration across rural New Zealand, with some councils applying it in a way that sidelines the very people working to improve water outcomes,” Mr Hoggard says. “Farmers aren’t asking for a free pass – they’re asking for a fair go,” Mr McClay says. “We won’t stand by while councils weaponise Te Mana o te Wai, to push ideology over common sense. It must reflect the importance of freshwater to all New Zealanders.” The proposed changes would:
Replace the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 and the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater; Give councils greater flexibility to balance environmental goals with economic impacts and allow longer timeframes to reach targets where needed; Remove unnecessary consents for practices like crop rotation and enable commercial domestic vegetable growing; Support long-term water security by enabling water storage; Improve the protection of drinking water sources; and Review and simplify data requirements under synthetic nitrogen fertiliser regulations.
These are practical, farmer-focused reforms will restore confidence and reduce red tape, while still delivering environmental gains. “We’ve heard from farmers across the country that nationally determined bottom lines are not always appropriate and can be unachievable even in some catchments dominated by native bush. They also take away flexibility from local communities to achieve the environmental outcomes they want,” Mr Hoggard says. “We’re putting outcomes ahead of process and backing rural New Zealand to be part of the solution,” Mr McClay says. Public consultation is now open on the Ministry for the Environment’s ‘Have Your Say’ website and will run until 27 July 2025. Submissions from all New Zealanders are encouraged. This is the first of a two-stage process. Feedback will inform final decisions on what to amend in national direction, with a draft set of proposals to follow later in the year. Note to Editors: Fact sheet attached:
Freshwater consultation packageNational direction includes national policy statements, environmental standards, and other RMA instruments that guide how regional and local councils manage resources. Updated direction is critical to ensure consistent, practical, and efficient freshwater management across New Zealand.
Visit the MfE website [https://environment.govt.nz/news/consultation-on-updating-rma-national-direction] to take part in the consultation
The Government has opened public consultation on the biggest change to national direction in New Zealand history, with proposals to make it easier to consent quarries and mines to enable more infrastructure development. National direction refers to rules and policies sitting under the Resource Management Act (RMA) that inform how councils develop and implement local plans and rules.
The Government is today releasing three discussion documents proposing amendments to 12 different instruments and the introduction of four new instruments, centred on three packages: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater.
“New Zealand has a massive infrastructure deficit, but to build and maintain more infrastructure we need quarries and mines. The RMA makes it far too difficult for these types of projects to get consent,” Mr Bishop says. “Addressing this is critical to boosting economic growth, improving living standards and meeting future challenges posed by natural hazards and climate change. “We’ve already repealed Labour’s botched RMA reforms and made a series of quick and targeted amendments to remove unnecessary regulations for primary industries as well as barriers to investment in development and infrastructure. We’ve also passed the Fast-track Approvals Act to make it much easier to deliver projects with regional or nationally significant benefits – and the first projects are already going through the Fast-track process. “Next year we’ll replace the RMA with new legislation premised on property rights. Our new system will provide a framework that makes it easier to plan and deliver infrastructure, quarrying and mining projects, as well as protecting the environment. “In the meantime we’re making targeted, quick changes through our second RMA amendment Bill which is expected back from the Environment Committee next month, and to national direction.” The proposed changes include amendments to quarrying and mining provisions in four existing national direction instruments:
National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity 2023 National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land 2022 National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020.
“The Coalition Government is committed to utilising New Zealand’s mineral reserves to boost regional opportunities and jobs, increase our self-sufficiency, improve energy security and resilience, and drive our export-led focus for economic recovery. The length of time it takes to navigate various consenting processes for a major mining project in New Zealand is costing us dearly in missed economic opportunities that could lift living standards for our regional communities and supercharge productivity,” Mr Jones says. “A mining operator currently needs to navigate the often contradictory and confusing requirements of many national direction instruments. By amending these instruments to remove duplication and provide more clarity, we are reducing costs and inefficiencies and providing the certainty potential investors and operators need to take well-designed projects forward – something our regulatory regime has long lacked. I want to be clear – we are cutting red tape and barriers, not corners. There are no shortcuts in terms of robust planning and rigorous consideration of environmental protections.” Consultation on these proposals will remain open until 27 July 2025. The Government intends to have 16 new or updated national direction instruments in place by the end of this year. Note’s to editor: Quarrying and mining amendments to National Policy Statements and National Environmental Standards The Government has committed to unlocking development capacity for housing and business growth, and to boost mineral exports. To support this, locally sourced aggregate and minerals are needed. This targeted amendment for quarrying and mining, aims to make the consent pathways and gateway tests for quarrying and mining affecting wetlands, significant natural areas (SNAs) and highly productive land (HPL) more enabling, and to ensure the policies are more consistent across the:
National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB) 2023 National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL) 2022 National Environmental Standard for Freshwater (NES-F) 2020 National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) 2020.
Key proposals to change these instruments are: To amend wetland quarrying and mining provisions across NPS-FM, NES-F, NPSIB and NPS-HPL to make them more enabling and more consistent, which involves:
adding ‘operational need’ to the gateway tests for mining and quarrying activities that may adversely affect wetlands under the NES-F and NPS-FM changing a few words in the NPSIB and NPS-HPL SNA and HPL mining and quarrying exceptions for SNAs and HPL to: clarify that essential related (ancillary) activities for mining and quarrying have a consent pathway and use consistent terminology remove “that could not otherwise be achieved using resources within New Zealand” and the requirement for benefits to be ‘public’ and allow regional benefits of mining to be considered.
Visit the MfE website [https://environment.govt.nz/news/consultation-on-updating-rma-national-direction] to take part in the consultation.
The Government is taking action to address the country’s housing crisis through the biggest package of proposed changes to national direction in New Zealand’s history, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka say. National direction refers to rules and policies sitting under the Resource Management Act (RMA) that inform how councils develop and implement local plans and rules. The Government is today releasing three discussion documents proposing amendments to 12 different instruments and the introduction of four new instruments, centred on three packages: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater. “The RMA is broken, and it’s a big part of the reason for many of New Zealand’s biggest problems with infrastructure, housing and energy,” Mr Bishop says. “Addressing this is critical to boosting economic growth, improving living standards and meeting future challenges posed by natural hazards and climate change. “We’ve already repealed Labour’s botched RMA reforms and are making a series of quick and targeted amendments to unlock land for housing, build infrastructure, and allow communities to share the benefits of growth. We’ve also passed the Fast-track Approvals Act to make it much easier to deliver projects with regional or nationally significant benefits – and the first projects including Delmore (1,250 residential dwellings in Auckland) are already going through the Fast-track process. “Next year we’ll replace the RMA with new legislation premised on property rights. Our new system will provide a framework that makes it easier to plan and deliver infrastructure and energy projects, as well as protecting the environment. “In the meantime we’re making targeted, quick changes through our second RMA amendment Bill which is expected back from the Environment Committee next month, and changes to national direction. “Addressing housing affordability and supply is a key focus for the Government. We want to make it easier for families to build a granny flat of up to 70 square metres on an existing property through proposed new National Environmental Standards for Granny Flats. This NES will require all councils to permit a granny flat on sites in rural, residential, mixed use, and Māori purpose zones without the need to gain a resource consent subject to certain conditions. It will sit alongside our parallel work to amend the Building Act to remove the need for a building consent for those same granny flats.” “Existing resource management rules are a barrier for Māori to build papakāinga housing on ancestral land. Our proposed new National Environmental Standard for Papakāinga would allow papakāinga on some rural land, residential zones, and Māori purpose zones, subject to certain conditions. It would enable Māori to develop papakāinga housing more efficiently and quickly,” Mr Potaka says. “We are committed to providing better housing options for whānau, and one of the ways we will achieve this is by making it easier for Māori landowners to unlock opportunities for their whenua. “Currently, inconsistent rules for building papakāinga in council district and unitary plans across the country are preventing Māori landowners from using their land to house their whānau, exercise autonomy over their whenua, and build wealth. “We’re proposing to introduce a consistent national framework – called National Environmental Standards – that will reduce consenting inconsistencies, remove planning barriers, and make consenting less costly and complex. “If accepted, consenting standards would become uniform across the country, regardless of which district plan the land falls under, and small-scale – up to 10 homes – papakāinga would no longer require resource consent. “These changes, developed in consultation with papakāinga and Māori planning experts, will reduce bureaucracy and make it easier for Māori landowners to develop papakāinga so more whānau are able to live in warm, dry, healthy, affordable housing. “Papakāinga provide multiple benefits to whānau, hapū and Iwi. As well as economic, social, and wellbeing benefits, papakāinga provide holistic and cultural benefits because our connection to the whenua is such a key part of being Māori. “This proposal would also complement our granny flats policy. Together the two proposals provide options for Māori to build on their existing assets. While the papakāinga development provides more scope for multiple homes on communally owned Māori land, the granny flats policy provides an option for homeowners to build one additional dwelling on their residential property without consent building or resource consent.” Consultation on these proposals will remain open until 27 July 2025. The Government intends to have 16 new or updated national direction instruments in place by the end of this year. Note’s to editor: Infrastructure and development is one of three national direction packages released today as part of the Government’s wider reform of the resource management system. The other two packages cover changes for the primary sector and freshwater management. Visit the MfE website [https://environment.govt.nz/news/consultation-on-updating-rma-national-direction] to take part in the consultation.
Source: Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association
Headline: Media release: Pioneering marine turtle conservation project takes out top prize at energy industry awards – Australian Energy Producers
A decade-long environmental initiative led by Queensland’s LNG operators has taken out the top honour at the 2025 Australian Energy Producers Excellence Awards, held last night as part of the annual Conference and Exhibition in Brisbane.
The joint initiative from ConocoPhillips APLNG, Shell QGC, and Santos GLNG received the prestigious Chair’s Award for the Gladstone Long Term Turtle Management Plan – Pioneering Marine Turtle Conservation: A Decade of Industry Collaboration and Environmental Excellence.
The project, which exceeded regulatory requirements and achieved transformative outcomes, was recognised for setting a new benchmark in industry-led environmental stewardship.
It significantly advanced scientific understanding of marine turtle ecology and showcased exceptional collaboration between energy producers and environmental scientists.
Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said the Chair’s Award recognises the best of the best, and the awards judges agreed this year’s winner exemplified long-term leadership, collaboration and innovation.
“This initiative not only protected vulnerable marine species but built lasting scientific partnerships that will benefit environmental research for years to come,” Ms McCulloch said.
“The winner of this year’s Chair’s Award demonstrated initiative, collaboration and positive outcomes that stood out among such a quality field on finalists.
“On behalf of our industry, I congratulate all the finalists and award recipients recognised tonight, who are showcasing just some of the extraordinary work our industry is doing around Australia,” Ms McCulloch said.
The annual awards celebrate outstanding achievements in environmental management, workplace safety, community engagement and workforce development. Winners in each category demonstrated excellence and innovation that is shaping the future of Australia’s energy industry.
Award Winners
Environment Project Excellence Award
ConocoPhillips Australia (on behalf of ConocoPhillips APLNG, Shell QGC, and Santos GLNG): Gladstone Long Term Turtle Management Plan
Awarded for its ground-breaking, collaborative approach to environmental research that set a new industry standard and significantly enhanced understanding of marine turtle ecology.
Recognised for achieving zero significant safety incidents across 360,000+ work hours on a complex offshore decommissioning project through strong safety culture and team engagement.
Community Development Excellence Award
Woodside Energy: Roebourne Pathways Program
Awarded for its innovative, community-led early childhood development program in Roebourne, which increased Aboriginal employment and parental engagement in a culturally sensitive framework.
Workforce Development Excellence Award
Santos: Real Thrives Here Program
Recognised for transforming the employee experience through a company-wide initiative designed to energise its workforce in tackling the challenges of the energy transition.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Senator Markey joined by local leaders, advocates in Chelsea
Boston (May 28, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-chair of the Senate Climate Change Task Force and a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today hosted a walking tour and press conference in Chelsea after the Trump administration announced the termination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, cancelling over $90 million in climate resilience funding for Massachusetts communities. The canceled funding includes $50 million awarded to the cities of Chelsea and Everett for their Island End River Coastal Flood Resilience Project. The project includes the construction of a storm surge barrier and storm surge control facility, as well as ecological restoration of the marshes in the Mystic River tributary. With cancelled funding, this multi-year effort to protect residents and businesses from flooding is now at risk.
“To rip away $50 million of federal funding from Chelsea and Everett is an act of climate injustice. The Trump administration’s reckless decision to terminate disaster resiliency funding not only harms communities on the frontline of the climate crisis but also has repercussions far beyond,” said Senator Markey. “This funding isn’t a budget line—it’s a lifeline for our constituents. Cancelling it will directly harm our constituents and our economy. It will cost us as we pay and pay and pay again to clean up and rebuild flood after flood that are only becoming more frequent and more severe. It is penny wise and billions of destruction and damage foolish. For months, the Trump administration has made it clear they do not care about our health, safety, or resiliency, and they do not care about the long-term, long-dreamed visions of our communities to build a future safe from climate change.”
Senator Markey was joined on the walking tour and at the press conference by Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez; State Senator Sal DiDomenico; State Representative Judith Garcia; Gladys Vega, Executive Director of La Colaborativa; and John Walkey, Director of Climate Justice & Waterfront Initiatives at GreenRoots.
The Government is driving economic growth in the regions by investing $2.6 million in 152 regional events, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says. “I’m thrilled with the variety of exciting events on offer, encouraging more New Zealanders to enjoy and explore our beautiful country beyond the main centres,” Louise Upston says. “Events include the National Waka Ama Sprint Championships in Waikato, the National Jazz Festival in the Bay of Plenty, the 2026 Hokitika Wildfoods Festival, and NZ Premier Motorsport Summer Series events around the country. “Some of the new events coming to the regions include the Whakapapa Festival, a non-skiing event occurring over June 2026, and Summernats NZ, a car festival in the Waikato.” “I’m particularly pleased to support events in regions which traditionally don’t see as many domestic tourists,” Louise Upston says. “Investing in these events has a direct impact, with visitors spending money in local cafes, businesses and accommodation providers, driving economic activity in our communities. “By growing regional tourism, our remote and rural communities can benefit from the economic opportunities it brings. “Events are excellent drawcards to get more visitors into our regions, particularly in quieter parts of the year for the tourism and hospitality sector. “New Zealand is open for business, and we encourage both Kiwis and international visitors alike to explore and enjoy what New Zealand has to offer.” Funding comes from the $5 million Regional Events Promotion Fund. Over its two rounds, the Fund has invested in 284 regional events. The full list of funding recipients is available on the MBIE website. Note to editors:
The Regional Events Promotion Fund was a contestable fund over two financial years to support regions to host local events attracting domestic tourists. The Fund was established using $5 million from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy ($2.375 million for round one and $2.652 million for round two).
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
1. On the results of the passage of housing and communal services enterprises and electric power industry entities in the autumn-winter period of 2024-2025 and the tasks of preparing for the passage of the autumn-winter period of 2025-2026
2. On the draft federal law “On the execution of the federal budget for 2024”
3. On the draft federal law “On ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the United Arab Emirates on the elimination of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and capital, and on the prevention of tax avoidance and evasion”
The bill aims to ratify the agreement signed in Abu Dhabi on February 17, 2025.
4. On the implementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of state programs of the Russian Federation based on the results of 2024
The materials of the Consolidated Report contain information on the assessment of the effectiveness of 37 state programs.
5. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Article 33332–1 of Part Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation”
The bill is aimed at forming a common market for veterinary drugs within the Eurasian Economic Union.
6. On Amending the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 30, 2004 No. 327 (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance)
The draft act is aimed at granting Rosselkhoznadzor the right to establish departmental awards.
7. On amendments to certain acts of the Government of the Russian Federation (in terms of amendments to the Regulation on the Federal Agency for Fisheries)
The development of the draft act was dictated by the lack of authority of the Federal Agency for Fisheries to create a certification commission, which is necessary to conduct, in the established manner, the certification of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Northern Expeditionary Squad for Emergency Rescue Operations” and the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Far Eastern Expeditionary Squad for Emergency Rescue Operations”, subordinate to the Federal Agency for Fisheries, which carry out emergency rescue operations to ensure the safety of fishing vessels in fishing areas during fishing.
8. On the draft federal law “On the execution of the budget of the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund for 2024”
9. On amendments to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 19, 2012 No. 608 (in terms of amendments to the Regulation on the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation)
The draft resolution supplements the provision with a new authority to approve the procedure for providing representatives of a medical insurance organization with consultations to insured persons in filing claims against medical organizations in connection with refusal to provide medical care or poor-quality medical care and the collection of funds for the provision of medical care.
10. On the draft federal law “On Amending Article 49 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation”
The bill was developed with the aim of improving the legal regulation of the procedure for concluding lease agreements in relation to federal real estate of civil aviation airfields.
11. On the distribution of subsidies to the budgets of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Zaporizhia region and the Kherson region
The development of the draft act is dictated by the need to bring public roads of regional, inter-municipal or local significance, including the street road network, into compliance with the regulatory requirements by 2025.
12. On the allocation to the Ministry of Construction of Russia in 2025 of budgetary allocations reserved in the federal budget for the provision of subsidies to the budgets of the Republic of Kalmykia and the Pskov Region for the implementation of measures to modernize the public utility infrastructure
The draft order is aimed at achieving the goals of the national project “Infrastructure for Life”.
13. On the allocation to the Ministry of Construction of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation of budgetary appropriations for the provision of one-time financial assistance in the form of a subsidy to the budget of the Saratov Region
The draft order proposes to allocate additional funds to the Saratov Region budget for the implementation of measures to improve public and courtyard areas.
14. On the draft federal law “On the execution of the budget of the Pension and Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation for 2024”
15. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 151 and 18 of the Federal Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation”
The bill is aimed at improving the implementation of state migration policy, as well as legal regulation of issues related to the need for foreign citizens to confirm their proficiency in the Russian language, knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of legislation.
16. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 35 and 38 of the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation”
The adoption of the bill will make it possible to avoid refusal to register a list of candidates, candidates for single-mandate (multi-mandate) electoral districts due to the expiration of the statutory deadline for submitting documents required for registration, if the failure to comply with this deadline was caused by a refusal to certify the list of candidates, the list of candidates for single-mandate (multi-mandate) electoral districts and this refusal was cancelled or recognized as illegal.
17. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 3 and 9 of the Federal Law “On Combating the Legalization (Laundering) of Criminally Obtained Incomes and the Financing of Terrorism”
The implementation of the draft federal law will improve the effectiveness of the national system for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
18. On Amendments to Certain Acts of the Government of the Russian Federation (in terms of amendments to the Regulation on the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision)
The draft act is aimed at bringing certain provisions of the regulation into line with current legislation.
Moscow, May 28, 2025
The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)
Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) nominated 15 community projects in Washington’s 1st Congressional District for dedicated Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) funding. The projects, totaling more than $40 million, include road and trail upgrades, water infrastructure projects, and public safety improvements.
“The requests submitted in this year’s federal FY26 funding package continue to be a critical resource for our community, providing investments for programs that Washington’s 1st Congressional District needs to continue meeting the needs of our growing region,” said DelBene. “These 15 projects will enhance infrastructure, improve transportation services, guarantee access to safe drinking water, and expand early childhood education programs and access to health care, further strengthening our district.”
The 15 community projects spanning the 1st Congressional District include:
$14.1 million for projects in King County
$26.6 million for projects in Snohomish County
The projects submitted are listed below:
Applicant
Project
Amount
Description
City of Arlington
SR-531 Trail
$1,000,000
This project will build a multi-use trail to provide a safe pathway for pedestrians and bicyclists
City of Bellevue
Lake Washington Sanitary Sewer Lake Lines Program
$500,000
This project will help Bellevue and nearby areas plan to replace old sewer pipes along Lake Washington.
City of Bothell
Woodcrest Utility Replacement Project
$3,333,000
This project will replace the Woodcrest neighborhood’s failing water utilities and provide improved water infrastructure.
City of Kenmore
Environmentally Sustainable Public Works Operations Center
$2,400,000
This project will modernize infrastructure throughout Kenmore.
City of Marysville
156th St. NE Railroad Overcrossing Project
$5,000,000
This project will reinstate an overcrossing on the railroad track at 156th Street NE.
City of Monroe
Railroad Grade Separation
$1,400,000
This project will assess and design five critical railroad crossings to improve safety and emergency response.
City of Mountlake Terrace
Community Center Resiliency Project
$2,500,000
This project will fund repairs for the Mountlake Terrace emergency services shelter building
City of Redmond
AC Water Main Replacement
$3,500,000
This project will replace an asbestos-cement water pipe that has reached the end of its useful life.
City of Snohomish
Infrastructure Investments for Public Safety & City Services Campus
$5,000,000
This project will create a new safety campus for the City of Snohomish Fire and Police Departments while revitalizing critical infrastructure along Pine Ave and throughout the Pilchuck District.
Community Transit
Swift Green Line Extension Southern Terminal Facility
$3,800,000
This project will extend Sound Transit’s Green Line, connecting Canyon Park to downtown Bothell.
EvergreenHealth Monroe
EvergreenHealth Monroe Specialty Care Expansion
$3,000,000
This project will expand EvergreenHealth in Monroe’s specialty care facilities to improve medical services for residents.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
The Early Learning Center Childcare Project
$2,500,000
This project will allow Lake Washington Institute of Technology to expand its early childhood learning program.
Snohomish Conservation District
Natural Resources Center
$2,000,000
This project will create the Snohomish County Natural Resources Center, an all-ages educational facility.
Snohomish County
Alderwood Mall Parkway: SR525 to 168th St SW
$4,000,000
This project will widen the SR 525 Northbound On and Off Ramps.
Sno-Isle Intercounty Rural Library District
Lake Stevens Early Learning Library
$750,000
This project will fund the construction of a new, high-tech library
Descriptions of the 15 projects submitted by DelBene can be found here.
The House and Senate must reach an agreement on the FY26 package, which will determine which projects are ultimately approved and how much they are funded for. In previous years, DelBene secured a total of $44.4 million in dedicated federal funding for projects.
Project submissions came directly from non-profit, city, county, and Tribal entities. More information about the House FY26 government funding process can be found here.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqui Stuart, Postdoctoral Researcher in Marine Ecology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Antarctica is the world’s great cooling unit. This vital part of Earth’s climate system is largely powered by the annual freeze and melt of millions of square kilometres of sea ice around the continent.
Our research shows changes to this annual freeze cycle in McMurdo Sound can lead to shifts in the diversity of algal communities that live within the sea ice.
At the start of the southern winter, as sea water begins to freeze, it expels salt and forms heavy and very cold brine. This sinks to the seafloor, ultimately forming what’s known as Antarctic Bottom Water. This is then pumped out to the rest of the world through several major oceanic currents.
Historically, this cycle meant that Antarctica effectively doubled in size and the continent was surrounded by an enormous apron of sea ice at the peak of winter. But the changing climate is shifting this annual cycle.
Major ocean currents transport cold Antarctic Bottom Water out to the rest of the world. Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND
For the past decade, Antarctic sea ice has been in decline. It hasn’t been a steady trend, but each year since 2016 less sea ice has formed compared to historic averages.
Antarctica’s annual maximum sea ice extent in September 2023 was the lowest on record, with approximately 1.75 million square kilometres less sea ice than normal – an area equivalent to about 6.5 times the land area of Aotearoa.
Change happening at the continental scale is usually well documented and publicised. However, smaller, more local changes are also occurring in places such as McMurdo Sound, the home of Aotearoa New Zealand’s only Antarctic outpost.
For four of the last seven years, unseasonable winter southerly storms have been associated with significant delays in the timing of sea-ice formation within McMurdo Sound.
Where measurements were taken during these “unusual” years, the sea ice that formed later was thinner (1.5 metres compared to 2.5 metres) and had less snow cover (about 5 centimetres versus 15-30 centimetres) compared to the same locations during “typical” years.
Ken Ryan and Jacqui Stuart measuring the depth of sea ice and the sub-ice platelet layer in McMurdo Sound in 2022. Svenja Halfter, NIWA, CC BY-NC-ND
Icy reefs and algal meadows
Another type of ice, known as “platelet ice”, also appears to be affected by the later formation of sea ice.
A layer of platelet ice extends into the ocean below the sea ice in some regions around Antarctica, including McMurdo Sound. It is a fragile lattice structure made up of loosely consolidated plate-shaped ice crystals, creating an upside-down reef-like structure.
The resulting protective environment is a hot spot for primary productivity – microscopic algae that support the base of the marine food web. When sea ice forms later, the platelet ice doesn’t have as much time to accumulate beneath and can be metres thinner than beneath older ice (down to about 1 metre from more than 3 metres).
Scientist collecting cores of sea ice in McMurdo Sound. Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND
Why should we care about sea ice? Because, it isn’t just a frozen, lifeless sheet expanding out from the continent, broken by the odd silhouette of a seal or a gathering of penguins on the top.
Beneath the desolate surface, where ice meets water, green meadows of microalgae can spread out as far as the eye can see.
View from under the sea ice in McMurdo Sound, with the sub-ice platelet layer extending down into the water. The green-yellow tinge shows thriving microalgae living within the reef-like structure. Leigh Tate, NIWA, CC BY-NC-ND
Microalgae are single-cell, plant-like organisms that use sunlight to create energy. Similar to land-based meadows, they provide food for many other creatures. In winter, when other sources of food can be scarce, this sea-ice superstore plays a crucial role in feeding other inhabitants of McMurdo Sound.
Diminishing algal diversity under thinner sea ice
Our research indicates that when the sea ice forms later, microalgal communities living within the ice are also different. In later-forming sea ice, these vital communities are less diverse and dominated by fewer species.
Some species usually abundant in earlier-forming sea ice are absent or in low numbers when the sea ice forms later. Interestingly, though, it appears the quantity of microalgae in later-forming ice conditions is similar to “typical” ice. However, instead of being spread out through almost three metres depth of the platelet layer, they are crammed into a metre-thick habitat instead.
These microscopic snacks are diverse in shape, size and the roles they play in the ecosystem. It can help to think of microalgal communities as the produce section in the supermarket. Each type has preferred growing conditions and different nutritional values, producing varied quantities of important resources such as proteins, carbohydrates and fatty acids.
Microalgae come in different shapes, sizes and nutritional content, like fruits and vegetables. Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND
Imagine, one winter the weather is different and all that grows are cabbages and sweet peas. These won’t provide you with all the nutrients you need. This mirrors the problem when there is less diversity at the base of the food web. As the microalgal communities shift in the ways our research has observed, the quantity and quality of resources they provide are likely to change, too.
These early signals matter. They foreshadow wider ecological impacts, especially, if Antarctic sea ice continues to thin, retreat or form later each year.
We need more research to establish the nuances of these changes and the extent of their impact. But it is worth remembering that what happens at the base of the food web in Antarctica doesn’t necessarily stay there. These changes could ripple through ecosystems further afield with the potential to affect key fisheries in the Southern Ocean.
By paying close attention now, we have a chance to understand and adapt, to ensure ecosystems stay resilient in a changing world.
Natalie Robinson receives funding from the Marsden Fund and Antarctic Science Platform. She is affiliated with New Zealand Antarctic Society.
Jacqui Stuart 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.
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
Project to advance American mineral production
BEULAH, N.D. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined Talon Metals leadership to celebrate securing a former Westmoreland Mining site where the company will develop its Beulah Minerals Processing Facility (BMPF). This facility is slated to be the world’s most advanced nickel and copper minerals processing facility.
The BMPF will process nickel and copper, utilizing nickel ore from a Talon mine in Minnesota and the fly ash byproduct of Mercer County coal-fired power stations. The nickel concentrate processed at the Beulah facility will be used in cathodes for EV batteries, and the fly ash will help chemically neutralize and harden the tailings. The nickel concentrate and other byproducts, including cobalt and iron, from the Beulah facility will be used by Tesla for its EV batteries.
Cramer, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) and Armed Services Committees, delivered remarks at the signing ceremony today in Beulah.
“You could not over exaggerate the significance of today, or the significance of what’s about to happen at the Westmoreland site,” said Cramer. “Its contribution to economic opportunity will be significant to national security, global security, and domestic supply chain development. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.”
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded nearly $115 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Talon Metals for the construction of this facility, and Talon will provide a recipient cost share of nearly $320 million. This project includes workforce training in Mercer County and will offer employment opportunities to nearby communities and tribal members. The U.S. Department of Defense also awarded Talon over $20 million in Defense Production Act funding to increase exploration and development of domestic nickel.
Cramer is a longtime advocate for domestic critical minerals production, stressing the superiority of American labor and environmental standards and the importance of strategically decoupling supply chains from adversaries like China. He co-led a bipartisan letter with U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) to express their concerns regarding a potential critical mineral free trade agreement with Indonesia for the procurement of nickel. In 2022, Cramer also wrote a letter of support on behalf of Talon’s application to then-DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
A model for anticipatory action and integrated risk governance emerges in Brussels
Brussels, 27 May 2025 — As wildfire seasons grow longer and more destructive across Europe, driven by climate change and land-use pressures, a new strategy unveiled in Brussels last week aims to transform the continent’s approach to wildfire risk management.
At the heart of this shift is the Integrated Wildfire Risk Management (IWRM) Strategy for Europe, launched during a high-level event convened on 20–21 May by the Firelogue project and the EUResearch Executive Agency (REA). The strategy is the result of a multi-year collaboration between leading scientists, policymakers, and civil society actors, supported by the European Green Deal through projects such as FirEUrisk, FIRE-RES, SILVANUS, and TREEADS.
Framed by the urgency of increasing fire severity and shifting hazard patterns, the event brought together approximately 150 participants—from EU institutions and national governments to fire services, NGOs, and research networks—to explore how Europe can move toward a more proactive and integrated approach to wildfire risk.
Integrated and systemic governance
While wildfires have long been considered an issue for the Mediterranean, their geographic spread and intensity are now testing response systems across the continent. In this context, the IWRM Strategy signals a fundamental pivot: away from isolated emergency response toward systemic risk governance, in line with global resilience agendas such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The strategy offers a common framework for Member States and stakeholders to align efforts around shared goals, risk metrics, and governance structures. It emphasizes the need to build fire-resilient landscapes, improve coordination across sectors, and strengthen the capacity of local authorities to plan and act before disaster strikes.
“We are no longer dealing with exceptional events, but with recurring climate-driven risks that demand long-term, integrated solutions,” said Claudia Berchtold, one of the lead authors of the strategy paper.
Bridging Science, Policy, and Practice
Throughout the two-day event, attendees engaged in knowledge exchange and hands-on demonstrations that showcased how innovation can enhance preparedness. Tools presented included drone-based fire monitoring, mobile applications for rapid response, and immersive training environments using virtual reality.
Importantly, these technological advances are not stand-alone solutions. They are embedded within the strategy’s broader emphasis on data-informed decision-making, community engagement, and institutional learning. These align closely with UNDRR’s call for whole-of-society approaches and multi-stakeholder coordination in disaster risk reduction.
One keynote focused on the importance of stakeholder inclusion, particularly the empowerment of local and regional authorities who often bear the brunt of wildfire impacts. Another panel addressed the challenge of integrating early-warning systems with planning processes, land management, and social protection policies—key to reducing vulnerability and exposure.
Collaborative Risk Governance in Action
The event’s high-level roundtable included participation from the European Commission’s DG Environment, DG ECHO, and the Joint Research Centre, as well as international partners such as the World Bank. Discussions underscored the importance of interoperability between national systems and the role of cross-border partnerships in managing transboundary risk. To foster long-term collaboration, the strategy proposes integrated risk assessments, the creation of better collaboration at multiple scales e.g by the means of regional Fire Forums—multi-stakeholder platforms designed to facilitate joint planning, capacity-building, and peer learning across Europe. These would support the goals of both the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and global DRR frameworks by connecting practitioners, scientists, and policymakers in a continuous cycle of preparedness and adaptation.
Toward Fire-Smart Landscapes and Societies
In its closing session, the event turned toward the future. Project representatives reflected on four years of EU-funded research and laid out priorities for the coming decade: from scaling risk-reduction solutions to embedding wildfire preparedness into broader climate adaptation strategies.
“We need to act on the knowledge we’ve built—to invest in fire-smart landscapes, strengthen local capacities, and accelerate knowledge transfer,” said Krishna Chandramouli, another key contributor to the strategy.
For UNDRR and its partners, the IWRM Strategy offers not only a blueprint for Europe, but also a replicable model of how countries and regions can integrate disaster risk reduction into climate action, land management, and sustainable development planning. “It connects closely with the Making Cities Resilient 2030 Initiative and its recent report Flames of change: Innovating heat and wildfire governance for inclusive communities” say Andrew Mackey Bower, UNDRR Programme Management Officer who joined the event.
A Regional Strategy with Global Relevance
The Brussels event marked more than the launch of a new policy—it was a demonstration of what anticipatory action and collaborative risk governance can look like in practice. As wildfires grow more complex and interconnected, Europe’s strategy stands as a timely and relevant contribution to global DRR efforts.
Solar radio bursts, intense blasts of radio emission associated with solar flares, can wreak havoc on global navigation systems. Now, as part of the Ground Radio Lab campaign led by the University of Michigan and NASA’s SunRISE (Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment) mission, which is managed by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, high school and college students across the nation are collecting, processing, and analyzing space weather data to help better understand these bursts. Participating students have presented their findings at local science fairs and national conferences, including the Solar Heliospheric and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE) conference held in Juneau, Alaska in August 2024. These students sifted through thousands of hours of observations to identify and categorize solar radio bursts. Participating high schools receive free, self-paced online training modules sponsored by the SunRISE mission that cover a range of topics, including radio astronomy, space physics, and science data collection and analysis. Students and teachers participate in monthly webinars with space science and astronomy experts, build radio telescopes from kits, and then use these telescopes to observe low frequency emissions from the Sun and other objects like Jupiter and the Milky Way. Visit the Ground Radio Lab website to learn more about the new campaign and apply to participate.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) welcomes the launch of the United Nations Ocean Investment Protocol, a comprehensive new framework to align financial flows and business practices with the transition to a sustainable ocean economy. As a knowledge partner in its development, the EIB recognises the Protocol as a vital guide to scaling finance for a healthy and resilient ocean.
The United Nations Global Compact and the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) today unveiled the Protocol, which builds on the UN Global Compact Sustainable Ocean Principles and UNEP FI’s Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles. The Ocean Investment Protocol offers financial institutions, insurers, ocean industries, governments, and development finance institutions a clear pathway to collectively foster the growth of the Sustainable Ocean Economy and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG14 (“Life Below Water”).
As the largest supporter of the blue economy among development finance institutions, the EIB Group has committed €10.6 billion to blue economy projects between 2020 and 2024, mobilising €43 billion in total investments. The EIB was also a co-founder of the Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles in 2017, helping to set a global standard for responsible investment.
The release of the Ocean Investment Protocol comes at a pivotal moment, as global momentum builds around a nature-positive agenda, the urgent need to curb carbon emissions, and accelerating action to tackle plastic and chemical pollution. The Protocol is intended to galvanize multi-stakeholder collaboration in the run-up to major ocean, climate, and biodiversity milestones.
Key elements include:
Holistic Guidance for financial actors to manage environmental risks and pursue growth in sectors such as offshore renewables, sustainable seafood, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Data and Disclosure recommendations, promoting greater transparency on nature-related risks and impacts and aligning with global reporting frameworks, including the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, and science-based targets.
Sector-Specific Roadmaps outlining responsible financing and operational practices in shipping, tourism, fisheries, renewable energy and other key ocean industries.
Policy and Regulation Support to foster investment-ready environments, highlight the importance of marine spatial planning and encourage incentives for sustainable practices.
Catalytic Role of Development Finance in advancing pipeline development for the Sustainable Ocean Economy, especially in emerging markets and coastal communities most vulnerable to climate change.
“The UN Ocean Investment Protocol is a strong complement to the Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles, which the EIB co-founded,” said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. “It provides governments, financial institutions, insurers, and companies with the clarity and guidance needed to align private investments with the Sustainable Development Goals. By setting clear recommendations for responsible investment, the Protocol will help ensure that growth in ocean industries goes hand in hand with environmental stewardship and social inclusion. At the EIB, we look forward to helping turn these recommendations into concrete action for the benefit of people and planet.”
Background information
A thriving ocean is essential for biodiversity, food security, climate resilience, and global livelihoods. The Sustainable Ocean Economy links ocean health with prosperity—making targeted finance more urgent than ever. It is central to achieving the targets of the SDGs, the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. With ocean health inseparable from global prosperity, mounting pressures—rising ocean temperatures, overfishing, pollution, biodiversity loss, weak governance, and inequitable access to marine resources—highlight the urgency of dedicated investments and policies that safeguard marine ecosystems and drive equitable economic opportunities.
The ocean economy is already equivalent in size to the world’s fifth largest economy, and global markets are reliant on the ocean and its industries to support 90 percent of global trade volume. Developing a regenerative and sustainable ocean economy is becoming increasingly central to global transitions in trade, infrastructure, energy, climate resilience, food security and regenerative tourism. The Ocean Investment Protocol responds to the critical need for swift, holistic efforts to preserve ocean ecosystems and foster growth in sustainable ocean-based sectors. It outlines actionable steps to align investments with nature- and climate-positive outcomes, fostering innovation across key ocean sectors. By 2050, the market value of a refocused, sustainable and fairly shared ocean economy is projected to reach USD$5.5 trillion.
EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.
The North Canterbury ranger’s job is to not only clean public toilets at DOC sites but also replace the toilet paper.
Now DOC has revealed how much toilet paper was ordered by regional offices around Aotearoa for the 2024/2025 period, a whopping 15.5 million metres nationally.
That’s roughly 15,500 kilometres of paper which would stretch the length of New Zealand nearly ten times.
The figures reveal across DOC’s operational regions the most toilet paper was ordered by the Southern South Island which includes Fiordland and the Great Walks (3,103,037 metres), followed closely by the Northern South Island which includes Abel Tasman Great Walks and the iconic Tōtaranui campground (3,069,369) and in third place, Hauraki Waikato Taranaki (which includes the Coromandel) 2,727,160 metres.
Daryl Sweeney looks after DOC sites in Canterbury including the toilets at the hugely popular and culturally significant Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill on the highway to Arthurs Pass and the West Coast.
“What we do outdoors makes all the difference for New Zealand’s unique nature. This includes toileting responsibly. How and where we go is key to ensuring we do no harm to our great outdoors.
“Visitors are encouraged to go to the toilet before they start their trip and plan stops at toilets along the way. Those heading further into the backcountry need to know what to do when there’s no toilet – you can find this advice on DOC’s website.”
And it’s not just about using the facilities provided, says Daryl Sweeney.
“It’s shocking how much toilet paper is used. Sometimes it’s piled up beside the toilet in a mountain. The state some of the toilets are left in is also appalling to be honest,” he says.
“You wouldn’t do this at home so why would you do it in public toilets. Everyone has a role to respect the natural environment and not leave rubbish in and around these places.”
North Canterbury Operations Manager Leeann Ellis says Daryl is just one of the hard-working rangers nationally who drive kilometres every day across multiple sites to replace toilet paper and keep facilities clean, including over the weekends and on public holidays.
“Many people don’t realise this is a core role DOC undertakes. It takes a huge amount of time for our rangers and some of what they deal with would turn your stomach,” she says.
With the opening of bookings for all the Great Walks this month, and on the eve of Kings Birthday holiday weekend, DOC says it’s a timely reminder for people to look after public facilities at DOC sites, to read the signs and not leave rubbish around for others to pick up.
Daryl Sweeney says everyone has a part to play in looking after nature and says it would be a huge bonus for him if the toilets were left in a better state.
“I’m answering other people’s calls of nature,” he jokes, “but it’s about time people answered their own, and respected the amazing places they are visiting. I feel like if people had to do my job for a day, they’d understand. My message is use the toilets provided, use less toilet paper, put it in the toilet or the bin and leave the toilet in a tidy state. It’s simple.”
Headline: Celebrate World Otter Day May 28 at N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
Celebrate World Otter Day May 28 at N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores jejohnson6
PINE KNOLL SHORES
Guests to the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores will have an opportunity to watch some exciting otter enrichment during World Otter Day on May 28 with North American river otters Eno, Pee Dee, and Rocky. The Aquarium is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The World Otter Day celebration at the Aquarium will include some otter-inspired activities in the Discovery Classroom and a special enrichment for the three otters at 11 a.m.
“Otters have such a playful nature — the littlest thing makes them happy. They are charismatic animals and watching them always rejuvenates me. We should celebrate World Otter Day every day,” said Kristen Cook, NCAPKS otterkeeper. “Watching the otters inspires me and our guests to help protect them and their habitats.”
Otters at the N.C. Aquariums
All three N.C. Aquariums are home to different otter species that inspire guests to appreciate and conserve otters worldwide. Both N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island care for North American river otters. N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher has a family of Asian small-clawed otters.
There are 14 species of otter around the world and World Otter Day was founded by the International Otter Survival Fund to highlight and bring awareness to threats otter species are facing.
While North American river otters are listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened species, their numbers had been reduced significantly in the late 1800s due to over-trapping and habitat degradation and are still not found living in the entirety of their historic range. Their population made a comeback from the brink of extinction in the 1900s thanks to conservation and reintroduction efforts.
What can you do?
While one person can’t do everything, everyone can do something — individual actions in your community can protect local species and they can create a ripple effect that can lead to protections for species across the globe
• Keep local watersheds clean from litter and pollution.
• Join a local trash pick-up or beach clean-up event.
• Find a citizen science monitoring opportunity to help researchers and conservation gain more insight on otters.
• Buy bird-friendly coffee—it’s produced on farms with a shade cover that provides important habitat for different species, preventing deforestation and destruction of homes for animals like Asian small-clawed otters.
• Don’t ever support illegally traded wild animals as pets.
Advanced Tickets Required Summertime is always busy at the Aquarium and otters are always a guest favorite. Seeing a special enrichment may increase interest and make the day busier than normal. For an enhanced visitor experience, get tickets online and in advance at www.ncaquariums.com/tickets-pks
About the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is five miles west of Atlantic Beach at1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores, N.C. 28512. The Aquarium is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. Its mission is to inspire the appreciation and conservation of North Carolina’s aquatic environments and animals. The Aquarium is under the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. For more information, please visitwww.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shoresor call 252-247-4003.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
May 28, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined 20 of their Senate colleagues to demand the Trump Administration immediately reverse course on its plan to illegally and unilaterally terminate the ENERGY STAR program. In their letter, the Senators highlight the cost-saving benefits of the program, which is projected to save the average American household $450 on utility bills each year simply by choosing ENERGY STAR certified products.
“For over three decades, the ENERGY STAR program has lowered Americans’ energy bills by informing consumers about energy efficient products. The program has enjoyed bipartisan support since its creation under authority of Section 103 of the Clean Air Act, most recently receiving $35.7 million in fiscal year 2025 appropriations,” wrote the Senators. “Reporting has indicated, however, that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to eliminate ENERGY STAR without Congressional approval. Not only is the program protected under federal statute and thus illegal for the Administration to terminate unilaterally, but this decision also lacks basic economic sense. We write to urge you to immediately reverse course.”
Since 1992, ENERGY STAR has reduced energy costs for American families and businesses by $500 billion, including $42 billion worth of savings in 2020 alone. For every federal dollar spent on ENERGY STAR, Americans have enjoyed $350 in savings.
The Senators continued: “ENERGY STAR is the epitome of an effective public-private partnership. As the program’s administrators, EPA and the Department of Energy set qualifying energy efficiency standards for products. EPA also protects the integrity of the ENERGY STAR brand, ensuring it remains well-known, trusted, and indicative of a quality product. Appliance manufacturers then voluntarily display the ENERGY STAR label, notifying consumers that a product will reduce their energy consumption and lower utility bills. The program strengthens consumer choice by sharing critical product information.”
Administered by the EPA and Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR is a voluntary, market-based program that has saved consumers billions of dollars annually. The ENERGY STAR program has cumulatively reduced four billion metric tons of harmful emissions and currently supports more than 790,000 American jobs manufacturing and installing ENERGY STAR products.
“Eliminating the ENERGY STAR program will not only raise energy costs for American families and businesses, but also inflict far-reaching economic harms, threatening industry jobs and the reliability of the grid at a time of growing demand. We again urge you to immediately reconsider eliminating this popular and effective Congressionally authorized program,” the Senators concluded.
ENERGY STAR is strongly supported by a wide array of manufacturers, homebuilders, housing organizations, building owners, small businesses, and other organizations. In April, the U.S. Real Estate Industry sent a letter to the Trump Administration expressing its strong support for the ENERGY STAR program. Additionally, the U.S. Green Buildings Council partnered with the Alliance to Save Energy in leading over 1,000 organizations in urging the Trump Administration to protect the program and maintain full funding and staffing levels.
The letter was led by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was signed by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angus King (I-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).
Click here to read and download the full letter.
Whisky is ‘the water of life’ but in one of the driest starts to a year seen in Scotland, distillers are turning to researchers to improve access to the crucial water supplies for their unique products.
Scientists from the University of Aberdeen are leading a project funded by Chivas Brothers, the Pernod Ricard business dedicated to Scotch whisky and maker of Ballantine’s, The Glenlivet and Chivas Regal to develop innovative nature-based solutions that could help to mitigate water scarcity but also slow down water run-off following rapid downpours.
The issue has been brought into sharp focus in recent weeks with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issuing country-wide alerts for low water levels. The dry soil a long dry spell leaves in its wake can repel water rather than letting it soak in as damp soil would, meaning it is harder to hold water when and where it is most needed.
In areas like Speyside – home to half Scotland’s malt distillers – ensuring a continuous water supply, both now and in the future, is essential as temporary closures can cost the industry millions of pounds.
Chivas Brothers is funding new research led by the University of Aberdeen and working with the James Hutton Institute, following a successful project in 2022 which focused on The Glenlivet distillery.
There the team demonstrated the benefits of a series of small leaky dams installed in channels to slow water flow by holding the water in that location in temporary mini reservoirs. This allows it to soak into the subsurface so that more water is available at times when it is needed.
The new research will broaden the geographic scope of the project across Speyside and explore a wider range of possible nature-based solutions for water management.
Project lead Dr Josie Geris, a lecturer in hydrology at the University of Aberdeen, said the techniques they are investigating, including soil and vegetation management, could bring benefits beyond the whisky industry as around three percent of people living in Scotland rely on vulnerable private water supplies.
“First, we will take a comprehensive look at data gathered from across Speyside and carry out detailed monitoring at The Glenlivet and two other distillery sites to develop understanding of how surface water and groundwater are connected, and how this varies across the different locations.” she added.
“This will help us to assess how resilient different water resources in Speyside are to drought and to understand what causes certain water resources to be more vulnerable whether it is driven by geology, land use or other issues.
“We will then use modelling to help future planning and our understanding of which nature-based solutions might work best where to mitigate water scarcity across the region.”
The research team, which also includes Dr Mark Wilkinson (James Hutton Institute), Dr Ronald Daalmans (Chivas Brothers) Dr Jean-Christophe Comte, and PhD student Jennifer Pirie (University of
Aberdeen), will investigate a range of techniques at The Glenlivet, Glenburgie and Aberlour distilleries.
PhD student Jennifer Pirie, from the University of Aberdeen, said: “The techniques used successfully at Glenlivet cannot be applied everywhere and so we are looking at a range of measures to improve water availability in different environments.
“What works best where will depend on local site characteristics, like the geology and soil properties, and so it is vital we build this understanding and knowledge.”
As well as drought conditions, the techniques the team will use could also help with flooding and are applicable to other environmental issues such as improvements to carbon storage, water quality and biodiversity.
Dr Mark Wilkinson, from the James Hutton Institute, said: “There is significant interest from diverse stakeholders for these ‘green solutions’ to environmental problems and the project is designed to share insights and to develop a toolkit of options for different environments and users.”
Ronald Daalmans, Sustainability Director at Chivas Brothers, said: “This important work will help inform the whisky sector on how it can adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change for this critical resource. It forms part of a wider programme, called The River Within, which aims to support river restoration and enhancement in North-East Scotland.”
In addition to supporting research projects, Chivas Brothers’ The River Within, a long-term programme in partnership with three Scottish river trusts – the Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust, Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust, and the Spey Catchment Initiative – aims to support the delivery of habitat restoration projects to ultimately preserve, protect and improve the health of Scotland’s rivers and waterways.
For many people, “plastic pollution” calls to mind pictures of turtles and other marine life drowning in single-use plastic bottles and discarded fishing nets. My own research looks at how the same story is playing out on land.
Plastics are increasingly found in small mammals, insects and the soil. But how it moves through these ecosystems – and the damage it might be doing – is still poorly understood.
My own research into this started during my masters degree. I wanted to find out if plastic pollution was affecting UK mammals – and the results were startling.
Colleagues and I first looked at the faeces of a range of small UK mammals. We then used a special machine that detects infrared light to identify different types of plastic.
We found plastics in the faeces of European hedgehogs, wood mice, field vole, and brown rats. Of the 189 hedgehog samples, 19% contained plastics. In one sample alone I was shocked to find a total of 12 pink and clear fibres of polyester. This is the UK’s most popular wild mammal, and no one knew they were ingesting plastic.
Where the microplastics came from
As part of my ongoing PhD, the next step was figuring out how this plastic was getting into the hedgehogs in the first place. Hedgehogs feed on invertebrates like beetles, snails, slugs, earthworms, caterpillars and woodlice. We wanted to see if those creatures could themselves be contaminated by plastic.
We collected over 2,000 invertebrates and soil samples from 51 sites in Sussex, England. The sites covered farmland, grassland and suburban areas.
To trace how plastic might move through the food web, we sampled creatures at various different points in the food web (known as “trophic levels”). This meant plant-eaters, like peacock butterfly caterpillars, and earthworms and other animals that feed on dead plants. We sampled omnivores who will eat all sorts, like the red-footed soldier beetle, and carnivores like ladybirds and ground beetles, who eat other animals and are found higher up the food web.
After we had grouped the invertebrates by both species and location, we had 530 samples to analyse. We recently published our results in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.
Overall, plastic showed up in 12% of the invertebrate samples. Earthworms had the highest rate at 29%, followed by snails & slugs at 24%. Interestingly, the types of plastic found in carnivores didn’t match those in herbivores and dead plant-eaters. That suggests the carnivores are not just getting it from eating contaminated prey – they might also be picking up plastic as they move through the soil or even from airborne particles that land on their next meal.
Earthworms are particularly plastic pollution-prone. VaskePro / shutterstock
We also found the first evidence of plastic in species of caterpillar like the peacock, powder blue and red admiral butterflies, and in beetles such as ladybirds.
The most common plastic we found was polyester, probably from clothing and furniture. Other common plastics were those used in single-use packaging, agricultural materials (such as fleece, mulch film, greenhouse films and silage wrap), and even paint.
So, does it matter if a few slugs or worms are ingesting plastic? Absolutely.
Invertebrates play important roles within their ecosystems. Earthworms, for example, add air to the soil and help cycle nutrients. Therefore, when they consume plastic, it affects the animals that prey on them, the soil they live in, and even the food we grow.
In fact, plants grown in plastic-contaminated soil have been shown to take microplastics into their cells. This can stunt their growth and limit the water they can retain, and ultimately reduce our ability to grow the food we need.
Insect-eating birds like swifts,thrushes and blackbirds are also ingesting similar plastic, likely from their prey. This can stunt their growth, damage organs, and make them less fertile.
It is too easy to place the responsibility solely on individuals to avoid single-use packaging, recycle more, and avoid synthetic materials. These things make a difference, of course, but big polluters must be held accountable. That means fast fashion companies, drinks giants, supermarket chains and the agriculture sector, which all produce a huge amount of plastic waste and have failed to take responsibility for the damage this causes.
If we want to protect ecosystems from plastic – on land as well as at sea – we need more than personal action. We need serious accountability, better waste management, and real investment in truly sustainable alternatives.
Emily Thrift 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.
Municipalities and private companies now have more flexibility when establishing compost facilities under a new Compost Facility Chapter of the Saskatchewan Environmental Code. This chapter will help increase composting efficiency in the province by reducing the administrative burden for smaller facilities.
“We want to make it easier for municipalities to compost their waste,” Environment Minister Travis Keisig said. “This change strikes a balance between environmental protection and practicality, benefitting both communities and the environment.”
Currently, compost facilities are regulated through landfill permits. With the new chapter, owners will not need to apply for permits. Facilities have two options:
Standard method: Provides specific instructions for siting, constructing and closing the facility. This method does not require approval.
Alternative solution: Offers more flexibility in the siting and design of compost facilities while ensuring environmental protection. It requires an approved environmental protection plan.
Higher-risk facilities handling more than 15,000 tonnes of organic material annually – such as Regina and Saskatoon – will be required to follow the alternative solution. This approach ensures the ministry is engaged in the project while still allowing flexibility and innovation.
Smaller facilities like community gardens or residential backyard composting are not regulated under the chapter.
Municipalities and private companies must follow the chapter’s requirements and notify the ministry of activities like construction and closures. The Ministry of Environment will continue to inspect compost facilities and review environmental monitoring reports to ensure compliance.
Existing facilities are exempt from certain siting, design and construction requirements unless they undergo expansion.
The new compost facility chapter fulfills a commitment in the province’s Solid Waste Management Strategy, which aims to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.
For more information about composting facilities and the new chapter, please visit Composting Facilities | Solid Waste Management Facilities | Government of Saskatchewan.
For more information about composting at home, in your community or industrially, visit Compost | Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (saskwastereduction.ca).
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Senators Reverend Warnock, Ossoff Announce $2 Million in Federal Funding for GA to Cleanup, Revitalize Local Lands
Georgia cities will use funds to revitalize riverfront properties, a former shopping center, a long-vacant elementary school, and other projects
The federal funding is part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfield Assessment Grant program
The program helps transform underutilized properties into community assets
Senator Reverend Warnock: “These federal funds will help our state get back on track by helping assess and eventually transform what are now uninhabitable areas, further strengthening Georgia’s economy”
Senator Ossoff: “Above all this is about our communities’ health. No family in Georgia should live in fear of contaminants in their communities”
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) announced $2 million in federal funding for revitalization projects in Georgia. In total, the projects will receive $2,633,080 in Brownfields Grants to assess, clean up, and revitalize local lands.
The Georgia grants are part of $267 million in Brownfields Grants across the nation. Brownfields Grants are a powerful catalyst for local economic growth. Communities have previous used the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) grants to assess, clean up, and attract new development.
“These federal funds will help our state get back on track by helping assess and eventually transform what are now uninhabitable areas, further strengthening Georgia’s economy,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.
“Above all this is about our communities’ health. No family in Georgia should live in fear of contaminants in their communities,” said Senator Ossoff. “That’s why Senator Warnock and I are delivering these historic public health and environmental cleanup efforts across the state.”
The City of Atlanta will receive a $500,000 assessment grant to conduct seven Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments, develop six cleanup plans, and support community engagement activities. Targeted areas are Chattahoochee Riverfront, Proctor Creek, and Jonesboro Road.
The Coastal Regional Commission of Georgia will receive a $1.2 million assessment grant for 20 Phase I and 50 Phase II environmental site assessments, reuse assessment, planning, and community engagement activities. Targeted areas are the cities of Darien, Brunswick, and Statesboro.
The City of Ideal will receive a $433,080 cleanup grant funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant funds will be used to clean up a former elementary school, vacant since 1981, and for community engagement.
The City of South Fulton will receive a $500,000 assessment grant for six Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments. Targeted areas are the Red Oak and Old National Highway districts.
Senator Warnock has an extensive history of securing federal grants to improve the health of Georgia’s communities, clean up the environment, and help bolster the state’s economy. Last year, Senator Warnock announced $45 million in federal funding for clean energy transportation across Georgia. Senator Warnock also announced $25 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help rural and disadvantaged communities throughout Georgia remove PFAS and other dangerous chemicals from their water systems. Earlier in 2024, Senator Reverend Warnock was joined by then EPA Administrator Michael Regan at Stone Mountain Middle School to announce a $1 billion nationwide federal investment in clean energy school buses, including $60 million for Georgia schools.
EPA’s Brownfields Program began in 1995 and has provided nearly $2.9 billion in Brownfield Grants to assess and clean up contaminated properties and return blighted properties to productive reuse. To date, Brownfields investments have leveraged more than $42 billion in cleanup and redevelopment. Over the years, the relatively small investment of federal funding was able to leverage, from both public and private sources, more than 220,500 jobs.
President Donald Trump delivers the commencement address at West Point on May 24, 2025.AP Photo/Adam Gray
President Donald Trump’s speech at the graduation of the class of 2025 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point included segments that were clearly scripted and portions that were obviously not.
During the unscripted portions, Trump, who wore a bright red “Make America Great Again” campaign hat during his entire appearance on May 24, 2025, delivered remarks that hit many of his frequent partisan political talking points. That included attacking presidential predecessors Barack Obama and Joe Biden, describing immigrants to the U.S. as “criminals” and trumpeting other policy accomplishments in his first and second terms.
That level of partisanship in a military setting – on the campus of the nation’s first military academy, and before an audience of cadets and their families, many of whom are veterans – is unusual in the United States.
The Conversation U.S. has published several articles discussing the importance to democracy of keeping the military and partisan politics separate. Here are two highlights from that coverage.
1. Cadets focus on the Constitution
During the West Point ceremony, the graduates themselves took an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” And all of them had studied the significance of that oath, including in classes like those taught by Joseph G. Amoroso and Lee Robinson, active-duty Army officers who graduated from West Point and later served as professors there.
As Amoroso and Robinson wrote, those classes teach cadets that, like all military personnel, they serve the Constitution and the American people, not a particular person or political party:
“(O)ur oath forms the basis of a nonpartisan ethic. In the U.S., unlike in many other countries, the oath implies military leaders should be trusted for their expertise and judgment, not for their loyalty to an individual or political party. We emphasize to cadets the rules and professional expectations associated with this profound responsibility.”
Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Samuel C. Mahaney, who teaches history, national security and constitutional law at Missouri University of Science and Technology, observed:
“(S)ince the days of George Washington, the military has been dedicated to serving the nation, not a specific person or political agenda. … (N)onpartisanship is central to the military’s primary mission of defending the country.”
Mahaney wrote that if Trump’s actions during his second term meant a change from the centuries of precedent, “military personnel at all levels would face a crucial question: Would they stand up for the military’s independent role in maintaining the integrity and stability of American democracy or follow the president’s orders – even if those orders crossed a line that made them illegal or unconstitutional?”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
River Gade returns to its natural course through Gadebridge Park
Works also include two new footbridges, a flood warning gauging station, and an innovative ultrasonic structure that allows fish and mammals to move freely.
The moment the River Gade was diverted into the new channel.
The River Gade has returned to its natural course in Gadebridge Park, following an ambitious river restoration project delivered by the Environment Agency, in collaboration with Affinity Water, Dacorum Borough Council and contractors BAM Nuttall.
The project has reconnected the chalk stream to its natural floodplain, improving wildlife habitats, reducing the risk of localised flooding downstream of the white bridge in Gadebridge Park.
Historically, the River Gade was diverted from its natural course to supply water to the former Bury Mill. This artificial channel, perched on the edge of the park, caused the river to become disconnected from the surrounding landscape, leading to reduced flow, water quality issues, and limited biodiversity.
The restoration involved creating a new river channel through the centre of the park, bringing the Gade back to its natural position in the valley bottom. The works included the installation of two new footbridges, a gauging station to support the flood warning system, and an innovative ultrasonic structure that allows fish and mammals to move freely while also redirecting spring flows vital for chalk stream ecology.
As a rare chalk stream, of which 85% globally are found in England, the River Gade is a valuable habitat. Chalk streams are known for their clear, mineral-rich water and stable temperatures, providing an ideal habitat for species such as water voles and brown trout.n Gadebridge Park is one of Hemel Hempstead’s largest and most popular green spaces, offering something for everyone. Alongside the newly restored river, the park features expansive open grass areas, a skate park, a play area and splash park for children and a walled garden with a rich history and impressive formal planting displays.
Chris Wilson, area director at the Environment Agency, said:
Getting to this stage marks the huge collective effort of a large number of people, not just at the Environment Agency, but from our partners, Dacorum Borough Council and Affinity Water, our contractors, JBA, BAM Nuttall and Arcadis and many, many others besides.
I’d like to thank everyone involved for their perseverance and commitment to bringing such a complex and ambitious project to completion.
Councillor Robin Bromham, portfolio holder for neighbourhood operations at Dacorum Borough Council, added:
This is a landmark moment for Gadebridge Park and for our local environment. The return of the River Gade to its natural course not only restores an important ecosystem but also enhances the park experience for our residents and visitors. We’re proud to have worked with our partners to deliver this project that benefits both people and nature.
The Environment Agency and Affinity Water funded the river restoration project and Dacorum Borough Council contributed to its recreational and amenity aspects for the park.
A new channel was dug through the centre of the park and the project provided two new footbridges for the park.
Extra gravel added to the channel to help shape the river and restore natural processes typical of a chalk stream. This includes riffles – shallower areas of the river where faster-flowing water pass over gravels and cobbles on the riverbed, adding oxygen to the water – and replicating natural ‘gravel bars’, which are deposits of gravel where the river’s energy is lower, creating varied water depths for river plants and animals to thrive.
By creating vegetated margins along the banks of the new channel, we’ll provide important habitat for many species – for example, a habitat and a source of food for aquatic insects at different life stages, refuge from predators for juvenile trout and water vole, and even a migration corridor for otter. As well as providing habitat, vegetated margins also play an important role in filtering sediment and reducing nutrients entering the watercourse, helping to improve water quality. They can also slow flood flows and help to reduce erosion of the banks.
The project is important for a number of reasons –
Only 17% of chalk streams are in their natural state. Like many chalk streams, the River Gade faces pressure from low flows and historic modifications to its channel that limit the river’s habitats and the wildlife it can support.
The artificial channel is much wider and straighter than a natural chalk stream would typically be. This often leads to a build-up of sediment along the bank and associated excessive vegetation growth, which gradually narrows the channel. The river had little resilience to drought conditions due to low volumes of flow, especially in late summer and early autumn.
Most water we drink in the South East comes from rainwater stored deep beneath our feet in natural chalk ‘aquifers.’ These also feed our chalk streams. In 2018, Affinity Water reduced net abstraction in the Gade catchment by 2,342,400 m3/year – that’s an average of 6.4 million litres a day. However, demand for water in the South East remains high. We all need to reduce the amount of water we use – every drop wasted is water that could be sustaining our rivers, streams and lakes.
Re-routing spring flows – which are currently diverted through a culvert, or underground tunnel, and discharged into a fishing lake at Kings Langley 5km downstream – into the new realigned channel. This will provide additional flow to the river, increasing its resilience to low flows, improve the river’s water quality and help to restore natural characteristics of a chalk stream such as a more alkaline PH and a stable temperature all year round.
Because of their rarity and value, chalk streams in England have been designated a priority habitat, detailed within the qualifying criteria of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Priority Habitat Descriptions for Rivers. However, all chalk streams in England, including the River Gade, face vast challenges and pressures from decades of mismanagement.
The Chair of the NATO Military Committee (CMC), attended the 18th Balkan Countries CHODs Conference in İstanbul. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone’s first appearance at this forum marks also his first visit to Türkiye.
The conference, hosted at the Multinational Joint Warfare Centre (MJWC) by the Chief of Turkish General Staff General Metin Gürak, included discussions on ways to strengthen peace, security, and military cooperation. It gathered the CHODs, high level authorities and senior military officials from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Türkiye, Croatia, and Slovenia. Participants were addressed by the Vice President of Türkiye, Cevdet Yılmaz.
In his intervention, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee emphasised the strategic importance of the Balkans and stated: “This region continues to be among NATO’s top priorities.” He also highlighted the benefits and need for continued military cooperation between Balkan countries, stressing that “dialogue on doctrine, tactics, and even procurement pathways can help avoid duplication and foster interoperability.”
This year’s conference focused on “The Vision for Use of Uncrewed Systems in the Future Operating Environment” and was an opportunity to exchange views on strengthening military cooperation as well as opportunities and challenges related to uncrewed systems. The program addressed the development of autonomous technologies, artificial intelligence-supported decision-making mechanisms, human-machine cooperation on the battlefield, and the technological, strategic, and ethical aspects of uncrewed systems.
Over the course of the conference Admiral Cavo Dragone also held several bilateral meetings to discuss current security challenges, preparations to NATO Summit and the upcoming Military Committee Conference.
Since its creation in 2007, the Balkan Countries CHODs Conference has been an important regional military forum where the promotion of cooperation, stability, and confidence among the Balkan countries has been paramount. It has confirmed the commitment of all members to provide timely and efficient responses to diverse security challenges and threats in the region.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
U.S. President Donald J. Trump recently signed into law H.J. Res. 61, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing.”
This Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution overturns the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Rubber Tire Manufacturing National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) rule. Finalized November 29, 2024, at the conclusion of the Biden Administration, EPA could not even quantify whether public health would be protected and unreasonably requires rubber tire manufacturers to install regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs), which will cost American manufacturers millions and potentially lead to layoffs.
U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), who was the chief House sponsor of the CRA resolution, released the following statement:
“I am pleased President Trump signed my Congressional Review Act resolution into law!
“Americans are now officially protected from a last-minute Biden-Harris rule that would have needlessly harmed the tire manufacturing industry and raised prices for American consumers.”
BACKGROUND
Rep. Griffith introduced H.J. Res. 61 in the last week of February. Rep. Griffith introduced the CRA alongside U.S. Senators Tim Scott and Roger Wicker.
On March 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.J. Res. 61. Rep. Griffith spoke on the House floor defending the CRA.
Following House passage, Rep. Griffith celebrated House passage with several House GOP leaders.
On May 6, the U.S. Senate passed the measure.
On March 12, the Trump EPA announced reconsideration of air rules regulating American energy, manufacturing and chemical sectors.
The Biden EPA rule would negatively impact the Goodyear facility in Danville, Virginia.
Rep. Griffith recently defended several CRAs on the House floor seeking to overturn Biden EPA measures that facilitated unfair electric vehicle mandates and imposed stricter car emissions standards on the American people.
A marine heatwave has been building in the ocean surrounding the UK during an exceptionally warm and dry spring. In other words, the sea surface temperature has been within the top 10% of records for each day of the year since at least the beginning of 2025.
How can we know the temperature of the sea surface over such a large area? Throughout April and May 2025, scientists have been able to map and monitor the seas surrounding the UK via satellites, buoys and other floating devices, plus computer models that simulate the ocean’s physical and chemical properties.
Infrared detectors mounted on pole-orbiting satellites can infer the temperature of the top layer of the ocean and have been doing so continuously since the late 1970s. These sensors cannot “see” through clouds, which is why other sources of data are essential.
These datasets are now 45 years old, which is long enough to create a baseline assessment of the climate during that time. This is important to properly contextualise any departures from the long-term average. Without it, scientists would not know how severe and widespread a marine heatwave truly is.
Thanks to a research station that has been collecting ocean temperatures in the western English Channel for over a century, we know that this part of the sea south of Devon is 2.7°C warmer than the 120-year average, which makes it a category II (“strong”) marine heatwave within the four-category scheme.
The importance of long-term monitoring
Marine heatwaves are different to what we expect in a meteorological heatwave. Since 2023, the waters around the UK have been regularly experiencing marine heatwave conditions, because the data shows that the sea temperature has been in the top 10% of records: but most of us would admit that a sea temperature of 10°C in early March doesn’t exactly conjure up the impression of a heatwave.
The search for better definitions of a marine heatwave continues among scientists, particularly as long-term baseline temperatures continue to warm and the top 10% of warm temperatures shifts upwards. Datasets gathered over several decades in the same place are valuable to this effort.
For example, the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the Marine Biological Association have been monitoring conditions in the western English Channel for over a century. One of the longest running surveys in the world is situated 20 miles south of Plymouth.
Station E1 was originally founded by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas in 1902, as part of the English (hence the “E”) effort in ocean observation.
What sets E1 apart is the near continuous nature of its recording since then, the frequency of its data collection (monthly in winter, fortnightly in summer) and its sampling throughout the entire water column (80 metres deep), not just at the surface. This enables scientists to observe the seasonal progression of water mixing and layer formation in that location.
The 123-year old dataset shows that sea surface temperatures have increased markedly within the past 40 years, at a rate of around 0.6°C a decade. Warm anomalies have been increasingly common, and cold anomalies increasingly rare.
Marine heatwave conditions have become increasingly frequent, particularly since 2010. The data also shows that at a depth of 50 metres – well below the top layer of the ocean – temperatures have also increased markedly. The ongoing marine heatwave is not just a surface phenomenon.
Fishers are catching octopus in large numbers off Devon and Cornwall due to the warm sea temperatures. Captured by Aixa/Shutterstock
What caused this heatwave?
The marine heatwave of spring 2025 has resulted from a combination of factors. It boils down to the fact that more energy is being put into the ocean during the day than is being lost at night.
March 2025 was the sunniest March on record (since 1910), with UK Met Office statistics showing there were around 185 hours of sunshine. April set new records for UK solar power generation, with a peak of 12.2 gigawatts (GW) being produced on April 1 out of a possible solar generating capacity of 18 GW.
May continued that trend, with long periods of clear skies under areas of the atmosphere with persistent high pressure. High-pressure areas are also associated with relatively low winds, which restricts the mixing of the warm surface with cooler deep water.
During the spring, rapidly lengthening days mean the time for energy in (day) outweighs energy out (night). It has also been notable that the spring phytoplankton bloom was very early this year (during early March). This is when tiny plant cells at the seawater surface burst into life, like plants on land. The bloom finished relatively early and the surface waters cleared earlier.
The conditions during May at E1 resembled those we would ordinarily associate with midsummer, with the phytoplankton bloom sitting deeper in the water. The clearer water at the surface allowed sunlight to penetrate deeper.
It is evident from our century-plus of measurements that marine heatwaves are happening more frequently and that there appears to be an almost continuous marine heatwave state emerging around the UK.
The intensity of a marine heatwave is generally tied to persistent high-pressure areas remaining static over the UK, but it is still unclear whether or not this is an emerging climate pattern, or just an episode within the general patterns of change within UK seas.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
When the computer or phone you’re using right now blinks its last blink and you drop it off for recycling, do you know what happens?
At the recycling center, powerful magnets will pull out steel. Spinning drums will toss aluminum into bins. Copper wires will get neatly bundled up for resale. But as the conveyor belt keeps rolling, tiny specks of valuable, lesser-known materials such as gallium, indium and tantalum will be left behind.
Those tiny specks are critical materials. They’re essential for building new technology, and they’re in short supply in the U.S. They could be reused, but there’s a problem: Current recycling methods make recovering critical minerals from e-waste too costly or hazardous, so many recyclers simply skip them.
Sadly, most of these hard-to-recycle materials end up buried in landfills or get mixed into products like cement. But it doesn’t have to be this way. New technology is starting to make a difference.
A treasure trove of critical materials is often overlooked in e-waste, including gallium in LEDs, indium in LCDs, and tantalum in surface mount capacitors. Ansan Pokharel/West Virginia University, CC BY
As demand for these critical materials keeps growing, discarded electronics can become valuable resources. My colleagues and I at West Virginia University are developing a new technology to change how we recycle. Instead of using toxic chemicals, our approach uses electricity, making it safer, cleaner and more affordable to recover critical materials from electronics.
Even worse, nearly half the electronics that people in Northern America sent to recycling centers end up shipped overseas. They often land in scrapyards, where workers may use dangerous methods like burning or leaching using harsh chemicals to pull out valuable metals. These practices can harm both the environment and workers’ health. That’s why the Environmental Protection Agency restricts these methods in the U.S.
The tiny specks matter
Critical minerals are in most of the technology around you. Every phone screen has a super-thin layer of a material called indium tin oxide. LEDs glow because of a metal called gallium. Tantalum stores energy in tiny electronic parts called capacitors.
All of these materials are flagged as “high risk” on the U.S. Department of Energy’s critical materials list. That means the U.S. relies heavily on these materials for important technologies, but their supply could be easily disrupted by conflicts, trade disputes or shortages.
Right now, just a few countries, including China, control most of the mining, processing and recovery of these materials, making the U.S. vulnerable if those countries decide to limit exports or raise prices.
At West Virginia University’s Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, I and materials scientist Edward Sabolsky asked a simple question: Could we find a way to heat only specific parts of electronic waste to recover these valuable materials?
If we could focus the heat on just the tiny specks of critical minerals, we might be able to recycle them easily and efficiently.
This equipment isn’t very different from the microwave ovens you use to heat food at home, just bigger and more powerful. The basic science is the same – electromagnetic waves cause electrons to oscillate, creating heat.
In our approach, though, we’re not heating water molecules like you do when cooking. Instead, we heat carbon, the black residue that collects around a candle flame or car tailpipe. Carbon heats up much faster in a microwave than water does. But don’t try this at home; your kitchen microwave wasn’t designed for such high temperatures.
West Virginia University researchers are using this experimental microwave reactor to recycle critical materials from end-of-life electronics. Ansan Pokharel/West Virginia University, CC BY
In our recycling method, we first shred the electronic waste, mix it with materials called fluxes that trap impurities, and then heat the mixture with microwaves. The microwaves rapidly heat the carbon that comes from the plastics and adhesives in the e-waste. This causes the carbon to react with the tiny specks of critical materials. The result: a tiny piece of pure, sponge-like metal about the size of a grain of rice.
This metal can then be easily separated from leftover waste using filters.
So far, in our laboratory tests, we have successfully recovered about 80% of the gallium, indium and tantalum from e-waste, at purities between 95% and 97%. We have also demonstrated how it can be integrated with existing recycling processes.
Many important technologies, from radar systems to nuclear reactors, depend on these special materials. While the Department of Defense uses less of them than the commercial market, they are a national security concern.
We’re planning to launch larger pilot projects next to test the method on smartphone circuit boards, LED lighting parts and server cards from data centers. These tests will help us fine-tune the design for a bigger system that can recycle tons of e-waste per hour instead of just a few pounds. That could mean producing up to 50 pounds of these critical minerals per hour from every ton of e-waste processed.
If the technology works as expected, we believe this approach could help meet the nation’s demand for critical materials.
How to make e-waste recycling common
One way e-waste recycling could become more common is if Congress held electronics companies responsible for recycling their products and recovering the critical materials inside. Closing loopholes that allow companies to ship e-waste overseas, instead of processing it safely in the U.S., could also help build a reserve of recovered critical minerals.
But the biggest change may come from simple economics. Once technology becomes available to recover these tiny but valuable specks of critical materials quickly and affordably, the U.S. can transform domestic recycling and take a big step toward solving its shortage of critical materials.
Terence Musho has received funding from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
Pennsylvania residents may get sticker shock when they see their electric bills this summer. Aging infrastructure, extreme weather, transmission bottlenecks and increased demand are sending electricity rates soaring.
Widespread rate hikes across the commonwealth started in December 2024 and are continuing in 2025. Rising prices are related to how the wholesale electricity market in Pennsylvania operates, among other factors. Utilities are paying much more than in previous years to ensure they can meet their customers’ future demand, and these costs are being passed on to consumers.
For example, Philadelphia residents were among those hit with a 10% rate increase that went into effect in January 2025 for all residential customers of PECO, Pennsylvania’s largest electric and gas utility. Some of PECO’s residential customers will see an additional 12.5% rate increase kick in on June 1, 2025.
A notice from PECO sent May 21, 2025.
As Penn State University professors who research energy law and electricity markets, we want to suggest five ways Pennsylvania consumers can lower their electric bills amid price hikes.
1. Use less
Much like when gasoline prices rise, the best response for individual consumers when electric rates go up is often to use less electricity.
Weatherization has an added benefit: improved health. In addition to maintaining a more comfortable indoor temperature, weatherizing paired with ventilation improvements can improve indoor air quality and control indoor moisture and mold.
Making a home more energy efficient can be tricky for low-income people, who might not be able to afford the costs, and renters, who don’t own the premises. However, Pennsylvania offers several programs to help residents make energy efficiency improvements, and organizations such as the Philadelphia Energy Authority try to reach low-income households.
Through the state’s low income usage reduction program, eligible tenants can receive help installing energy-saving features with written permission from their landlord. The multifamily weatherization assistance program has also provided grants for weatherization measures such as insulation and “air sealing to reduce infiltration” in buildings with five or more units that meet income criteria for residents.
Pennsylvania has what is called “retail electricity choice,” which means residents can pick who generates their electricity. For example, consumers can shop around for different rates charged per kilowatt-hour of electricity they consume or for electricity produced from wind and solar power.
But electricity customers cannot choose who carries that electricity to their residences. That is done by a regulated electric distribution company, or utility, with a monopoly on service.
Consumers can sometimes reduce their bills by choosing a cheaper offer for generation. But retail choice can be risky if consumers do not carefully read the conditions of the contract.
For example, some plans charge a higher rate than the default rate from the distribution company. Others charge different rates depending on whether the electricity is consumed during peak or off-peak hours. And still others lock customers into long contracts at a fixed price. This becomes undesirable if the default electricity rate drops lower than the contracted rate.
3. Try solar
For those who own their home, installing rooftop solar panels is another way to avoid higher electric bills.
The cost of solar panels has fallen steadily for many years, and rising electric rates make the economics of solar better.
Pennsylvania also has fairly advantageous rules for “net metering, which allows solar homeowners to get credits from the utility for excess solar power fed back into the grid.
For example, say a customer uses 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity in a month and their rooftop solar panels generate 1,200 kilowatt-hours. They won’t have to pay for the 1,000 kilowatt-hours they used, and those additional 200 kilowatt-hours will be credited on their next monthly electric bill.
Additionally, a number of federal and state tax incentives are available for rooftop solar energy in Pennsylvania. These incentives offset some of the up-front costs of installing solar panels.
Buying solar panels is a high up-front expense, however, even with tax credits. Programs such as Solarize Greater Philadelphia can help reduce the cost. But keep in mind that not all properties have roofs that are large, strong or sunny enough to benefit from solar.
For homeowners with suitable roofs, third-party solar is another option. This is when a company installs and continues owning the solar panels and charges the customer a fixed rate for the electricity produced by the solar panels. This rate is typically cheaper than the rate offered by the utility. But as with any contract, consumers need to read the fine print carefully and understand the long-term obligation.
4. Go to a public hearing
Local electric utilities are regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Pennsylvania residents can file formal complaints with the PUC about rate hikes, or they can attend one of PUC’s public input hearings.
Consumers might want to pay particular attention to the commission’s proceedings as it considers new electric rates and regulation for data centers and other large-load customers. These rates will determine which costs are shouldered by the data center operators and which costs wind up on the electric bills of all Pennsylvanians.
Consumers can file comments to advocate for a rate-sharing plan they believe will be fair.
5. Think holistically
As Americans continue to digitize their lives, electricity demand – and therefore prices – will likely continue to rise.
Given that growing electricity demand contributes to higher future rates, consumers may want to think about the energy-intensive online applications they use, such as data storage and all the AI features that tech companies are integrating into their products.
Consumers might also want to consider the types of energy they want produced in their neighborhood. Many people understandably oppose constructing new energy facilities in their communities due to the aesthetic impacts, use of land and in some cases pollution. But this opposition can also slow the construction of new energy generation.
Better processes for community involvement can enable the construction of generation with fewer negative impacts. These processes include, among other things, more detailed developer-community discussions and more comprehensive and thoughtful community benefits agreements. These agreements allow communities to negotiate services and resources that the energy developer will provide them. Such offerings might include vocational training programs, financial or other donations, or commitments to hire local labor.
Hannah Wiseman receives or has recently received funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Arnold Ventures, U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, Center for Rural Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. She is a member of the Center for Progressive Reform.
Seth Blumsack receives or has recently received funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Heising Simons Foundation, U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, NASA, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Center for Rural Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Neil Beasley, PhD Candidate in Business and Law, Liverpool John Moores University
Since the start of his second term in office, US president Donald Trump has cultivated a political atmosphere that discourages freedom of thought. He also actively villainises and punishes any dissenting opinion. Worryingly, this atmosphere looks like it is spreading across other democracies.
Commentators have described Trump as both narcissistic and authoritarian. Yet, running parallel to these factors, one character trait is glaringly common among Trump supporters: sycophancy.
You just have to examine the pre-election rhetoric of Trump loyalists. One backer, Stephen Miller, declared him “the most stylish president … in our lifetimes”. Miller is now deputy White House chief of staff.
And South Dakota governor Kristi Noem gifted Trump a four-foot Mount Rushmore replica – with Trump’s face added alongside the original four presidents. Noem, who is now secretary of homeland security, epitomises the elevation of loyal sycophants over those with arguably better credentials.
Research has examined the dangers of sycophantic behaviour in the workplace, finding it reduces peer respect and morale, and leads to dissonance and lower productivity.
Other research has shown that someone who chooses to employ these tactics can enjoy improved promotion prospects, rewards such as the first refusal on business trips, easier access to company resources and a higher salary compared to their peers. But studies have also shown sycophants often suffer emotional exhaustion from the dual stresses of manipulation and responsibility.
Ongoing research I (Neil) am doing on workplace sycophancy reveals similar patterns. Interviews, spanning from junior staff to CEOs, show reduced motivation, falling team morale and declining respect for sycophants.
One participant highlighted the effect on teamwork that sycophantic behaviour can have within the workplace.
Sycophancy means raising yourself in somebody’s esteem, at the expense of somebody else, on the ladder. And so… it’s going to impact upon on the ability to be part of a team.
Another participant offered a comparison to a different deviant workplace behaviour – intimidation.
I’d say that sycophantic behaviour is coming into the same category as bullying. And it’s hard sometimes, especially with bullying and sycophantic behaviour, you are dealing with a lot of people that are manipulative, and manipulating people are quite charismatic. And when you’re charismatic, you’re more believable because you’re a storyteller.
One solution that emerges from the research is workforce education – teaching employees to recognise and mitigate a culture of ingratiation.
As an employee, many people might find it difficult not to bow to peer pressure. If the senior colleague encourages and rewards those who suck up, how do other colleagues, who do not choose to utilise such tactics, compete?
Dangerous ideas take root
Another factor to consider is the tendency for some workers to “kiss up and kick down”. What this means is that staff who are lower down the hierarchical ladder suffer detrimental treatment from the colleagues who are trying to suck their way up the same ladder.
If workforces were educated on what these tactics looked and felt like, perhaps included in corporate codes of conduct, HR departments and management could identify potential issues and deal with them.
But this is not merely an HR concern. Previous research also shows a link between ingratiation, high turnover rates and poorer performance by the organisation as a whole.
Perhaps the most insidious aspect of sycophancy is the push for conformity when it comes to opinions. If leadership hears nothing but agreement, dangerous ideas can be reinforced. Things like the leader’s own skills or the competence of the organisation as a whole can become wildly exaggerated – with disastrous consequences.
When leaders are surrounded by “yes-men”, they’re deprived of critical input that could challenge assumptions or highlight potential flaws. This can lead to cognitive entrenchment where decision-makers become overconfident and resistant to change. Bad decisions then proceed unchecked, often escalating into systemic failures.
In return, this can lead to groupthink, a phenomenon where a desire for harmony overrides rational evaluation. Environments that suffer from groupthink often ignore red flags, silence whistleblowers and overvalue consensus. All of these things are damaging to an organisation’s ability to remain agile and competitive.
Which brings us back to Trump. In his case this isn’t a corporate crisis. It’s a geopolitical one. At stake is not shareholder value but national security and global stability.
With sycophants backing poor decisions, the risk ranges from damaged diplomacy to outright conflict. If loyalty replaces truth, the cost could be catastrophic. Trump’s regime may ultimately collapse under the weight of its own delusions – but the collateral damage could be profound.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Bears are a growing presence in Connecticut, and while they’re an important part of our ecosystem, safely sharing space with them is essential.
“Black bears are the only bear species found in Connecticut,” says Tracy Rittenhouse, an associate professor in UConn’s Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. “They typically avoid people, but they’re curious animals and are always on the lookout for food, especially during the spring when they are emerging from hibernation and in the fall, as bears eat as much as possible to build fat for hibernation.”
The challenge arises as we coexist in spaces, with more houses being built in wooded areas. The state’s bear population is expanding into new areas and once a female with cubs establishes a home range in a town, the number of bears in that town will continue to increase for several years.
Bears become comfortable around people if they learn that residential areas provide easy meals, examples include birdseed, garbage, pet food, and fallen apples from trees. Easy meals lead to new habits for bears and more frequent human encounters. An example of a new habit in Connecticut is bears entering homes, with 70 reports of bears entering homes in the 2024 State of the Bears report.
Connecticut’s black bear population is estimated at around 1,200 in total. While most live west of the Connecticut River, the population is expanding to the eastern side of the state.
Adults weigh from 250 to 550 pounds, and a female can have between one and five cubs. Bears prefer to live in forestland and areas with thick underbrush, making many of our landscapes ideal habitats. While grasses, fruits, nuts, and berries are usual food sources, bears are omnivores, and will also eat insects, small mammals, livestock, and deer. Their excellent sense of smell easily leads them to food sources.
“Sometimes residents with good intentions accidentally put themselves, their loved ones, and their neighbors at increased risk through their actions, like hanging nectar-filled feeders which are just as attractive to large black bears as they are to delicate hummingbirds,” says Amy Harder, associate dean for extension in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR). “That’s why one of the main roles of UConn Extension is to share expertise from the University to help residents make informed decisions.”
Removing food sources helps prevent bear conflicts. Here are a few simple steps:
Secure your garbage bins. Store them in a garage or shed if possible and put them out only on the morning of pickup.
Take down bird feeders. Bird feeders attract bears and should especially be removed from March to November when natural food is available.
Pick up fallen fruit. Tree fruits and garden crops are another easy meal, especially apples, pumpkins, and other seasonal crops.
Feed pets indoors. Pet food should be provided indoors or remove the outdoor bowls immediately after feeding.
Bear encounters still occur, even with the necessary precautions. It’s important to know how to respond to ensure safety.
“If you encounter a bear, stay calm. Do not run. Bears typically avoid confrontation and will move away if they don’t feel threatened,” Rittenhouse says. “Instead, back away slowly while facing the bear. Make yourself look large by raising your arms or standing on a chair. Use a calm voice and give the bear plenty of space to retreat.”
Hikers and those working outdoors in areas where bears are active should consider carrying bear spray as a precaution, which offers a highly effective, nonlethal deterrent if used correctly. Bear spray must be easily accessible while working or hiking and users should pay attention to the wind direction to avoid spraying themselves.
If you have seen bears in your neighborhood, consider keeping bear spray accessible when grilling in your backyard. Don’t leave a big plate of food on the table next to the grill. Pets and children should be supervised outdoors in neighborhoods where bears are regularly observed.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) tracks bear sightings and encourages everyone to report bear sightings. This is especially important if the bear is approaching people or damaging property. Wildlife officials monitor bear activity and educate communities about staying safe. So far, there have already been 500 bear sightings in 2025, and last year, sightings were reported in 159 of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities, according to DEEP, with Simsbury reporting the greatest number of sightings at 967.
If you live near bears, consider installing an electric fence around your garden, especially during peak growing season. Bear noses are knee-height, and fences should have three or four strands. Harvest ripe fruits and vegetables and remove rotting produce. Use bear-resistant compost bins and avoid putting food scraps or fruit waste into open piles. Beekeepers also need to protect their hives.
UConn’s bear story map shows bear activity and the geographic locations with the highest bear and human conflict frequency. The story map documents research completed in 2012 and 2013 into the population size and location throughout the state. There is a new study by Rittenhouse and partners that will describe quantitatively how much diet and movements have changed over the last 10 years.
“Bears are not out to harm us. Coexisting with bears means respecting their presence and taking steps to discourage bears from using areas frequented by people. If we remove food attractants, bears are less likely to spend time in backyards,” Rittenhouse says. “By taking simple steps around your home, garden, and yard, we can reduce bear conflicts and live alongside one of Connecticut’s most iconic wild animals.”
This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Fostering Sustainable Landscapes at the Urban-Rural Interface.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ17: Coping with extreme weather Question:
There are views pointing out that in recent years, Hong Kong has been affected time and again by localised rainstorms, super typhoons and even very hot weather, thereby exposing the safety as well as lives and properties of members of the public to a greater risk. On coping with extreme weather, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of weather warnings and signals issued by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) in each of the past five years (set out by type of weather warnings and signals);
(2) in order to cope with extreme weather (including super typhoons and severe rainstorms) that may occur in Hong Kong, of the details of the interdepartmental drills conducted and contingency plans drawn up by various government departments so far this year (including the number of government departments and personnel involved); whether various government departments have put in place a comprehensive contingency mechanism for coping with extreme weather to assist members of the public and disseminate the relevant information in a timely manner;
(3) given that in the past, flooding and landslides frequently occurred in some districts (including Chai Wan, Wong Tai Sin, Wan Chai, Yuen Long and Tsim Sha Tsui) during rainstorm, whether the authorities have increased the supporting staff for flood and disaster prevention work specifically for those districts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) whether the authorities will formulate a mechanism to require the relevant government departments to take corresponding measures in the districts concerned simultaneously when the Localised Heavy Rain Advisory was issued by the HKO, e.g. strengthening local flood monitoring and deploying manpower to clear the drains, with a view to preventing the occurrence of localised large-scale flooding;
(5) given that the 2023 Policy Address indicated that the Drainage Services Department would complete the “Strategic Planning Study on Flood Management against Sea Level Rise and Extreme Rainfall” and develop a forward-looking strategy, of the progress of the relevant work and the findings of the Study; whether the Government has set aside resources for the implementation of the recommendations of the Study and the construction of the relevant infrastructure facilities; and
(6) whether it has further stepped up public education on disaster preparedness, e.g. regularly arranging for members of the public and students to participate in disaster prevention exercise, and teaching members of the public the corresponding measures to take when extreme weather and even natural disasters occur; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will strengthen such efforts in the future?
Reply:
President,
The responses to the various parts of the question are as follows:
(1) Based on the information provided by the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Hong Kong Observatory, the number of various warnings and signals issued by the Observatory in the past five years is set out below:
(i) Number of Tropical Cyclone Warning Signals issued
Year (ii) Number of Thunderstorm Warning, Special Announcement on Flooding in the northern New Territories, Rainstorm Warning Signal and Landslip Warning issued
Year(iii) Number of other warning and signal issued
Year(2) After consultation with the Security Bureau and the Home Affairs Department, our reply is as follows:
The Government has implemented the following measures in relation to emergency response mechanisms, interdepartmental drills, and the provision of timely assistance and dissemination of relevant information:
To address extreme weather events, the Security Bureau has formulated the Contingency Plan for Natural Disasters, which sets out the Government’s strategies, organisational framework, and alerting system for dealing with natural disasters, as well as the functions and responsibilities of Government bureaux/departments, public utility companies, and non-governmental organisations in the events of natural disasters. When major natural disasters happen, the Security Bureau will immediately activate the Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre to co-ordinate a comprehensive response and collaborate the actions of relevant departments and organisations (including their emergency control centres) to ensure the incidents are handled swiftly and effectively.
In the event of super typhoons or other large-scale natural disasters, the Chief Secretary for Administration will convene an interdepartmental Steering Committee meeting for provisioning high-level co-ordination and supervision in the various stages of preparedness, contingency and recovery as well as setting priorities for various tasks, thereby enabling the normal daily living of the community to resume as quickly as practicable. If a natural disaster has caused extreme and widespread impacts, such as widespread flooding, severe landslides, or severe disruption to public transportation services, the Steering Committee will consider making an “extreme conditions” announcement to advise members of the public to remain in their original safe locations.
The Security Bureau has been organising interdepartmental drills to enhance communication and collaboration among various government departments under different extreme weather conditions. Through the drills with various testing scenarios, the departments’ emergency plans will be refined. As at May 18 this year, the Security Bureau and relevant departments had conducted a total of 10 drills related to extreme weather, involving 33 policy bureaux and departments, with a total of 960 participants. For areas vulnerable to flooding or seawater inundation, the respective District Offices will also conduct interdepartmental drills before the typhoon season to strengthen co-ordination among departments, enhance response capabilities and raise residents’ understanding of response arrangements.
The Government will also, as appropriate, disseminate to the public the latest weather forecasts, natural disaster alerts, and related information including flooding, landslides, and traffic arrangements for affected roads through the Information Services Department, the media and social media platforms.
(3) The Drainage Services Department (DSD) is currently taking forward 15 major drainage improvement works and it is anticipated that these projects will be completed progressively by 2030. These projects include works in the abovementioned areas of concern, namely Chai Wan, Wong Tai Sin, Yuen Long, and Tsim Sha Tsui (Note). In recent years, the DSD has also completed a number of minor works in these districts, including improvement works to the drainage systems near Chai Wan Road roundabout and in Wong Tai Sin.
The DSD has identified around 240 locations prone to blockage in Hong Kong. Whenever the Hong Kong Observatory forecasts severe rainstorm, the DSD will arrange and deploy resources to step up their inspections and, where necessary, carry out immediate clearance of blocked drains to ensure proper functioning of the drainage system.
In relation to landslides, apart from conducting regular inspections of slopes under their maintenance responsibilities, relevant government departments need to additionally carry out special inspections for government man-made slopes adjacent to sole accesses to community or important livelihood facilities before each wet season. This helps minimise the potential impact on people’s lives due to incidents on these slopes. The relevant inspections were completed before the wet season this year. On the other hand, the Geotechnical Engineering Office will remind private owners to complete all regular slope inspections and the necessary slope maintenance before the onset of wet season through letters, social media posts, television promotional videos, radio broadcasts and media briefings, etc.
(4) The DSD has been working closely with the Hong Kong Observatory and has implemented the “Just-in-time Clearance” arrangement since 2020. Under this arrangement, when the Observatory forecasts severe rainstorms, the DSD will immediately deploy manpower to inspect locations prone to blockage and clear any blocked drains, thereby reducing the risk of flooding during heavy rainstorms. Since 2022, the DSD has taken proactive measures to further enhance its preparatory measures following the Hong Kong Observatory’s issuance of the Localised Heavy Rain Advisory. During periods of heavy rainstorms, the DSD, depending on the rainfall severity, will increase the number of emergency response teams to 180 teams. These teams are deployed to various districts to promptly handle flooding incidents so as to minimise the impact of flooding on the public.
The DSD also adopts innovative technologies, including the deployment of powerful pumping robots, piloting artificial intelligence-based flood monitoring systems, and the use of new flood monitoring devices, such as Flood Monitoring Devices, and dissemination of real-time water level information.
