NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – ‘Book and claim’ mechanism for sustainable aviation fuel in Regulation (EU) 2023/2405 (ReFuelEU Aviation): Part 1/2 – P-001878/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-001878/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Renew)

    Article 15(2) of Regulation (EU) 2023/2405 (ReFuelEU Aviation)[1] requires the Commission to assess, by 1 July 2024, possible additional measures to the weighted average approach that aviation fuel suppliers may invoke when supplying sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to EU airports. This includes the possibility of setting up or recognising a system of tradability of SAF – a ‘book and claim’ mechanism for aircraft operators or fuel suppliers, or for both – which would facilitate the supply and uptake of SAF. The assessment and report are still pending.

    As a prime example of how to boost the competitiveness of EU industries in the twin transition of reducing emissions through the deployment of digital solutions, book and claim is technically feasible without the risk of double-counting SAF. This can be carried out via existing blockchain solutions, by installing an effective EU database or through the recognition of industry solutions.

    • 1.With the EU’s SAF blending mandate kicking in on 1 January 2025, can the Commission confirm that it will present its report in due time, so as to enable stakeholders to prepare for it?
    • 2.Could the Commission please provide an update on the preparatory actions related to a book and claim mechanism in aviation fuel?

    Submitted: 30.9.2024

    • [1] Regulation (EU) 2023/2405 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023 on ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport (ReFuelEU Aviation), OJ L, 2023/2405, 31.10.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2405/oj.
    Last updated: 3 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Hyde-Smith: Targeted Program Offers Rural Hospitals Financial ‘Shot in the Arm,’ but CMS Isn’t Maximizing It

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) are pressing Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its refusal to use the budget-neutral Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD), despite the program’s proven efficacy for participating rural hospitals and qualifying facilities’ interest in joining. 
    “CMS last solicited program applications in 2017 and has communicated to us that the agency is not planning any further solicitations. Current law allows up to 30 hospitals to participate in the RCHD, but for the past several years CMS has underutilized the program, leaving as many as eight spots vacant,” the senators wrote CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure.
    “A 2022 evaluation report found that new hospitals participating in the RCHD program saw their finances stabilize. The evaluation noted that hospitals joining the program saw a ‘large, positive, and statistically significant increases in their Medicare inpatient and combined margins.’ Rural stakeholders have called the RCHD a ‘lifeline’ and that has enabled struggling hospitals to expand health care services to seniors,” they continued. “The RCHD program is supporting rural hospitals and it should be fully utilized. If CMS has the tools to help one rural hospital, then you should be doing something about it.”
    Read Grassley and Hyde-Smith’s full letter HERE. 
    Background: 
    The RCHD program improves financial viability for hospitals that are too large to be Critical Access Hospitals and too small to succeed under Medicare’s hospital inpatient prospective payment system. Congress established the RCHD in 2003 and has reauthorized it three times since. 
    Grassley’s RCHD Efforts: 
    Grassley is a lifelong resident of rural Iowa who, through his membership and leadership on the Senate Finance Committee, consistently works to improve patients’ access to care and ensure their hospitals stay open, regardless of where they’re located. 
    Last year, Grassley secured a commitment from Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra that his agency would “do more” to support rural hospitals in need. Grassley followed up shortly after, urging CMS to open RCHD spots. At Grassley’s request, CMS spoke with Iowa facilities looking to participate in the RCHD program. However, after months sans action, Grassley at a March hearing questioned Secretary Becerra about his failure to fill program openings, asserting the agency should be wielding every tool in the toolbox to help rural hospitals.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on National Manufacturing Day,  2024

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
        American workers and the unions who fight for them represent the best of our country.  They help power our economy and strengthen our middle class.  On National Manufacturing Day, we celebrate the ingenuity, grit, drive, and determination of the American worker.  We thank them for their contributions, and we recommit to investing in their productivity and success.
         There have always been competing visions for the future of America.  Some envision a future in which the failed trickle-down policies that hurt working families for more than 40 years are continued.  When I think about our future, I see an America where we grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up — not the top down.  I see an America where working people finally have a fair shot.  Above all, I see a future that is made right here in America. 
         That is why my Administration has invested in American manufacturing to restore the backbone of our Nation:  the middle class.  Together, we are doing what has always worked best in this country — investing in all of America and in all Americans.  My Investing in America agenda — including my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act — is revitalizing American manufacturing.  So far, we have attracted over $910 billion in private sector investment in manufacturing and clean energy nationwide and seen spending on factory construction soar to new records, roughly triple the pre-pandemic average.  These investments are helping create hundreds of thousands of jobs — including over 700,000 manufacturing jobs — building new semiconductor fabs, electric vehicle and battery factories, and so much more, here in America.  And we are working with employers, unions, community colleges, high schools, and other partners to ensure American workers are trained for the good manufacturing jobs we are generating.
         We have also made sure that Federal funds support American manufacturing.  “Buy American” has been the law of the land since the 1930s.  Past administrations said a lot but did not do a lot.  On my watch, Federal projects have been made with American products and built by American workers.  I fought for the passage of the “Build America, Buy America Act,” which established domestic content preferences in Federal infrastructure spending, as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  I signed the “Federal Research and Development in Support of Domestic Manufacturing and United States Jobs” Executive Order, directing Federal agencies to prioritize domestic manufacturing when it comes to research, development, innovation, and bringing inventions to market.  My Administration also made the strongest changes to Buy American rules in nearly seven decades by increasing the domestic content threshold for Federal procurement from 55 percent to 65 percent in 2024.  I also announced new requirements for lumber, glass, fiber optic cables, and other construction materials used in Federal infrastructure projects to be made in America.  And we will keep working to ensure that American taxpayer dollars are invested in American workers.
         Growing up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, I learned a basic value set — money does not determine your worth, and all anyone wants is a fair shot.  When I look at the economy, I see it through the eyes of Scranton.  That is why I came into office determined to write a new chapter in our American comeback story — one where we can take pride in knowing that we can still get big things done in this great Nation. 
         During National Manufacturing Day, may we rededicate ourselves to writing that story by making the phrase “Made in America” not just a slogan but a reality.
         NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 4, 2024, as National Manufacturing Day.  I thank our manufacturing workers for all that they do to strengthen our Nation, encourage all Americans to look for ways to get involved in their communities, and call on everyone to join me in participating in National Manufacturing Day and, most importantly, buying American.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
                                  JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey, Warnock Urge Biden Administration to Ensure Seniors Can Benefit from New Prescription Drug Out-of-Pocket Cap

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
    Senators press Administration to provide more information to older adults about out-of-pocket prescription drug cost cap that goes into effect January 2025
    The $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drugs for Medicare recipients to save seniors $1.5 billion in copays and other expenses
    Casey and Warnock fought to pass law giving Medicare the power to negotiate and lower prescription drugs
    Senators: “The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand these new options and benefits.”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) pressed the Biden Administration to take action to inform seniors of the steps they may need to take to benefit from the impending cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug prices. Starting in January 2025, as a result of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries will go into effect and reduce drug costs for nearly 19 million Americans. The Senators are urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase outreach efforts to ensure that seniors understand how to guarantee their prescription drugs count towards the out-of-pocket cap so they don’t end up paying more than expected.
    “The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand these new options and benefits. A lack of information and communication could leave older adults paying more and missing out on benefits to which they are entitled,” wrote the Senators.
    Chairman Casey and Senator Reverend Warnock have long led efforts in the Senate to lower prescription drug costs. In 2022, they fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which put in place the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. The law also capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for Medicare recipients and gave Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time. Negotiations began last year on the first set of ten drugs: Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and NovoLog/Fiasp. In August, the Biden Administration announced the new, lower negotiated prices for each of these first ten drugs. Early next year, the Administration will announce the next set of 15 drugs that will be subject to price negotiations. 
    Earlier this year, Casey and Warnock introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act, which would expand the savings of the Inflation Reduction Act by capping out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families on private insurance.
    Read the full letter HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary Becerra:
    Thank you for your ongoing commitment to lowering the cost of health care across the Nation. In just a few months, as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs will go into effect. The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand their new options and benefits. A lack of information and communication could leave older adults paying more and missing out on benefits to which they are entitled.  As this and other prescription drug pricing provisions from the IRA take effect, we urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase outreach efforts to older adults to ensure they are aware of how to benefit from the law.
    When Congress passed the IRA, we fought to ensure the legislation included significant steps to improve prescription drug affordability by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capping out of pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, lowering insulin costs, and decreasing prescription drug costs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Last year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower the price of prescription drugs and in August, CMS announced the negotiated maximum fair prices for the first 10 drugs under the IRA’s negotiation program. Medicare enrollees taking these 10 drugs paid a total of $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2022. Had the IRA been in effect in 2023, Medicare would have saved $6 billion, and beneficiaries would have saved $1.5 billion in copays and other expenses. Additional drugs will be negotiated each year under this program, largely expanding the affordability of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.
    Starting in 2023, cost-sharing was eliminated for vaccines covered by Medicare Part D. According to HHS, 10.3 million Medicare Part D enrollees received a recommended vaccine free of charge, which saved beneficiaries more than $400 million in out-of-pocket costs. This includes 3.9 million older adults who received a shingles vaccine, which is an increase of about 42 percent from 2021.
    In January 2024, the IRA also capped out of pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part B and Part D. Had the IRA been in effect in 2020, 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries would have benefited, saving about $734 million in Part D and $27 million in Part B, or about $500 in average annual savings per beneficiary. Thanks to pressure from the IRA, three of the largest U.S. insulin manufacturers have capped out-of-pocket insulin costs for even more patients.
    In January 2025, Medicare Part D enrollees will benefit from a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs. This redesign will reduce beneficiary out-of-pocket spending by about $7.4 billion each year among more than 18.7 million enrollees in 2025. This will save nearly $400 per person in out of pocket costs each year. 
    CMS has provided some information about the upcoming implementation of the out-of-pocket cap, with detailed guidance regarding the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to Part D plan sponsors and a fact sheet for consumers and Medicare beneficiaries. But CMS must do more to inform older adults about the details of the $2,000 out of pocket cap to ensure they are able to realize its maximum benefits. For example, Medicare beneficiaries need information about how to guarantee their prescription drugs count towards the out-of-pocket cap and how to choose the best Part D plan for their individual needs. Without this critical information, beneficiaries may end up paying more than expected.
    The IRA directly lowers prescription drug costs for millions of Americans, and we must do everything we can provide older adults with the resources to understand these benefits. This is especially important with Open Enrollment beginning on October 15, a key opportunity for beneficiaries to ensure their health plans meet their needs. The Biden-Harris Administration has worked tirelessly to pass and implement the IRA, and we look forward to continuing those efforts as provisions of the law take effect, making prescription drugs costs more affordable.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CBO Confirms: Biden-Harris Medicare Cost-Shifting Policy Will Cost Taxpayers Billions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued its fiscal analysis of the Biden-Harris administration’s Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration Program. Among other findings, CBO estimates the program – which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched to artificially lower seniors’ premiums that have surged due to Democrat policymaking – could cost taxpayers more than $21 billion over three years if implemented as planned.  
    CBO conducted its analysis at the request of Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), along with Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.).
    “When Democrats unilaterally enacted major changes to Medicare two years ago, they set seniors up for new expenses and fewer options. This nonpartisan CBO analysis confirms CMS’s cost-shifting plan is a dishonest election year gimmick to cover up those consequences,” Grassley said. “Rather than coming to the table and legitimately addressing its partisan mistakes, the Biden-Harris administration threw taxpayer dollars at the problems it created, putting Americans on the hook for tens of billions more dollars.” 
    “As predicted, the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act not only quelled investment for new cures, but caused Medicare prescription drug plan premiums to skyrocket, and Democrats are scrambling to cover it up before the election. In July, the Biden-Harris CMS scrambled to create a new federal program that will send billions of tax dollars to large health insurance companies to cover up a massive flaw in their so-called Inflation Reduction Act,” Arrington said. “Today, CBO confirmed that the administration’s election year Hail Mary will cost taxpayers an astounding $7 billion next year alone, and $21 billion over the planned three-year demo, adding to the more than $2 trillion in Biden-Harris executive spending.”
    CBO findings of note:

    Relative to prior projections, CBO expects an increase in federal Medicare Part D spending by $10-$20 billion in 2025 as a result of Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act. The demonstration’s temporary subsidies will drive up federal spending by another $5 billion and increase net spending on interest by $2 billion.

    The demonstration program increased plans’ expected benefit payments, which contributed to a significant 2024-2025 rise in the amount plans bid. Those higher bids hike the premiums that beneficiaries pay, as well as the federal subsidies to Part D plans.

    Background:
    Congressional Democrats in the Inflation Reduction Act significantly redesigned the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit at an estimated cost of nearly $30 billion over 10 years. PDP sponsors then moved to increase their plan bids and base beneficiary premiums, while reducing plan offerings for 2025.
    As a reaction, CMS announced its Premium Stabilization Demonstration. This cost-shifting program artificially lowered the cost of seniors’ Part D premiums by sending federal funds to large health insurance companies. It applies a uniform reduction of $15 to the base beneficiary premium, establishing a year-over-year limit of $35 on how much a plan’s total Part D premium can increase. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board called the demonstration a “Medicare election bribe for seniors.”
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Colleagues Introduce Resolution to Recognize Latina Equal Pay Day

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced a resolution to mark Latina Equal Pay Day and recognize its larger impact on women, families, and the economy. The resolution was also introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.-03) and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.-44).
    “Overall, working Latinas are still being paid far less than their male counterparts—and it’s time we close the pay gap,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to introduce this bicameral resolution to recognize Latina Equal Pay Day and underscore the power Latinas bring to our economy. I’ll continue working to make sure that every woman in Nevada—regardless of her background—receives equal pay for equal work.”
    More than 60 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, all Latinas with reported earnings in 2023 were paid just 51 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.
    Read the full resolution text here. 
    A third generation Nevadan, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is the first and only Latina in the U.S. Senate and the highest ranking Hispanic Senator in the Democratic Caucus. She passed a bipartisan resolution recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month in the Senate this year. She helped create a new series of commemorative circulating coins highlighting remarkable American women trailblazers in the U.S.—including Latinas like Celia Cruz, Nina Otero-Warren, and Jovita Idar. She’s leading the charge in the Senate to build the National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall, and she’s working to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to close the gender wage gap.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján, Vasquez Welcome Infrastructure Law Investment in Southline Transmission Project in Southern New Mexico

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the co-founder and co-chair of the Electrification Caucus, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.)  welcomed the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) announcement that its Grid Deployment Office (GDO) is investing $1.5 billion for five electric transmission projects— including the Southline Transmission Project in southern New Mexico.  
    The funding will come from the Grid Deployment Office’s (GDO) Transmission Facilitation Program (TFP), a revolving fund program established by the Infrastructure Law that Heinrich, Luján, and Democrats in the New Mexico Congressional Delegation championed into law. The TFP helps overcome the financial hurdles facing transmission development through a number of innovative financing mechanisms. 
    “The investments that we unlocked through our Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act are solidifying New Mexico’s leadership in building a cleaner, healthier, and more affordable energy future,” said Heinrich. “High-voltage transmission projects like Southline will be the backbone of our clean energy transition, delivering carbon-free power generated in New Mexico to market. They will also create high-quality careers that New Mexicans can build their families around, in their home communities. To get more transmission projects like Southline and SunZia built faster so we can connect more large-scale clean energy and storage projects onto the grid, it’s critical that Congress pass transmission permitting reform. I will continue pressing leaders from both parties to pass legislation to get that done.” 
    “Investing in transmission projects is critical to deliver reliable, affordable, clean energy to communities across New Mexico,” said Luján. “This investment in the second phase of the transformative Southline project will help boost our power grid, bring good-paying clean energy jobs to our state, and lower energy costs for New Mexicans and residents in the Southwest. I’m proud to have helped secure this federal investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and I will continue to unlock federal resources to advance clean energy projects across our state.” 
    “From my first day in office, I have worked to support generational projects like Southline that realize New Mexico’s potential to help power our clean energy future. This investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will connect high voltage transmission from Las Cruces through Hidalgo County, opening up incredible potential for renewable energy development in our district,” said Vasquez. “I will always work to bring transformational investments to our district that help provide good, high paying jobs for our rural communities.” 
    With this funding, Southline will construct the second phase of its project: a new 108-mile, 345 kV high-voltage alternating current line that will deliver 1,000 MW of new, bidirectional capacity between Hidalgo County, New Mexico and Las Cruces, New Mexico.  
    Heinrich previously welcomed DOE funding for the first phase of the Southline Project, which included a 175-mile, 748 MW transmission line from Hidalgo County, New Mexico, to Pima County, Arizona, that will help unlock renewable energy development in southern New Mexico and deliver diverse sources of clean energy to growing markets in Arizona. Southline Phase 2 will add much-needed transmission capacity across the American Southwest, which is grappling with extensive power demands driven by residential, commercial, and industrial activity. 
    In August, Heinrich, Luján, and Vasquez also welcomed $1.8 million from DOE for the City of Lordsburg. As a community hosting the Southline Transmission Project, the City will launch the Lordsburg Revitalization Project, a comprehensive investment to renovate downtown Lordsburg and bolster economic development; create opportunities for small businesses; and catalyze job growth. This grant was made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed by Democrats in the N.M. Delegation, and is funded through DOE’s Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grant Program, a new initiative designed to overcome state and local challenges to expanding transmission capacity while also supporting communities along major new and upgraded lines. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján Introduce Resolution Recognizing Latina Equal Pay Day

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — To celebrate Latina Equal Pay Day today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced a Senate resolution recognizing October 3, 2024, as Latina Equal Pay Day.  
    More than 50 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Latinas make up the second largest group of women workers in the U.S—yet they are paid 57 cents for every dollar paid to white men, losing over $1,200,000 in potential earnings over a 40 year career. This resolution recognizes the disparity in wages paid to Latina women and reaffirms support to ensure equal pay for equal work and close the gender pay gap.
    “From driving small business growth to leading labor movements, Latinas have grown and transformed our economy and workplaces for the better. On Latina Equal Pay Day, we honor their remarkable accomplishments and contributions, while recognizing the ongoing work needed to achieve equal pay for equal work,” said Heinrich. “This day and every day, I remain committed to fighting for a fair economy for all New Mexicans, raising the minimum wage, and expanding opportunities for a brighter future.”
    “Throughout history, Latinas have helped propel our economy and have long contributed to the fabric of America,” said Luján. “Despite their contributions to building our country, their pay has not been reflective of their work. Today, on Latina Equal Pay Day, I’m proud to partner with Senator Heinrich to introduce this resolution to recognize the contributions of Latinas and highlight the ongoing fight for equal pay for equal work. I will continue to fight for workers across New Mexico and the country to secure equal pay for equal work and close the gender pay gap once and for all.”
    The resolution is led by U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)., Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Illi.), Amy Klobuchar (D-M.N.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), George Helmy (D-N.J.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). The companion resolution is led in the House by U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Leger Fernández, Cortez Masto, Barragán Introduce Resolution to Recognize Latina Equal Pay Day

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA)  announced the introduction of the Latina Equal Pay Day Resolution to recognize the disparity in wages paid to Latinas, the significance of equal pay, and its larger impact on women, families, and the economy. 

    “Mis hermanas y yo decidimos que ya basta! We introduced the bicameral Latina Equal Pay Day Resolution to recognize the unequal and unfair treatment of women in the workforce, especially Latinas, who are undervalued and underpaid—earning only 51 cents to an average male worker,” said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. “Latinas play a huge role in our economy, especially our care economy. But our contributions are not valued, and our value is not paid. Today, we recommit to closing the gender and racial wage gap. Latinas deserve equal pay NOW.” 

    “Overall, working Latinas are still being paid far less than their male counterparts—and it’s time we close the pay gap,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to introduce this bicameral resolution to recognize Latina Equal Pay Day and underscore the power Latinas bring to our economy. I’ll continue working to make sure that every woman in Nevada—regardless of her background—receives equal pay for equal work.”

    “Pay disparities experienced by women, and especially Latinas and women of color, show that the contributions we make to society are consistently undervalued,” said Congresswoman Barragán. “In many Latina families, the women of the family are the sole economic providers. It takes several additional months for a Latina woman to make the equivalent of a white man – which puts them behind in their pursuit of their American Dream. I am proud to lead on this resolution that reaffirms Congress’ commitment to closing the pay gap. Ha llegado el momento de que las latinas reciban igualdad de salarios!”

    More than 60 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, all Latinas with reported earnings in 2023 were paid just 51 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. That is one cent less than last year. Latinas who work full-time, year-round are paid only 58 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. On Latina Equal Pay Day, we recognize the pay gap between Latinas and White non-Hispanic men in the previous calendar year. 

    The resolution is led in the Senate by Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV) and co-led in the House by Nanette Diaz Barragán and co-sponsored by Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29), Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-08), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Katie Porter (D-CA-47), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO-05), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), André Carson (D-IN-07), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29), J. Luis Correa (D-CA-46), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Greg Casar (D-TX-35).

    The resolution is endorsed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and supported by 26 organizations, including Equal Rights Advocates & Equal Pay Today, Michigan Pay Equity Network, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Justice for Migrant Women, Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley, MomsRising/MamásConPoder, AnitaB.org, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center, Women Employed, MANA, A National Latina Organization, UnidosUS, Women’s Law Project, National Hispanic Council on Aging, SER National Inc., National Council of Jewish Women, Family Values @ Work, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), Esperanza United, Hispanic National Bar Association, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Methodist Federation for Social Action, National Education Association, PowHer New York, Latinas in Healthcare, National Alliance to End Sexual Violence.

    “Thank you to Senator Cortez Masto and Representatives Leger Fernández and Barragán for their leadership in Congress working to close the pay gap. This Latina Equal Pay Day, we are honoring Latina leaders in the labor movement and across sectors to amplify the incredible ways that Latinas make change in our communities. We also continue to advocate for the passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act and BE HEARD in the Workplace Act to create more economically secure and safer workplaces,” said Mónica Ramírez, President and Founder, Justice for Migrant Women.

    “As a Latina, mother, grandmother, and lifelong advocate for workers, I’ve witnessed Latinas take on incredible sacrifices to progress in this country, but it is our role as advocates to ensure that Latina’s wages do not continue to be sacrificed. Today, in 2024, Latinas face a staggering wage gap that continues to undermine our contributions and hold our community back. While unions have been instrumental in securing higher wages and vital protections for unionized Latinas, a wage gap still persists even among unionized Latinas. Our work won’t end until every Latina—and every woman—is valued equally for her labor. We must demand action now. Support the Paycheck Fairness Act and the BE HEARD Act—two essential pieces of legislation to combat pay discrimination and workplace violence. Our fight is about more than wages; it’s about dignity, respect, and the fundamental principle of equality that our country is founded upon,” said Evelyn DeJesus, National President, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and Executive Vice President, American Federation of Teachers.

    “Equal Pay Today, a nationwide pay equity coalition of over 45 state and national organizations, applauds Congresswomen Leger Fernández and Barragán and Senator Cortez Masto for introducing this Latina Equal Pay Day Resolution. While Latinas are the backbone of our economy, leaders, entrepreneurs, and the second-largest group of women workers in the United States, they suffer from egregious pay gaps, ongoing workplace harassment, and continued segregation into low paid work and workplaces that lack paid leave and benefits. This resolution recognizes that true pay equity requires an intersectional approach to address gender and race-based discrimination and galvanizes our collective support to address the injustices which impact Latinas, their families, and our economy,” said Deborah J. Vagins, Director of Equal Pay Today with Equal Rights Advocates.

    “We are grateful to Congresswomen Leger Fernández and Barragán and Senator Cortez Masto for calling attention to the ongoing and egregious wage gaps experienced by Latinas. The median annual pay for all Latinas is less than an appalling $27,000 a year, plunging a working mother of two in poverty. Over her lifetime, a Latina is robbed of over a million dollars in wages. This travesty must end. We are proud to join the Members of Congress and partner organizations who support this resolution and who are working together on common sense workplace protections and benefits to end this economic injustice for Latinas,”said Noreen Farrell, Executive Director of Equal Rights Advocates & Chair of Equal Pay Today.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: CRTC moves to deploy fibre optic internet in 16 rural Manitoba communities

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC has committed more than $8 million to Westman Communications Group to build approximately 310 kilometres of fibre transport infrastructure. The projects will improve access to reliable, high-quality Internet services.

    October 3, 2024 — Ottawa-Gatineau – Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

    The CRTC is taking steps to provide 16 rural Manitoba communities with access to high-speed fibre optic Internet.

    In 2019, the CRTC implemented the Broadband Fund to help connect rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada. To date, the Fund has helped improve high-speed Internet and cell phone services in 270 communities, connecting essential facilities such as schools, health centres and community centres.

    Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC has committed more than $8 million to Westman Communications Group to build approximately 310 kilometres of fibre transport infrastructure. The projects will improve access to reliable, high-quality Internet services.

    These projects received support from affected communities. Letters of support highlighted the positive impacts the projects had on daily life in these areas, such as improving public safety and promoting commercial and industrial development.

    The CRTC continues to assess applications received under the Broadband Fund and will make further funding announcements in the coming months.

    Quote

    “We are taking action to ensure that all Canadians have access to high-speed Internet services. The projects announced today will bring fibre optic Internet services to 16 rural communities in Manitoba. They will improve access to health care and other government services, support small businesses and create new economic opportunities.”

    – Vicky Eatrides, CRTC Chair and CEO

    Quick Facts

    The CRTC is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates Canada’s communications sector in the public interest. It holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record. To date, the CRTC Broadband Fund has supported projects that will connect more than 47,000 households, improve cellphone service along more than 630 kilometres of major highways, and build more than 4,900 kilometres of fibre optics in communities. In March 2023, the CRTC launched a public consultation to enhance the Broadband Fund. It will initiate a process to create an Indigenous component of the Fund.

    Related links

    Media RelationsEmail Address: media@crtc.gc.caPhone: 819-997-9403

    General InquiriesTelephone: 819-997-0313Toll-free: 1-877-249-CRTC (2782)Teletypewriter: 819-994-0423

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-Evening Report: How we created a beautiful native wildflower meadow in the heart of the city using threatened grassland species

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Horsfall, PhD Candidate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne

    Matthew Stanton, CC BY-NC

    A city street may seem an unusual place to save species found in critically endangered grasslands. My new research, though, shows we can use plants from these ecosystems to create beautiful and biodiverse urban wildflower meadows. This means cities, too, can support nature repair.

    Species-rich grassy ecosystems are some of the most threatened plant communities on the planet. Occupying easily developed flat land, grassy ecosystems are routinely sacrificed as our cities expand.

    In south-east Australia, the volcanic plains that support Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs were once grasslands strewn with wildflowers, “resembling a nobleman’s park on a gigantic scale”, according to early explorer Thomas Mitchell. But these exceptionally diverse, critically endangered ecosystems have been reduced to less than 1% of their original area. The few remnants continue to be lost to urban development and weed invasion.

    A mix of the seeds used to create the meadow.
    Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC

    Unfortunately, efforts to restore the grasslands around Melbourne have had mixed results. In 2020 the City of Melbourne took matters into its own hands. Recognising it is possible to enrich the diversity of birds, bats and insects by providing low-growing native plants, the council set a goal to increase understorey plants by 20% on the land it manages.

    Creating a large native grassland in inner-city Royal Park would help achieve this goal. Adopting a technique used by wildflower meadow designers, we sowed a million seeds of more than two dozen species from endangered grasslands around Melbourne. All but one of these species established in the resulting native wildflower meadow.

    The recreated native wildflower meadow is close to an inner-city road.
    Matthew Stanton, CC BY-NC

    What were the challenges at this site?

    Existing restoration techniques remove nutrient-enriched topsoils full of weed seeds before sowing native seeds. The target plant community can then establish with less competition from nutrient-hungry weeds.

    However, this approach could not be used at the Royal Park site. Topsoil removal cannot be used on many urban sites where soils are contaminated or there are underground services. Alternative approaches are needed to reduce weed competition while minimising soil disturbance.

    I saw a possible answer in the horticultural approaches used to create designed wildflower meadows.

    Preparing the selected site in Royal Park by raking away mulch.
    Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC

    While still rare in Australia, designed wildflower meadows can increase the amenity and biodiversity of urban environments. They also reduce the costs of managing and mowing turf grass. These meadows are designed to be infrequently mown or burnt.

    Wildflower meadow designers typically use an international suite of species that can be established from seed and persist without fertiliser or regular irrigation. An abundance of flowers makes people more accepting of “messy” vegetation. Recognising this, designers select a mix of species that will flower for as much of the year as possible.

    Seed being spread by hand across the prepared area in April 2020.
    Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC

    To reduce competition from weeds, these meadows are often created on a layer of sand that covers the original site soils. The low-nutrient sand buries weed seeds and creates a sowing surface that resists weed invasion from the surrounding landscape.

    However, the grasslands around Melbourne grow on clay soils, not sand. Would these techniques work for plants from these ecosystems?

    A deep sand layer controls weeds and slugs

    To find out we sowed more than a million seeds on sites with two depths of sand (10mm and 80mm) and one without a sand layer in Royal Park. Within one year, 26 of the 27 species sown had established to form a dense, flowering meadow across all sand depths. These plants included three threatened species.

    The hoary sunray, Leucochrysum albicans subsp. tricolor, is one of the endangered species in the native wildflower meadow.
    Marc Freestone/Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, CC BY-NC-SA

    Crucially, the deepest sand layer reduced weed numbers and therefore time spent weeding.

    Interestingly, slugs played a role in determining the diversity of the native meadow. South-east Australia’s grasslands have largely evolved without slugs. As a result, seedlings lack chemical or physical defences against grazing by slugs, which can greatly reduce species diversity in native meadows.

    Again, sand provided a real benefit. Fewer slugs occurred on the deepest sand layer compared to bare soil. The suggestion that sand can deter slugs is consistent with meadow research in Europe.

    By September 2020, seedlings are growing on the prepared plots. The roof tile in the foreground is for monitoring slug numbers.
    Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC

    Now to repair nature in all our cities

    Our research gives us another technique to reinstate critically endangered plant communities. We can use it to bring nature back to city parks and streets.

    Working in urban contexts also unlocks other advantages. There’s ready access to irrigation while the meadow gets established and to communities keen to care for natural landscapes. Creating native wildflower meadows in cities also helps native animals survive, including threatened species that call our cities home.

    People will be able to engage with beautiful native plants that are now rare in cities. Enriching our experience of nature can enhance our health and wellbeing.

    The meadow’s plant community was established by November 2020, six months after sowing.
    David Hannah, CC BY-NC

    My colleagues and I trialled these approaches with the support of the City of Melbourne. We are continuing our research to improve the scale and sustainability of native wildflower meadows in other municipalities.

    Native wildflower meadows and grassland restoration projects could genuinely help Australia meet its commitment to restore 30% of degraded landscapes. But first we need to invest much more in seed production. Reinstating native species on degraded land requires a lot of seed.

    Once seed supply is more certain, we will be able to bring back native biodiversity and beauty to streets, parks and reserves across the country.

    I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the project took place, the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people of the Kulin Nations, and we pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. I also acknowledge my colleagues listed as co-authors on the research paper that formed the basis of this article: urban ecologists Nicholas S.G. Williams and Stephen Livesley, and seed ecologists Megan Hirst and John Delpratt.

    Katherine Horsfall received funding from the City of Melbourne to undertake this research and receives funding from the Australian Research Training Program.

    – ref. How we created a beautiful native wildflower meadow in the heart of the city using threatened grassland species – https://theconversation.com/how-we-created-a-beautiful-native-wildflower-meadow-in-the-heart-of-the-city-using-threatened-grassland-species-240332

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From cheeky thrill to grande dame – the Moulin Rouge celebrates 135 years of scandal and success

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will Visconti, Teacher and researcher, Art History, University of Sydney

    Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec At the Moulin Rouge – The Dance, 1890 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec/Wikimedia Commons

    When the Moulin Rouge first opened on October 6 1889, it drew audiences from across classes and countries.

    The Moulin offered an array of fin-de-siècle (end-of-the-century) entertainments to Paris locals and visitors. Located in Montmartre, its name, the “red windmill”, alluded to Montmartre’s history as a rural idyll. The neighbourhood was also associated with artistic bohemia, crime, and revolutionary spirit. This setting added a certain thrill for bourgeois audiences.

    From irreverent newcomer to a French institution, the Moulin Rouge has survived scandal, an inferno and found new ways to connect with audiences.



    Read more:
    How the Eiffel Tower became silent cinema’s icon

    Red and electric

    In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was not the only red landmark to open in Paris. The Eiffel Tower, built as part of the Universal Exhibition and originally painted red, had opened earlier that same year. What set them apart, however, was their popularity.

    The Moulin Rouge was an instant hit, capitalising on the global popularity of a dance called the cancan. Dancers like Moulin Rouge headliner La Goulue (“The Glutton”, real name Louise Weber) were seen as more appropriate emblems for the city than the Tower, which many considered an eyesore.

    In an illustration from Le Courrier Français newspaper, a dancer modelled on a photograph of La Goulue holds her leg aloft, flashing her underwear with the caption “Greetings to the provinces and abroad!”.

    Every aspect of the Moulin spoke to the zeitgeist, from its design to the performances, the use of electric lights that adorned its façade, and its advertising.

    Its managers, the impresario team of Joseph Oller and Charles Harold Zidler, had a string of successful venues and businesses to their names. They recognised the importance of modern marketing, using print media, publicity photographs, and posters to spark public interest.

    Among the most iconic images of the Moulin is Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1891 poster. At its centre is La Goulue, kicking her legs amid swirling petticoats.

    Henri Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1891 poster.
    Shutterstock

    She certainly can cancan

    Found primarily in working-class dance halls from as early as the 1820s, the cancan became a staple of popular entertainment the world over.

    Part of the dance’s thrill lay in the dancers’ freedom of movement and titillation of spectators, as well as its anti-establishment energy. Women used the cancan to thumb their nose at authority via steps like the coup de cul (“arse flash”) or coup du chapeau (removing men’s hats with a high kick).

    The cancan was not the only attraction at the Moulin. There were themed spaces, sideshows, and variety performances ranging from belly dancers and conjoined twins to Le Pétomane (“The Fartomaniac”) who was a flatulist and the highest-paid performer. People watching was equally popular.

    Famous farter, Le Pétomane (Joseph Pujol).
    Wikimedia Commons

    Scandals, riots, and royalty

    Over the years, the Moulin has been no stranger to controversy.

    In its early years, it cultivated an air of misbehaviour and featured in pleasure guides for visiting sex tourists.

    In 1893 it hosted the Bal des Quat’z’Arts (Four-Arts Ball) held by students from local studios. Accusations of public indecency were made against the models and dancers in attendance, and violent protests followed after the women were arrested.

    In 1907 the writer Colette appeared onstage at the Moulin in an Egyptian-inspired pantomime with her then-lover, Missy, the Marquise de Belbeuf. When the act culminated in a passionate kiss, a riot broke out.

    Historical footage shows the Moulin Rouge as it was.

    Kicking on and on

    Over time, the Moulin Rouge shows changed their format to keep pace with public taste, though the cancan remained. The venue hosted revues and operettas, and various stars including Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli.

    Famous guests have included British royalty: from Edward VII (while Prince of Wales) to his great-granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, and her son, Prince Edward.

    Since its opening, the Moulin’s fortunes have waxed and waned.

    In 1915 the Moulin Rouge burned down but was rebuilt in 1921. Its famous windmill sails fell off overnight earlier this year but were swiftly repaired.

    In the 1930s, it survived the Depression and rise of cinema (also capturing the attention of several filmakers). It also survived the Nazi occupation of Paris in the 1940s.

    By the early 1960s, Jacki Clerico was managing the Moulin’s show after his father had revamped the venue as a dinner theatre destination. The younger Clérico oversaw additions like a giant aquarium where dancers swam with snakes, and its now-famous “nude line” – a chorus of topless dancers – in its shows.

    In 1963, the Moulin Rouge struck upon a winning formula: revues, all named by Clérico with titles beginning with the letter “F” – from Frou Frou to Fantastique and Formidable. Since 1999, the revue Féerie (“Fairy”, also a French genre of stage extravaganza) has been performed almost without interruption.

    The Moulin Rouge or ‘red mill’ today, with its famous windmill.
    Rafa Barcelos/Shutterstock

    Ticket sales were boosted thanks to Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film Moulin Rouge! and more recently Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

    Since COVID, the Moulin Rouge management have diversified. The windmill’s interior has been rented out via AirBnB and the Moulin’s dance troupe has performed on France’s televised New Year’s Eve celebrations. This year, the Moulin Rouge and its dancers were part of the Paris Olympics celebrations, dancing in heavy rain.

    Though people have come to appreciate the Eiffel Tower too, the Moulin Rouge can still argue its status as the pinnacle of live entertainment in the French capital: immediately recognisable, internationally visible, and quintessentially Parisian.

    Will Visconti is the author of Beyond the Moulin Rouge: The Life & Legacy of La Goulue (2022), published by the University of Virginia Press.

    – ref. From cheeky thrill to grande dame – the Moulin Rouge celebrates 135 years of scandal and success – https://theconversation.com/from-cheeky-thrill-to-grande-dame-the-moulin-rouge-celebrates-135-years-of-scandal-and-success-239849

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 71% of Australian uni staff are using AI. What are they using it for? What about those who aren’t?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Hay, Senior Lecturer, School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University

    Yanz Island/Shutterstock

    Since ChatGPT was released at the end of 2022, there has been a lot of speculation about the actual and potential impact of generative AI on universities.

    Some studies have focused on students’ use of AI. There has also been research on what it means for teaching and assessment.

    But there has been no large-scale research on how university staff in Australia are using AI in their work.

    Our new study surveyed more than 3,000 academic and professional staff at Australian universities about how they are using generative AI.

    Our study

    Our survey was made up of 3,421 university staff, mostly from 17 universities around Australia.

    It included academics, sessional academics (who are employed on a session-by-session basis) and professional staff. It also included adjunct staff (honorary academic positions) and senior staff in executive roles.

    Academic staff represented a wide range of disciplines including health, education, natural and physical sciences, and society and culture. Professional staff worked in roles such as research support, student services and marketing.

    The average age of respondents was 44.8 years and more than half the sample was female (60.5%).

    The survey was open online for around eight weeks in 2024.

    We surveyed academic and professional staff at universities around Australia.
    Panitan/Shutterstock

    Most university staff are using AI

    Overall, 71% of respondents said they had used generative AI for their university work.

    Academic staff were more likely to use AI (75%) than professional staff (69%) or sessional staff (62%). Senior staff were the most likely to use AI (81%).

    Among academic staff, those from information technology, engineering, and management and commerce were most likely to use AI. Those from agriculture and environmental studies, and natural and physical sciences, were least likely to use it.

    Professional staff in business development, and learning and teaching support, were the most likely to report using AI. Those working in finance and procurement, and legal and compliance areas, were least likely to use AI.

    Given how much publicity and debate there has been about AI in the past two years, the fact that nearly 30% of university staff had not used AI suggests adoption is still at an early stage.

    What tools are staff using?

    Survey respondents were asked which AI tools they had used in the previous year. They reported using 216 different AI tools, which was many more than we anticipated.

    Around one-third of those using AI had only used one tool, and a further quarter had used two. A small number of staff (around 4%) had used ten tools or more.

    General AI tools were by far the most frequently reported. For example, ChatGPT was used by 88% of AI users and Microsoft Copilot by 37%.

    University staff are also commonly using AI tools with specific purposes such as image creation, coding and software development, and literature searching.

    We also asked respondents how frequently they used AI for a range of university tasks. Literature searching, writing and summarising information were the most common, followed by course development, teaching methods and assessment.

    ChatGPT was the most common generative AI tool used by our respondents.
    Monkey Business Images/ Shutterstock

    Why aren’t some staff using AI?

    We asked staff who had not yet used AI for work to explain their thinking. The most common reason they gave was AI was not useful or relevant to their work. For example, one professional staff member stated:

    While I have explored a couple of chat tools (Chat GPT and CoPilot) with work-related questions, I’ve not needed to really apply these tools to my work yet […].

    Others said they weren’t familiar with the technology, were uncertain about its use or didn’t have time to engage. As one academic told us plainly, “I don’t feel confident enough yet”.

    Ethical objections to AI

    Others raised ethical objections or viewed the technology as untrustworthy and unreliable. As one academic told us:

    I consider generative AI to be a tool of plagiarism. The uses to date, especially in the creative industries […] have involved machine learning that uses the creative works of others without permission.

    They also also raised about AI undermining human activities such as writing, critical thinking and creativity – which they saw as central to their professional identities. As one sessional academic said:

    I want to think things through myself rather than trying to have a computer think for me […].

    Another academic echoed:

    I believe that writing and thinking is fundamental to the work we do. If we’re not doing that, then […] why do we need to exist as academics?

    How should universities respond?

    Universities are at a crucial juncture with generative AI. They face an uneven uptake of the technology by staff in different roles and divided opinions on how universities should respond.

    These different views suggest universities need to have a balanced response to AI that addresses both the benefits and concerns around this technology.

    Despite differing opinions in our survey, there was still agreement among respondents that universities need to develop clear, consistent policies and guidelines to help staff use AI. Staff also said it was crucial for universities to prioritise staff training and invest in secure AI tools.

    Alicia Feldman receives an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and Fee Offset.

    Paula McDonald receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Abby Cathcart and Stephen Hay 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.

    – ref. 71% of Australian uni staff are using AI. What are they using it for? What about those who aren’t? – https://theconversation.com/71-of-australian-uni-staff-are-using-ai-what-are-they-using-it-for-what-about-those-who-arent-240337

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $7.4 MILLION FOR ROCKLAND COUNTY TO REMOVE LEAD PAINT HAZARDS FROM AGING HOMES, SAYS INVESTMENT WILL PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF HUDSON VALLEY CHILDREN FROM TOXIC…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program Provides Federal Funding To Rid Homes And Communities Of Lead Hazards
    Schumer Has Long Fought To Get The Lead Out Of NYS – Securing Millions In Fed $$ To Remove Lead Hazards From Homes – And Latest Investment Will Boost Efforts Even Further To Rid Homes Of Toxic Lead Paint
    Schumer: Federal Funding To Remove Lead Hazards Is A Shot In The Arm To Protect Rockland’s Children And Public Health
    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced $7,400,000 in federal funding for Rockland County from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. Schumer explained that the funding will be used to address lead-based paint hazards, improving the health of children and families across New York State.
    “No amount of toxic lead exposure is safe for children in Rockland County. I am proud to secure $7.4 million to help Rockland County & the Village of Pomona remove lead paint from homes to protect our children and public health,” said Senator Schumer. “Lead poisoning is an irreversible, preventable tragedy that robs many families and children of their future. This major federal funding is the shot in the arm the Hudson Valley needs accelerate lead paint removal and prevention and protect the health and safety of families in Rockland County.”
    This funding builds on years of efforts by Schumer to help address toxic lead exposure across Upstate NY. Schumer has long been a driving force in securing federal funding to reduce lead exposure in New York. In addition to fighting lead exposure in paint, Schumer has also led the charge to increase federal funding to eliminate lead service pipes for drinking water in New York. The senator secured one of the largest federal investments ever into eliminating lead service pipes in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law, which includes a $15 billion carve-out within the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) over 5 years ($3 billion every year) for lead service pipe replacement.
    According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), lead is much more harmful to children than adults because it can affect children’s developing nerves and brains. Lead-based paint, still encasing the walls of many homes, often erodes and settles on children’s toys on the floor, eventually falling into the hands and mouths of children. For children under the age of 6, lead exposure can result in developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues, which may lead to lifelong health and financial consequences. Schumer has long advocated for protecting New York’s children and families in the past by securing millions of dollars in federal funding to eradicate these toxic elements from homes in order to reduce lead poisoning cases. Lead poisoning can cause developmental difficulties, physical pain, and neurological damage.
    The purpose of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program is to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately-owned housing for rental or owner-occupants. These grants are used to assist municipalities in carrying out lead hazard control activities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $22+ MILLION FOR FOUR UPSTATE NY COMMUNITIES TO REMOVE LEAD PAINT HAZARDS FROM AGING HOMES; SENATOR SAYS INVESTMENT WILL PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NY’S CHILDREN FROM TOXIC…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Fed Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program Will Boost Albany, Schenectady, Onondaga, and Chautauqua County To Help Rid Homes And Communities Of Lead Hazards
    Schumer Has Long Fought To Get The Lead Out Of Upstate NY – Securing Millions In Fed $$ To Remove Lead Hazards From Homes – And Latest Investment Will Boost Efforts Even Further To Rid Homes Across Upstate NY Of Toxic Lead Paint
    Schumer: Fed $$$ Is A Shot In The Arm To Protect Upstate NY’s Children And Public Health
    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced $22,467,061 in federal funding for four cities from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. Schumer explained that the funding will be used to address lead-based paint hazards, improving the health of children and families across Upstate NY in Onondaga, Albany, Schenectady, and Chautauqua Counties.
    “No amount of toxic lead exposure is safe for children in Upstate NY. Today I am proud to deliver $22+ million for communities from the Capital Region to Central NY to Western NY to remove lead paint from homes to protect our children and public health,” said Senator Schumer. “Lead poisoning is an irreversible, preventable tragedy that robs many families and children of their future. This major federal funding is the shot in the arm that these regions need to boost lead paint removal and prevention and protect the health and safety of families across Upstate NY.”
    A full list of awards can be found below:

    Organization Name

    Community

    County

    Federal Funding

    Albany Community Development Agency

    Albany

    Albany

    $5,000,000.00

    City of Schenectady

    Schenectady

    Schenectady

    $3,967,061.00

    Onondaga County Community Development

    Syracuse

    Onondaga

    $7,750,000.00

    Chautauqua County

    Mayville

    Chautauqua

    $5,750,000.00

    This funding builds on years of efforts by Schumer to help address toxic lead exposure across Upstate NY. Most recently in 2023, Schumer helped secure $6.3 million in federal funding for Broome County, nearly $4 million for Utica, and $3.3 million for Niagara County through the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program to bolster ongoing efforts.
    Schumer has long been a driving force in securing federal funding to reduce lead exposure in New York. In addition to fighting lead exposure in paint, Schumer has also led the charge to increase federal funding to eliminate lead service pipes for drinking water in New York. The senator secured one of the largest federal investments ever into eliminating lead service pipes in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law, which includes a $15 billion carve-out within the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) over 5 years ($3 billion every year) for lead service pipe replacement.
    According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), lead is much more harmful to children than adults because it can affect children’s developing nerves and brains. Lead-based paint, still encasing the walls of many homes, often erodes and settles on children’s toys on the floor, eventually falling into the hands and mouths of children. For children under the age of 6, lead exposure can result in developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues, which may lead to lifelong health and financial consequences. Schumer has long advocated for protecting New York’s children and families in the past by securing millions of dollars in federal funding to eradicate these toxic elements from homes in order to reduce lead poisoning cases. Lead poisoning can cause developmental difficulties, physical pain, and neurological damage.
    The purpose of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program is to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately-owned housing for rental or owner-occupants. These grants are used to assist municipalities in carrying out lead hazard control activities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Visits East Bank Middle School, Tours GreenPower

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations and Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committees, visited East Bank Middle School and toured the GreenPower Manufacturing Facility, both in Kanawha County, W.Va.
    First, Senator Capito spoke to the 8th grade class at East Bank Middle School in East Bank, W.Va. about her career in public service and current work in the U.S. Senate.
    “I am always inspired by the young people of our state and their potential, and the students at East Bank Middle School are no exception,” Senator Capito said. “We had a productive conversation about civics and the different branches of government, and I enjoyed the opportunity to share my experience. The future is bright for these students, and I can’t wait to see all they go on to accomplish.”
    Second, Senator Capito toured the GreenPower Motor Company, a local manufacturer of electric school buses, in South Charleston, W.Va. During the visit, Senator Capito met with company leaders and presented keys for a new electric bus to Wyoming County School Superintendent Dr. John Henry.
    “Just over two years ago, GreenPower pledged to bring operations to West Virginia. And today, we’re getting another new school bus—made with West Virginia aluminum from Jackson County—on the road that will safely bring our children in Wyoming County to and from school. Through this visit, we are seeing the success that can result when we pursue pragmatic solutions based in reasonable policies that put our state’s needs first. I commend GreenPower and all those involved for investing in West Virginia and contributing to not only our economic development, but the education of our children – something so central to our state’s future,” Senator Capito said.
    “It was wonderful to welcome Senator Capito to the facility and show her the products we are making here in West Virginia. She has been a great champion for our industry in the Senate and we are grateful for her continued support,” Mark Nestlen, Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at GreenPower Motor Company, said.
    Photos from today’s visits are included below:

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) pictured with eighth grade students at East Bank Middle School in East Bank, W.Va. on Thursday, October 3, 2024.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visits the GreenPower electric bus manufacturing facility in South Charleston, W.Va. on Thursday, October 3, 2024.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) presents a set of keys to a new electric bus to Wyoming County School Superintendent Dr. John Henry at the GreenPower electric bus manufacturing facility in South Charleston, W.Va. on Thursday, October 3, 2024.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Auckland Zoo and DOC sign new strategic partnership

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  04 October 2024

    This evolved strategic partnership framework builds on and celebrates the respective strengths of the two organisations at the forefront of efforts to save native species and advocate for conservation and will identify new areas for collaboration. 

    For more than three decades, Auckland Zoo and DOC have collaborated on recovery programmes and fieldwork for some of our country’s most threatened bird, lizard, amphibian, and invertebrate species – from kākāpō, takahē, and tara iti, to pepeketua/Archey’s frog, kapitia and cobble skinks, and our largest giant wētā, the wētāpunga.

    Wētāpunga were once holding on by a thread on a lone Hauraki Gulf island. But with DOC and iwi support, a phenomenally successful breeding programme led by the Zoo has seen the release of more than 7,000 of these unique taonga onto eight pest-free islands across the upper North Island – including islands managed by DOC and mana whenua. Now self-sustaining on four Hauraki Gulf islands, these efforts have led to a positive revision of the species’ threat status.

    Auckland Zoo director Kevin Buley says so many of our native species remain dependent on human care to prevent their extinction.

    “Ongoing interventions such as pest control, fenced reserves, breeding programmes, animal translocations and veterinary support are the reason for their survival.

    “These kinds of intensive management skills are skills that Auckland Zoo, as a modern zoo and wildlife conservation science organisation, has been perfecting for decades. So, we’re hugely proud to be able to deploy them to compliment DOC’s knowledge and experience in recovery programmes for some of our most threatened invertebrate, reptile and bird species.

    “With DOC we also share wider ambitious longer-term aspirations and goals for wildlife and people. Our focus together is on creating a more sustainable future – where we all feel more part of nature than apart from nature, and where species are no longer reliant on intensive care to prevent their extinction,” says Kevin.

    “In order for us all to achieve this together, we need to reexamine our relationship with te taiao – the natural environment and all the species that we share it with. An experience at the Zoo helps provide an opportunity for people to connect with nature, to take time to connect with each other, and is a small but significant first step that we can all take to help tune back in to the world around us.”

    DOC Director-General Penny Nelson sees this milestone strategic partnership as a huge opportunity for conservation.

    “Today’s a chance to streamline how we work together and take advantage of our respective strengths, as we look at exciting new conservation projects to take on.

    “When we combine the Zoo’s expertise in breeding, rearing and specialist animal care with DOC’s knowledge and active management of wild conservation sites, we can recover species from the brink of extinction.

    “We are currently working together to do that for the tara iti/New Zealand fairy tern: the most endangered bird in Aotearoa with fewer than 35 adult birds surviving today. Intensive management is needed for these birds to have a chance of long-term survival.

    “For four years, Auckland Zoo has worked alongside DOC to collect, hatch and hand-rear chicks to boost the wild population. Fifteen tara iti have been safely raised and released to the wild by the Zoo so far, and last summer four incubated and Zoo-raised juveniles contributed to a record-breaking summer breeding season.

    “What’s more, a large part of conservation work is advocacy – connecting people and nature. Auckland Zoo, based in the heart of our most populated city, plays a fundamental role in connecting hundreds of thousands of people annually to the unique wildlife and habitats of Aotearoa. That connection can open the door for kiwis and overseas visitors alike to valuing nature and taking action to support our taonga species,” adds Penny.

    Fast facts about the Auckland Zoo and DOC partnership

    • Auckland Zoo has worked with DOC on 14 national recovery programmes for threatened species – ranging from tara iti, kākāriki karaka, tuatara and wētāpunga to mokomoko (including grand skinks, Otago skinks, kapitia skinks and cobble skinks).
    • More than 5000 hours a year spent by Auckland Zoo staff to breed and release endangered New Zealand animals.
      • 427 kiwi hatched at the Zoo and released to the wild as part of ONE (Operation Nest Egg).
      • 80 kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeets hatched at the Zoo and released to the wild.
      • 43 whio/blue duck and 170 pāteke/brown teal hatched at the Zoo and released to the wild.
      • 7,000+ wētāpunga bred at Zoo and released onto pest-free islands in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf and Northland’s Ipipiri islands (Bay of Islands).
      • 148 cobble skinks (rescued and Zoo-bred animals) destined for release back to safe areas on South Island’s West Coast in early 2025.
    • Since Sept 2011 (the Zoo’s Aotearoa NZ Track Te Wao Nui opening); Zoo staff have worked on 55 DOC field conservation projects across Aotearoa, contributing 28,500 hours.
    • Around 100 native wildlife patients each year are admitted to the Zoo’s vet hospital for specialist veterinary treatment and care.
      • Up to 10 kākāpō are treated each year as part of DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery programme.
      • Around 9 sea turtles are treated each year, primarily green sea turtles, two-thirds of which are successfully treated, rehabilitated at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s and released back to the wild.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Coastal Otago highways under red weather warning – NZTA urges people to assess their travel plans

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is urging drivers to plan ahead and check the latest road conditions, with rainfall in Otago expected to intensify overnight, making driving and road conditions challenging through until Friday evening.

    “The best thing people can do is plan-ahead and avoid unnecessary travel which is now the advice from the Emergency Management Otago (EMO),” says NZTA Journey Manager Tresca Forrester.

    “Would be travellers on coastal Otago highways should stay up to date with Met Service, Emergency Management Otago, their local councils, and regularly check the NZTA’s Journey Planner.

    NZTA Journey Planner(external link)

    “Our main priority is the safety of all road users on the road.  NZTA urges essential travel only on coastal Otago highways, as roads during this prolonged weather event could close at any time. Our crews are ready to respond, are monitoring the situation and know the highway risk points.

    “Those who have to drive need to be aware that the ground in all of Otago and Southland is saturated, following weeks of rain. This increases the risk of surface flooding in other parts of the network not covered by the red weather warning.”

    Please obey any signage and advice on the road – slow down in flood waters as this causes bow waves into properties and other vehicles.

    Highway conditions for Otago – NZTA Journey Planner(external link)

    MetService

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Doubling road rehabilitation this summer to prevent potholes

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Kiwis will see fewer potholes on our roads with road rehabilitation set to more than double through the summer road maintenance programme to ensure that our roads are maintained to a safe and reliable standard, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. 

    “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key priority for the Government, and boosting pothole repairs and prevention will deliver a safe and reliable network that will support this growth. 

    “The thousands of Kiwi motorists and freight operators driving on our state highways every day have become all too aware of the shocking number of potholes on our roads. 

    “Our Government has inherited a significant backlog of road maintenance across the country. We are now catching up on the maintenance deficit to ensure that Kiwis and freight can get to where they want to go, quickly and safely.” 

    The Government’s Pothole Prevention Fund will deliver a total of 285.6 lane kilometres of rehabilitation work over the coming summer months – a 124 per cent increase compared to last year.   

    “Rehabilitation involves full width repairs of our existing roads, and renews the life of the roading pavement, rather than simply filling in potholes. Long lasting rehabilitation work that strengthens the network and prevents potholes from forming in the first place is critical to lifting the quality of our roading network and has a much longer lasting impact than re-sealing the road. 

    “In recent years, investment has not kept pace with the amount of work required to maintain the network, resulting in cutbacks to rehabilitation work while quick fixes have been prioritised.  

    “This has resulted in increasingly rapid deterioration of the road network across the country. To reverse this decline, our Government is prioritising rehabilitation work alongside a significant resealing programme.  

    “Our Government is focused on getting back to basics and has boosted funding for pothole prevention on our state highways by 91 per cent compared to the previous three years. This funding is ringfenced for resealing, rehabilitation, and drainage maintenance works to ensure that maintenance funds are used to fix and prevent potholes.  

    “Our state highways are critically important to increasing productivity and unlocking economic growth. The Government is committed to increasing maintenance and renewals to tackle and prevent potholes so that Kiwis and freight can get to where they want to go, quickly and safely.”  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Hoeven, Smith Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help New and Young Farmers Access Farm Ownership Loans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the Farm Ownership Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to help new and young farmers access the funding needed to purchase new land by establishing a pre-approval or pre-qualification process for loans secured through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. 
    “Access to land is one of the most important—and expensive—factors to success for new and young farmers. USDA loans can help farmers mitigate these costs, but rising land values and an increasingly fast-paced real estate market often leave farmers unable to compete. We need a solution that ensures agricultural lending options meet the needs of underserved farmers and ranchers who often lack the connections needed to secure these crucial funds,” said Senator Welch. “Our bill streamlines access to USDA financing so that more young farmers and ranchers can access crucial funds to start and sustain their businesses.” 
    “Currently, approval for an FSA farm ownership loan can take up to six months to process, putting producers that utilize this program at a huge disadvantage when trying to purchase farmland,” said Senator Hoeven. “Our legislation directs FSA to create a pilot program to establish a pre-approval process for FSA direct ownership loans. Having a pre-approved FSA loan will enable farmers, including young and beginning producers, to act quickly when farmland becomes available and make them more competitive in the real estate market.” 
    “Farmers and producers are the backbone of Minnesota’s economy,” said Senator Smith. “This legislation would reduce barriers for purchasing land, repairing current operations, and building capital. Meeting farmers where they are and tearing down barriers that impede their success will keep our agricultural economy thriving.”
    The Farm Ownership Improvement Act also requires USDA to provide Congress with an annual report on the pilot program’s performance outcomes and coordinate outreach with stakeholder organizations to spread awareness about the program. By offering a pre-qualification or pre-approval process to direct farm ownership applicants, FSA will help level the playing field for applicants seeking land, particularly among the next generation of farmers and ranchers. 
    The Farm Ownership Improvement Act is endorsed by the National Young Farmers Coalition, National Farmers Union, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, National Family Farm Coalition, and Rural Coalition. 
    “As first-generation ranchers, my husband and I were incredibly fortunate to have had a relationship with the sellers of our property. We were mentored in the early years of our business leasing the same property, which meant the seller was willing to be patient with the long and sometimes arduous process involved with getting FSA loan approval. However, not every beginning farmer has the luck we had buying from someone we had a great relationship with. With the current lack of an FSA pre-approval process, new farmers are at a huge disadvantage when buying land in competition with people who are able to access conventional mortgages or purchase in cash,” said Evanne Caviness, Associate Field Director for the National Young Farmers Coalition, and Colorado rancher. “This pilot initiative to allow the FSA to give farmers and ranchers a competitive edge in an increasingly challenging market will help save farmland from going out of production or being developed and will keep it where it belongs: in the hands of our country’s farmers.”
    “I’ve built a viable business from the ground up on rented land, but my partner and I don’t have access to generational wealth or high-income careers to pivot from and pursue farming full-time,” said Michelle Week of Xast Sqit (Good Rain) Farm, greater Portland Oregon. “Traditional lenders don’t recognize our lifestyle or business model, so we don’t qualify for standard loans. In the Portland, Oregon metro area and SW Washington counties, land prices are increasing, and while retiring farmers want to pass their land to people like us, they can’t afford to wait. Several farmers have approached me, but I can’t access the capital fast enough to meet their financial needs to address health and relocation costs. With FSA Pre-Approval we’d be better positioned to make offers and purchase our forever farmland, supporting retiring farmers, continuing to nourish our communities and to better stabilize and grow our farm operations. It’s a win all around.” 
    “This bill is a great opportunity to strengthen USDA relationships with organizations already working with beginning farmers and ranchers. Access to land and credit are the main priorities for agrarian entrepreneurs and relying on their serving trusted organizations will secure the success of the pilot program,” said Antonio Tovar, Senior Policy Associate for the National Family Farm Coalition. 
    “Access to affordable land is essential for the success of all farmers, and it’s an especially pressing challenge for young and beginning farmers,” said Rob Larew, President of National Farmers Union. “NFU appreciates Senators Welch and Hoeven for introducing the Farm Ownership Improvement Act. By piloting a new process for the USDA Farm Service Agency’s direct ownership loan program, this bill would help make the dream of owning farmland a reality for more of the next generation of family farmers and ranchers.” 
    Learn more about the Farm Ownership Improvement Act. 
    Read the full text of the bill. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Strengthening resilience with critical road improvement projects

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has approved a $226.2 million package of resilience improvement projects for state highways and local roads across the country that will reduce the impact of severe weather events and create a more resilient and efficient road network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.

    “Our Government is committed to delivering infrastructure that boosts economic growth, reduces congestion, and enables Kiwis and freight to get where they want to go, quickly and safely.

    “In recent years we have seen the terrible consequences that severe weather events can have on important transport networks across the country. It’s critical that improvements are made to strengthen our transport infrastructure against future severe weather events.”

    Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have jointly approved a $132 million investment through the Crown Resilience Programme into 101 state highway projects across the country that will commence during 2024-27. An additional $74.6 million will also be invested in local road projects across 34 councils.

    “Funding of almost $16 million will address flooding risk across four critical Auckland state highway projects. Over $25 million will be invested across 30 state highway projects in the Waikato, including a retaining wall upgrade in the Karangahake Gorge and critical erosion work alongside the Waikato River and in the Hikuai Hills.

    “Our Government has approved over $30 million to be invested across the South Island through the Crown Resilience Programme, including drainage improvements and underslip repairs in the Whangamoa Hill and Rai Saddle, and rockfall work at the Bens Creek bridge on the West Coast.

    “While this critical programme of works is focused on small to medium level projects, we’re taking a proactive approach to increase the resilience of our network. Rather than just reacting to severe weather events, we are building resilience now to ensure that our infrastructure is strong in the face of future challenges.

    “Our roads are critical for freight and tourism, and serve as important lifelines for communities around New Zealand. We must maintain these assets to the standard Kiwis need and expect, particularly in rural and remote locations where alternative routes are not available.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New appointment to the EPA board

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has confirmed the final appointee to the refreshed Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board.

    “I am pleased to welcome Brett O’Riley to the EPA board,” Ms Simmonds says.

    “Brett is a seasoned business advisor with a long and distinguished career across the technology, tourism, and sustainable business sectors.

    “His extensive experience across multiple sectors, combined with his governance expertise, leadership and deep commitment to innovation, will be a tremendous asset to the board.”

    Brett O’Riley is currently the Executive Chairman of Manawaroa Education and a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council. He also serves as Managing Partner of GSD Corporation and is an advisor at Tata Consultancy Services, where he assists in delivering consulting and business solutions that leverage technology for business transformation.

    He has been appointed for a three-year term, which will conclude in August 2027. 

    Brett O’Riley joins other recently appointed first-term board members Barry O’Neil, Jennifer Scoular, Alison Stewart, and Nancy Tuaine, all of whom are also serving three-year terms.

    “I look forward to working closely with Brett and the rest of the refreshed board to achieve balanced outcomes that protect the environment while supporting key industries.”

    The EPA is New Zealand’s national environmental regulator and plays a vital role across the entire economy.

    “EPA decisions impact the daily lives of all New Zealanders,” Ms Simmonds says.

    “It’s critical to have timely, businesslike decision-making for the agriculture and horticulture sector, alongside ensuring positive environmental outcomes.” 

    Notes to editors: 

    Mr Brett O’Riley has a long career as a business advisor and entrepreneur across the technology, tourism and sustainable business sectors. He is currently the Executive Chairman of Manawaroa Education, a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council, Managing Partner of GSD Corporation, and is an advisor at Tata Consultancy Services that provides consulting and business solutions, leveraging technology for business transformation and change. He was previously a Board member of the New Zealand Film Commission and a member of Te Pūkenga Establishment Board. He has held several executive roles including as Chief Executive of the Employers and Manufacturers Association, Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development and founding Chief Executive of NZICT (now NZTech). Mr O’Riley will bring extensive governance experience and expertise in business transformation through technology and change to the Board.

    Further information: New appointments to the EPA board | Beehive.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Demands John Deere Explain “Disgraceful” Attempts to Prevent Farmers from Repairing Their Own Equipment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    October 03, 2024
    Raises Concern about Company Undermining Right-to-Repair Agreements, Violating Clean Air Act
    Repair restrictions like John Deere’s hurt farmers and consumers across the country; cost American farmers $4.2 billion per year
    “John Deere has repeatedly interfered with farmers’ ability to repair the equipment they own, including by blocking independent repairs to maximize profit, negotiating an MOU in bad faith, and failing to inform farmers of their rights in potential violation of the Clean Air Act.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Boston, MA – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Deere & Company (John Deere) accusing the company of undermining its own “right-to-repair” agreements and evading its responsibilities under the Clean Air Act by failing to grant its customers the right to repair their own agricultural equipment. 
    John Deere restricts farmers from repairing broken equipment themselves, even when they have the knowledge and tools to do so, instead forcing them to wait for weeks until a John Deere technician is available, and risking missed crop windows on which farmers’ livelihoods rely. In Massachusetts, there are just three John Deere dealerships for 470,000 acres of farm operations, or 2,400 farms per dealership. Farmers nationwide lose an average of $3,348 per year “directly tied to downtime and repair restrictions imposed by equipment manufacturers.” Repair restrictions cost U.S. farmers $4.2 billion per year.
    “While John Deere’s profits spike thanks to this strategy, farmers suffer,” wrote Senator Warren.
    In fact, by overcharging for repair services, John Deere has seen its profits streaming in. Since 2020 the company has seen a 270% increase in profits, despite labor strikes, supply disruptions, a drop in sales, and a global pandemic. 
    After years of legal battles, in January 2023, John Deere signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) promising to provide farmers and independent repair shops with the diagnostic tools and information they need to make repairs to their machines. But the MOU appeared to be a veiled attempt to hold off the passage of “right-to-repair” legislation. In exchange for pledges to provide the information and tools needed for farmers to make repairs, John Deere secured a politically valuable promise from the American Farm Bureau Federation to encourage American farmers not to introduce, promote, or support federal or state right-to-repair legislation that imposed obligations beyond the MOU’s commitments. 
    John Deere is not upholding its side of the bargain, and appears to have negotiated the MOU in bad faith. Rather than allow farmers meaningful opportunity to repair their equipment, John Deere has provided inadequate tools and disclosures.
    The software tool offered to farmers redacts or obfuscates functions and information required to complete repairs. Further, earlier this year, John Deere admitted to omitting a legally required addendum about repair rights from its manuals. 
    The exclusion of this information may violate the Clean Air Act, which requires manufacturers to “provide in boldface type on the first page of the written maintenance instructions notice that maintenance, replacement, or repair … may be performed by any automotive repair establishment or individual.” The EPA warned John Deere that its manuals were not in compliance with EPA regulations.
    “John Deere has repeatedly interfered with farmers’ ability to repair the equipment they own, including by blocking independent repairs to maximize profit, negotiating an MOU in bad faith, and failing to inform farmers of their rights in potential violation of the Clean Air Act,” wrote Senator Warren. “Deere’s attempts to stave off right-to-repair reforms that would save American farmers $4.2 billion per year are disgraceful.”
    Senator Warren asked John Deere to respond to questions related to the company’s repair restrictions and apparent failure to comply with the law by October 17, 2024. 
    Senator Warren has repeatedly sought to bolster competition and fight back against costly restrictions on repairs for cars, military equipment, and other goods: 
    In September 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent two letters regarding the costly restrictions imposed on the Department of Defense that bar the military from repairing its own military equipment and instead force it to pay billions of dollars extra to military contractors.
    In July 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren included a provision in the Senate Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA that would require contractors to provide DoD with “fair and reasonable” access to repair materials.
    In August 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), celebrated the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reversing course and allowing enforcement of Massachusetts’ pro-consumer Right to Repair law. 
    In June 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reverse its course after it sent a recent letter to auto manufacturers, advising them not to comply with Massachusetts’ Right to Repair law. 
    In February 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King (I-Maine), and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) urged the Department of Health and Human Services to move forward with the march-in petition submitted for the prostate cancer drug Xtandi.
    In July 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to the Department of Defense requesting information about steps taken to reduce costs of DoD-funded prescription drugs and medical products.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Blumenthal Push Department of Justice to Hold Boeing Executives Accountable for Deadly Safety Failures

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    October 03, 2024
    Lawmakers urge DOJ to investigate Boeing executives’ behavior, criminally prosecute those responsible for crashes
    “For too long, corporate executives have routinely escaped prosecution for criminal misconduct… This coddling comes at the expense of customer and worker safety.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Boeing executives following years of promoting short-term profit over passenger safety. In the letter, the lawmakers urge the DOJ to review the behavior and potential culpability of Boeing’s executives, and criminally prosecute those responsible.
    The letter comes as years of safety issues involving Boeing planes – including the fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 – have continued to raise alarm about Boeing’s corporate culture. As recently as last week, the National Transportation Safety Board was forced to issue “urgent safety recommendations” for Boeing’s 737 aircraft line due to mechanical issues. Even amidst these continued failures, the Department of Justice has not criminally prosecuted those individuals responsible for harms to deliver justice and hold Boeing accountable. In July 2024, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge of conspiring to defraud the federal government, but DOJ did not take the company to trial or charge individual executives. The deal included an additional fine, commitments to update compliance and safety processes, and oversight by a safety monitor for three years.
    “For years, the federal government has accused Boeing of putting profits over passenger safety, without pursuing full accountability from the company or the company’s executives directly responsible for compromising passenger safety,” the lawmakers wrote. “[T]he combination of a relatively small fine coupled with a toothless commitment to improve aircraft safety has proven insufficient to effect real change at the company.”
    In October 2023, Senator Warren called on the DOJ to immediately reverse its newly unveiled “safe harbor” policy, which would offer a “get-out-of-jail-free” card for mergers involving corporate white-collar criminals. Deputy Attorney General Monaco justified the policy, later noting that “[t]he rule of law demands that those most culpable for a company’s misconduct are the ones being charged, prosecuted, and convicted.”
    “For too long, corporate executives have routinely escaped prosecution for criminal misconduct. This coddling comes at the expense of customer and worker safety, and it must end,” wrote the lawmakers.
    After 346 people died in two Boeing 737 MAX plane crashes due to apparent failures in the MCAS flight stabilization system, the DOJ deferred prosecution, instead negotiating a deal to resolve criminal charges. This year, after the DOJ found that Boeing violated the terms of the deal, Boeing entered a plea agreement. Again, the DOJ failed to hold any Boeing executives accountable for the serious failures — and since the fatal 737 MAX crashes, countless more safety concerns have surfaced.
    “The deadly crashes and reporting on safety issues since 2018 have shined a spotlight on Boeing’s corporate culture of prioritizing profits at the expense of safety…DOJ must do its part to bring the individuals responsible for Boeing’s safety failures to justice,” wrote the lawmakers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown, UAW Leaders Call on Administration to Stop China from Sending Cars, Trucks, and Other Goods Through Mexico to Evade U.S. Trade Laws

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown
    TOLEDO, OH – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and local UAW leaders in Toledo called on the Biden Administration to take immediate steps to prevent China from undermining U.S. manufacturing by routing goods, including cars and trucks, through Mexico to evade U.S. tariffs and other trade enforcement. China is actively avoiding U.S. tariffs by moving its manufacturing to Mexico.
    “Few understand better than Ohio workers what bad trade policy does to our workers, our industries and our communities. We cannot allow China to undermine American manufacturers by sending cars into the U.S. through Mexico,” said Brown. “I will keep pushing the administration to take action now to stop China’s cheating and protect Ohio auto workers.”
    “We have a saying in the UAW.  We support those who support us.  Senator Sherrod Brown is supporting us against the dumping of millions of Chinese autos into the United States.  China is looking to use Mexico as a trojan horse to help facilitate the devastation of American and Ohio jobs,” said Tony Totty, UAW Local 14, President.
    “I have worked at General Motors for 39 years, I’m closer to the end of my career than the beginning.  This new threat could be just as devastating as the one my generation faced with NAFTA.  We are fortunate to have Senator Sherrod Brown leading the charge to stop this invasion of cheap, subsidized vehicles from China to infiltrate our markets and put us out of our jobs,” said Rhoni Clark, UAW Local 14, Recording Secretary.
    Brown is leading the push for the Biden administration to ensure the goods that China produces in Mexico do not qualify for duty-free entry into the U.S. and to increase tariffs on Mexican steel imports.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Temporary Flexibilities in Place for Medicaid Beneficiaries Due to Hurricane Helene Devastation

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Temporary Flexibilities in Place for Medicaid Beneficiaries Due to Hurricane Helene Devastation

    Temporary Flexibilities in Place for Medicaid Beneficiaries Due to Hurricane Helene Devastation
    hejones1

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is working with state, federal and local partners to help North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Helene access needed health care. Temporary changes to NC Medicaid will allow people to more easily refill prescriptions early, get medically necessary services, be admitted to a nursing home and more.

    “This storm has been catastrophic for so many people in our state. We are committed to using every tool we have to help people and communities survive and recover,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley.

    Flexibilities are active from Sept. 26, 2024, through Oct. 15, 2024, and are intended to:

    • Ensure people can get their medicine. People covered by NC Medicaid will be able to fill their prescriptions early, including people who have temporarily relocated out of state due to the emergency. 
    • Ensure children with complex medical needs and adults with disabilities or serious health conditions are safe. Case managers are implementing required disaster plans for Community Alternatives Program for Children and Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults. 
    • Make it easier for health care providers to participate in Medicaid as part of disaster relief. To ensure there are medical professionals on the ground, health care providers can apply to be a NC Medicaid provider through a temporary, expedited process.
    • Ensure people get medically necessary services. NC Medicaid providers will not need to get prior authorization for medically necessary drugs, equipment and supplies provided during the Hurricane Helene emergency. People covered by NC Medicaid who have temporarily relocated out of state due to the emergency will be reimbursed for medically necessary services.
    • Maintain support for people with traumatic brain injury or intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. When direct support is not available due to the emergency, relatives may provide Community Living and Supports, Supported Employment and Supported Living. People who have temporarily relocated out of state due to the emergency may receive Innovations Waiver services without prior authorization, including respite. And NC Medicaid will cover the replacement or repair of homes or vehicle modifications damaged by Hurricane Helene.
    • Help hospitalized patients have continuity of care. Hospitals in affected counties that participate in Medicare and are approved to provide post-hospital skilled nursing facility care can do so for patients who no longer need acute care. They can provide this care for patients that are unable to find placement in skilled nursing facility.
    • Expedite the process for someone to be admitted to a nursing home. People covered by NC Medicaid who have been displaced due to the emergency will not need to have a Preadmission Screening and Resident Review.
    • Access private duty nursing. People covered by NC Medicaid will not need prior authorization for private duty nursing that is medically necessary. 

    Additional detail, including documentation requirements, is available in the NC Medicaid Bulletin issued on Oct. 1, 2024.

    There is no right or wrong way to feel in response to the trauma of a hurricane. If you have been impacted by the storm and need someone to talk to, call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. Help is also available to anyone, anytime in English or Spanish through a call, text or chat to 988. Learn more at 988Lifeline.org.

    If you would like general information, access to resources, or answers to frequently asked questions, please visit ncdps.gov/helene and ncdhhs.gov/helene.

    If you are seeking information on resources for recovery help for a resident impacted from the storm, please email IArecovery@ncdps.gov.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte está trabajando con socios estatales, federales y locales para ayudar a los habitantes de Carolina del Norte afectados por el huracán Helene a acceder a la atención médica necesaria. Los cambios temporales en NC Medicaid permitirán que las personas vuelvan a surtir las recetas con mayor facilidad, obtengan los servicios médicos necesarios, sean ingresados en un hogar de ancianos y más.

    “Esta tormenta ha sido catastrófica para muchas personas en nuestro estado. Estamos comprometidos a utilizar todas las herramientas que tenemos para ayudar a las personas y las comunidades a sobrevivir y recuperarse”, dijo el Secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Kody H. Kinsley.

    Las medidas de flexibilidad están activas a partir del 26 de septiembre de 2024, hasta el 15 de octubre de 2024, y están destinados a:

    • Garantizar que las personas puedan obtener sus medicamentos. Las personas cubiertas por NC Medicaid podrán surtir sus recetas antes de tiempo, incluidas las personas que se han reubicado temporalmente fuera del estado debido a la emergencia. 
    • Garantizar que los niños con necesidades médicas complejas y los adultos con discapacidades o problemas de salud graves estén seguros. Los administradores de casos están implementando los planes de desastres requeridos para el Programa de Alternativas Comunitarias para Niños y el Programa de Alternativas Comunitarias para Adultos Discapacitados.
    • Facilitar la participación de los proveedores de atención médica en Medicaid como parte del alivio de desastres. Para garantizar que haya profesionales médicos en el sitio, los proveedores de atención médica pueden solicitar ser proveedores de NC Medicaid a través de un proceso temporal y acelerado.
    • Garantizar que las personas reciban los servicios médicos necesarios. Los proveedores de Medicaid de Carolina del Norte no necesitarán obtener autorización previa para los medicamentos, equipos y suministros médicamente necesarios proporcionados durante la emergencia del huracán Helene.Las personas cubiertas por NC Medicaid que se hayan reubicado temporalmente fuera del estado debido a la emergencia recibirán un reembolso por los servicios médicamente necesarios.
    • Mantener el apoyo a las personas con lesión cerebral traumática o discapacidades intelectuales y/o del desarrollo. Cuando el apoyo directo no está disponible debido a la emergencia, los familiares pueden proporcionar Community Living and Supports, Supported Employment and Supported Living (apoyos comunitarios, apoyo en empleo y vivencia). Las personas que se han reubicado temporalmente fuera del estado debido a la emergencia pueden recibir servicios de Exención de Innovaciones (Innovations Waiver) sin autorización previa, incluso relevo. Y NC Medicaid cubrirá el reemplazo o la reparación de viviendas o modificaciones de vehículos dañados por el huracán Helene.
    • Ayudar a los pacientes ingresados en hospitales a tener continuidad de atención médica. Los hospitales en los condados afectados que participan en Medicare y están aprobados para brindar atención poshospitalaria en un centro de enfermería especializada pueden hacerlo para pacientes que ya no necesitan cuidados intensivos/agudos. Pueden proporcionar esta atención a pacientes que no pueden ser colocados en un centro de enfermería especializada.
    • Acelerar el proceso para que alguien sea ingresado en un asilo de ancianos. Las personas cubiertas por NC Medicaid que hayan sido desplazadas debido a la emergencia no necesitarán someterse a una evaluación previa a la admisión ni a una revisión de residentes.
    • Acceder a enfermería de servicio privado. Las personas cubiertas por NC Medicaid no necesitarán autorización previa para la enfermería de servicio privado que sea médicamente necesaria. 

    Los detalles adicionales, incluso los requisitos de documentación, están disponibles en el Boletín de NC Medicaid emitido el 1 de octubre de 2024.

    No hay una manera correcta o incorrecta de sentirse en respuesta al trauma de un huracán. Si la tormenta le ha afectado y necesita a alguien con quien hablar, llame o envíe un mensaje de texto a la Línea de Ayuda en Caso de Catástrofe al 1-800-985-5990. La ayuda también está disponible para cualquier persona, en cualquier momento en inglés o español a través de una llamada, mensaje de texto o chat al 988. Más información en linea988.org

    Si desea información general, acceso a recursos o respuestas a preguntas frecuentes, visite el sitio web: ncdps.gov/helene y ncdhhs.gov/helene.

    Si necesita información sobre recursos de ayuda para la recuperación para un residente afectado por la tormenta, envíe un correo electrónico a IArecovery@ncdps.gov.

    Oct 3, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Dinehtl’eh vah gwitr’it t’agwah’in Nan Thok Natri’iniin’aii (Vuntut National Park) geenjik Parliament Plan gwizhit nihah veenjit tr’igiheekyhyaa nits’oo Van Tat Gwich’in gooveenjik gwiheezyaa gwitr’it gwiinzii gwahaatsyaa, nits’oo nanh t’agwijahch’uu, nanh gwiinzii k’atr’anahtii ts’at nits’oo Canadians, Yukon gwizhit nanh gahanaa’yaa, gooveenjit gwiiheezyaa. 

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Dinehtl’eh vah gwitr’it t’agwah’in Nan Thok Natri’iniin’aii (Vuntut National Park) geenjik Parliament Plan gwizhit nihah veenjit tr’igiheekyhyaa nits’oo Van Tat Gwich’in gooveenjik gwiheezyaa gwitr’it gwiinzii gwahaatsyaa, nits’oo nanh t’agwijahch’uu, nanh gwiinzii k’atr’anahtii ts’at nits’oo Canadians, Yukon gwizhit nanh gahanaa’yaa, gooveenjit gwiiheezyaa.

    Nan Thok Natr’iniin’aii (Vuntut National Park) Management Plan Tabled in Parliament

    Plan contributes to implementing Vuntut Gwitchin rights, protecting the environment and connecting Canadians to nature in the Yukon

    October 3, 2024                              Old Crow, Yukon                                  Parks Canada

    National parks are gateways to experiencing, learning, and connecting with nature. They also serve to protect Indigenous values, lands, and waters. Parks Canada is a recognized leader in conservation, taking action to protect national parks and national marine conservation areas and contributing to the recovery of species at risk. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation is a recognized leader in Indigenous-led conservation and the protection and management of wildlife such as the Porcupine caribou herd.

    The management plan for Nan Thok Natr’iniin’aii (Vuntut National Park) was recently tabled in Parliament. Reviewed every ten years, management plans are a requirement of the Canada National Parks Act and guide the management of national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas.

    The updated plan for Nan Thok Natr’iniin’aii (Vuntut National Park) outlines the following key strategies:

    • Looking after the water, land and animals for the future – focuses on building and maintaining healthy ecosystems in the park for present and future generations.
    • Living and teaching a traditional lifestyle – focusses on supporting a strong, enduring traditional Vuntut Gwitchin lifestyle, with Elders passing teachings and language to youth, both in the community and out on the land.
    • Our past shapes our future – focuses on honouring the enduring human presence in the park by further understanding and managing the park’s cultural resources.
    • Experiencing and appreciating the Vuntut Gwitchin lands and waters – focuses on providing opportunities to learn about and experience the park, Vuntut Gwitchin history, language and culture.

    Parks Canada and the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation cooperatively manage Nan Thok Natr’iniin’aii (Vuntut National Park), with the North Yukon Renewable Resource Council playing a critical role. This work is guided by the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Final Agreement and an operational agreement defining the park’s planning and management roles, responsibilities, and procedures.

    Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation ts’at North Yukon Renewable Resources Council nihah gwitr’it t’agogwah’in, denehtl’eh Management Plan, Vuntut National Park eenjit Van Tat Gwich’in, diiyah gwitchin kat ts’at juu nanh eenjit k’agogwaadhat goots’at tr’igikhe’ nits’oo jii dinehtl’eh, Management Plan, Parks Canada nits’oo gwiinzii nanh gik’agahanahtyaa nanh ch’iizrit ts’o’ nits’oo nanh gwjiuu’ee ts’at nits’oo tth’aii hee vakak tr’igwindaii, Canada gwizhit, dinjii zhuh kat Yukon gwizhit [Yukon First Nations] hah nihah gwitr’it t’agogwah’in ts’at Canadians eenjit nanh chil’ee gahnahyaa, nanh gahnahyaa, nanh vakak nagaada’oo gooveenjit gweeheezyaa.

    The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation and the North Yukon Renewable Resources Council co-developed the management plan for Vuntut National Park, considering input from citizens, the general public, and stakeholders. Through this management plan, Parks Canada will protect an important example of natural and cultural heritage in Canada, collaborate with Yukon First Nations, and provide an opportunity for Canadians to experience our environment in meaningful ways.

    The Nan Thok Natr’iniin’aii (Vuntut National Park) Management Plan is available on the Parks Canada website at: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/yt/vuntut/gestion-management/plan-directeur-management-plan-2024. To learn more about Vuntut National Park, please visit parkscanada.ca/vuntut.

                                                                                                                                            -30-

    Kathy Burden
    Public Relations & Communications Officer
    Yukon Field Unit
    867-333-9458
    Kathy.Burden@pc.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Landsat Science Team Presolicitation Notice

    Source: US Geological Survey

    New Landsat Science Team Presolicitation Notice

    The U.S. Federal Government recently posted a presolicitation to gauge interest in establishing a new Landsat Science Team.

    The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has a mission requirement to support a Landsat Science Team to provide research and technical services that address scientific and engineering topics that pertain to the operation and development of all USGS Landsat missions — past, present, and future.

    The presolicitation, posted on October 2, 2024, contains more details and documentation for viewing at https://sam.gov/opp/ee386724d62c49fba5938751073b9e89/view. 

    On or around October 18, 2024, a Request for Proposals (RFP) will become available. All responsible sources who intend to respond to the solicitation (RFP) are requested to email the Contracting Officer, Christopher Kuhn, at ckuhn@usgs.gov with their notice of intent to propose by 10/17/2024. 

    News will be posted here when the RFP becomes available. 

    Learn more about Landsat Science Teams at https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-science-teams.

    Return to all Landsat Headlines

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Establishment of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People

    Source: Australian Ministers for Social Services

    Joint with:

    The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
    Minister for Social Services
    Member for Kingston

    Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy
    Minister for Indigenous Australians
    Senator for the Northern Territory

    The Albanese Labor Government is committed to achieving better outcomes for First Nations children, young people and their families.

    An independent National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will be officially operational from 13 January next year to progress this aim.

    The Commission has now been established as an Executive Agency under the Public Service Act 1999 with applications for the role of the National Commissioner to open this month.

    The National Commissioner will be dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights, interests and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people across a range of issues, including the over representation of Indigenous children in out-of-home care.

    The Commissioner, a First Nations person, will champion First Nations children’s strengths, sense of hope and ideas for change.

    They will work directly with First Nations children and young people and listen to and amplify their voices, needs and aspirations, along with the broader community.

    The Commissioner will also work with groups such as the Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group, other First Nations leaders, state and territory Children’s Commissioners, Guardians and Advocates, as well as the National Children’s Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.

    Policy advice will then be provided from the Commissioner to governments to assist in the implementation of key policy frameworks and coordination.

    Indigenous children are almost eleven times more likely to be in out-of-home care than non-Indigenous children and 29 times more likely to be in youth detention.

    Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth emphasised that the Commission and Commissioner will highlight how systemic change should be inspired and led by First Nations people.

    “This is a historic milestone, and one which demonstrates our commitment to shared decision-making through the establishment of a legislated, independent and empowered National Commissioner,” Minister Rishworth said.

    “The National Commissioner will work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities, commissioners, guardians, advocates, and other stakeholders to provide expert advice on the development and delivery of policies, programs and services to ensure they meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.”

    Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said the Commission and Commissioner will be an important part of the Commonwealth’s strategy to Closing the Gap on outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

    “The over-representation of young people in out-of-home care and youth detention is unacceptable. The National Commissioner will focus on working with First Nations people and organisations on evidence-based programs and policies to turn those figures around,” Minister McCarthy said.

    “The National Commissioner will be informed by the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, whose voices deserve to be heard. Their strengths, sense of hope and new ideas will drive systemic change.”

    Chair of the Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group Catherine Liddle said the Leadership Group has been working with the Albanese Government to frame the National Commissioner’s roles and responsibilities. 

    “It has taken time to get to this point, but we have to get this role right. Our children deserve it,” Ms Liddle said.

    “Through shared decision-making processes we have been able to establish strong functions that reflect the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sector’s long-held ambition to have a National Commissioner with real authority.

    “This position will be a game-changer in tackling the over-representation of our young people in out-of-home care and youth detention.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baseline Projections for the Highway Trust Fund Accounts

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    The federal government’s surface transportation programs are financed mostly through the Highway Trust Fund, which has two accounts, one for highways and one for mass transit. The fund records inflows from revenues collected through excise taxes on the sale of motor fuels, trucks and trailers, and truck tires; taxes on the use of certain kinds of vehicles; and interest credited to the fund. It records cash outflows for spending on designated highway and mass transit projects, which is mostly in the form of grants to state and local governments. Most of the authority to spend is controlled by limitations on obligations contained in appropriation acts. Since 2001, that spending has exceeded the revenues from fuel and other taxes that are credited to the Highway Trust Fund for highway programs.

    This document presents CBO’s projections of the two trust fund accounts’ finances over the next 10 years.

    MIL OSI USA News –