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Category: Weather

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Greens hail private jet tax review

    Source: Scottish Greens

    08 Oct 2024 Transport Climate Action

    A private jet tax can fund our transition to a greener future.

    More in Transport

    The Scottish Greens have welcomed an announcement that the Scottish Government will be reviewing air departure tax rates, including for private jets specifically.

    Answering a question at the Finance and Public Administration Committee this morning, the Cabinet Secretary said the rates and bands, including the rates on private jet flights, would be reviewed to ensure they align with net zero ambitions.

    There were 12,911 recorded private flights to and from Scotland’s airports in 2023. A recent Oxfam study suggested a tax on these flights could raise up to £21.5 million. Private jets have estimated climate emissions of up to 14 times that of commercial flights.

    The Scottish Greens transport spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP, said: “Private jets have a huge environmental impact, and while their super-rich occupants pinball between their golf courses and yachts, it’s taxpayers who are left paying for the damage.

    “We all know that we urgently need to reduce aviation emissions, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to reduce private jet use. Taxing them fairly would deter such reckless flights, help move people to more sustainable modes of transport, and raise the funds to help us to mitigate the destructive impact they have on the rest of us.

    “We all know Labour cuts at Westminster mean money is tight in Scotland. But it isn’t enough to point this out, we must use every lever at our disposal to raise the funds we need for essential services and climate action. I can think of no better way of raising these funds than taxing super-rich polluters.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Opens Business Recovery Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that it will open a Business Recovery Center (BRCs) on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at the Old Jonesborough Elementary Library, in Jonesborough. The SBA is opening the Center to assist businesses and residents who were affected by Hurricane Helene.  

    SBA’s Customer Service Representatives are available at the Centers to answer questions, assist business owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an application’s status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Business Recovery Center in advance. The Centers will operate as listed below.

    Business Recovery Center (BRC)

    Washington County

    Old Jonesborough Elementary Library  

    306 Forrest Drive  

    Jonesborough, TN 37659

    Opens:        Tuesday, Oct. 8, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    Hours:          Monday – Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    The disaster declaration covers Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Grainger, Hancock, Jefferson, Sevier and Sullivan in Tennessee; Ashe, Avery, Haywood, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga and Yancey in North Carolina; Grayson, Scott and Washington in Virginia.  

    With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover.  FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition.  Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.  

    Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Dec. 2, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 2, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration  

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Africa’s Great Green Wall will only combat desertification and poverty by harnessing local solutions

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jeremy Allouche, Professor in Development Studies, Institute of Development Studies

    Flags indicate how many trees each donor country has planted. Jeremy Allouche, CC BY-ND

    In the rural village of Téssékéré, the increasing number and intensity of droughts linked to climate change is making the lives and livelihoods of the local Fulani communities increasingly vulnerable. Here, in the northern Sahel desert region of Senegal (known as the Ferlo), the pastoral population walks over dry, dusty ground with their livestock in search of grazing areas and working borehole water pumps. In favourable years, these farmers can stay in the fields around their local borehole, but climate change is forcing them to move further afield to find pasture to feed their cattle.

    In the small Ivory Coast town of Kani, a farmer is concerned about the increase in plantation areas to the detriment of forests, which no longer provide shade. The scarcity and fluctuation of rainfall is altering the sowing periods for rice, maize and yams, and the intermittent nature of the rains is leading to a drop in production quality.

    These issues of gradual desertification – where more of the land slowly becomes desert – affects both nature and people. As soil degrades, people migrate to different areas and it can be harder for them to access health services and education while undermining subsistence and production economies, therefore increasing poverty.

    As a response, the African Union set up an ambitious continent-wide megaproject in 2007 to address these social-ecological issues and combat poverty. The Great Green Wall initiative is a tree planting restoration project that stretches from Senegal to Djibouti, 5,000 miles (8,000km) across Africa’s Sahel region.

    In Téssékéré, bare, scattered plots of fenced-off land covered in cracked soil is now being used to test out techniques for growing seedlings and protect it from further damage by grazing cattle. Winter crops such as peanuts or black-eyed peas are being grown based on an agroecological model, a sustainable farming strategy considering ecological processes.

    But large-scale projects like this often don’t consider the needs of local people or places. Our new research shows that the Great Green Wall won’t work effectively unless it considers more localised contexts.

    At the other end of the continent, the Green Legacy Initiative, a project launched by the Ethiopian government, claims to have planted 566 million trees in one day. In Ivory Coast, which lies outside the original route, local and state authorities see the project as a means of stabilising the ecosystem. However, local populations are concerned that it will be implemented in an ad hoc, unstable and unsustainable manner. In short, the project gives rise to a diversity of opinions and, above all, a multitude of implementation strategies.

    Two decades after its launch, the Great Green Wall project is not meeting the expectations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other independent experts, especially regarding forest cover increase in the area and global implementation of the project.

    In 2021, the French president Emmanuel Macron launched the Great Green Wall accelerator to bring the project into line with a new political timeframe to speed it up.

    With investment of US$19 billion (£14.82 billion), more action, such as land restoration and investment in farming, can be rolled out across Africa, so the focus is now on large-scale change rather than localised projects. The Great Green Wall has become an umbrella term, a brand encompassing many development projects managed by different international and intergovernmental organisations. This is at odds with our research findings confirming that the ambitious aims of the project aren’t being implemented locally in an effective manner.

    This “takeover” of the project by developed countries prompts us to question what the project has now become and its ability to meet its original purpose.

    Set to fail?

    The Great Green Wall will fail unless it returns to its original aim of being a pan-African project made up of a multitude of aspirations, imaginations and local social-ecological contexts. Project funding alone is not enough to ensure the success of the project – it needs local appropriation. Success should not be measured solely in terms of how many trees are being planted, but on whether local people see a positive difference from the project in their areas and on their lives.

    From Senegal to Ethiopia, our research shows that the Great Green Wall implies a diversity of world views. The project is therefore implemented specifically in each region, in each country, to form a project mosaic. The initiative loses its substance and its capacity for local appropriation when homogenised and globalised to fit into external political agendas.

    An agroecological initiative like this one only works when it involves the people living on the ground. More than simply an eco-project, it is a diverse, pan-African and locally embedded social-ecological initiative with scope to make substantial change at scale if executed well.


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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Jeremy Allouche receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

    Elie Pedarros works for Newcastle University

    – ref. Africa’s Great Green Wall will only combat desertification and poverty by harnessing local solutions – https://theconversation.com/africas-great-green-wall-will-only-combat-desertification-and-poverty-by-harnessing-local-solutions-235240

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report shows deliberate conservation efforts are having a positive impact  

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    October 8, 2024 – Gatineau, Quebec

    Birds are the most accessible and effective indicators of the health of the air, water, and land. When bird populations and their habitats are thriving, we know that people also benefit.

    Today, Environment and Climate Change Canada and Birds Canada released The State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report. Findings indicate that while many of Canada’s bird populations continue to decline, others have increased due to deliberate and informed conservation efforts. Specifically, the report shows how 463 bird species that regularly occur in Canada have changed since 1970. For each species, the report includes population status, distribution, trends, goals, threats, and conservation actions to protect them.

    For the first time, the report includes long-term population goals for all native bird species found in Canada that have sufficient data. These goals will help measure progress in maintaining and restoring bird species across the country, and in halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    The State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report is a key tool for Canada to report on Target 21 of the Kunming–Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to ensure that the best available biodiversity data, information, and knowledge are accessible to decision-makers, practitioners, and the public. In a few weeks, Canada and thousands of delegates from around the world will be gathered to take action on protecting nature during the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) at the 2024 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which will be held in Columbia from October 21 to November 1, 2024.

    Quotes

    “Birds are at the heart of Canada’s biodiversity. Open-access data supports scientific decision-making and leads to a deeper understanding of our environment. Where deliberate conservation action has been taken, birds have recovered. Together with communities, citizen scientists, and organizations such as Birds Canada, we are working to build a nature-positive future. Canada is committed to halting and reversing nature loss by 2030 and achieving full recovery for nature by 2050.”
    – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

    “Through birds, we find beauty and solace in the natural world. Birds are also an important indicator of the health of our planet. And what they are telling us is that humans are having an impact on bird populations. Both positively, through the conservation of wetlands and the resulting impact on wetland birds, but also negatively, through the drastic decline of grassland birds from habitat loss. For our imperiled grassland birds, the time to act is now.”
    – Patrick Nadeau, President and Chief Executive Officer, Birds Canada

    Quick facts

    • The State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report is hosted on the NatureCounts website by Birds Canada. This user-friendly, authoritative, and dynamic platform is frequently updated to incorporate the best available data, offering detailed overviews of each bird species regularly occurring in Canada. NatureCounts is one of the world’s largest biodiversity databases and helps inform many conservation efforts in Canada.

    • The report focuses on 10 groups of birds: waterfowl, birds of prey, wetland birds, marine birds, forest birds, Arctic birds, long-distance migrants, shorebirds, aerial insectivores, and grassland birds.

    • The main threats to birds include habitat loss, climate change, outdoor cats, window collisions, and pollution.

    • Overall results of the report indicate that 36 percent of species has decreased in population, while 31 percent of Canada’s bird species has increased since 1970, with some of strongest recoveries seen in waterfowl, birds of prey, and wetland birds. The data shows us that when deliberate and informed action for conservation is taken, declines in bird populations can be halted and reversed.

    • This is the third comprehensive assessment of the population status of all bird species that occur in Canada. Previous reports were published in 2019 and 2012, and since then, data has been added and the methods for analysis and assessment have improved. Two new groups have also been analyzed for the first time: long-distance migrants and Arctic birds.

    Related products

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Hermine Landry  
    Press Secretary 
    Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change 
    873-455-3714 
    Hermine.Landry@ec.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Environment and Climate Change Canada
    819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
    media@ec.gc.ca

    Jody Allair
    Director of Communications
    Birds Canada
    519-586-3531 ext. 197
    jallair@birdscanada.org

    Environment and Climate Change Canada’s X (Twitter) page

    Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Facebook page

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: USCG recovery from Hurricane Helene

    Source: US Coast Guard (video statements)

    Coast Guard Rear Admiral Doug Schofield, District Commander of District 7, the Coast Guard’s Southeast, speaks about the Coast Guard’s efforts to recover from Hurricane Helene while still serving the people of Florida.

    Links for more information on hurricane preparedness and the Coast Guard’s response.

    Coast Guard District 7 Southeast: https://www.facebook.com/USCoastGuardSoutheast
    Coast Guard Atlantic Area: https://www.facebook.com/USCGAtlanticArea

    Video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jose Hernandez and Petty Officer 2nd Class Ian Gray.

    Important Safety Reminder
    During a hurricane or emergency, it’s critical to use the proper channels to report distress—NOT social media. To reach the U.S. Coast Guard, use VHF radio channel 16 or dial 911. Our social media accounts are not monitored 24/7, and tagged posts or private messages may not be seen right away, causing delays in lifesaving rescue efforts.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzDVRjcyFAg

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Neguse, Colorado Delegation Announce Support for Colorado River District’s Application for Funding to Complete Shoshone Water Rights Purchase

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

    Lafayette, CO — Today, House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse joined Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, and members of the state’s congressional delegation in writing to the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) in support of the Colorado River Water Conservation District’s (CRWCD) application for federal funding to purchase two of the oldest water rights on the Colorado River mainstem in Colorado, known as the Shoshone Permanency Project. The lawmakers offered their support as part of an ongoing BOR funding opportunity to provide environmental benefits in response to drought, which remains open for additional projects in Colorado and the rest of the Upper Colorado River Basin.

    “The Colorado River District’s mission is to promote the protection, conservation, use, and development of the water resources of the Colorado River water basin for the welfare of the state of Colorado. Preserving the Colorado River’s historical flow regime as intended by the Shoshone Permanency Project will benefit the Colorado River ecosystem every year, and especially in dry years,” wrote the lawmakers.

    The letter continues: “This strong show of funding reflects the local recognition of the Shoshone Water Rights’ importance to the health of western Colorado’s environment and local economies. We recognize the Shoshone Permanency Project’s complex nature and ongoing technical review, but believe the opportunity to protect historical Colorado River flows deserves your attention.”

     The full text of the letter is available HERE. 

    “For the future of water, agriculture, outdoor recreation, and our way of life on the Western Slope and for the entire state of Colorado, the time to permanently secure the Shoshone water rights is now. At the state legislature this year, we made a $20 million investment in this effort, our local partners have offered over $36 million and I am so grateful for our federal partners, Congressman Joe Neguse and Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, for doing everything they can to ensure the federal government becomes a key partner in this effort, ” said Dylan Roberts, State Senator, Chair of the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee.  

    The 1902 Senior and the 1929 Junior Shoshone Water Rights currently held by Xcel Energy are used to generate power at the Shoshone Power Plant and then return it to the river. Communities across Western Colorado have already committed over $55 million, and are applying to BOR for funding from the Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation program to help complete the purchase and create stability for communities, water and recreational users, and the environment. The Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation program funding opportunity is open for application through November 22, 2024, and the lawmakers welcome other applicants to contact their offices on the opportunity to provide support. 

    As part of the Shoshone Permanency Project, CRWCD will seek a change in these rights to include an alternate beneficial use and preserve the historical flow regime. The state process for changing these decreed water rights is distinct from any federal funding review or outcome, and will proceed separately. As acknowledged in the letter, data collection and analysis related to the Shoshone water rights’ historic use is ongoing and important to the state of Colorado’s formal review. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Release of The State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Backgrounder

    Developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Birds Canada, The State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report provides accessible, scientific insight into the population status of 463 bird species that occur regularly in Canada.

    Population changes in Canada’s bird species since 1970

    • 168 species (36 percent) have decreased in population
    • 143 species (31 percent) have increased in population
    • 98 species (21 percent) have experienced little change in population
    • 54 species (12 percent) are data deficient (not enough information to determine a trend)
    Long Description

    A spaghetti chart showing the population change in Canada’s birds from 1970 to 2020. The graph shows Waterfowl increase by 46%, Birds of Prey increase by 35%, Wetland Birds increase by 21%, Marine Birds increase by 0%, Forest Birds decrease by 1%, Arctic Birds decrease by 28%, Long-Distance Migrants decrease by 29%, Shorebirds decrease by 42%, Aerial Insectivores decrease by 43%, and Grassland Birds decrease by 67%.

    Key findings from the report

    • Three bird groups have increased in population since 1970: waterfowl (46 percent), birds of prey (35 percent), and wetland birds (21 percent). From banning DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) to save the Peregrine Falcon campaign to conserving wetlands for birds like the Least Bittern, conservation action is having positive impacts on bird populations.
    • A crisis is unfolding in the Prairies. Grassland birds have declined by 67 percent since 1970, with no sign of levelling off. The destruction and degradation of native grasslands is the single greatest threat to this group of birds and biodiversity in general. Without urgent action to conserve their habitat, species like the Chestnut-collared Longspur and the Burrowing Owl may be lost from Canada, along with the ecosystem services that healthy habitats provide.
    • Shorebirds are continuing to decline, with a drop of 42 percent since 1970. The populations of some species, like the Hudsonian Godwit, have fallen by over 90 percent. Shorebirds face many threats, as many make perilous, long-distance migrations and breed in vulnerable habitats, like the Arctic and the Prairies.
    • Aerial insectivores—birds that hunt for insects in flight—have declined by 43 percent since 1970. Although the decline has subsided recently, populations are far lower than they were in the 1970s. Declines in insect populations have likely been one of the major causes, and reversing these declines could help save threatened birds like the Bank Swallow and the Chimney Swift.

    The threats birds face in Canada

    • Habitat loss threatens birds across Canada and affects migratory birds throughout their annual journeys. The destruction and degradation of habitats is driven by agricultural practices, urban development, natural resource extraction, and infrastructure.
    • Climate change is a significant and growing threat to birds in Canada. Northern birds are likely to be most affected, as the changing climate alters the timing of events like insect and plant emergence. An increase in extreme weather events like storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires also puts birds at risk.
    • Outdoor and feral cats kill more than 100 million birds in Canada annually.
    • Collisions with windows are estimated to kill more than 25 million birds in Canada every year, especially when migration brings many species into urban and suburban areas. Millions of birds are also killed annually through collisions with vehicles and power lines.
    • Contaminants and waste affect birds in all environments. Pesticides and other contaminants from agriculture and industry threaten both birds and their habitats. Ingestion of plastics also causes mortality, especially in marine birds.

    How Canadians can help protect birds

    • Create and protect habitats for birds. Plant native plants, reduce pesticide use, and make windows safer for birds.
    • Keep cats indoors or provide outside time with a leash or catio. Leash dogs in sensitive natural areas.
    • Help fight climate change. Use less fossil fuel, waste less food, use less energy at home, and eat less meat.
    • Volunteer for conservation. Take part in citizen science and support local, regional, and national organizations that work to conserve birds and their habitats. Participate in tree plantings, invasive species control, habitat creation, and restoration projects.
    • Choose bird-friendly products. If you are able, choose organic produce, bird-friendly coffee, certified paper products, sustainable seafood, and grass-fed beef.
    • Buy less and produce less waste. Use fewer single-use plastics, dispose of garbage and recycling properly, and help with clean-ups.
    • Learn more about birds, contribute to an inclusive and accessible birding community, and advocate for bird-friendly initiatives, policies, and conservation action.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: USCG Short: Hurricane Helene Recovery #hurricane #preparation #hurricanehelene

    Source: US Coast Guard (video statements)

    Seaman Celine Mili, a crewmember at Coast Guard Station Yankeetown, FL, describes the clean-up effort after Hurricane Helene. Coast Guard crews along the Gulf Coast are working hard to stay ready to help those in need.

    #hurricane #preparation #hurricanehelene

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZatXvS71Kw8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd Joins Tillis, Hudson Letter Urging HHS & FEMA to Operationalize Greensboro Migrant Facility to Support WNC Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) has joined a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell urging that the Greensboro Influx Care Facility (ICF) be operationalized to assist in Western North Carolina’s recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene.
    The letter was led by Senator Thom Tillis and Rep. Richard Hudson and co-signed by Reps. Virginia Foxx, Chuck Edwards, David Rouzer, Dan Bishop, Greg Murphy, and Patrick McHenry.
    The letter reads, in part:
    “As you may know, Health and Human Services (HHS) currently operates GCC as an Influx Care Facility (ICF) meant to house and support unaccompanied alien children (UAC) in the case of an emergency. However, in June 2024, HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) at the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) announced that GCC has “ramped down its operations to facility upkeep.”
    “Based on our understanding of this facility, we think that it could be incredibly useful in supporting the people of western North Carolina as the region recovers from Hurricane Helene. For example, GCC could be used to temporarily house those displaced by the storm or to serve as a staging area for aid workers stationed in the state.”
    “Our delegation is grateful for the work that has been done by your agencies so far to assist the people of North Carolina. However, much more can and should be done to expediently aid those whose lives have been upended by this storm. We believe operationalizing GCC for the purposes of aid and recovery is an effective way to do so.”
    Full text of the letter

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rubio, Scott to POTUS: Prepare for Hurricane Impacts to Port of Tampa Bay

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    Rubio, Scott to POTUS: Prepare for Hurricane Impacts to Port of Tampa Bay
    Oct 7, 2024 | Press Releases

    Major Hurricane Milton is forecasted to potentially hinder or obstruct the Port of Tampa Bay, which receives more than 40 percent of Florida’s petroleum products. It’s crucial for the federal government to expedite all requested measures to protect Florida’s economy and to ensure a swift recovery. 
    U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging the direction of federal agencies to expedite plans to respond to this potential obstruction. 
    “​With Hurricane Milton bearing down on Florida’s Gulf Coast, we request you direct federal agencies to expedite plans to respond to potential impediments or destruction of the Port of Tampa Bay and its associated federal channel. Long-term disruptions to the port would not only hinder disaster response and recovery, but have lasting consequences for Florida’s economy.” 
    The full text of the letter is below. 
    Dear Mr. President:
    ​With Hurricane Milton bearing down on Florida’s Gulf Coast, we request you direct federal agencies to expedite plans to respond to potential impediments or destruction of the Port of Tampa Bay and its associated federal channel.  Long-term disruptions to the port would not only hinder disaster response and recovery, but have lasting consequences for Florida’s economy. 
    ​As you may know, more than 40 percent of the volume of petroleum products consumed in Florida, including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, arrive through the Port of Tampa Bay, serving communities along the Gulf Coast and the I-4 Corridor. The port is also a major thoroughfare for aggregates and other construction materials that would be necessary for recovery and rebuilding efforts post-Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Due to the port’s location in Tampa Bay, the total length of the federal channels is approximately 70 miles, including portions that extend from the bay to beyond the barrier islands at the mouth of Tampa Bay.  This reality makes the channel susceptible to sand shoaling in normal conditions, but in severe hurricane conditions the port and channel could be otherwise obstructed by sediment and other storm debris.  The port’s location could also result in some of the most severe storm surge from Hurricane Milton impacting onshore facilities, including petroleum infrastructure.  Any extended disruptions to navigability of the federal or the operability of onshore petroleum infrastructure would have dire long-term consequences for the recovery of communities impacted by Helene and Milton as well as the Florida economy as a whole. Disruptions to the port would drive price increases and shortages of petroleum-based fuel products that could economically harm millions of Floridians.  
    ​To stave off long-term economic consequences that could be caused by impediments to navigation or the destruction of petroleum infrastructure at the Port of Tampa Bay, we urge you to expedite the finalization of plans to:
    Ensure U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assets are in place to assess the federal channel for sediment shoaling and debris immediately following the storm;
    If needed, prepare to mobilize the Army Corps of Engineers for emergency dredging and construction operations to remove sediment from the federal channel and assist port tenants in rehabilitating onshore petroleum infrastructure as quickly as possible using natural disaster response emergency authorities; and
    Utilize waivers, as appropriate, to facilitate interstate deliveries of petroleum fuel products via truck, rail, and maritime modes of transportation.
    In the event that a worst case scenario occurs due to Hurricane Milton, preparation to accomplish these actions prior to landfall will aid in recovery.
    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA, NOAA to Provide Update on Progress of Solar Cycle

    Source: NASA

    NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will discuss the Sun’s activity and the progression of Solar Cycle 25 during a media teleconference at 2 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Oct. 15. Tracking the solar cycle is a key part of better understanding the Sun and mitigating its impacts on technology and infrastructure as humanity explores farther into space.
    During the teleconference, experts from NASA, NOAA, and the international Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel, which is co-sponsored by both agencies, will discuss recent solar cycle progress and the forecast for the rest of this cycle.
    Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website at:

    NASA Live

    Participants include:

    Jamie Favors, director, NASA’s Space Weather Program
    Kelly Korreck, program scientist, NASA’s Heliophysics Division
    Elsayed Talaat, director, Office of Space Weather Observations, NOAA
    Bill Murtagh, program coordinator, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center
    Lisa Upton, co-chair, Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel

    To participate in the media teleconference, media must RSVP no later than 12 p.m. on Oct. 15, to Abbey Interrante at: abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov.  
    The Sun goes through regular cycles of activity lasting approximately 11 years. During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation, all of which create conditions known as space weather. Space weather can affect satellites and astronauts in space, as well as communications systems such as radio and GPS — and power grids on Earth. When the Sun is most active, space weather events become more frequent. Solar activity, such as the storm in May 2024, has sparked displays of aurora and led to impacts on satellites and infrastructure in recent months.
    NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center is the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts.
    For more information on how NASA studies the Sun and space weather, visit:  
    https://www.nasa.gov/sun
    -end-
    Karen FoxHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.fox@nasa.gov
    Sarah FrazierGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.202-853-7191sarah.frazier@nasa.gov
    Erica Grow CeiNOAA’s National Weather Service, College Park, Md.202-853-6088erica.grow.cei@noaa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ***MEDIA ADVISORY*** Cassidy Releases Agenda for Upcoming Energy Security Summit in Baton Rouge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    Louisiana Energy Security Summit: Unleashing American Abundance in a Changing Global Landscape

    9:00 AM – 9:10 AM
    Opening Remarks   Welcome by Sen. Bill Cassidy, setting the stage for the day’s discussions on leveraging our state’s energy and other resources to enhance U.S. economic security. 
    Sen. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA)

    9:10 AM – 9:30 AM 
    Fireside Chat: Louisiana’s Role in Strengthening America’s National Interests in a Changing Global Landscape   A conversation between Sen. Bill Cassidy and Hon. Mark W. Menezes on the indispensable role Louisiana plays in promoting U.S. economic security.
    Sen. CassidyHon. Mark W. Menezes, Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

    9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
    Protecting U.S. Interests Against Unfair Trade Practices   This panel exposes how overseas adversaries exploit weak environmental and labor standards to create a competitive advantage in trade and suggests potential solutions to hold foreign polluters accountable. 
    Maureen Hinman, Co-Founder and Chairman, Silverado Policy AcceleratorCatrina Rorke, Senior Vice President, Policy and Research, Climate Leadership Council Hon. James Connaughton, Former Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Director of the White House Office of Environmental PolicyModerated by: George David Banks, Former Special Assistant for International Energy and Environment at the National Economic and National Security Councils, the White House

    10:00 AM – 10:45 AM 
    Executive Insights: Overcoming Competitive Challenges in Global Markets   CEOs discuss Louisiana’s potential in advancing American interests, highlighting key investments and policy solutions needed to level the playing field against unfair global competition.
    Massimo Toso, President and CEO, Buzzi UnicemUSADavid Hardy, President of North America, Orsted Caroline Reily, Co-Founder & CEO, Aluminum TechnologiesDrew Marsh, Chairman of the board and CEO, EntergyMark Widmar, CEO, First Solar Moderated by: Sen. Cassidy

    10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
    Trade, Energy & Manufacturing: Implications for U.S. Industries and Competitiveness    Further explores the challenges posed by unfair competition and what can be done to level the playing field for Louisiana’s industry at home and abroad. 
    Kevin Gundersen, Vice President of Global Corporate Communications and Government Affairs, Huntsman CorporationCalvin Hart, Vice President and General Manager, Nucor Steel LouisianaJerae Carlson, Sr. Vice President, CemexScott Nielson, Vice President of Environmental, Sustainability & Innovation, Ash Grove Cement CompanyLinda Dempsey, Vice President, Public Affairs, CF IndustriesModerated by: Sarah Stewart, CEO and Executive Director, Silverado Policy Accelerator

    11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
    Louisiana Spotlight:  State-Level Solutions   Industry leaders discuss the key role of Louisiana’s oil, gas, and chemical industries in fostering a secure energy future. This panel will also highlight opportunities for innovation and job creation in Louisiana’s key manufacturing sectors.
    Tommy Faucheux, President, Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association (LMOGA)Greg Bowser, President and CEO, Louisiana Chemical Association (LCA)Will Green, CEO, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI)Mike Moncla, President, Louisiana Oil and Gas Association (LOGA)Moderated by: Desiree Lemoine, Director of Governmental Affairs, TJC group 

    12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
    Load Growth and Energy Demand: Higher future demand for energy will bring a host of opportunities, risks and challenges
    Nate Hill, Head of Energy Policy, Amazon Tom Neyhart, founder and executive chairman, PosigenBenjamin T. Reinke, Ph.D., Vice President of Global Business Development, X EnergyAndrey Shuvalov, Vice President U.S. Energy Transition, ShellModerated by: Tom Hassenboehler, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, CO2EFFICIENT

    Carbon Capture: Cutting-edge technologies for reducing carbon footprints
    Vikrum Aiyer, Global Head of Public Policy, HeirloomDouglas Chan, Chief Operating Officer, ClimeworksMichael Manteris, Co-President, Blue Sky InfrastructurePatrice Lahlum, Vice President of Carbon Management, Great Plains InstituteBradley Ives, Executive Director, Institute for Energy Innovation, Louisiana State UniversityColleen Moss, Managing Director, ClearPathModerated by: Lynn Abramson, President, Clean Energy Business Network 

    Critical Minerals, Mining, and Processing: Regional to global policies
    Hon. Aurelia S. Giacometto, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) Marcio Paes Barreto, Frontiers Initiative & EverCore EnergyJohn Flake, PhD., Louisiana State UniversityChris Young, Chief Strategy Officer, ElementUSAModerated by: Philip Reichert, Southern Regional Director, American Conservation Coalition

    1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
    Louisiana’s Competitive Advantage: Leading the Globe in Low-Emissions Manufacturing   Louisiana’s energy sector boasts a rich history and a bright future. Industry experts discuss how Louisiana is transforming its manufacturing sector to lead in low-emissions production, creating jobs, and driving economic growth.
    Christen Campbell, North America Energy & Sustainable Technologies and Site Development Director, BASFAndrew Connolly, vice president and general manager, Low-Carbon Hydrogen Large Projects, Hydrogen Large Projects, Air ProductsGreg Upton, PhD, Executive Director & Associate Professor-Research, Center for Energy Studies Louisiana State UniversityVanessa Martin, Driftwood LNG Project Director, WoodsideFrank J. Macchiarola, Chief Policy Officer, American Clean PowerModerated by: Xan Fishman, Senior Director, Energy Program, Bipartisan Policy Center

    1:45 PM – 2:30 PM
    The Bayou and Beyond: Enhancing U.S. Competitiveness through Exports   Louisiana industries can advance U.S. leadership in the global marketplace through exports.
    Dr. Paul Schubert, CEO, Strategic Biofuels LLCDr. Robert R. Twilley, Vice President, Office of Research & Economic Development,  Louisiana State University Will Latta, Vice President, Babcock & WilcoxMatt Barr, Vice President of State Government & Community Affairs, Cheniere EnergyHon. Kimberly A. Reed, Former Chairman, U.S. Export Import Bank, 2019-2021 Moderated by:Anna Johnson, Executive Director, West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce

    2:30 PM – 3:15 PM
    Louisiana’s Liquid Gold: Strengthening U.S. Geopolitical Influence through Energy Leadership   This panel explores the critical role of Louisiana’s natural gas industry in strengthening U.S. geopolitical influence and securing a prosperous energy future. Experts will cover how increased domestic natural gas production can foster stability amid geopolitical uncertainties and drive economic growth. 
    Bob Pender, Executive Co-chairman and Founder, Venture Global LNGT. Lane Wilson, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, WilliamsHon. Mark W. Menezes, Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy, 2018-2021Hon. Neil Chatterjee, Former Chairman, US. Federal Energy Regulatory CommissionModerated by: Bob Stout, Senior Fellow, Duke Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability

    3:15 PM – 3:25 PM 
    Closing Remarks
    Sen. Cassidy

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM is Here to Help Members Impacted by Hurricane Milton

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    As Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the IAM is committed to providing immediate assistance and resources to its affected members.

    If you’re an IAM member and suffer property damage from the storm, you can apply for assistance from the IAM Disaster Relief Fund here.

    To address urgent needs, the IAM encourages its members impacted by the hurricane to apply for support through the IAM Disaster Relief Fund. This fund is specifically designed to provide assistance in times of natural disasters, helping members and their families navigate through hardships.

    Apply for assistance here.

    The IAM is ready to help!

    1. Contact your Local 
    2. A Territory Representative will contact you with more information
    3. Funds will be distributed to you based on a damage assessment 

    Click here for more information.

    Additionally, all IAM members can obtain confidential help through the IAM Employee/Member Assistance Program. Services include, but are not limited to, addictions, mental health, stress, depression, and financial hardship. You can reach the confidential IAM Assistance Helpline by calling 301-335-0735 or emailing iameap@iamaw.org.

    DONATE

    The IAM Disaster Relief Fund provides assistance in situations where our members and their families endure hardships due to natural disasters. 

    The IAM reacts quickly to these needs before other sources of assistance are available. This is not possible without the support of those who have committed to keeping the IAM Disaster Relief Fund vibrant and healthy.

    Make a contribution today through the IAM Disaster Relief Fund.

    The Disaster Relief Fund is able to provide immediate financial assistance to IAM members impacted by natural disasters. The IAM is often there before most monetary relief efforts can react.

    Donate Today! 

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Urges HHS to Strengthen IV Supply Chain to Prevent Shortages

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) on Friday sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra urging the administration to take action to ensure health care providers have access to necessary medical supplies to prevent a shortage of intravenous (IV) fluid.

    “I am thankful for the coordination of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response (ASPR), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the wake of Hurricane Helene,” Dingell wrote. “This includes the work of ASPR in deploying approximately 200 personnel to North Carolina, including health care situational assessment teams, who are assessing the storm’s impacts on hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis centers and other health care facilities. Baxter’s International’s North Cove manufacturing site, which primarily makes IV and peritoneal dialysis solutions, in Marion, North Carolina, has been one of the hardest hit by Hurricane Helene. The rapid rain and storm surge resulted in water permeating the facility.”

    “Baxter International produces 60% of the national supply of IV solutions, and the hurricane’s impact on accessing the site’s supply has sounded alarms for a potential shortage. Baxter is actively working with local, state, and federal officials on plans to access the inventory in the facility and begin transfers of salvageable product out of the facility,” Dingell continued. “However, due to their constrained inventory, Baxter has begun implementing allocation limits on certain products to hospitals and other medical facilities based on their historical ordering from March through August of this year. Hospitals remain very concerned this situation will spiral into a nationwide shortage of critical IV products.”

    “Natural disasters often have effects beyond the horrific destruction and loss of life throughout the southeastern part of our country,” Dingell concluded. “This supply chain disruption is a grave reminder of the interconnection of our government and society – maintaining communication and cooperating through these adversities is the best solution to care for our communities.”

    Specifically, Dingell requested answers to the following questions:

    1. Baxter has begun implementing allocation limits on their products to ration IV products for the hospitals. What is being done to oversee the allocation process to ensure fairness throughout the country?
    2. We understand that HHS, FDA, and Baxter and working with manufacturers to ensure their operating at maximum capacity. Do you anticipate that this is enough to maintain the current need of hospitals and other medical facilities?
    3. In Baxter’s North Cove site in Marion, North Carolina, there are tens of thousands of pallets of product waiting to be distributed. Has any of this product been damaged? If so, what are you doing to ensure damaged products are not sent to hospitals and other medical facilities?
    4. If the Baxter site in North Carolina is unable to help provide the necessary IV solution to hospitals, what will HHS, ASPR, and FDA do to help meet demand?
    5. Do you expect this situation to result in an official shortage of IV fluids?
    6. Have you heard from hospitals canceling or postponing surgeries due to a lack of available IV fluids?
    7. Are you considering invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title I authorities?
    8. How can Congress help in assisting the diversification and risk management of this supply chain?
    9. How can the agency best to diversify this supply chain and what funding is needed to help mitigate risk?
    10. How can the Center for Industrial Based Management & Supply Chain engage with stakeholders to optimize our IV solution supply chain to withstand severe weather events? If one company’s plant is shut down and causes such a shortage, what steps can be taken to alleviate this stressor?

    View the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Moody’s Wins Top Ranking in ChartisRiskTech100 for Third Consecutive Year

    Source: Moody’s

    Headline: Moody’s Wins Top Ranking in ChartisRiskTech100 for Third Consecutive Year

    NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Moody’s Corporation (NYSE:MCO) has been awarded the number-one overall ranking in the Chartis RiskTech100® 2025 report, marking Moody’s third consecutive year in the top position.

    The Chartis RiskTech100 is the most comprehensive study of the world’s leading providers of risk and compliance technology. The top ranking recognizes Moody’s unmatched ability to provide its customers with a holistic view of their risks through research, data, and analytics.

    “Winning the top award from Chartis for a third year in a row is a strong testament to how Moody’s stays on the cutting edge of developments in risk management technology,” said Rob Fauber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Moody’s. “We seek to constantly innovate across our suite of products and solutions and put new technologies and insights into the hands of our customers as quickly as possible.”

    In addition to earning the highest overall position, Moody’s won in 12 individual categories:

    • Market Presence (new)
    • Strategy
    • Functionality
    • Banking
    • Insurance
    • Climate Risk
    • Credit Portfolio Management (new)
    • Financial Crime – Data
    • Credit Data – Wholesale
    • Credit Data – Collateralized Loan Obligation (CLO)
    • Credit Risk for the Banking Book
    • Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL)

    “In maintaining its position at the top of the RiskTech100, Moody’s has demonstrated its effective and strategic use of the latest technology to enable its data and analytics to be efficiently accessed, distributed, and consumed,” said Sid Dash, Chief Researcher at Chartis. “Moreover, Moody’s continues to expand and develop its analytical tools and functionality across a variety of business lines, from banking to insurance and securitization to compliance.”

    The 2025 winners of RiskTech100 were selected through a nearly year-long process involving vendor briefings and discussions with risk technology buyers and end-users. The research directors and lead analysts at Chartis Research then made the final decisions.

    Chartis Research is the leading provider of research and analysis on the global market for risk technology. Their goal is to support enterprises that drive business performance through improved risk management, corporate governance, and compliance. Chartis strives to help clients make informed technology and business decisions by providing in-depth analysis and actionable advice on virtually all aspects of risk technology.

    For more information on Moody’s innovation and technology, visit Moodys.com/Innovation.

    ABOUT MOODY’S CORPORATION

    In a world shaped by increasingly interconnected risks, Moody’s (NYSE: MCO) data, insights, and innovative technologies help customers develop a holistic view of their world and unlock opportunities. With a rich history of experience in global markets and a diverse workforce of approximately 15,000 across more than 40 countries, Moody’s gives customers the comprehensive perspective needed to act with confidence and thrive. Learn more at moodys.com.

    Source: Moody’s Corporation Investor Relations

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA is Still Here for Hurricane Francine Survivors

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA is Still Here for Hurricane Francine Survivors

    FEMA is Still Here for Hurricane Francine Survivors

    BATON ROUGE, La. – FEMA remains in Louisiana to assist survivors recovering from Hurricane Francine. 

    As of Oct. 7, more than 17,000 residents in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, Jefferson, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes have received more than $46 million in assistance since Hurricane Francine made landfall on Sept. 11, 2024. 

    This includes: 

    • More than $12.6 million for Serious Needs Assistance, a one-time payment of $750 per household. This payment would be in addition to any other assistance from FEMA. The money can be used for emergency supplies like water, food, first aid, breastfeeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, or fuel for transportation. It is available to eligible survivors who apply within the first 30 days after the disaster was declared.
    • More than $8.7 million for Displacement Assistance or money to help with housing needs if you cannot return to your home because of the disaster. The money can be used to stay in a hotel, with family and friends or other options.
    • More than $2.5 million for the Clean and Sanitize program which is up to $300 from FEMA and the State of Louisiana to help clean up houses damaged by Francine that remain habitable.

    Both Serious Needs Assistance and Displacement Assistance require an inspection to confirm eligibility before funds are provided to applicants.

    In the nine parishes designated for federal assistance, Disaster Recovery Centers are open to support survivors. FEMA employees are on-hand to answer questions and assist with applications. Representatives of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the State of Louisiana and nonprofit and nongovernmental partners are also on available to assist survivors as they navigate their recovery. 

    The centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology. If you need a reasonable accommodation or sign language interpreter, please call 833-285-7448 (press 2 for Spanish).

    DRCs are open at the following locations: 

    Ascension Parish

    Lemann Memorial Center

    1100 Clay St.

    Donaldsonville, LA 70346

    Assumption Parish

    Assumption High School, North Building

    4880 Hwy 308

    Napoleonville, LA 70390 

    Jefferson Parish

    Martin Luther King Community Resource Center

    1042 31st St

    Kenner, LA 70065

    Lafourche Parish

    Lafourche Parish Emergency Operations Center

    4876 Hwy. 1

    Raceland, LA 70394

    St. Charles Parish

    Alan Arterbury Building

    14564 River Road

    New Sarpy, LA 70078

    St. John the Baptist Parish

    Reserve Library

    1482 Hwy 44

    Reserve, LA 70084

    St. James Parish

    Convent Community Center

    5775 Hwy 44

    Convent, LA 70723

    St. Mary Parish

    Morgan City Municipal Auditorium
    728 Myrtle St.
    Morgan City, LA 70380

    Terrebonne Parish

    Terrebonne Parish Library

    151 Library Drive

    Houma, LA 70360

    The centers will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. No appointment is necessary. 

    You do not have to visit a center to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. The quickest way to apply is by going online at disasterassistance.gov/.

    Additional options when applying include:

    • Download the FEMA App for mobile devices. 
    • Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.
    • To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.

    For the latest information visit fema.gov/disaster/4817. Follow FEMA Region 6 social media at X.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/femaregion6.

    alexa.brown

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Debunking Helene Response Myths

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11)

    Dear Friend,

    Over the past 10 days, I have been proud of how our mountain communities have come together to help one another. We have seen a level of support that is unmatched by most any other disaster nationwide; but amidst all of the support, we have also seen an uptick in untrustworthy sources trying to spark chaos by sharing hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and hearsay about hurricane response efforts across our mountains.

    While it is true, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to Hurricane Helene has had its shortfalls, I’m here to dispel the outrageous rumors that have been circulated online:

    1. Hurricane Helene was NOT geoengineered by the government to seize and access lithium deposits in Chimney Rock.
      1. Nobody can control the weather.
      2. Charles Konrad, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southeast Regional Climate Center, has confirmed that no one has the technology or ability to geoengineer a hurricane.
        1. Current geoengineering technology can serve as a large-scale intervention to mitigate the negative consequences of naturally occurring weather phenomena, but it cannot be used to create or manipulate hurricanes.
      3. Local officials have confirmed the government is NOT seizing Chimney Rock.
        1. There was no “special meeting” held in Chimney Rock between federal, state or local governments about seizing the town.
    2. Local officials are NOT abandoning search and rescue efforts to bulldoze over Chimney Rock.
      1. Chimney Rock is NOT being bulldozed over.
      2. Rutherford County emergency services personnel are going to extensive lengths to search for missing people, including in debris by using cadaver dogs to locate any remains of individuals trapped in the debris.
      3. Just as every other community in Western North Carolina, Chimney Rock officials are focused first and foremost on recovery efforts, followed by plans to rebuild in the future.
    3. FEMA is NOT stopping trucks or vehicles with donations, confiscating or seizing supplies, or otherwise turning away donations.
      1. FEMA does not conduct vehicle stops or handle road closures with armed guards – all road closures are managed by local law enforcement who are prioritizing getting resources to their fellow community members.
    4. FEMA has NOT diverted disaster response funding to the border or foreign aid.
      1. Disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts.
        1. FEMA’s non-disaster related presence at the border has always been of major concern to me, even before Hurricane Helene, and I will continue to condemn their deployment of personnel to the southern border, but we must separate the two issues.
    5. FEMA is NOT going to run out of money.
      1. FEMA officials have repeatedly affirmed that the agency has enough money for immediate response and recovery needs over the next few months.
        1. Secretary Mayorkas’ statement indicating otherwise was an irresponsible attempt to politicize a tragedy for personal gain.
      2. In the coming months, Western North Carolina is going to need more disaster relief funding than is currently available to assist with recovery efforts.
        1. I’m confident that supplemental disaster relief funding, which I am already involved in the process of creating, will be considered in the House once we return to session in mid-November.
    6. FEMA cannot seize your property or land.
      1. Applying for disaster assistance does not grant FEMA or the federal government authority or ownership of your property or land.
    7. The FAA is NOT restricting access to airspace for Helene rescue and recovery operations.
      1. Nobody seeking to fly resources into Western North Carolina will be prohibited from doing so by the FAA or North Carolina Emergency Management so long as they coordinate their efforts with NC Aviation.
        1. If you are looking to conduct an airdrop of resources but don’t know who to contact for approval, please reach out to my office and we will share that information with you.
    8. FEMA is NOT only providing $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.
      1. The initial $750 provided to disaster survivors is an immediate type of assistance called Serious Needs Assistance that may be made to individuals in need as soon as they apply for FEMA assistance.
        1. The $750 is an upfront, flexible payment to help cover essential items like food, water, baby formula and medication while FEMA assesses the applicant’s eligibility for additional funds.
        2. This award is just the first step of a longer process to provide financial assistance to disaster survivors in need of federal support.
      2. As an application moves through the review process, individuals are eligible to receive additional forms of assistance for other needs such as temporary housing, personal property and home repair costs, etc.

    I encourage you to remember that everything you see on Facebook, X, or any other social media platform is not always fact. Please make sure you are fact checking what you read online with a reputable source.

    With my warmest regards,


    Chuck Edwards
    Member of Congress

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Joins Legislation to End FEMA Program Funding Illegal Immigrant Resettlement, Prioritizing Disaster Relief for U.S. Citizens

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Oswego, New York – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today cosponsored legislation aimed at ending the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Shelter and Services Program, which funds the resettlement of illegal immigrants within the United States.

    This bill, led by Congresswoman Nancy Mace (SC-01), comes in the aftermath of the devastating Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread devastation, and ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall later this week. The legislation aims to ensure that American taxpayer dollars are prioritized for disaster recovery efforts to assist U.S. citizens affected by these catastrophic events rather than for programs assisting the resettlement of illegal immigrants.

    “FEMA should focus on its core mission of natural disaster relief, not the resettlement of illegal immigrants,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Americans are still reeling from the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, which claimed hundreds of lives and devastated entire communities. It is unfathomable that in the wake of another severe storm, we would prioritize transporting these criminals across the country over assisting Americans in rebuilding their communities. We must terminate FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program to ensure American citizens are prioritized over illegal immigrants.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse, Crow, Pettersen, DeGette Announce Support for Colorado River District’s Bid for Funding to Complete Shoshone Water Rights Purchase

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

    Lawmakers call for Bureau of Reclamation to help Colorado’s Western Slope priorities through program created by Inflation Reduction Act

    WASHINGTON  – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, and U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, Brittany Pettersen, and Diana DeGette, wrote the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) in support of Colorado River Water Conservation District’s (CRWCD) application for federal funding to purchase two of the oldest water rights on the Colorado River mainstem in Colorado, known as the Shoshone Permanency Project.

    “Preserving the Colorado River’s historical flow regime as intended by the Shoshone Permanency Project will benefit the Colorado River ecosystem every year, and especially in dry years,” wrote the lawmakers. “We recognize the Shoshone Permanency Project’s complex nature and ongoing technical review, but believe the opportunity to protect historical Colorado River flows deserves your attention.”

    The lawmakers offered their support as part of an ongoing BOR funding opportunity to provide environmental benefits in response to drought, which remains open for additional projects in Colorado and the rest of the Upper Colorado River Basin.

    Currently, the 1902 Senior and the 1929 Junior Shoshone Water Rights are used by Xcel Energy to generate power at the Shoshone Power Plant and then returned to the river. As part of the Shoshone Permanency Project, CRWCD will seek a change in these rights to include an alternate beneficial use and preserve the historical flow regime. Communities across Western Colorado have already committed over $55 million, and are applying to BOR for funding from the Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation program to help complete the purchase and create stability for communities, water and recreational users, and the environment.

    The Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation program is an ongoing BOR funding opportunity to provide environmental benefits in response to drought, which remains open for additional projects in Colorado and the rest of the Upper Colorado River Basin. The lawmakers welcome other applicants to contact their offices on the opportunity to provide support.

    The state process for changing these decreed water rights is distinct from any federal funding review or outcome, and will proceed separately. As acknowledged in the letter, data collection and analysis related to the Shoshone water rights’ historic use is ongoing and important to the State of Colorado’s formal review.

    Hickenlooper and Bennet fought to include $8 billion for western water infrastructure, $10 billion for forests, $19 billion for agricultural conservation, and $4 billion for drought in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

    The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

    Dear Commissioner Touton:

    We write in support of the Colorado River Water Conservation District’s (the River District) application to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation funding opportunity, referred to as Bucket 2E. As you know, the Inflation Reduction Act provided a historic $4 billion to address issues caused by drought, including activities to support environmental benefits, and ecosystem and habitat restoration. If selected, the River District will leverage Bucket 2E funding alongside significant state and local investment to purchase two of the oldest water rights on the Colorado River mainstem in the State of Colorado – the Shoshone Water Rights – to preserve their historical flow regime in perpetuity.

    The River District was established in 1937 as a local governing entity to represent water users across 15 counties in Western Colorado – including the headwaters of the Yampa, White, Gunnison, and Colorado Rivers. The Colorado River District’s mission is to promote the protection, conservation, use, and development of the water resources of the Colorado River water basin for the welfare of the State of Colorado.

    Now, the River District is pursuing the Shoshone Permanency Project, which aims to preserve the historical Colorado River flow regime created by the 1902 Senior Shoshone Water Right and the 1929 Junior Shoshone Water Right (the “Shoshone Water Rights”). The River District has signed an agreement to purchase the Shoshone Water Rights from Xcel Energy, which currently holds the rights for its Shoshone hydropower plant. Today, the Shoshone Water Rights are decreed as non-consumptive water rights: the water is used to generate hydropower at the Shoshone Power Plant and is returned to the stream. The Shoshone Water Rights’ senior status “pulls” water to Glenwood Canyon, which ensures that water continues to flow and benefits the downstream environment. Preserving the Colorado River’s historical flow regime as intended by the Shoshone Permanency Project will benefit the Colorado River ecosystem every year, and especially in dry years.

    Data collection and analysis of Shoshone Water Rights’ historic use is not yet completed, and ongoing–a key step for understanding the historic flow regime on the Colorado River. The Shoshone Permanency Project seeks to change the water rights to include an alternate beneficial use for instream flow purposes, a legally recognized beneficial use in Colorado, to preserve the historical Shoshone flow regime. The proposed decree associated with these flows is still under technical review by the State of Colorado. The River District is actively discussing the proposal with other water users across the state. The Colorado Water Conservation Board and the State of Colorado Water Court will conduct a formal review in the coming months. Ongoing modeling will also help quantify the environmental benefits of the Shoshone Water Rights flows. One potential benefit is to the critical habitat of four fish in the Colorado River listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), known as the 15-Mile Reach, located near Palisade, Colorado.

    The State of Colorado and our water users are making their own significant investments to ensure that the historical Shoshone flows can continue in perpetuity. The Colorado River District has allocated $20 million, the State of Colorado has appropriated another $20 million for the acquisition, provided the State’s instream flow requirements are met, and a coalition of Western Slope water users and local governments have formally committed over $15 million. This strong show of funding reflects the local recognition of the Shoshone Water Rights’ importance to the health of western Colorado’s environment and local economies.

    We recognize the Shoshone Permanency Project’s complex nature and ongoing technical review, but believe the opportunity to protect historical Colorado River flows deserves your attention. We encourage you to give the River District’s proposal your full and fair consideration consistent with all applicable rules and regulations. Thank you for your review, and please notify our offices of any funds awarded.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Physician Staffing Firm Expands to Wake County with 155 New Jobs and $7 Million Investment in Raleigh

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Physician Staffing Firm Expands to Wake County with 155 New Jobs and $7 Million Investment in Raleigh

    Physician Staffing Firm Expands to Wake County with 155 New Jobs and $7 Million Investment in Raleigh
    mseets

    Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced Weatherby Healthcare, Inc. a medical staffing company, will add 155 jobs to Wake County. The company will invest more than $7.6 million to expand its operations in the City of Raleigh.

    “Weatherby has made a great decision to reinvest in North Carolina,” said Governor Cooper. “Wake County sits in the heart of our state and is the home of an international airport and a highly educated workforce, making it an ideal location for corporate businesses.”

    A subsidiary of CHG Healthcare, Weatherby has provided staffing solutions for physicians in rural communities for 45 years. The full-service staffing agency works with medical practices, hospitals, and healthcare facilities to coordinate and execute short-term contracts for healthcare professionals to cover for temporary absences for training, vacation, or medical leave. From housing and travel to licensing and credential requirements, Weatherby covers all aspects of physician placement to ensure complete, uninterrupted care for patients. Weatherby has become one of the largest physician staffing firms in the nation.

    “We’re thrilled to partner with the governor’s office on this project, which will not only give our current employees a vibrant, new, state-of-the-art workspace, but also allow us to continue to grow and bring more high-paying jobs to the great state of North Carolina,” said Michael Depaolis, Senior Vice President of Sales for Weatherby. “We pride ourselves on being a great place to work, and we’re excited to share our award-winning, people-centric culture with the state’s top talent.”

    “We are delighted to see another company expand its presence in our state,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “From manufacturers to corporate headquarters, North Carolina continues to be a top choice for companies that want a low-cost to do business, great quality of life, and access to top tier talent as they continue to grow and expand.”

    Although salaries will vary by position and could create a potential payroll impact of more than $31.7 million each year for the region.

    Weatherby’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG), which was approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $433.5 million. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $1,812,000, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets.

    The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 134 percent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost to the state, the state receives $2.34 in state revenue. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.

    Because Weatherby chose a site in Wake County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 3, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $604,000 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. Even when new jobs are created in a Tier 3 county such as Wake, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps more economically challenged communities elsewhere in the state.

    “This project is an outstanding win for Wake County,” said N.C. Senator Lisa Grafstein. “We have an incredible and diverse talent base that is ready to help the company meet the needs of the demanding healthcare industry, and we look forward to welcoming Weatherby to our community.”

    “It gives us a great vote of confidence to know that the City of Raleigh was selected for Weatherby’s new home,” said N.C. Representative Tim Longest. “We appreciate the diligent work of our state and local partners that helped the company choose our strong economy for their next phase of growth.”  

    Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, N.C. Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions, Wake County, the City of Raleigh, Capital Area Workforce Development, Raleigh Economic Development and Wake County Economic Development, programs of the Raleigh Chamber.

    ###

    Oct 8, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy – An Update on Our Interim Committee Work

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (October 8, 2024)— We’ve moved forward in our efforts to strengthen Georgia’s forestry industry with our second meeting of the Senate Advancing Forest Innovation in Georgia Study Committee at the Georgia State Capitol. Building on the groundwork established in our initial meeting, where we identified key challenges facing the sector, we are now focused on exploring solutions and emerging markets that have the potential to revitalize our state’s forestry landscape

    Unfortunately, the timing of our meeting coincided with the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which brought significant hardship to many regions of our state, including those heavily reliant on the forestry industry. Our thoughts remain with all those affected, and we will continue to support our impacted communities and first responders in the days ahead.

    At this meeting, we shifted our focus from problems to possibilities. The shrinking markets for traditional forestry products that we discussed in our first meeting are not the whole story—there are emerging markets and new technologies that could represent the future of Georgia’s forestry industry. As chair of this committee, I’ve had the privilege of working with a wide range of experts to explore these opportunities, and the insights they shared during our meeting were nothing short of inspiring.

    We first heard from Dr. Andreas Bommarius and Dr. Carson Meredith from the Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI) at Georgia Tech, who introduced us to their groundbreaking ReWOOD initiative. This project focuses on “Xylochemistry,” a rapidly growing field that uses sustainable wood-based materials to develop products ranging from industrial solvents to jet fuel. What’s particularly exciting about ReWOOD is its potential to create new demand for Georgia’s vast forestry resources in environmentally sustainable and economically viable ways.

    Next, we welcomed Troy Harris of Jamestown LLP, a real estate investment firm with a strong track record in sustainable timberland management. He spoke about Jamestown’s use of innovative practices to boost timberland productivity while ensuring sustainable growth. These practices not only increase the value of timber but also ensure the long-term health and resilience of our forests—an important consideration given the growing threat of natural disasters like Hurricane Helene.

    Finally, Smitha Hariharan, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of Gulfstream, shared the company’s cutting-edge work in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Gulfstream recently made history with the first-ever trans-Atlantic flight powered by 100% SAF, a major breakthrough that could have significant implications for Georgia’s forestry industry. As demand for SAF grows worldwide, Georgia’s timber could become a key resource in meeting that demand, creating jobs and driving investment in rural communities across the state.

    Our meeting made it clear that the future of forestry in Georgia lies in traditional markets and these emerging fields. Exciting opportunities are on the horizon, whether it’s sustainable aviation fuel, wood-based construction materials or innovative new uses for timber byproducts. With Georgia being the #1 state to do business and the #1 forestry producing state in the country, I believe our state is uniquely positioned to lead on this emerging market.

    As we continue to work through the challenges and opportunities ahead, I am grateful for the valuable contributions of the experts and industry leaders helping us explore these new possibilities. I’m confident that by embracing innovation and working together, we can create a more sustainable and prosperous future for Georgia’s forestry industry. I look forward to sharing more updates as our committee’s work progresses.

    You can find more information about the committee’s work and upcoming meetings here.

    # # # #

    Sen. John F. Kennedy serves as the President Pro Tempore of the Georgia State Senate. He represents the 18th Senate District which includes Upson, Monroe, Peach, Crawford, as well as portions of Bibb and Houston County. He may be reached at 404.656.6578 or by email at john.kennedy@senate.ga.gov.

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UPDATE: Hurricane Milton Emergency Resources And Declarations – As of 1:00 PM

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL)

    UPDATE: Hurricane Milton Emergency Resources And Declarations – As of 1:00 PM

    Washington, October 8, 2024

    NAPLES, Fla. – Tomorrow, Hurricane Milton is projected to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida as a major hurricane.

    The office of Congressman Byron Donalds is closely monitoring Hurricane Milton and is actively coordinating storm preparations alongside federal, state, and local partners. The Congressman and his team stand ready to support our Southwest Florida community and ensure all necessary resources are available. Please see below for the latest emergency resources and declarations:

    Southwest Florida Formal Evacuation Declarations:

    Southwest Florida Shelters Open To Public:

    • Collier County General Population Shelters (OPENING AT 4:00 PM):
    • Collier County Special Needs Shelter (OPENING AT 2:00 PM):
      • Palmetto Ridge High School (Pet-Friendly) – 1655 Victory Lane
        • NOTE: For Registered Special Needs Clients and Caregivers.
    • Lee County (OPEN NOW):

    Emergency Hotlines:

    Local Government Operations:

    School Closures:

    Live Cameras:

    Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) Operations:

    State of Florida – Uber Partnership:

    Attention Residents of Fort Myers Beach:

    • LeeTran bus routes to Fort Myers Beach as currently SUSPENDED.
    • Lee County Utilities have SUSPENDED water service to Fort Myers Beach.
    • 24 Hour General Curfew will go into effect at 10:00 PM TONIGHT.
    • Your Hurricane Re-entry Pass must be TEAL – Old passes will not work.
    • Once the storm passes, if you need assistance with re-entry, beginning at 7:00am on Thursday morning staff will be at two locations to hand out passes:
    • Town Staff will be located at re-entry points to check for re-entry passes – If you do not have one, you will not be allowed on Island. 

    Weather Updates:

    Other Emergency Resources:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: KraneShares Man Buyout Beta Index ETF (BUYO) Lists on NYSE: Applying Private Equity Selection Criteria To Public Equities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Krane Funds Advisors, LLC (“KraneShares”), a global asset management firm known for its innovative exchange-traded funds (ETFs), today announced the launch of the KraneShares Man Buyout Beta Index ETF (Ticker: BUYO) on the New York Stock Exchange.

    BUYO seeks to track the performance of the Man Buyout Beta Index, which is designed to apply the key return drivers of PE/buyout funds to public equities. The fund employs a systematic approach to select a portfolio of small to mid-cap stocks from the Russell 2500 Index, targeting industries favored by PE firms and companies that are similar in size and display similar company-specific characteristics as those in traditional PE funds. The BUYO ETF targets companies with the following characteristics:

    1. Belong to sectors favored by PE funds, including Information Technology, Consumer Discretionary, Industrials, and Health Care
    2. Filters for companies with characteristics favored by PE funds, including strong free cash flow yield, higher operating margins, cash discipline (lower CapEx, ability to repay debt), and top-line growth among dozens of other signals

    As a starting point, the Russell 2500 Index without filtering holdings for PE-like return drivers is already highly correlated to the Preqin Private Equity ex-Venture Capital Index, with a 75.3% historical total return correlation since 2008.1 BUYO is designed to potentially have an even greater correlation and deliver a return profile similar to that of traditional buyout funds longer term.

    “BUYO offers investors a unique way to access companies with characteristics that private equity firms find attractive, but with the liquidity and transparency of an ETF,” said Kevin Orr, Managing Director and Head of Strategic Partnerships at KraneShares. “By leveraging Man Group’s research and expertise on buyout target attributes, BUYO aims to capture the potential value creation associated with private equity strategies while remaining fully invested in public equities.”

    “Our research indicates that many of the same methodologies that buyout funds use to target private takeover candidates can be applied to the public equity market to achieve similar results,” said John Lidington, who is a Co-Portfolio Manager covering liquid private equity at Man Numeric, which is acting as sub-advisor to BUYO. “We developed the approach underlying the Man Buyout Beta Index to provide an opportunity to harness the key return drivers powering PE funds, which are typically expensive and have historically been difficult to access for many investors. The approach helps identify potentially undervalued companies that in many cases may become public to private takeout targets in the future.”

    Major endowments typically allocate 20-40% of their portfolios to private equity, with some top institutions like Ivy League Universities reaching as high as 36.7% of their total investment.2 However, historically, there have been high barriers to entry to traditional PE funds, such as long placement and lockup periods and high investment minimums and fees.

    “We believe BUYO offers a compelling solution for various investor profiles,” said Jonathan Shelon, Chief Operating Officer of KraneShares. “BUYO may be appropriate for institutional investors seeking potential liquid beta to the PE buyout asset class while awaiting placement in traditional PE funds. It may also be attractive to investors seeking highly correlated liquid alternative exposure to the PE market or investors looking to diversify their portfolios by implementing a more endowment-like asset allocation that includes a healthy weighting to PE-like strategies.”

    “We are excited to combine Man Numeric’s investment expertise – by acting as a sub-advisor to BUYO – with KraneShares’ ETF product development, marketing, and distribution capabilities,” said Gregory Bond, CEO of Man Numeric.

    KraneShares will host a webinar with John Lidington introducing the KraneShares Man Buyout Beta ETF (Ticker: BUYO) on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. Investors interested in attending the webinar can register here.

    About Man Group

    Man Group is a global alternative investment management firm focused on pursuing outperformance for sophisticated clients via our Systematic, Discretionary and Solutions offerings. Powered by talent and advanced technology, our single and multi-manager investment strategies are underpinned by deep research and span public and private markets, across all major asset classes, with a significant focus on alternatives. Man Group takes a partnership approach to working with clients, establishing deep connections and creating tailored solutions to meet their investment goals and those of the millions of retirees and savers they represent. Headquartered in London, we manage $178.2 billion* and operate across multiple offices globally. Man Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker EMG.LN and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. Further information can be found at http://www.man.com.

    *As of 30 June 2024

    About KraneShares

    KraneShares is a specialist investment manager focused on China, Climate, and Alternatives. KraneShares seeks to provide innovative, high-conviction, and first-to-market strategies based on the firm and its partners’ deep investing knowledge. KraneShares identifies and delivers groundbreaking capital market opportunities and believes investors should have cost-effective and transparent tools for attaining exposure to various asset classes. The firm was founded in 2013 and serves institutions and financial professionals globally. The firm is a signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI).

    Citations:

    1. Source: Preqin Ltd and analysis by Man Group as of 8/31/2024, correlation calculated from 1/1/2008 to 3/31/2024.
    2. Data from the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, “What a Tough Private Equity Environment Could Mean for University Endowments,” as of 7/17/2024.

    Definitions:

    Beta: Beta measures an investment’s volatility relative to the market and is used to quantify its risk. It’s calculated as the slope of a security’s returns regressed against a benchmark market index.

    Index Definitions:

    Preqin Private Equity ex-Venture Capital Index: The Preqin Private Equity ex-Venture Capital Index represents the returns on committed capital in private equity partnerships. It includes the amount of money invested in these partnerships and the returns that outstanding commitments would generate if invested risk-free.

    Carefully consider the Funds’ investment objectives, risk factors, charges and expenses before investing. This and additional information can be found in the Funds’ full and summary prospectus, which may be obtained by visiting: https://kraneshares.com/buyo/. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

    Risk Disclosures: 

    Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its stated objectives. Indices are unmanaged and do not include the effect of fees. One cannot invest directly in an index.

    This information should not be relied upon as research, investment advice, or a recommendation regarding any products, strategies, or any security in particular. This material is strictly for illustrative, educational, or informational purposes and is subject to change. Certain content represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results; material is as of the dates noted and is subject to change without notice.

    The Underlying Index uses Numeric models in its methodology, which depend on various data sources that may be inaccurate or incomplete, rendering the models potentially unreliable. Historical market data may not predict future price movements, and unusual market events can lead to unexpected outcomes. Models may also have hidden biases and could incur losses if actual events diverge from their assumptions. Additionally, performance may be affected by software issues or programming errors. While the Underlying Index aims to reflect private equity performance and risk like private equity buyout funds, there is no guarantee that public equities will achieve this exposure or that the models will effectively provide it.

    The Fund may invest in derivatives, which are often more volatile than other investments and may magnify the Fund’s gains or losses. A derivative (i.e., futures/forward contracts, swaps, and options) is a contract that derives its value from the performance of an underlying asset. The primary risk of derivatives is that changes in the asset’s market value and the derivative may not be proportionate, and some derivatives can have the potential for unlimited losses. Derivatives are also subject to liquidity and counterparty risk. The Fund is subject to liquidity risk, meaning that certain investments may become difficult to purchase or sell at a reasonable time and price. If a transaction for these securities is large, it may not be possible to initiate, which may cause the Fund to suffer losses. Counterparty risk is the risk of loss in the event that the counterparty to an agreement fails to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the derivative.

    The Fund is new and does not yet have a significant number of shares outstanding. If the Fund does not grow in size, it will be at greater risk than larger funds of wider bid-ask spreads for its shares, trading at a greater premium or discount to NAV, liquidation and/or a trading halt. Narrowly focused investments typically exhibit higher volatility. The Fund’s assets are expected to be concentrated in a sector, industry, market, or group of concentrations to the extent that the Underlying Index has such concentrations. The securities or futures in that concentration could react similarly to market developments. Thus, the Fund is subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that affect that concentration. In addition to the normal risks associated with investing, investments in smaller companies typically exhibit higher volatility. BUYO is non-diversified.

    ETF shares are bought and sold on an exchange at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. However, shares may be redeemed at NAV directly by certain authorized broker-dealers (Authorized Participants) in very large creation/redemption units. The returns shown do not represent the returns you would receive if you traded shares at other times. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV in the secondary market. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Beginning 12/23/2020, market price returns are based on the official closing price of an ETF share or, if the official closing price isn’t available, the midpoint between the national best bid and national best offer (“NBBO”) as of the time the ETF calculates the current NAV per share. Prior to that date, market price returns were based on the midpoint between the Bid and Ask price. NAVs are calculated using prices as of 4:00 PM Eastern Time.

    The KraneShares ETFs and KFA Funds ETFs are distributed by SEI Investments Distribution Company (SIDCO), 1 Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456, which is not affiliated with Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, the Investment Adviser for the Funds, or any sub-advisers for the Funds.

    For media inquiries, please contact: info@kraneshares.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Flooded industrial sites and toxic chemical releases are a silent, growing threat in hurricanes like Milton and Helene

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By James R. Elliott, Professor of Sociology, Rice University

    An industrial storage tank overturned by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, N.C., shows the power of fast-moving floodwater. Sean Rayford/Getty Images

    Hundreds of industrial facilities with toxic pollutants are in Hurricane Milton’s path as it heads toward Florida, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene flooded communities across the Southeast.

    Milton, expected to make landfall as a major hurricane late on Oct. 9, is bearing down on boat and spa factories along Florida’s west-central coast, along with the rubber, plastics and fiberglass manufacturers that supply them. Many of these facilities use tens of thousands of registered contaminants each year, including toluene, styrene and other chemicals known to have adverse effects on the central nervous system with prolonged exposure.

    Farther inland, hundreds more manufacturers that use and house hazardous chemicals onsite lie along the Interstate 4 and Interstate 75 corridors and their feeder roads. And many are in the path of the storm’s intense winds and heavy rainfall.

    Black dots indicate facilities in EPA’s 2022 Toxic Release Inventory within Hurricane Milton’s projected impact zone.
    Rice University Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience, CC BY-ND

    Helene’s heavy rainfall in late September 2024 flooded industrial sites across the Southeast. A retired nuclear power plant just south of Cedar Key, Florida, was flooded by Helene’s storm surge.

    In disasters like these, the industrial damage can unfold over days, and residents may not hear about releases of toxic chemicals into water or the air until days or weeks later, if they find out at all.

    Yet pollution releases are common.

    After Hurricane Ian broadsided Florida’s western coast in 2022, runoff that included hazardous materials from damaged storage tanks and local fertilizer mining facilities, in addition to millions of gallons of wastewater, was visible from space, spilling across the coastal wetlands into the Gulf of Mexico. A year earlier, Hurricane Ida triggered more than 2,000 reported chemical spills.

    During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, floodwater surrounded chemical facilities near Houston. Some caught fire as cooling systems failed, releasing huge volumes or pollutants into the air. Emergency responders and residents, who didn’t know what risks they might face, blamed the chemicals for causing respiratory illnesses.

    Many types of toxic material can spread, settle and change the long-term health and environmental safety of surrounding communities – often with little notice to residents. Our team of environmental sociologists and anthropologists has mapped hazardous industrial sites across the country and paired them with hurricanes’ projected impact maps to help communities hold nearby facilities accountable.

    Major polluters on Gulf Coast at high risk”

    The risks from industrial facilities are most obvious along the U.S. Gulf Coast, where many major petrochemical complexes are clustered in harm’s way. These refineries, factories and storage facilities are often built along rivers or bays for easy shipping access.

    But those rivers can also bring storm surge flooding that can raise the ocean by several feet during hurricanes. The storm surge from Helene was over 10 feet above ground level in Florida’s Big Bend and over 6 feet in Tampa Bay. With Milton, forecasters warning of a 10- to 15-foot storm surge at Tampa Bay.

    A boom surrounds flooded railcars to try to contain leaks at a chemical plant in Braithwaite, La., after Hurricane Isaac in 2012.
    AP Photo/David J. Phillip

    A recent study found evidence of two to three times more pollution releases during hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico than during normal weather from 2005 to 2020.

    The effects of these pollution releases fall disproportionately on low-income communities and people of color, further exacerbating environmental health risks.

    Why residents may not hear about toxic releases

    The statistics are disconcerting, yet they get little attention. That is because hazardous releases remain largely invisible due to limited disclosure requirements and scant public information. Even emergency responders often don’t know exactly which hazardous chemicals they are facing in emergency situations.

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires major polluters to file only very general information about chemicals and on-site risks in their risk management plans. Some large-scale fuel storage facilities, such as those holding liquefied natural gas, are not even required to do that.

    These risk management plans outline “worst-case” scenarios and are supposed to be publicly accessible. But, in reality, we and others have found them difficult to access, heavily redacted and housed in federal reading rooms with limited access. The reason local officials and national scientific review panels often give for the secrecy is to protect the facilities from terrorist attack.

    Oil storage tanks and industrial facilities line the Houston Ship Channel, which is vulnerable to storm surge from Gulf of Mexico hurricanes.
    AP Photo/David J. Phillip

    Adding to this opacity is the fact that many states – including those along the Gulf – suspend restrictions on pollution releases during emergency declarations. Meanwhile, real-time incident notifications from the National Response Center – the federal government’s repository for all chemical discharges into the environment – typically lag by a week or more,

    We believe this limited public information on rising chemical threats from our changing climate should be front-page news every hurricane season. Communities should be aware of the risks of hosting vulnerable industrial infrastructure, particularly as rising global temperatures increase the risk of extreme downpours and powerful hurricanes.

    Mapping the risks nationwide to raise awareness

    To help communities understand their risks, our team at Rice University’s new Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience investigates how industrial communities in flood-prone areas nationwide can better adapt to such threats, socially as well as technologically.

    Our interactive map shows where elevated future flood risks threaten to inundate major polluters that we identify using the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory.

    The U.S. has several hot spots with clusters of flood-prone polluters. Houston’s Ship Channel, Chicago’s waterfront steel industries and the harbors at Los Angeles and New York/New Jersey are among the biggest.

    Three of the biggest hot spots, where large numbers of industrial facilities with toxic materials face elevated future flood risks, are in the Northeast, the northwestern Gulf Coast and the southern end of the Great Lakes.
    Rice University Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience, CC BY-ND

    But, as Helene revealed, there can also be great concern in less obvious spots. Inland, particularly in the mountains, runoff can quickly turn normally tame rivers into fast-rising torrents. The French Broad River at Asheville, North Carolina, rose about 12 feet in 12 hours during Helene and set a new flood stage record.

    When hurricanes and tropical storms are headed for the U.S., our interactive maps show where major polluters are located in the storm’s projected cone of impact. The maps identify hazardous flood-prone facilities down to the address, anywhere in the country.

    Knowledge is the first step

    Knowing where these sites are located is only the first step. Often, it’s up to communities themselves, many of them already overexposed and historically underserved, to raise concerns and demand strategies for mitigating the health, economic and environmental risks that industrial sites at risk of flooding and other damage can pose.

    These discussions can’t wait until a disaster is on the way. By knowing where these risks may be, communities can take steps now to build a safer future.

    This article, originally published Sept. 30, has been updated with Hurricane Milton.

    James R. Elliott receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Renewable Energy Lab.

    Dominic Boyer receives funding from the National Science Foundation, NOAA and Texas Sea Grant.

    Phylicia Lee Brown has nothing to disclose.

    – ref. Flooded industrial sites and toxic chemical releases are a silent, growing threat in hurricanes like Milton and Helene – https://theconversation.com/flooded-industrial-sites-and-toxic-chemical-releases-are-a-silent-growing-threat-in-hurricanes-like-milton-and-helene-239977

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Will the Earth warm by 2°C or 5.5°C? Either way it’s bad, and trying to narrow it down may be a distraction

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonny Williams, Climate Scientist, University of Reading

    Getty Images

    Climate change is usually discussed in terms of rising temperatures.

    But scientists often use a different measure, known as “equilibrium climate sensitivity”. This is defined as the global mean warming caused by a doubling of pre-industrial carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in the atmosphere.

    We use this measure to describe the range of potential temperature increases on longer timescales, and to compare how well climate models reproduce observed warming.

    But the predicted range of rising temperature has remained stubbornly wide, somewhere between 2°C and 5.5°C of warming, as assessed in several generations of reports issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This is despite concerted efforts to narrow it down.

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has assessed Earth’s climate sensitivity in each of its reports.
    IPCC, CC BY-SA

    Measuring long-term climate sensitivity is central to future predictions, but we are already seeing the effects of warming across the world with extremes in weather, even at the low end of the range. We argue efforts to boil down Earth’s response to climate change to one number may be unhelpful.

    The continued uncertainty could be seen as a failure of climate models to converge on the correct value. Using equilibrium climate sensitivity as a metric for “precisely” predicting the amount of warming expected from a given amount of greenhouse gases is, at best, ambiguous.

    History of climate sensitivity

    About a century before the first computational estimates of Earth’s climate sensitivity were published in 1967, the Swedish physicist and 1903 Nobel laureate Svante August Arrhenius was the first to estimate values at 4-6°C.

    Since the early efforts to model Earth systems, computer simulations have steadily increased in complexity. The first models only simulated the atmosphere, but they have evolved to include vegetation, processes in the ocean and sea ice.

    While undoubtedly beneficial to the understanding of fundamental science, each of these added processes has introduced uncertainties in the models’ warming response.

    Indeed, given the level of complexity (which differs between models) and resolution of some current models, it is not surprising the estimates of climate sensitivity differ so much.

    Self-enforcing feedbacks

    Climate feedbacks are central to our argument that equilibrium climate sensitivity is poorly defined. An example of this is the relationship between ice volume and reflectivity.

    As highly reflective ice melts on land or sea, the underlying surface is exposed and less sunlight reflected back into space. This increases the amount of warming for a given amount of greenhouse gases. It’s what scientists refer to as a positive feedback loop.

    Another such self-enforcing feedback concerns potentially large climate impacts from the release of methane from tropical wetlands and permafrost melt.

    Atmosphere models can’t account for this alone, and when they are coupled with an ice-sheet or sea-ice model, the estimate of climate sensitivity changes.

    Melting permafrost, such as seen here on Svalbard, represents a climate feedback loop, increasing the amount of warming for a given amount of greenhouse gases.
    Getty Images

    Overheated arguments

    It quickly became apparent when studying some recent climate model results that some simulations are producing equilibrium climate sensitivity ranges noticeably higher than before.

    In some models, this has been linked to larger self-enhancing cloud feedbacks and how aerosols are represented.

    There has been some hesitancy to trust the results produced by these models. They are considered “too hot”.

    But we feel these high equilibrium simulations still have value. While we are not arguing they are correct, they force us to consider the what-if situation of very high climate sensitivity, where a doubling of CO₂ would result in warming of 5°C or higher. We know the impact on our environment would be devastating.

    Some view high equilibrium climate sensitivity as more consistent with warmer climates in the past, but others have questioned this.

    There are several reasons why past climate sensitivity may differ from modern conditions. We may be in a different phase of Earth’s orbital cycles or the balance between volcanism and weathering.

    Of course, we should treat all scientific results with caution, but the potential insights gained for uncertain futures are of particular importance when climate change is already being felt across the globe.

    Where to from here?

    We are continually improving our understanding of the climate – how it has changed in the past and how we think it may change in the future. Equilibrium climate sensitivity has consequently become the single solution we are seeking from climate models, even though the precise value will arguably never be known.

    Equilibrium climate sensitivity is undoubtedly a convenient way of distilling future projections. However, it is important not to over-rely on an idealised quantity, because its utility as a useful comparative measure of climate models can give the false impression of a lack of progress in understanding.

    There is similarity with the common misconception of a 50% probability of rainfall in a weather forecast, which is often misinterpreted as forecasters not knowing whether it will rain or not.

    Communicating uncertainty in projections of future climate conditions is a “wicked” problem. But we risk losing perspective of Earth’s system response by focusing on the effort to make climate models agree on one measure. This is not the answer future generations need.

    Jonny Williams receives funding from the Deep South National Science Challenge.

    Georgia Rose Grant receives funding from MBIE Strategic Science Investment Fund.

    – ref. Will the Earth warm by 2°C or 5.5°C? Either way it’s bad, and trying to narrow it down may be a distraction – https://theconversation.com/will-the-earth-warm-by-2-c-or-5-5-c-either-way-its-bad-and-trying-to-narrow-it-down-may-be-a-distraction-229497

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Bob Dean Jr. and Affiliated Corporate Entities Agree to $8.2M Consent Judgment to Resolve Allegations of Financial Misconduct Stemming from Evacuation of Nursing Homes During Hurricane Ida

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Bob Dean Jr. and several companies that he owned and operated have agreed to an $8.2 million consent judgment to resolve allegations that they violated the National Housing Act of 1934 (NHA), by misappropriating and misusing the assets and income of four nursing homes in Louisiana before and after Hurricane Ida’s landfall in August 2021. The four nursing homes, all of which were owned and operated by Dean and his companies, and had loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), are Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Houma; Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Harvey; Maison Orleans Healthcare in New Orleans; and West Jefferson Health Care Center in Harvey.

    The FHA, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides mortgage insurance on loans that cover residential care facilities, such as nursing homes, pursuant to the NHA. To encourage lenders to make loans to such facilities, FHA mortgage insurance provides lenders with protection against losses that result from borrowers defaulting on their mortgage loans. To obtain such FHA-insured loans, loan recipients must enter into regulatory agreements with the FHA that provide, among other requirements, that the assets and income of an FHA-insured nursing home may only be spent on goods and services that are reasonable and necessary to the operation of the nursing home. The NHA permits the United States to recover twice the amount of any assets and income of FHA-insured nursing homes that were improperly distributed or misspent.

    In 2023, the government filed a complaint against Dean and his corporate entities alleging that they misspent the nursing homes’ assets and income. The United States alleged that in the five years leading up to Hurricane Ida, Dean funneled money that should have been used to prepare an evacuation site for nursing home residents to his personal bank accounts, leaving his nursing homes — and, more importantly, the nursing homes’ residents — unprepared for a hurricane. As a result, when Hurricane Ida made landfall in August 2021, the residents of Dean’s nursing homes had to ride out the storm in an overcrowded and ill-prepared industrial warehouse Dean owned through a corporate entity. The United States alleged that at Dean’s evacuation center, his nursing homes’ residents languished in squalor and did not receive adequate care, leading to the Louisiana Department of Health evacuating the nursing home residents from Dean’s warehouse and revoking Dean’s nursing homes’ licenses. The United States further alleged that, following the hurricane, Dean did not use the homes’ income and assets solely to operate or maintain the nursing homes, but instead to purchase personal goods and services, including antiques, firearms and cars.

    “This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to holding accountable those who put their own financial gain over the needs of our nation’s seniors,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to take action to protect the integrity of federal programs designed to ensure that nursing home residents, who are among our most vulnerable citizens, receive appropriate care.”

    “As the residents of Louisiana well know, hurricanes and natural disasters can devastate people’s lives,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr for the Middle District of Louisiana. “Nursing home operators like Mr. Dean have an obligation to protect their residents during such events, particularly if they are going to rely on federal programs to support or sustain their businesses. This settlement will ensure that those individuals charged with caring for our community’s most vulnerable residents take seriously their duty to have proper safeguards and plans in place to avoid tragedies like the one we saw in Independence, Louisiana, after Hurricane Ida.”

    “Nursing home providers have obligations to protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents entrusted to their care,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “Owners of FHA-insured nursing homes should be on notice that we will hold them accountable when we learn of allegations that they have failed to meet those obligations.”

    “By the time Hurricane Ida bore down on the vulnerable nursing home residents at properties operated by Mr. Dean, he illegally skimmed funding from those facilities and failed to maintain sanitation and adequately equip the warehouse he designated as the evacuation site,” said HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “He unfairly enriched himself while residents under his charge endured horrid conditions including insufficient food and medical care. HUD OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold accountable those who misappropriate funds at the expense of vulnerable populations.”

    The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the case, with substantial assistance from HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer and Samuel Robins of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Davis Rhorer Jr. and Chase Zachary for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the matter.

    The United States’ complaint stemmed from an investigation that the Justice Department initiated as part of its Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

    The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bob Dean Jr. and Affiliated Corporate Entities Agree to $8.2M Consent Judgment to Resolve Allegations of Financial Misconduct Stemming from Evacuation of Nursing Homes During Hurricane Ida

    Source: US State of California

    Bob Dean Jr. and several companies that he owned and operated have agreed to an $8.2 million consent judgment to resolve allegations that they violated the National Housing Act of 1934 (NHA), by misappropriating and misusing the assets and income of four nursing homes in Louisiana before and after Hurricane Ida’s landfall in August 2021. The four nursing homes, all of which were owned and operated by Dean and his companies, and had loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), are Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Houma; Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Harvey; Maison Orleans Healthcare in New Orleans; and West Jefferson Health Care Center in Harvey.

    The FHA, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides mortgage insurance on loans that cover residential care facilities, such as nursing homes, pursuant to the NHA. To encourage lenders to make loans to such facilities, FHA mortgage insurance provides lenders with protection against losses that result from borrowers defaulting on their mortgage loans. To obtain such FHA-insured loans, loan recipients must enter into regulatory agreements with the FHA that provide, among other requirements, that the assets and income of an FHA-insured nursing home may only be spent on goods and services that are reasonable and necessary to the operation of the nursing home. The NHA permits the United States to recover twice the amount of any assets and income of FHA-insured nursing homes that were improperly distributed or misspent.

    In 2023, the government filed a complaint against Dean and his corporate entities alleging that they misspent the nursing homes’ assets and income. The United States alleged that in the five years leading up to Hurricane Ida, Dean funneled money that should have been used to prepare an evacuation site for nursing home residents to his personal bank accounts, leaving his nursing homes — and, more importantly, the nursing homes’ residents — unprepared for a hurricane. As a result, when Hurricane Ida made landfall in August 2021, the residents of Dean’s nursing homes had to ride out the storm in an overcrowded and ill-prepared industrial warehouse Dean owned through a corporate entity. The United States alleged that at Dean’s evacuation center, his nursing homes’ residents languished in squalor and did not receive adequate care, leading to the Louisiana Department of Health evacuating the nursing home residents from Dean’s warehouse and revoking Dean’s nursing homes’ licenses. The United States further alleged that, following the hurricane, Dean did not use the homes’ income and assets solely to operate or maintain the nursing homes, but instead to purchase personal goods and services, including antiques, firearms and cars.

    “This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to holding accountable those who put their own financial gain over the needs of our nation’s seniors,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to take action to protect the integrity of federal programs designed to ensure that nursing home residents, who are among our most vulnerable citizens, receive appropriate care.”

    “As the residents of Louisiana well know, hurricanes and natural disasters can devastate people’s lives,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr for the Middle District of Louisiana. “Nursing home operators like Mr. Dean have an obligation to protect their residents during such events, particularly if they are going to rely on federal programs to support or sustain their businesses. This settlement will ensure that those individuals charged with caring for our community’s most vulnerable residents take seriously their duty to have proper safeguards and plans in place to avoid tragedies like the one we saw in Independence, Louisiana, after Hurricane Ida.”

    “Nursing home providers have obligations to protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents entrusted to their care,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “Owners of FHA-insured nursing homes should be on notice that we will hold them accountable when we learn of allegations that they have failed to meet those obligations.”

    “By the time Hurricane Ida bore down on the vulnerable nursing home residents at properties operated by Mr. Dean, he illegally skimmed funding from those facilities and failed to maintain sanitation and adequately equip the warehouse he designated as the evacuation site,” said HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “He unfairly enriched himself while residents under his charge endured horrid conditions including insufficient food and medical care. HUD OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold accountable those who misappropriate funds at the expense of vulnerable populations.”

    The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the case, with substantial assistance from HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer and Samuel Robins of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Davis Rhorer Jr. and Chase Zachary for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the matter.

    The United States’ complaint stemmed from an investigation that the Justice Department initiated as part of its Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

    The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Justice, National Guard deploy search and recovery team, engineers to Florida for Hurricane Milton response

    Source: US State of West Virginia

    CHARLESTON, WV — Gov. Jim Justice has activated approximately 40 members of the West Virginia National Guard to support response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Milton, which is projected to make landfall in Florida on October 9, 2024. 

    Approximately 10-12 Airmen from the 130th Airlift Wing headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia, will deploy to assist the State of Florida with potential search and recovery operations. 

    Additionally, approximately 30 engineers from the 821st Engineer Construction Company headquartered in Summersville, along with support equipment such as skid steers and front loaders from the 601st Engineer Support Company headquartered in Buckhannon, will also deploy to assist with debris removal and management Operations.

    Both groups will initially stage in northern Florida under the command of the Florida National Guard and will deploy to impacted communities as determined by state and local officials. They are expected to spend approximately 12 days on the ground in a State Active Duty status.

    “When our neighbors put out the call for help, time and time again, we answer,” Gov. Justice said. “We supported our friends in Kentucky last year, and now we’re running to the fire in Florida. That’s what we do in West Virginia–we pull the rope together and help our neighbors. So, I’m proud we can join forces with the Florida National Guard in their response efforts. My thoughts and prayers are with our amazing men and women traveling south, all the first responders in the area, and everyone dealing with this challenging hurricane season. Let’s continue to take care of each other.”

    “With the devastation of Hurricane Helene still present, Florida is now under threat of a storm with even deadlier potential,” Maj. Gen. Bill Crane, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, said. “Our Soldiers and Airmen will be there to help support response and relief efforts as needed, support first responders and officials, help citizens survive, and help stabilize communities in the aftermath of Milton. One of the most important missions of our National Guard is neighbors helping neighbors. With the strong support of Gov. Jim Justice, we are ready to provide any and all assistance we can render.”

    West Virginia National Guard assistance was formally requested through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC process. EMAC is a mutual aid agreement among states and territories of the United States that enables states to request resources during naturaland man-made disasters, complementing the national disaster response system. The requesting state is responsible for covering the costs of the provided aid.

    Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay region of Florida late Wednesday evening as a Category 3 storm. Milton is forecast to bring potentially catastrophic storm surges along the western coast of Florida, torrential rains and flash flooding, damaging hurricane-force winds, tornadoes, and massive power outages as it makes its way across the state before reemerging as a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. Currently wavering between a Category 4 and Category 5 storm as it churns in the Gulf of Mexico, Milton is forecast to bring ashore rainfall in excess of 15 inches and coastal surges of more than 10-15 feet. 

    Milton will impact Florida communities still reeling from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which battered the southeastern United States, killing at least 225 people. Fifty-one of 67 counties in Florida are now under emergency warnings as Milton approaches, and massive mandatory evacuations are underway.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gallego Calls on Administration to Address IV and Dialysis Solutions Shortage, Protect Arizonans’ Health

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ruben Gallego (AZ-07)

    October 08, 2024

    PHOENIX – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) sent a letter to President Biden urging him to take immediate action to address a growing IV and dialysis solutions shortage. IV solutions – critical for providing care at health facilities – are in short supply after Hurricane Helene forced one of the country’s largest manufacturing facilities to close. The shortage could grow worse as another major facility is in the potential path of Hurricane Milton.

    “IV and dialysis solutions are critical to providing care at health facilities across the country, including hospitals and health systems,” Rep. Gallego wrote. “Unfortunately, due to the damage at the Baxter facility, I am hearing from hospitals in my state that they are being informed of supply issues and have been put on strict ordering restrictions. A prolonged shortage of IV solutions would be disastrous for the health and safety of Arizonans and would make it more difficult for medical professionals to provide care.”

    In the letter, Rep. Gallego urges the President to consider the following actions to help Arizona’s hospitals and health care providers keep Arizonans safe:

    • Appoint a member of his Administration to address IV and dialysis solutions supply issues and serve as a point of contact for hospitals and health systems.

    • Declare a national emergency and public health emergency.

    • Declare an official shortage of IV solutions.

    • Provide additional flexibility to hospitals and health systems to allow them to prepare IV solutions internally.

    • Consider extending the expiration dates of IV solutions wherever possible.

    “In addition to the above actions to aid providers, additional actions will likely be needed to alleviate the supply issues moving forward,” he concludes. “This may include invoking the Defense Production Act to improve domestic supply chains, as well as connecting international suppliers with health systems across the country.”

    Full text of the letter can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA, Federal Response Positioned to Fully Support Florida Ahead of Milton Landfall

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA, Federal Response Positioned to Fully Support Florida Ahead of Milton Landfall

    FEMA, Federal Response Positioned to Fully Support Florida Ahead of Milton Landfall

    Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued and others are underway. If local authorities issue evacuations, please listen and evacuate immediately. Your life could be at risk.

    WASHINGTON — FEMA and its federal partners are leaning forward and have pre-positioned resources to support local and state response efforts ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall. President Joseph R. Biden approved an Emergency Declaration for Florida on Monday, authorizing FEMA to coordinate Federal disaster relief efforts to save lives and protect the health and safety of those in the storm’s path. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is on the ground, meeting with officials across the impacted states to marshal the full capabilities of the federal government. 

    This includes pre-staging a full slate of response capabilities in Florida and the region, including: seven FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams, eight FEMA Urban Search & Rescue and swift water rescue teams, three U.S. Coast Guard Swift Water Rescue teams, four Health Care System Assessment Teams, five Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and an Incident Management Team from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) temporary power teams, debris experts and a roofing team, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) debris removal and wastewater experts, 300 ambulances and 30 High Water Vehicles with ladders from the U.S. Department of Defense. Additionally, FEMA has five incident staging bases with commodities including food and water. Right now, FEMA currently has 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water in the pipeline to deploy as needed to address ongoing Helene and Milton response efforts and can expand as needed.

    The National Hurricane Center forecasts Hurricane Milton will be a large and extremely dangerous hurricane when it approaches the west coast of Florida tomorrow, bringing devastating hurricane-force winds and life-threatening life surge. In addition to storm surge and extreme winds, Milton will bring heavy rain and the risk of life-threatening flooding, especially in areas with coastal and inland flooding. 

    Hurricane Milton is an extremely dangerous, potentially deadly storm. Those in its path are urged to rush to complete preparations today, know how they are going to get information and listen to local officials.  

    FEMA senior leaders across different regions are on the ground in Florida supporting response efforts. FEMA Region 10 Regional Administrator Willie Nunn will remain in Florida throughout the duration of Hurricane Milton. John Brogan, the Federal Coordinating Officer for Milton and Helene, will also remain in Florida. Nearly 900 staff are already supporting recovery efforts at the Joint Field Office in Tallahassee and operating across the designated counties for hurricanes Helene, Debby and Idalia. This includes more than 460 supporting Hurricane Helene recovery, more than 300 supporting Hurricane Debby recovery and more than 100 supporting Hurricane Idalia recovery.

    FEMA officials are still actively supporting North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia as they respond to and recover from Hurricane Helene including more than 7,400 federal workers of which 1,500 are FEMA staff. FEMA will not divert personnel or resources from these ongoing responses. 

    FEMA understands that people in the path of this storm may still be recovering from hurricanes Helene, Debby and Idalia and urges everyone to protect themselves and take care of others because time is running out to prepare for the hurricane’s potentially deadly impacts.

    Counties in Hurricane Milton’s path have issued evacuation orders. If you need to evacuate, please “evacuate out, not up.” People should visit FloridaDisaster.org/Know to determine if they live in an evacuation zone. 

    • If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately.  
    • Your gas tank and electric vehicle only need to be halfway full or halfway charged to ensure you can evacuate further inland to a safe location and away from storm surge. You may only need to travel tens of miles, not hundreds.
    • If you live in a county with an evacuation order in place and need evacuation assistance, please call 1-800-729-3413 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the hurricane evacuation charter bus schedule. Again, this is for residents that are in areas with evacuation orders. Florida also partnered with Uber to provide free rides to a shelter using the code MILTONRELIEF.
    • The state of Florida has activated the State Assistance Information Line. Residents needing information and resources can call 1-800-342-3557. There are English, Spanish & Creole speakers available to answer questions.
    • A list of emergency shelters, including those that can accommodate people who need assistance and those who have pets can be found at Shelter Status | Florida Disaster.
    • Additional resources and state updates on Hurricane Milton can be found by visiting FloridaDisaster.org/Updates.
    • For live updates, follow FLSERT on X and Instagram and FDEM on Facebook.

    Download the free FEMA App available in English and Spanish to receive real-time weather alerts and find local emergency shelters in your area.

    mashana.davis

    MIL OSI USA News –