https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=BB0E6F2D-9D8C-4361-B910-DF925FFBF4D5
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced a congressional resolution to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Second Infantry Division home based at Joint Base Lewis McCord.
Formed in 1917, the Second Infantry Division continues its record of proud service to our country. The current mission of the Division is to working in cooperation with Republic of Korea Army forces to deter aggression and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula. More than 14,600 men and women serve in the Division, with 8,187 stationed at JBLM and 6,416 based on the Korean Peninsula.
“There is no greater sacrifice than signing up to defend this country and protect our freedoms, and for that, it’s humbling to help introduce this resolution recognizing 100 years of the Second Infantry Division,” said Senator Murray. “The Second Infantry Division is not only a source of great pride for Washington state, but a critical part of our nation’s defense. I join an entire country thankful for the bravery of those who serve.”
“Today, we recognize the legacy of the Second Infantry Division, the more than 13,200 members who gave their lives in defense of American freedoms, and the honored place the Division holds in United States history” added Senator Cantwell. “The personal bravery, devotion and sacrifice of those who have served in its ranks are a testament to its status as ‘Second to None.’”
Brought into service during World War I, the Second Infantry Division quickly established its reputation as a valiant fighting force on the battlefields of France, capturing one-fourth of all enemy prisoners taken by American Expeditionary Forces.
The Second Division continued to provide invaluable service to American military operations in World War II, the Korean War, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
A highly decorated and distinguished force, 40 members of the Second Division have been awarded the Medal of Honor.
OUR PARKS AND FOREST
News from the US DEPT. OF INTERIORZinke Cheers President Trump's Nomination of Steven Gardner for Interior Post
Press release issued 10/ 26/ 17
https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/zinke-cheers-president-trumps-nomination-steven-gardner-interior-post
WASHINGTON – Today, President Donald J. Trump announced the nomination of Steven Gardner to be the Director of the office of Surface Mining, Reclamation & Enforcement (OSMRE) at the U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke hailed Gardner’s nomination.
“When confirmed, Steve will be an unbelievable asset to coal country and the entire team at the Department of the Interior,” said Secretary Ryan Zinke. “Steve is highly regarded in the mining industry for his extensive experience and insight. Steve will help Interior take the proper steps forward to ensure American Energy dominance is achieved, while also being a responsible steward of American lands. We very much look forward to a quick confirmation process.”
“I am beyond humbled and honored to be nominated by President Trump for the Director of OSMRE,” said Steven Gardner. “My whole life, I have been involved with mining on multiple levels, and I understand the importance of these issues to the communities we serve. I pledge to work every day on behalf of the men and women across this country who look to the OSMRE office as a partner in bettering life for all people on mining lands.”
Steve Gardner is currently serving as the President and CEO of ECSI, LLC, a consulting practice where he focused on natural resources, mining, reclamation, energy, environmental, health and safety issues. As a Licensed Professional Engineer, Gardner has worked on projects throughout the US and internationally. Gardner was the 2015 President of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) and is recognized as a Distinguished Member.
“I applaud President Donald Trump for picking Steve Gardner of Kentucky to lead the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE),” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “Steve will be a strong leader and I look forward to the U.S. Senate considering his nomination.”
“Having Kentuckian Steve Gardner lead the Office of Surface Mining will be a welcome relief to Kentucky and the nation,” said Senator Rand Paul. “The last administration’s OSM ignored science and economics when it worked to put an end to Kentucky coal mining with an overreaching rule on waterways near coal mines. With Mr. Gardner’s background in mining, I am confident that this administration’s OSM will ease up eight years of executive overreach and finally allow Kentucky coal to compete again in our nation’s all of the above energy policy.”
“I applaud the Trump Administration for selecting J. Steven Gardner of Lexington, Kentucky as the Director of the U.S. Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation, and Enforcement,” said Congressman Andy Barr. “I have known Steve for many years and I was proud to recommend him for this important nomination. As a well-respected leader in the mining industry with vast experience and knowledge, I am confident Steve will make an outstanding Director of OSM.”
“America’s mining industry welcomes Steve Gardner’s nomination to become the next director of OSMRE,” said Hal Quinn, the CEO of the National Mining Association. “A Kentucky native, Mr. Gardner has had a distinguished career as CEO of a prominent mining engineering firm with 40 years’ experience in mining, engineering, reclamation, environmental, health and safety matters. He is held in high regard by his professional peers having been elected President of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME), a professional society with over 13,000 members in 100 countries representing scientists, engineers and professionals serving the minerals and mining industries.”
Greg Conrad, Executive Director of the Interstate Mining Compact Commission, also expressed his personal support for Steve Gardner noting his outstanding credentials and his knowledge of the intricacies of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, in particular the importance of state primacy under the Act as well as the state/federal relationship envisioned by the Act.
Mr. Gardner has an MS in Mining Engineering with a Graduate Certification in Environmental Systems and a BS in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Kentucky. In 2011, he was inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Distinction. He has previously served on the University of Kentucky Mining Engineering Foundation, Kentucky Geological Survey, Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering Advisory Boards, and was a member of the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors.
The Bureau of OSMRE is responsible for establishing a nationwide program to protect society and the environment from the adverse effects of surface coal mining operations, under which OSMRE is charged with balancing the nation’s need for continued domestic coal production with protection of the environment. Although a small bureau, OSMRE has achieved big results by working closely with those closest to the problem: the States, Tribes, local groups, the coal industry and communities.
Department of the Interior Releases Energy Burdens Report
Press release issued 10/ 25/ 17
https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/department-interior-releases-energy-burdens-report
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Interior released the "Review of the Department of the Interior Actions that Potentially Burden Domestic Energy" report which was produced in response to Executive Order 13783. The report identified agency actions that potentially burden the development or use of domestically produced energy resources, with particular attention to oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy resources. Interior oversees America's oil, gas, coal, hydropower, and renewable energy resources produced on federal lands and waters, which account for almost one-fifth of the Nation's energy and generate on average $10 billion per year in annual revenue. Today, Secretary Zinke also signed Secretarial Order 3358, that will establish the Executive Committee for Expedited Permitting.
“Developing our energy resources to grow our economy and protecting the environment are not mutually exclusive. However, while conducting the review outlined in the Executive Order, we found that several costly and burdensome regulations from the past threaten that balance by hampering the production or transmission of our domestic energy,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “Our public lands are meant to be managed for the benefit of the people. That means a multiple-use approach where appropriate and making sure that multiple-use includes energy development under reasonable regulations. Following President Trump’s leadership, Interior is fostering domestic energy production by streamlining permitting and revising and repealing Obama-era job killing regulations – all while doing so in an environmentally responsible way.”
“The federal government can and must be a better business partner,” Vincent DeVito, Counselor to the Secretary for Energy Policy, said. “Secretary Zinke’s bold approach to achieving American energy dominance is making our nation freer, more secure, and more prosperous. Regulations should not unnecessarily burden energy production, but that is what occurs in many cases. The recent actions outlined in this energy report show how Interior is rolling back some of these burdensome regulations that add little or no value, while promoting responsible energy development.”
Secretary Zinke Announces Largest Oil &Gas Lease Sale in U.S. History
Press release issued 10/ 24/ 17
https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-zinke-announces-largest-oil-gas-lease-sale-us-history
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke today announced that the Department is proposing the largest oil and gas lease sale ever held in the United States --76,967,935 acres in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, offshore Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The proposed region-wide lease sale, offering an area about the size of New Mexico, is scheduled for March 2018 and includes all available unleased areas on the Gulf’s Outer Continental Shelf, surpassing last year’s region-wide lease sale by about one million acres.
“In today’s low-price energy environment, providing the offshore industry access to the maximum amount of opportunities possible is part of our strategy to spur local and regional economic dynamism and job creation and a pillar of President Trump’s plan to make the United States energy dominant,” Secretary Zinke said. “And the economic terms proposed for this sale include a range of incentives to encourage diligent development and ensure a fair return to taxpayers.”
Proposed Lease Sale 250, which will be livestreamed from New Orleans, will be the second offshore sale under the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2017-2022. Lease Sale 249, held in New Orleans last August, received $121 million in high bids. In addition to the high bids and rental payments, the Department will receive royalty payments on any future production from these leases. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lease revenues are directed to the U.S. Treasury, Gulf Coast states, the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Historic Preservation Fund.
USDA BLOG POST: After the Storm, Who Takes Care of the Trees?
Posted on 10/ 25/ 17
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/10/25/after-storm-who-takes-care-trees
Thousands of federal, state, and private agencies have been deployed to areas that were impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate. These first responders are there to help the people in the storm’s path. However, there is another group of responders that go into storm-ravaged towns to aid the trees: the Urban Forest Strike Teams (UFST).
This 10-year-old program is a nationwide collaborative effort among state forestry agencies funded and trained through the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program. Since 2007, the Southern UFST has been activated 12 times and mobilized across the South in response to hurricanes, tornadoes, and ice storms.
The catalyst for the creation of UFST was Hurricane Katrina. Widespread tree damage prompted the international Society of Arboriculture, Davey Resource Group, and USFS to deploy certified arborists into at least nine communities along the Mississippi/Louisiana Gulf Coast. State forestry agency urban foresters were frustrated that damaged but viable trees were being cut down and trees that posed a high risk to the public remained standing. The lack of an assessment strategy or trained staff hindered their ability to offer needed assistance to impacted communities.
Urban Forestry Coordinators of Virginia and North Carolina – Paul Revell and Leslie Moorman – reached out to USFS Southern Research Station (SRS) for assistance. In 2007 Dudley Hartel, SRS’s Urban Forestry South center manager, and Eric Kuehler, technology transfer specialist, developed the first UFST training program in collaboration with state forestry agencies.
A UFST is comprised of highly-trained specialists, including Certified Arborists® and foresters, who conduct damage assessments and determine whether the storm-damaged trees pose risks to the community. The UFST walks the city streets, parks, and other public property; evaluates damaged trees; and enters GIS data to support mitigation and recovery. This real-time data provides the city with information on which trees were impacted, where they are located, the extent of the damage, and whether the damaged trees pose a risk. UFSTs also provide communities with the information necessary to apply for FEMA public assistance and debris removal, as well as connecting communities with potential partners to help replant a community’s forest.
“The UFST goes into areas first hit hard by wind damage,” said Hartel. “We will have to wait until next spring before we send a team to Houston to access tree damage due to flooding. All that water will have a significant impact to tree health in the long-term.”
“Trees are a critical part of a community’s infrastructure and should be considered in restoration planning,” said Linda Moon, communications liaison to the Southern Group State Forestry and with Texas A&M Forest Service. “Making our urban forests more resilient will in turn make our cherished communities more resilient.”
AT THE STATE LEVEL...
WDFW: Public can comment on Baker Lake fishery, Cascades land purchase at commission meetingPress release issued 10/ 23/ 17
http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/oct2317a/
OLYMPIA – The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will invite public comments at a meeting Oct. 27-28 in Olympia on issues ranging from the summer sockeye season at Baker Lake to a plan to purchase 142 acres of timberland to improve wildlife habitat in Kittitas County.
The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will convene both days at 8:30 a.m. in room 172 of the Natural Resource Building at 1111 Washington St. S.E.
A complete agenda is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html.
Following a staff briefing, anglers will have an opportunity to comment on the 2017 sockeye season at Baker Lake and the Skagit River. WDFW fishery managers will discuss management of those fisheries, harvest sharing, and possible ways to improve management in the future.
The commission will also invite public comments before taking action on a proposal by WDFW to purchase 142 acres of land in Kittitas County for the Heart of the Cascades Project. The goal of that project, which began in 2007, is to secure more than 5,000 acres for wildlife through a partnership between WDFW and the Nature Conservancy.
Other proposals scheduled for action include one designed to clarify the application process to commercially harvest geoduck clams, and another designed to align WDFW rules for buying and selling seafood with a measure approved by the state Legislature earlier this year.
The commission will also receive briefings by WDFW staff on issues that include:
Current efforts to control the spread of invasive northern pike in the Columbia River.
Proposals developed by WDFW to simplify sportfish rules in 2018-19.
Forest restoration in Thurston County at the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area, which was burned by a wildfire in August.
In addition, a representative from the Wild Fish Conservancy will brief the commission on the results of a two-year study of fish traps on the Columbia River.
WDFW hosts public meeting to discuss plans to provide fish habitat on the Shillapoo Wildlife Area
Press release issued 10/ 23/ 17
http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/oct2317b/
RIDGEFIELD - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will hold a public meeting Nov. 1 to solicit feedback on a proposed project to provide fish habitat at the Shillapoo Wildlife Area.
The meeting is scheduled from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Nov. 1, at the WDFW Region 5 headquarters, located at 5525 S.11th St., Ridgefield.
The proposed project would reestablish a connection between floodplain wetlands and the Columbia River across the 1,000 acre South Unit of the Shillapoo Wildlife Area and Buckmire Slough. Funding for this project would be provided by Bonneville Power Administration.
"This project is part of an ongoing effort to encourage thriving salmon populations in the Columbia Basin," said Nicole Czarnomski, Lower Columbia River habitat program manager.
The Wildlife Area is located within the floodplain of the Columbia River in Clark County and is currently managed as habitat for wintering waterfowl. The proposed project would provide fish access while maintaining habitat for wildlife.
Goals of the project include:
Provide habitat for threatened and endangered fish, including salmon.
Continue to provide wetland habitat – minimizing impacts of the project to existing wetlands, waterfowl habitat, and otherthreatened and sensitive species (sandhill crane, Columbia white-tailed deer, dusky Canada geese).
Minimize flood risk to adjacent landowners with flood protection measures.
Maintain or improve existing hunting, birding, and other outdoor recreational opportunities.
Agency staff will provide a brief overview of the project, an update on the project's current status, and a proposed timeline. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in breakout groups to provide comment, convey concerns, discuss potential opportunities, and describe what they most value about the Wildlife Area.
Those unable to attend the Nov. 1 meeting can submit comments to Nicole Czarnomski at Nicole.Czarnomski@dfw.wa.gov.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH...
EPA Completes Review of Michigan State Drinking Water ProgramPress release issued 10/ 26/ 17
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-completes-review-michigan-state-drinking-water-program
CHICAGO (October 26, 2017) — After completing a periodic review of Michigan's drinking water program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is releasing a report that identifies key steps that Michigan should take to ensure that the state can continue to provide safe and clean drinking water to all of its residents.
In its report, EPA recommends that the state increase both funding and staffing resources, improve electronic data reporting and management, and ensure Michigan's program appropriately implements and complies with all aspects of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Michigan has already taken a number of key steps to address these issues, including hiring staff to enhance technical capability, revising lead and copper sampling protocol, and establishing a peer review process for systems that are planning to change water sources or treatment protocols.
EPA will continue to work closely with Michigan to help ensure that the recommended steps are taken to improve its drinking water program. EPA has already provided Michigan with almost half a million dollars in grants to help improve the state's IT and data tracking systems and stands ready to provide any additional assistance needed. As part of these efforts, EPA is particularly focused on improving Flint's drinking water system. Last month, EPA issued a letter to the City of Flint and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality requesting information and action in three areas: sufficient staffing at the Flint Public Water System; completing a corrosion control study on Flint's current water source; and documenting a formal agreement and decision for access to GLWA water after September 30.
EPA regularly reviews state drinking water programs in states that have obtained primary enforcement responsibility (primacy) for the administration and enforcement of primary drinking water regulations and requirements applicable to public water systems within the state. This review looked at files covering the approximate time period of October 2013 and September 2015. This review is not a comprehensive investigation of the Flint emergency, as such reviews are being conducted by EPA's inspector general and other organizations, but rather a review of how the state was implementing the national primary drinking water regulations.
EPA Releases Guidance on Reporting Air Emissions of Hazardous Substances from Animal Waste at Farms
Press release issued 10/ 26/ 17
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-guidance-reporting-air-emissions-hazardous-substances-animal-waste-farms
(WASHINGTON) — Today, EPA is releasing guidance to assist farmers in reporting air releases of hazardous substances from animal waste at farms. EPA is making this information available to provide time for farmers to review and prepare for the reporting deadline, currently set for November 15, 2017
“EPA is working diligently to address undue regulatory burden on American farmers,” said Administrator Scott Pruitt. “While we continue to examine our options for reporting requirements for emissions from animal waste, EPA’s guidance is designed to help farmers comply with the current requirements.”
On December 18, 2008, EPA published a final rule that exempted farms from reporting air releases of hazardous substances from animal waste. On April 11, 2017, the DC Circuit Court vacated this final rule. In response to a request from EPA, the DC Circuit Court extended the date by which farms must begin reporting these releases to November 15, 2017. Unless the court further delays this date, all farms (including those previously exempted) that have releases of hazardous substances to air from animal wastes equal to or greater than the reportable quantities for those hazardous substances within any 24-hour period must provide notification of such releases.
The EPA guidance information includes links to resources that farmers can use to calculate emissions tailored to specific species of livestock. To view EPA’s guidance and Frequently Asked Questions on reporting air emissions from animal waste: https://www.epa.gov/epcra/cercla-and-epcra-reporting-requirements-air-releases-hazardous-substances-animal-waste-farms.
EPA will revise this guidance, as necessary, to reflect additional information to assist farm owners and operators to meet reporting obligations. Interested parties may submit comments or suggestions by November 24, 2017.
AT THE STATE LEVEL...
DOE: Berry grower settles water use violations in Whatcom County
Grower agrees to pay reduced fine and install water meters
Press release issued 10/ 25/ 17
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2017/081.html
BELLINGHAM – Whatcom County berry farmer, Gurjant Sandhu, has agreed to pay a reduced fine after being penalized for illegal water use and not supplying water records for two farms in the Nooksack River basin. The watershed provides critical habitat for threatened migratory fish as well as water for people and farmers with legal water rights.
In 2016, the Washington Department of Ecology fined Sandhu $90,000 for illegally watering his 220-acre raspberry farm, and $12,000 for not submitting required water use records for his 120-acre blueberry farm. Sandhu denied the allegations and filed an appeal to the Pollution Control Hearings Board.
Under the settlement with Ecology, Sandhu will pay $80,000, install water meters that provide Ecology with real-time water use data, and allow officials access to the property. If any of the terms of the settlement are violated within three years, Sandhu is required to pay the original $102,000 in penalties, and potentially be subject to other additional penalties.
“Settlements save staff time and expenses, and – most importantly – help us arrive at a resolution that’s better than a penalty alone” said Kasey Cykler, water master for Ecology. “Water is an important natural resource for people, farms, and fish. Farmers in Whatcom County work hard to obtain legal water rights. It’s our responsibility to keep a level playing field.”
Apart from the Settlement, Sandhu is proceeding with securing legal water rights for his raspberry farm.
WORLD AND NATIONAL HEADLINES FROM REUTERS...
Catalonia declares independence from Spain, direct Madrid rule looms
BARCELONA/MADRID (Reuters) - The Spanish government moved to impose direct rule over Catalonia on Friday, stripping the region of its autonomy less than an hour after its parliament declared independence in a stunning show of defiance.
Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga agree on ceasefire, Kurdistan says
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters reached an agreement on Friday to stop fighting in northern Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said, although the status of any ceasefire remained unclear.
Death certificate offers clues on Russian casualties in Syria
MOSCOW (Reuters) - An official document seen by Reuters shows that at least 131 Russian citizens died in Syria in the first nine months of this year, a number that relatives, friends and local officials say included private military contractors.
New York lets neighborhood return to nature to guard against storms
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Every now and then, Frank and Mary Lettieri come back to visit what used to be their tightly packed Staten Island neighborhood before Superstorm Sandy prompted New York state to let it go back to nature.
Tiger Woods expected to plead guilty to reckless driving in Florida
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (Reuters) - Golfer Tiger Woods is scheduled to plead guilty on Friday to reckless driving and enter a program for first-time offenders to avoid a conviction for driving under the influence, a prosecutor in Florida said.
U.S. launches pilot program to alert owners of uncompleted auto recalls
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday it is funding a pilot program that will notify drivers in the state of Maryland if there are open, uncompleted recalls at the time that they register their vehicles.
Daily Bible Verse: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
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