South - Part 2

Posts Tagged ‘South’

Environment Agency: South West flood committee agree to raise 20 per cent additional funds

Posted by admin on January 25th, 2013

Local flood defence schemes across the South West have received a boost of £721,000 after the Environment Agency’s South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) agreed to increase funding by 20 per cent.

The Committee, which is made up of local authority representatives from across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, agreed to contribute £721,000 to reduce flood risk in local communities in 2013-2014. This is an increase of 20 per cent in funding compared to last year.

The money will be raised through an existing levy on council tax and will be used to deliver important local projects and develop new schemes to compete for funding from the central government budget, allocated by Defra.

The funding decision was made at a meeting of the Committee on Thursday, 17 January 2012.

The list of projects to be funded by the levy and national funding will be confirmed at the Environment Agency Board meeting on 8 February 2012.

The Committee will be looking to use the money raised to benefit communities in Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly.

‘The increase of 20 per cent is a clear statement of the Committee’s determination to address the backlog of flood defence needs in Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly, particularly following the repeated flooding throughout 2012 which saw over 1,000 properties flooded in 200 locations,’ said Committee Chairman James Morrish.

‘In these difficult financial times I am pleased that the local authorities have seen the need to support reducing flood and coastal erosion risk. The councils in our region are leading the way in making reducing flood risk a real priority and recognising the essential need to increase funding. The programmes that we will be delivering next year cover all sources of flooding and have had to be prioritised to match available funds.

‘This funding decision shows the commitment and recognition that councils in the South West are putting on helping reduce flood risk in local communities.’

Over five million people in England and Wales are at risk from flooding from rivers and the sea. Those in flood risk areas should sign up to the Environment Agency’s free flood warning system – the mostimmediate and localised source of information on flooding – by calling 0845 9881188 or visiting
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/flood

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info4local Subject Documents

South African Rhino Poaching at Record Levels

Posted by admin on January 11th, 2013

South Africa reached record levels of rhino poaching in 2012,with 668 rhinos killed for their horns: a near 50 percent increase on figures from 2011.

Data from the South African government shows a substantial increase in poaching for rhinoceros over the past year.

Three of the species, including Javan, Sumatran and Black rhinos are categorised on IUCN red list as critically endangered.

Three quarters of the global rhinoceros population is resident in South Africa, equating to about 28,000 animals. Back in 2007, only 13 animals were poached. Since the epidemic began in 2008, the country has lost more than 1600 rhinos. Many of the animals slaughtered last year, over three in five, were from the Kruger national park – the country’s largest wildlife reserve.

Poaching-related arrests have jumped from 165 in 2011 to 267 in 2012.

According to experts, the increasing killing is a result of Asia’s rising demand for rhino horn. Many countries, including Vietnam and China, harbour a commonly held belief that powdered rhino horn has medicinal properties, and can treat diseases including cancer. However, this claim is widely discredited. Horns are valued at about $ 65,000 per kg – pricier than gold.

This financial incitement has attracted criminal groups who can deploy various sophisticated technologies on their quest to seize and dehorn the animals.

The South African government has implemented surveillance aircraft and ground soldiers to fight back, but the latest figures indicate they are losing the battle.

Wildlife monitoring network, TRAFFIC, asserted in their recent report that South Africa’s poaching crisis would eventually lead to a population decline.

“Rhinos are being illegally killed, their horns hacked off and the animals left to bleed to death,” says Sabri Zain, Traffic’s director of advocacy, “all for the frivolous use of their horns as a hangover cure.”

Only eleven days into 2013, five further rhinos have been poached, according to the South African government.

They are not the only country to have their rhino population threatened. Over 2,200 rhinoceroses are resident in India’s Kaziranga reserve. In 2012, 18 rhinos were killed, up from 10 the previous year.

Enviro News – News

South Florida Court Upholds Miramar’s Waste Disposal Contract With Sun Bergeron Breaking Up 25-Year Monopoly

Posted by admin on January 10th, 2013

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–This is a great win for the citizens of Miramar and all residents of
Broward County. The court upheld Miramar’s right to make decisions that
are clearly in its best interest and in the best interest of its
residents. The ruling affirms Miramar’s historic decision, breaking up a
25-year solid waste disposal monopoly in order to provide more
competition. The results of that decision speak for themselves, prices
have been brought down by more than 50%, and there is a renewed focus on
recycling which will greatly improve sustainability and promote good
environmental stewardship. Sun Bergeron is ready to carry out its
commitment to the residents of Miramar. Its contract with the City
provides value added environmental stewardship and sustainability.

ABOUT SUN BERGERON

Sun Bergeron is a joint venture between Sun Recycling and Bergeron
Environmental Services operating together to achieve zero waste.
Combined, Sun Bergeron has over 35 years experience in the waste and
recycling industry and a proven history in logistics and disaster
recovery including the BP Oil Spill clean-up in 2010. Pioneering
innovation in the waste and recycling industry, Sun Bergeron is
headquartered in the Town of Davie, Broward County, Florida. The more
than 500 employees that represent Sun Bergeron are dedicated to the
environment and currently recycle in excess of 75% of the solid waste
materials they process, a state mandated goal by 2020. To find out more
about Sun Bergeron visit http://www.sunbergeron.com.

Business Wire Environment News

Harper Government Announces Funding for Lake Simcoe and South Eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Projects

Posted by admin on January 7th, 2013

Harper Government Announces Funding for Lake Simcoe and South Eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Projects. JACKSONâS POINT, Ont. — January 7, 2013 — Today, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Member of Parliament for York-Simcoe, on behalf of the Honourable Peter Kent, Canadaâs Environment Minister, announced that funding is available for clean-up projects through the Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay Clean-Up Fund.
News Releases

Environment Agency: South West urged to prepare for flooding in run-up to Christmas

Posted by admin on December 21st, 2012

The Environment Agency is warning communities in the South West to remain vigilant and alert for flooding with heavy rain due from midnight tonight (Friday, 21 December) and into Saturday and with further rain expected Monday.

The Met Office is forecasting heavy rain across England and Wales over the coming days, with the heaviest rain expected to fall in Cornwall and Devon, and some parts of Somerset. This rain will fall on saturated ground, which is expected to lead to surface water and river flooding.

There could also be run-off from fields and some flooding of property and roads.

There could be as much as 40mm in some locations, and flood alerts and warnings are expected to be issued across most of Devon and Cornwall by early tomorrow.

Anyone travelling should take extra care as this rain might cause travel disruption.

Communities are being urged to keep up to date with the latest information and to stay safe, by staying away from swollen rivers and not attempting to drive through floodwater.

There are currently nine flood warnings in place but more are expected to be issued across the region later today and into tomorrow morning.

‘This is the last weekend before Christmas, so it will be particularly busy with people travelling through the region. We would urge people to take extra care when planning their journeys and we aware of the risk of flooding. Our teams have been out around the clock to minimise the risks and prepare for flooding,’ said Mike Williams for the Environment Agency.

‘The forecast is for persistent and at times heavy rain across Devon and Cornwall and some parts of Somerset and Dorset. People need to keep up to date with the weather forecast and remain prepared for flooding in their area and stay away from dangerous flood water or attempting to drive through it.’

Those in areas at risk should check the Environment Agency website for the latest information: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/flood and sign up for free flood warnings on the Environment Agency’s website or by calling the Environment Agency Flood Line on 0845 988 1188.

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For the latest information:

The latest flood warnings, updated every 15 minutes, can be found at: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31618.aspx

The latest three day flood forecast can be found at: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/3days/125305.aspx

Social media updates are available from the Environment Agency’s South West twitter account, https://twitter.com/EnvAgencySW #floodaware and Facebook Page, http://www.facebook.com/environmentagency.

People can also sign up to flood alerts via the FloodAlerts Facebook App: http://www.facebook.com/FloodAlerts

info4local Subject Documents

Covanta Field Services South Named VPP STAR Mobile Workforce by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Posted by admin on December 12th, 2012

MORRISTOWN, NJ–(Marketwire – Dec 12, 2012) – Covanta Energy Corporation, a world leader in sustainable waste management and renewable energy, is pleased to announce that its Covanta Field Services (CFS) South team has earned STAR status in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program (OSHA VPP).

Covanta Field Services teams travel to Covanta’s Energy-from-Waste facilities to perform maintenance activities, typically during scheduled boiler outages. CFS work is primarily focused on keeping Covanta’s boilers functioning at optimal levels so that high levels of boiler availability can be achieved. CFS also oversees electrical work and the maintenance of turbine generators and facility cranes.

VPP STAR status is the highest honor awarded to work teams with comprehensive, successful safety and health management systems. Teams such as CFS South are committed to effective employee protection beyond the requirements of federal standards and participants develop and implement systems to effectively identify, evaluate, prevent, and control occupational hazards to prevent injuries and illnesses.

“VPP STAR status is an outstanding accomplishment for the CFS South team — a dedicated and talented team of professionals which Covanta relies on to provide reliable and superior service to our clients,” said Seth Myones, Covanta Energy chief operating officer. “The nature of their work demands a culture of safety and continuous improvement. Their steadfast commitment to a safety culture has led to a tremendous record and this well-deserved honor.”

The keys to health and safety success under VPP are employee engagement and ongoing involvement in on-site health and safety program development combined with long term commitment and support from management. VPP STAR recipients routinely incur injury and illness rates that are at or below the state average for their specific industry.

Continuous improvement of health and safety programs is central to Covanta’s corporate and workplace cultures and has led to a majority of Covanta’s North American facilities earning the prestigious VPP STAR status. For more information, please visit http://www.covantaenergy.com/facilities/health-safety.aspx.

About Covanta
Covanta Energy Corporation is an internationally recognized owner and operator of Energy-from-Waste and renewable energy projects and a recipient of the Energy Innovator Award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Covanta’s 44 Energy-from-Waste facilities provide communities with an environmentally sound solution to their solid waste disposal needs by using that municipal solid waste to generate clean, renewable energy. Annually, Covanta’s modern Energy-from-Waste facilities safely and securely convert approximately 20 million tons of waste into 9 million megawatt hours of clean renewable electricity and approximately 9 billion pounds of steam that are sold to a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.covantaenergy.com.

Marketwire – Environment

Film-maker wanted for conservation expedition to South Pacific paradise

Posted by admin on December 12th, 2012

Anchorage Island, Suwarrow Atoll, Cook Islands. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Conservationists in the South Pacific are looking for an adventurous and talented film-maker to document an expedition to one of the remotest islands on the planet.

“We’re searching for somebody with the full package of skills from story-boarding, to filming and editing, and who is willing to be part of a month-long expedition to an extremely remote Pacific atoll”, said Don Stewart – BirdLife Director for the Pacific Partnership.

BirdLife International and their Partner Te Ipukarea Society are looking for somebody to film their expedition to eradicate rats from Suwarrow Atoll in the Cook Islands.

Suwarrow atoll is an uninhabited wildlife sanctuary and one of the most important seabird breeding sites in the South Pacific Ocean.

Aerial view of Suwarrow Atoll. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Over 100,000 seabirds are found on the atoll, which is located 930 km north-west of Rarotonga – the Cook Islands main island. The lagoon in the centre of Suwarrow is home to many sharks, turtles and manta rays. A true Pacific paradise.

However, the wildlife is under threat following an invasion of rats which could decimate the seabird population by eating their eggs and chicks, and spread across the circular chain of 22 Islets.

“Left unchecked the rats put at risk globally important seabird populations found at the site”, said Ian Karika – Suwarrow Project Manager for Te Ipukarea Society.

In a bid to save Suwarrow, conservationists are finalising their plans to visit the site in April next year, and to completely eradicate the rats. The operation will last for around a month and may involve traveling to and from the site using a traditional Pacific catamaran or Vaka.

The Cook Islands Vaka ‘Te Au o Tonga’ that may be used to get the expedition team to and from Suwarrow. Credit: Cook Islands Voyaging Society.

Today they announced a global search for a talented and adventurous film-maker to join the team and produce a short video about the project. The film will be used to inform and inspire people, and feature at the BirdLife World Congress in Ottawa in June 2013.

“We’re looking for somebody to join us on this exciting expedition to a piece of Pacific paradise and produce an inspirational film showcasing our island restoration work to a global audience”, concluded Don Stewart.

If you are interested and wish to apply, please email a brief description of (i) your suitability for the role, (ii) why you’d like to join the team, and (iii) a link to view an short example of your work online to: nick DOT askew AT birdlife DOT org. The closing date for applications is 14^th January 2013. A contribution toward costs will be provided to the successful candidate.

BirdLife Community

South Sudan’s new laws offer a blueprint for a transparent oil sector

Posted by admin on November 30th, 2012

简体中文

Amid reports of endemic corruption, escalating security concerns, and delays restarting crude oil production, South Sudan’s new oil laws offer grounds to be optimistic about the prospects for development and stability, said Global Witness in a report released today.

The report, ‘Blueprint for Prosperity: How South Sudan’s new laws hold the key to a transparent and accountable oil sector,’ outlines the major opportunities and challenges the government faces in ensuring that management of the country’s oil wealth is responsible and open to public scrutiny.

“South Sudan’s new oil legislation contains strong public reporting, revenue management, and contract allocation requirements,” said Global Witness campaigner Dana Wilkins. “But laws are only as good as their implementation. The real test will be in whether or not the government follows through with these commitments.”

In July 2011, South Sudan became both the newest and the most oil dependent country in the world. With the oil sector bringing in more than 98% of the government’s revenues, South Sudan halted all production following a dispute with Sudan over confiscated oil shipments. The two countries have now agreed a deal for the export of South Sudan’s oil via Sudan’s pipeline infrastructure and operations are expected to restart shortly.

Since independence, there have been concerning reports of new oil sector deals being negotiated and awarded apparently outside of transparent bidding processes. No oil production data has been published, and it is not yet clear if exploration and production sharing contracts will be made public.

Building a transparent and accountable oil sector in South Sudan will require serious political engagement from the government, major capacity building, and consistent implementation of the blueprint set out in the new legislation. The report released today seeks to support such efforts by providing an analysis of the new requirements and making recommendations to address major risks and challenges. Key recommendations include the following:

The government should pass the draft Petroleum Revenue Management Bill without delay and ensure that strong provisions for the collection, management, auditing, and public reporting remain intact. [1]
The Ministry of Petroleum and Mining and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning should immediately start implementing the requirements for transparent contract allocation, and for the publication of production data, contracts, and quarterly and annual oil revenue management reports.
The government and international donors must ensure that South Sudanese civil society groups, and oversight bodies like the Audit Chamber and parliament, have the resources, access, and technical expertise necessary to carry out effective checks on the oil sector.

“South Sudan’s new petroleum laws are a major achievement which, if implemented effectively, could ensure that South Sudanese citizens are able to see and trust in how their oil is being managed,” said Wilkins. “Accountable management of the oil sector will be critical for the long-term development and stability of the nation.”

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Contact: For more information contact Dana Wilkins on +44 (0)7808 761 570, [email protected] and Faraz Hassan on +44 (0)20 7492 5848, [email protected].

Notes:

[1] This bill has not yet passed the parliament but is expected in the next few months. The draft Petroleum Revenue Management Bill can be accessed here.

Navy, DoD, Developer Announce Wind Farm Agreement to Preserve Training Mission in South Texas By Kenneth Hess, Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division Public Affairs

Posted by admin on November 28th, 2012

NAVAL AIR STATION (NAS) KINGSVILLE, Texas (NNS) – Today, officials from the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of the Navy (Navy), E.ON Climate & Renewables North America, LLC (ECRNA), and Petronila Wind Farm, LLC, owned by ECRNA (Petronila Wind), announced a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to allow the developer to build and operate new wind turbines in Nueces County, Texas while working to protect the Navy’s ability to continue its training mission at NAS Kingsville and NAS Corpus Christi. Representatives from each organization participated in a ceremony and base tour to commemorate the agreement.

Signatories to the agreement include John Conger, Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment; Joseph Ludovici, Principal Deputy (Acting) Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment; John Quinn, Deputy Director, Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division; VADM William French, Commander, Navy Installations Command; Rear Adm. Jack Scorby, Commander, Navy Region Southeast; Capt. David Edgecomb, Commanding Officer, NAS Corpus Christi; Capt. Mark McLaughlin, Commanding Officer, NAS Kingsville; Paul Bowman, Vice President of Petronila Wind; and Steve Trenholm, Chief Executive Officer, ECRNA.

Under the MOA, ECRNA will install and operate up to 100 wind turbines at the Petronila Wind Farm site.

“The Navy is at the forefront of alternative energy use and production, and the Navy supports such projects when they are compatible with our mission,” said Rear Adm. Scorby. “The agreement will enable this wind turbine project to move forward while putting measures in place that work to preserve vital pilot training capability at NAS Kingsville and NAS Corpus Christi.”

Under the agreement, ECRNA will provide $ 750,000 in funding to DoD for researching, testing and implementing solutions to mitigate potential impacts. Mitigation efforts could include upgrades that allow the Navy radars to more accurately detect aircraft; optimizing radars to “ignore” signals received from wind turbines, incorporating new systems that fill in radar gaps, and other technical modifications. To reduce the potential of radar interference, the new turbines will be limited to 500 feet in height and will be confined to one 5 by 7 mile site within the existing Petronila Wind Farm project boundary.

The agreement establishes a specific set of procedures the Navy and ECRNA will use to safely curtail wind turbines when and if needed, and to document and address emerging concerns. In addition, Navy, DoD, and Petronilla Wind will form a joint working group to study the effectiveness of the mitigation measures implemented

“This agreement is a collaborative effort that proves the military and the wind industry can find solutions that protect bases and still allow responsible development,” said Steve Trenholm, CEO, ECRNA.

The Navy and the Department of Defense will continue working closely with renewable energy developers and local communities in South Texas to ensure local wind turbine projects can coexist with the Navy mission.

For additional information about the MOA signing, please contact

Kenneth Hess at 703-695-5077 or by email at [email protected], or

Jon Gagné, NAS Kingsville Public Affairs, at 361-516-6500 or by email at [email protected].

To learn more about the Navy’s energy, environment, and climate change initiatives, visit http://www.greenfleet.dodlive.mil

Contact Info: Kenneth Hess at 703-695-5077 or by email at [email protected]

Jon Gagné, NAS Kingsville Public Affairs, at 361-516-6500 or by email at [email protected]

Website : Department of the Navy

ENN Network News – ENN

South West Water customers to receive £50 off their water bills

Posted by admin on November 27th, 2012

South West Water customers will see their bills fall after the Government finalised plans to give all household customers £50 off from April 2013.

The £50 subsidy, which was first announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement last year, will help those who have had to pay water bills far in excess of the national average for many years.

Water Minister Richard Benyon said:

“Even in these constrained times it is only fair that we address this historic wrong and give these customers some financial help to ease the burden a little.

“That is why we will give South West Water customers a £50 reduction from April next year until at least the end of the next spending review period in 2020.”

Since privatisation South West Water has invested around £2 billion to raise standards and with only a relatively small customer base, households in that area have seen bills way above the national average of a pound a day. That is why the Government has set aside £40 million pounds a year to help them in future.

South West Water will receive no benefit from the payment whatsoever, and it will be made transparently to ensure that the whole reduction reaches customers. South West Water will shortly begin to communicate directly with their customers on how they will receive their bill reduction.

The Government has also taken steps to allow ‘water resellers’ such as landlords to pass the £50 reduction down to their tenants. This has been a particular worry for some and the Government is keen to make sure that all household customers receive this help. As such South West Water has created a system for these people to receive the discount.

Richard Benyon added:

“I know that there are other customers facing water affordability problems across the UK and that is why we recently published guidance to allow water companies to introduce social tariffs.

“I am also determined to tackle bad debt which currently costs customers about £15 a year and in the long term our reforms contained in the draft Water Bill will ultimately keep bills down.”

Defra News