A trio of federal agencies are considering whether to pursue additional environmental guidelines for the Columbia River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power Administration and the Bureau of Reclamation are conducting the review to comply with an agreement reached late last year after litigation by regional Native nations and environmental groups. Environmental groups and tribes are holding out hope the agencies will recommend the removal of Snake River dams, which seemed likely only a few years ago. But, with Republicans set to control Congress and the White House in less than two months, it’s unclear what will happen. The guidelines at the center of the debate are collectively called the Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement. Despite the dense, bureaucratic name, the document is important because it shapes many crucial aspects of the Columbia River’s management — including how much water is used by dams to generate hydroelectricity versus how much passes over their spillways to help young salmon safely make it to the ocean. The federal agencies began work on the current environmental impact statement in 2016 and finalized it in 2020. Groups had anticipated the 2020 environmental impact statement to finally settle the conflict over four dams on the Lower Snake River. They produce about 5 percent of the region’s electricity but contribute to salmon’s struggles by preventing endangered fish from reaching historic spawning grounds. However, the 2020 document did not recommend their removal. Native nations and environmental groups sued. The recent litigation came after more than three decades of legal battles over the government’s efforts to save endangered salmon runs, which environmental groups argue are inadequate. Following the 2020 litigation, the Biden administration in 2021 stepped in, halting this most recent round to give parties time to negotiate an agreement. The Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement, reached in 2023, paused litigation for five to 10 years. It also mandated the government review the recent environmental impact statement, conduct new research and potentially produce a supplement to the document that would change the government’s stance on issues like Snake River dam removal. “To get a stay in that litigation, we agreed to some things,” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Tom Conning said. “And one of those things is environmental compliance.” That compliance could lead to a supplemental environmental impact statement or the slightly less significant step of a supplemental environmental assessment. Or it could lead to nothing at all. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a supplemental environmental impact statement is required when an agency “makes substantial changes to the proposed action that are relevant to its environmental concerns” or when “there are substantial new circumstances or information about the significance of adverse effects that bear on the analysis.” In a follow up email, Conning said the agency is looking at things that have changed since 2020, specifically citing: changes to the Columbia River system’s 14 federal dam and reservoir projects; species that have since been listed by the Endangered Species Act; changes in Columbia River flows from the pending Columbia River Treaty with Canada; and newly published research. When asked if the agencies are considering Snake River dam removal, Conning said the dams are a part of the Columbia River system, but the agencies are “looking at the system as a whole and not necessarily individual projects.” Earth Justice lawyer Amanda Goodin said her organization expects to find out what approach the agencies are taking through a notice of intent from the trio by the end of this fall. It’s currently unclear how the January transition from the Biden administration to another Trump presidency will impact the agencies’ decision-making. Goodin said it’s likely it will have some effect, but the specifics remain to be seen. She noted removing the Snake River dams — when combined with significant investment in areas like Lewiston, Idaho, that would lose local revenue — would be a win for environmentalists, Native nations and the region’s economy. But Goodin added that “decision documents that came out of the last Trump administration showed no interest in that kind of win-win solution. And, in fact, (they) were pretty fine condemning salmon to extinction.” The Corps’ Conning said the coming change in administrations will not change anything the agency is doing. “Right now, we don’t (expect) basically any impact,” he said. “It’s not like we can really speculate at this point what the incoming administration or the next Congress might do.” Republicans, who will control the presidency and both the chambers of Congress after January 2025, have opposed Snake River dam removal. During his first term, President-elect Donald Trump showed a clear preference for cutting environmental protections for fish and ecosystems, instead increasing the amount of river water available across the West for farming. That’s a stance he doubled down on while campaigning this summer, The Columbian reported last month. To Goodin, the stakes of the federal agencies’ potential action could not be higher — or more time sensitive. “The science has made clear that we are in an extinction crisis and that we really have to act with urgency here if we don’t want to lose some of these (salmon) runs,” she said. “We don’t really have time for half measures. We don’t really have time for inaction.” “And if the federal government decides to not live up to its obligation and not to keep moving forward with the agreement,” she continued, “then anything’s on the table — anything that we can do to buy the fish more time, anything that we can do to keep this moving forward.” Whatever the agencies decide on Snake River dam removal, Goodin acknowledged that issue will ultimately have to be decided by Congress. This article was first published by The Columbian through the Murrow News Fellow program, managed by Washington State University.SAN DIEGO , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra (NYSE: SRE) (BMV: SRE) today announced it has been recognized by Newsweek as one of "America's Most Responsible Companies" for 2025, earning this distinction for the sixth consecutive year. The annual list ranks companies based on their commitment to corporate responsibility in the areas of corporate governance and responsible social and environmental practices. Sempra has been included since the list's inception. "At Sempra, we believe our responsible business practices improve the value of our franchise. By strengthening governance and risk management and improving the safety and resiliency of our business operations, it allows us to better meet the needs and expectations of our customers, while also adding scale to our business," said Lisa Larroque Alexander , senior vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability officer for Sempra. "We will continue to approach global energy challenges with an entrepreneurial mindset, steadfast optimism and confidence in our vision of delivering energy with purpose." Newsweek's recognition of Sempra as one of "America's Most Responsible Companies" is based on publicly available key performance indicators derived from the company's Corporate Sustainability Report and an independent survey that asked U.S. citizens about their perception of Sempra's commitment to corporate social responsibility. Details of Sempra's approach to responsible stakeholder engagement and corporate governance can be found in the company's most recent Corporate Sustainability Report, which is available here . In addition to being recognized on Newsweek's America's Most Responsible Companies list, Sempra is included in the FTSE4Good Index and JUST 100 list, has been named one of TIME Magazine's World's Best Companies and one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies , and earned a perfect score on the CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability , among other accolades. About Sempra Sempra (NYSE: SRE ) is a leading North American energy infrastructure company focused on delivering energy to nearly 40 million consumers. As owner of one of the largest energy networks on the continent, Sempra is electrifying and improving the energy resilience of some of the world's most significant economic markets, including California , Texas , Mexico and global energy markets. The company is recognized as a leader in sustainable business practices and for its high-performance culture focused on safety and operational excellence, as demonstrated by Sempra's inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America and in The Wall Street Journal's Best Managed Companies. More information about Sempra is available at sempra.com and on social media @Sempra . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sempra-named-among-newsweeks-most-responsible-companies-302324298.html SOURCE SempraPep Guardiola admits Man City looking to ‘survive the season’
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Summer is a wonderful time for families to go the beach and for small children to get to know the water and the sand. But aside from being a place to relax, my new research shows how the beach provides many ways to teach young children about science. My ‘beach kinder’ research I research science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning in bush kinders. These are programs where preschool children regularly go into the natural environment with their daycare centre or kinder/preschool, to gain an appreciation for nature . Educators do not take any toys, balls or games, so children are reliant only on what is available in nature for play. Bush kinders often happen in parks, forests and gardens but educators and researchers are increasingly looking at the benefits of education around beaches . These “blue spaces” provide children with wide open spaces to learn through play. But so far there has been little research on educational benefits of beach learning in early childhood settings. Last year, I observed a “beach kinder”: where childhood educators and four- and five-year-old children went to the beach along Victoria’s Surf Coast. They were spending between three and five hours per week at the beach for a term as part of their regular kinder/preschool program. What I noticed was how many opportunities the beach provides to teach little kids about science. Here are a three examples families can try on their next visit to the beach. Read more: What are bush kinders? And what makes a good one? 1. Rockpool life When the tide is low, the ocean can expose a wide range of plant and animal life. Small fish, crabs, starfish, sea plants and maybe even an octopus can be found in rockpools. You can ask your child: How many different animals can you see? You can also search for barnacles that look like small volcanoes or periwinkles – the little snails that live in the splash zone. You can talk about how animals can sometimes be very small or hiding – just because we can’t see them does not mean they are not there. You can talk to children about how these small animals survive as the tide rises and falls. For example, crabs bury themselves in the sand away from the water or other types of shellfish can shut their shells tightly to keep the water out. If possible, gently lift one for a look and then replace it just as gently. You can explain life cycles and simple biology as you walk among the rockpools. For example, sea turtles lay their eggs on sandy beaches, then the baby turtles make their way to the sea where they mature into adults. 2. Sticky sand Sand is an amazing thing to play with and it changes, depending on where you are on the beach. Far away from the waters’ edge, have your child take a handful of dry sand and watch what happens as it slips through small hands. Walk closer to the water and do the same thing. Ask your child: Have you ever wondered why dry and wet sand are so different? You can explain how the water in the sand actually acts like glue, making the sand grains stick together. This lets us talk to young children about chemistry and how different materials interact with each other. Try making sandcastles with wet sand and dry sand and see the difference. Is one version harder to work with than the other other? What happens if you mix wet and dry sand together? Read more: How to get the most out of sand play: 4 tips from a sculptor 3. Watching the waves The waves can teach us about floating, sinking and the force of water. Children can have a lot of fun using pieces of seaweed or small sticks as boats, letting them bob up and down on small waves. They can even have “seaweed races” learning about how waves can move materials around. Sea waves and ocean currents are really important as some marine animals such as dolphins and turtles use waves to move around. In fact, some animals migrate thousands of kilometres to and from breeding grounds. You can then replace the seaweed pieces with shells and ask your child to observe what happens: Why does the seaweed stay on top of the water, but the shell goes underneath? Talk about how the shell is heavier than the water and so will sink. This helps them understand the physics of floating and sinking as well as the patterns associated with wave motion. This summer when you’re at the beach, think about all the science happening around you. This could include the animals and habitats you encounter, as well as all the many, changes things happening with the sand and surf.
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Liverpool boss Arne Slot will run the rule over his three South American stars ahead of a pivotal week in his team’s season. Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have undergone gruelling flights back home to represent Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay respectively during the International break. And Slot admits he will be taking no chances with his selection with games against Real Madrid and Manchester City following the trip to Southampton. Diaz played 180 minutes for Colombia as they lost back-to-back World Cup qualifiers against Nunez’s Uruguay and Ecuador. Nunez featured for 90 minutes in that tie after being substituted at half-time in the 1-1 draw with Brazil. Mac Allister featured for 89 minutes of Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Peru after being substituted after 64 minutes when the world champions lost to Paraguay. Slot said: "I will particularly keep an eye on the players that have come back from South America - and that is not only Macca. It’s also Darwin and Lucho. "You have to keep an eye on them, especially the ones who played twice for 90 minutes. You see how they are doing, how fit they are, you talk to them a bit more about how they feel - more than I do with the ones who played in Europe." Slot has been able to welcome back Harvey Elliott, who is back in training ahead of the trip to Southampton following two months out with a foot injury. "Harvey is training with us again so that’s the positive thing, he has been out for many weeks but he is on the training ground again with the team. So, that’s a positive thing for him,” said the head coach on Friday. “But that is different than being on the top of your game immediately again. So we have to give him time for this as well, but I am very fortunate that he is back, especially with the amount of games coming up in the upcoming two, three or four months." Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold , Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota are out of the Southampton clash, though captain Virgil van Dijk is available for selection despite missing the Netherlands' Nations League game against Bosnia and Hezegovina on Tuesday. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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