A completed wetland mitigation project in Calhoun County. (Photo courtesy of Iowa Agricultural Mitigation) Iowa Agricultural Mitigation Inc. is restoring wetlands in Iowa and offsetting the costs by selling the credits back to farmers who farm wetland acres on their farms. Recently the nonprofit was awarded just under $1 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restore 75 acres of wetland in Wright County as part of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Mitigation Banking Program. Eric Rector, the Wright County Conservation Board director, said he wanted to start a water quality project in his county because he doesn’t think “the needle is moving very fast on those statewide.” According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources , 11% of Iowa’s surface area was wetland prior to European settlement of the state. Since then, 95% of wetlands have been drained in the state, and a recent study from the Union of Concerned Scientists reported Iowa has 640,000 acres of wetlands. The same report found that wetlands in Iowa alone could mitigate $477 million worth of flood damage to residential areas, if the ecological systems are protected from agricultural practices that drain, fill or divert water from the wetlands. The project in Wright County would restore 75 acres of wetlands and stock the Iowa Agricultural Mitigation bank with wetland credits for farmers to purchase and offset affected wetlands on their properties. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Kevin Griggs, the program manager for Iowa Agricultural Mitigation , has been part of the project since its inception in 2010. Griggs said the nonprofit was founded with a mission to restore wetlands in Iowa and generate mitigation credits for farmers at a low cost. A wetland conservation provision of the 1985 Farm Bill, commonly called “ swampbuster ” discourages agricultural production on wetlands by restricting a farmer’s ability to receive USDA benefits if they engage in any activities that alter the wetland. Farmers who have drained or altered wetlands on their property to create more productive farmland can purchase credits from the wetland mitigation bank, acre-for-acre, to stay in compliance with swampbuster. “They’re able to solve an important issue that they’ve got in their farming operation by simply writing a check and filling out a form,” Griggs said. Farmers always have the option to restore wetlands on their own property, but Griggs said the farmed and tilled acres are usually “low quality” wetlands. Union of Concerned Scientists pushes for wetland protections in Farm Bill “Our intent all along was, well, maybe it’s okay to replace those low quality wetlands with high quality wetlands someplace else,” Griggs said. Griggs looks for areas that could result in a more substantial wetland. Most of the time, that’s in north central Iowa, also known as the Des Moines lobe, where the majority of tile drainage occurs in the state. “That’s the most common place to find the need for mitigation credits, so appropriately, that is where most of our mitigation sites are located,” Griggs said. The mitigation bank aims to restore wetlands that are in the same watershed as the farmers who are buying the mitigation credits, but has accommodated some credit-purchasers who aren’t directly in the same watershed. “Until we have established mitigation sites in multiple watersheds across the state, (NRCS) are allowing us to mitigate wetlands from other places, at the existing sites,” Griggs said. A spokesperson for NRCS said in a statement landowners “play an important role in restoring and protecting wetland health on working agricultural lands” and wetland mitigation banking “provides an alternative option to agricultural producers looking to compensate for impacts to wetlands on their lands.” To generate a mitigation credit, a wetland site has to be improved. For example, Griggs explained an easy project would be to take a historically wet field and remove or plug any drainage systems installed by a farmer in order to “restore the natural hydrologic regime of that landscape.” Other projects are more intensive and require some construction to restore the landscape and seed native wetland plants. Landowners are paid for a permanent easement, meaning once the wetland is established, “it has to remain wetland forever.” He said most of the landowners the bank works with are looking for a way to restore their land and have been happy to work with the mitigation bank program. The payments farmers make for the credits go straight to the next mitigation project, which is why Griggs said they decided to run the organization as a nonprofit. “The fear was that if it was run as a commercial operation, that the credit prices would deter people from using the program,” Griggs said. “So the goal of the project is to keep our credit prices as low as we can so that we get more people to participate.” To date, Griggs said the mitigation bank has over 10 “bank sites” or restored wetlands, and has sold credits to more than 300 farmers in Iowa. Iowa Agricultural Mitigation was recently a partner in a large project with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to close the last remaining agricultural drainage wells , and redirect drainage to a restored wetland site. Griggs said the organization provided most of the construction costs for the restored wetland and in return will sell the mitigation credits. “And that just continues to perpetuate the ability that we have to find the next site and produce more credits and restore more wetlands,” Griggs said. Iowa Agricultural Mitigation has made use of several grants from USDA. The nonprofit was the only Iowa project in the recent $7 million allocation from the department. Other winning projects were in Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. Griggs said the goal of the project is to restore wetland in an area between Lake Cornelia and Elm Lake in Wright County. A goal is to eventually include a connection to Elm Lake, which is on the Department of Natural Resources’ list of impaired waters for high algal growth and turbidity . “So that’s exciting for us in a number of ways, because we can see another big water quality success story,” Griggs said. Rector, in Wright County, said the project is just beginning. As of early December, he did not have commitments from landowners for the proposed 75-acre site which is currently used as crop land. “We can expand a little bit and move out away from this area, as long as it provides the same type of results or more,” Rector said regarding the potential of landowners who are unwilling to sell for the project. Rector said the wetland restoration project would “kill a lot of birds with a few stones” because it would give Iowans another area for outdoor recreation in the county and help improve the quality of the lakes, which prior to recent conservation efforts, weren’t “worth a darn” for fishing. Rector said he hopes folks in his county will see the importance of projects like this that will improve water quality issues. “Instead of hanging back and letting everybody else do it, let’s take a proactive approach instead of reactive approach,” Rector said. “Our water is polluted with nitrogen and chemicals, and our soil is blowing away every year, and we need to do something about it now, instead of later.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Autonomous Trucks Market Size, Share, Trends & Analysis by 2035 12-16-2024 11:32 PM CET | Logistics & Transport Press release from: ABNewswire Autonomous Trucks Market Autonomous Trucks Market by LoA (L1, L2/ L3, L4 & L5), Vehicle Type, Propulsion (Diesel, Electric, Hybrid), ADAS Features, Vehicle Class, Application, Sensor Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2035 The global Autonomous trucks market [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/semi-autonomous-bus-market-87328844.html?utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=semi-autonomous-bus-market ] size is projected to grow from USD 40.7 billion in 2024 to USD 179.9 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 14.4%. The Autonomous trucks market is witnessing robust growth driven by increasing demand for autonomous vehicles and innovation around advance driving technologies may drive the market for autonomous trucks. Electric segment is expected to be the fastest in the Autonomous trucks market The electric segment is expected to be the fastest one during the forecast period. The rising demand for passenger safety and efficient bus transit operations would boost the demand for the electric segment for the advanced autonomous bus market during the forecast period. Favorable government regulations for better road safety would positively impact the autonomous bus market. Features such as AEB and BSD are expected to be compulsory for all vehicles, including buses. In December 2023, Davao Metro Shuttle Corporation (Philippines) launched a self-driving shuttle and its first electric bus, which includes AEB and ACC features. Shuttle segment is estimated to exhibit the fastest growth in Autonomous trucks market The shuttles segment is expected to be the fastest market in the autonomous trucks market, as they are commercialized. Navya (US), Easilmile (France), and Local Motors (US) have developed self-driving shuttles. Successful pilot programs of autonomous shuttles worldwide indicate that shuttles could be a practical solution to the gaps in traditional public transport. In January 2023, EasyMile(France) partnered with Keolis (France) on an autonomous shuttle project underway at France's National Sports Shooting. Such partnerships highlight the growth of the shuttles segment in the market. Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=87328844 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=87328844&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=semi-autonomous-bus-market ] US to lead the Autonomous trucks market in North America The US is expected to have the largest market share in terms of value in the North American autonomous trucks market due to strict safety regulations imposed by the NHTSA that have compelled OEMs to provide safety features. Road safety is very critical for efficient transportation. Autonomous trucks can help to improve safety, which, in turn, would boost the market in the region. Major OEMs in the region are forming supply contracts for products like sensors, LiDAR that would further enhance their vehicles performance. For instance, in January 2024, Daimler Truck AG (Germany) and TORC Robotics (US) selected Aeva Technologies (US) to Supply advanced 4D LiDAR technology for series-production of autonomous trucks. Key Players The Autonomous trucks market is dominated by global players such as Daimler Truck AG (Germany), AB Volvo (Sweden), Iveco S.p.A. (Netherlands), NVIDIA Corporation (US), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Continental AG (Germany), among others. These companies adopted new product development strategies, expansion, partnerships & collaborations, and mergers & acquisitions to gain traction in the market. Request Free Sample Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=87328844 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=87328844%20&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=semi-autonomous-bus-market ] Media Contact Company Name: MarketsandMarkets Trademark Research Private Ltd. Contact Person: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=autonomous-trucks-market-size-share-trends-analysis-by-2035 ] Phone: 18886006441 Address:1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 City: Florida State: Florida Country: United States Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/semi-autonomous-bus-market-87328844.html This release was published on openPR.
How deepfake technology worksBUENOS AIRES (AP) — Thiago Messi, the eldest son of the Argentina star, has made his debut in the “Newell’s Cup” tournament in the countryside city of Rosario. The 12-year-old Messi played with the No. 10 jersey of an Inter Miami youth team, which lost 1-0 on Monday to host Newell’s Old Boys in the traditional under-13 competition. The team also played Tuesday. Lionel Messi took his first steps as a footballer in the Argentinian club in Rosario, 300 kilometers (186 miles) northwest of capital Buenos Aires. Thiago's mother, Antonela Roccuzzo, and several members of his family, including grandparents Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini, were in the stands to watch him play. Lionel Messi did not attend. Thiago, who was substituted in the second half, played with his friend Benjamín Suárez, son of Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez, Messi's teammate and close friend at Barcelona and now at Inter Miami. Messi and Suárez are in Rosario after Inter Miami’s early elimination in the MLS playoffs. On Sunday, they watched a friendly game of Inter Miami's U13 team against Unión at the same sports complex. The youth tournament in Argentina brings together eight teams from North and South America. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
First on Fox: Trump Small Business Administration pick Loeffler to meet with GOP senatorsGovernment departments are on a collision course with unions unsatisfied with proposals to raise pay for more than a million public sector workers by 2.8% next year. Inflation is predicted to average 2.5% this year and 2.6% next year, according to forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The British Medical Association said the Government showed a “poor grasp” of unresolved issues from two years of industrial action, and the Royal College of Nursing called the pay recommendation “deeply offensive”. The National Education Union’s chief said teachers were “putting the Government on notice” that the proposed increase “won’t do”. The pay recommendations came after Chancellor Rachel Reeves called for every Government department to cut costs by 5%, as she started work on a sweeping multi-year spending review to be published in 2025. Independent pay review bodies will consider the proposals for pay rises for teachers, NHS workers and senior civil servants. The Department of Health said it viewed 2.8% as a “reasonable amount” to set aside, in its recommendations to the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration Board remit groups. A 2.8% pay rise for teachers in 2025/26 would “maintain the competitiveness of teachers’ pay despite the challenging financial backdrop the Government is facing”, the Department for Education said. The Cabinet Office also suggested pay increases for senior civil servants should be kept to no more than 2.8%. Paul Johnson, director of the influential economics think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said it was “not a bad ballpark figure” and feels “just about affordable” given the Government’s public spending plans. The downside, he said, is that public sector workers have lost out since 2010 and unions will be upset that this is not making up the gap, he told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge. “But given the constraints facing the Chancellor I think it’s pretty hard to argue for more for public sector pay when public sector services ... are under real strain,” he said. Unions expressed their disappointment in the recommendations, with some hinting they could be willing to launch industrial action. The Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive called for “open direct talks now” to avoid “further escalation to disputes and ballots”. Professor Nicola Ranger said: “The Government has today told nursing staff they are worth as little as £2 extra a day, less than the price of a coffee. “Nursing is in crisis – there are fewer joining and too many experienced professionals leaving. This is deeply offensive to nursing staff, detrimental to their patients and contradictory to hopes of rebuilding the NHS. “The public understands the value of nursing and they know that meaningful reform of the NHS requires addressing the crisis in nursing. “We pulled out of the Pay Review Body process, alongside other unions, because it is not the route to address the current crisis. “That has been demonstrated today. “Fair pay must be matched by structural reform. Let’s open direct talks now and avoid further escalation to disputes and ballots – I have said that directly to government today.” Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of the British Medical Association’s council, urged the sector’s pay review body to “show it is now truly independent”. “For this Government to give evidence to the doctors’ and dentists’ pay review body (DDRB) believing a 2.8% pay rise is enough, indicates a poor grasp of the unresolved issues from two years of industrial action,” he said. He said the proposal is far below the current rate of inflation and that the Government was “under no illusion” when doctors accepted pay offers in the summer that there was a “very real risk of further industrial action” if “pay erosion” was not addressed in future pay rounds. “This sub-inflationary suggestion from the current Government serves as a test to the DDRB. “The BMA expects it to take this opportunity to show it is now truly independent, to take an objective view of the evidence it receives from all parties, not just the Government, and to make an offer that reflects the value of doctors’ skills and expertise in a global market, and that moves them visibly further along the path to full pay restoration.” The NEU’s general secretary, Daniel Kebede, said teachers’ pay had been cut by more than one-fifth in real terms since 2010. “Along with sky-high workload, the pay cuts have resulted in a devastating recruitment and retention crisis. Teacher shortages across the school system hit pupils and parents too. “A 2.8% increase is likely to be below inflation and behind wage increases in the wider economy. This will only deepen the crisis in education.” In a hint that there could be a return to industrial action he added: “NEU members fought to win the pay increases of 2023 and 2024. “We are putting the Government on notice. Our members care deeply about education and feel the depth of the crisis. This won’t do.” The offer for teachers is the “exact opposite of fixing the foundations” and will result in bigger class sizes and more cuts to the curriculum, Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The inadequacy of the proposed pay award is compounded by the Government’s intention that schools should foot the bill out of their existing allocations. “Given that per-pupil funding will increase on average by less than 1% next year, and the Government’s proposal is for an unfunded 2.8% pay award, it is obvious that this is in fact an announcement of further school cuts.” Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: This recommendation falls far short of what is needed to restore the competitiveness of the teaching profession, to enable it to retain experienced professionals and attract new talent. Unison head of health Helga Pile said: “The Government has inherited a financial mess from its predecessors, but this is not what NHS workers wanted to hear. “Staff are crucial in turning around the fortunes of the NHS. Improving performance is a key Government pledge, but the pay rise proposed is barely above the cost of living.”