Large-scale land grabbing with political influenceMinister presents conservation proposals to Cabinet

By Sarah Hannan

Ongoing deforestation and the loss of forest cover to cultivation and development work continues to be a hot topic, as the Government accelerates development and continues to encourage citizens to turn to agriculture in an attempt to reach self-sufficiency in food production.

With 2020 seeing the most amount of land clearing taking place, even amidst a nationwide lockdown, the Centre for Environmental and Nature Studies (CENS) has estimated that in 2020 alone, at least 10 acres of forest land were cleared each day.

According to the Minister for Wildlife and Forest Conservation C.B. Rathnayake, conserving the environment around us is a national responsibility, and the Ministry alone is not in a position to protect the environment.

Commenting on the matter to The Sunday Morning, Rathnayake said: These deforestation and land-grabbing rackets did not commence recently. These have been long-standing issues, and there are several entities at work in destroying nature and encroaching into forest land.

Moreover, Rathnayake said that when it comes to development work, the possibility that important infrastructure would be built over sensitive ecosystems, or could pose a threat to endangered species, or disrupt natural habitats and cause human-wildlife conflicts, needs to be looked at during the environment impact assessment prior to commencing the projects.

Even if you look at the more prominent large-scale development work that took place in Sri Lanka, many sensitive areas, historically important sites, and forests were destroyed, or they were flooded by the reservoir waters. But today, we have a better process in place, and we consider all possible methods to ensure there is minimum invasion over the ecosystem of the country when development work is carried out, Rathnayake elaborated.

It has been proposed to establish a Long-Range Unit of the Police Special Task Force (STF) to assist Wildlife and Forest Conservation officers to take immediate action against deforestation.

In the meantime, the Police is to list out conservation areas, wildlife zones, and sanctuaries in the respective police divisions, as well as establish wildlife and forest conservation committees in each district.

More than 25 ecosystems, including Wilpattu, Anawilundawa, Ethawetunuwewa, Nilgala, Rekawa Lagoon, Vavuniya Mamaduwa, Rambakan Oya, Flood Plains Valley, and Galwalayaya, were destroyed. Even protected areas such as Sinharaja Forest, Sri Pada Forest, and the Knuckles Mountain Range, were not left alone these sensitive ecosystems were disturbed under the guise of development.

Centre for Environmental Justice Executive Director Hemantha Vithanage and his team have been conducting field visits to hear the villagers out on the issues they are facing in terms of environmental destruction and impact on their livelihoods.

Sharing some of his observations and the accounts of the people that they met recently, Vithanage explained to The Sunday Morning: There is a large-scale land grabbing racket going on in the Uva and Eastern Provinces, which are backed by persons and institutions with political influence. They are well organised, and have managed to forge documents and deeds along with the survey plans, and have managed to fabricate files to indicate that they held these lands for over three decades.

According to Vithanage, these incidents had been revealed to them by the participants, during a meeting held in Badulla.

On a graver note, Vithanage stated that in Pottuvil, there is a considerable amount of land grabbing taking place, and since most of these lands are released for cultivation with annually renewing permits, there is a separate racket going on where businessmen from other areas are sending people to squat in these plots that are underdeveloped in an attempt to own these lands later on using forged documents.

Meanwhile, amidst the recommencement of work on the Central Expressway Project, which was stalled for over a year, it was brought to public attention that an endangered and endemic perennial tree, scientifically named Crudia zeylanica, or Sri Lankan Legume, was under threat of being destroyed, as the layout of the expressway was to go right over the ecosystem that holds the tree in place.

Claims were made that it was the sole surviving tree and should not be destroyed. Environmentalists, forest officers, politicians, and the media recently flocked to the site of the tree to observe and make statements in an attempt to protect the endemic and endangered tree.

The Sunday Morning spoke to University of Peradeniya Faculty of Science Department of Botany Head Prof. K.M.G. Gehan Jayasuriya, who is currently conducting research on the endemic species of plants in Sri Lanka that are on the verge of extinction.

The claims that are made that the tree that was spotted in Daraluwa, in the Gampaha District, are not true. There are several other Crudia zeylanica that were planted in the Peradeniya Botanical Garden, and then at the Henarathgoda Botanical Garden as well. While our research work only provides us the necessary means to study the ecosystem in which the tree would grow, and whether it could survive in an ecosystem as a singular species, or whether it has other subspecies that supports its survival, we are unable to look at improving or reproducing these trees, Prof. Jayasuriya noted.

Even academics are puzzled as to why there is suddenly a spotlight over this single tree, whereas the matter should have been raised at the time the field observations were made; had the scientists recognised that this was an endangered species, they should have immediately classified the tree and the surrounding area to be earmarked as a protected area under the Flora and Fauna Act.

Prof. Jayasuriya also requested that a national programme needs to be in place, if we are eager to protect endangered species that are endemic to the country and save them from going extinct.

When we conducted further research about Crudia zeylanica, we came across an entry at the herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, for which the famous botanist G.H.K. Thwaites had collected and submitted specimens of plant parts such as leaves, stem(s), and flowers/inflorescence in September 1863 that were pressed and preserved for cataloguing purposes. In the entry, Thwaites had listed the area of collection as Calutara (Kalutara).

With botanists indicating that there might be more Crudia zeylanica plants in low wetland areas of the country, the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation had requested the public to supply any information about surviving Crudia zeylanica plants by contacting them via telephone 011 367 1490, fax 011 287 9051, or email [emailprotected]

Minister for Wildlife and Forest Conservation C.B. Rathnayake had recommended the Cabinet of Ministers consider conserving the Crudia zeylanica tree in its original location in Daraluwa, as any attempts to move it might damage the tree.

I have suggested that the Road Development Authority and the Highway Minister consider adjusting the layout of the Central Expressway by considering an alternative that would protect the tree in its original location, Rathnayake explained.

He also reiterated that the responsibility of protecting and conserving the environment, and educating the future generations on conserving our natural habitat, should take place through the education sector as well.

I plan to discuss this matter with the Ministry of Education and request that they get the universities involved in looking at protecting any flora and fauna that are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In addition to that, we are also looking at setting up a teaching hospital in the wildlife veterinary care field attached to the University of Peradeniya as well, which will help us protect our wildlife and allow undergraduates to closely study the species that are endemic to Sri Lanka.

With the increasing deforestation and environmental damage taking place across the country, Ministry of Defence Secretary (Retd.) General Kamal Gunaratne recently shared his remarks with the media, indicating that the matter was taken up for discussion during a recent meeting of the Defence Council.

We are looking at implementing a task force with the assistance of the Police, the Sri Lanka Army, and the Sri Lanka Air Force to monitor the situation. While measures are in place to arrest the culprits, the clearing of vast areas continue to take place. We have received leads that some of the state officials too have been aiding these entities to carry out such exercises.

Gunaratne also added that when police, special task force, or army personnel visit the sites of areas that are subjected to deforestation, the labourers operating the machinery had permits in hand to carry out these activities. He noted that the President and the Prime Minister have been notified about such incidents, as these deforestation incidents have been taking place in the middle of reserves and thick forests.

Meanwhile, Gunaratne alleged that a Buddhist monk who was considered to be a close ally of the governing party is allegedly involved in environmental destruction in the Trincomalee area, and he had alerted the Governor of the Eastern Province and police officials to look into it and take immediate action.

I urge the media to report such incidents immediately and work closely with the Police to assist in arresting these perpetrators. It is quite unfortunate to know that there are several divisional secretaries who have issued permits and licences to such entities. Regardless of their political affiliations, no perpetrator should be allowed to get away with such offences, he explained.

More:
Deforestation and destruction of endemic species | Long-standing issue gone wild - nation.lk - The Nation Newspaper

Campaign ad from extremist candidate sparks row between right-wing leaders

A campaign ad from extremist political candidate Itamar Ben Gvir sparks a row between right-wing lawmakers Bezalel Smotrich and Naftali Bennett.

Ben Gvir, from the Otzma Yehudit faction, releases a campaign video on social media that attacks Arab and left-wing lawmakers, as well as Bennett.

Smotrichs Religious Zionism faction partnered with the extremist-right Kahanist Otzma Yehudit in a deal pushed by Netanyahu ahead of next months election.

Smotrich did not release the video, and claimed that he did not know about it ahead of its release.

The campaign ad shows a video of a fictional group text conversation between left-wing political leaders including the Arab majority Joint Lists Ayman Odeh, Meretzs Tamar Zandberg, Labors Merav Michaeli and Yesh Atids Yair Lapid.

The group jokes around in the video and adds right-wing party leaders Bennett of Yamina and Gideon Saar of New Hope.

The video shows a fictional text from Labor candidate Ibtisam Maraana, saying, I asked a Holocaust survivor one time, Whats your number? hahaha. Maraana, an Arab Israeli filmmaker, has been the subject of controversy in recent weeks.

At another point, Maaranana posts an image of Hitler with a heart emoji.

Lapid then agrees to demands from Arab lawmakers in the fictional chat, including canceling the right of return, which allows diaspora Jews to emigrate to Israel, and for establishing a Hamas Recognition Day.

Zandberg calls for a day for former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and a monthly visit to his gravesite.

At the end of the ad, Lapid writes, Believe me, were lucky theres not a government with Ben Gvir.

The ad closes with images of Ben Gvir and Smotrich and the text, Winning together.

Bennett wrote on Facebook, Bezalel, the time has come to say enough.

There is a limit. I have been quiet until now over all these attacks because I did not want to fight with you but tonight you crossed a line.

Smotrich says after the videos release, The video that was released tonight without our knowledge is a serious matter the Holocaust is out of bounds. Period.

He accused Bennett of aiming to form a government with Lapid and Michaeli, but said, The debate needs to be held within boundaries.

In another response, Smotrich says, Naftali, I already clarified that the video is a serious incident and that I dont stand behind it. Great that youre celebrating this and doing a lap. Now lets talk about values.

Continue reading here:
Thousands of IDF troops to assist in clean up of disastrous tar spill on coast - The Times of Israel

(Photo : Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh from Pexels)

The source of 95% of our food is topsoil, and theworld runs on it. Unfortunately, experts warn the with current agricultural practices,topsoils could be gone within the next 60 years.

For centuries, American farmers and agriculturalists relied on the natural fertility of the soil in order to produce food and crops. But with the boom of industrial farming in the early 20th century, farmers have relied on chemical fertilizers to maintain the fertility of the soil.

Constant inputs of chemical products such as fertilizers not only have health implications on us and the wildlife but also severely damages the topsoil.

Regenerative agriculture can be a way to reverse the damage done to both the soil and the climate.

The agriculture industry is one of the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas mostly responsible for climate change. Combining with forestry and various other land uses, agriculture is responsible for roughly 25% of all human-created greenhouse gas emissions.

Regenerative agriculture is the farming and grazing practice used by American farmers for centuries before the boom of industrial agriculture. This modern name of regenerative agriculture is a sustainable farming method that replenishes the nutrients in the soil while combating the effects of climate change.

Returning to more traditional methods of farming is beginning to gain momentum in an effort to reverse damage to both the climate and the soil that we depend on for food and survival.

It works by rebuilding the topsoil's organic matter and restoring the degraded soil biodiversity.

ALSO READ: Organic Meat Is No 'Greener' Than the Rest of the Meat

Regenerative agriculture includes a wide range of practices that have been utilized by farmers and grazers for centuries.

Many gardeners and farmers have practices turning over their soil in the belief that it will expose newly planted crops to a greater abundance of nutrients. However, tillage breaks existing organic matter in the soil, thereby destroying networks of decomposers and reducing the soil's natural fertility.

Tillage is also responsible for accelerating evaporation when it exposes water to the air. In turn, what remains is a drier, less fertile soil that is subject to erosion.

Whether it's for crops or pasture, land-clearing is an instinctive first step in farming. On the other hand, agroforestry has become an increasingly used form of regenerative agriculture.

By integrating shrubs and trees into animal farming systems and crops, farmers help avoid deforestation and create a holistic ecosystem that naturally gives nutrients back to the soil and increasing yields.

Like many practices of regenerative agriculture, agroforestry has been a long tradition in farming and grazing. Breadfruit has been grown in diverse agroforests and has become a staple crop in Pacific culture.

Project Drawdown has ranked regenerative agriculture as the 11th most efficient means of combating climate change next to solar farms. Industrial agriculture heavily relies on fossil-fuels and long supply chains of chemical-based fertilizers with each step further contributing to the worrying climate crisis.

Regenerative agriculture, on the other hand, lowers carbon footprints and keeps the natural nutrients in the soil for generations more to come.

RELATED STORY: Lab-Grown Plants: MIT Makes Better Alternatives to Forestry and Farming

Check out more news and information on Agriculture on Science Times.

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Regenerative Agriculture: What is it? - Science Times

The New York Times

President Joe Biden used his first public encounter with Americas European allies to describe a new struggle between the West and the forces of autocracy, declaring that America is back while acknowledging that the past four years had taken a toll on its power and influence. His message stressing the importance of reinvigorating alliances and recommitting to defending Europe was predictably well received at a session of the Munich Security Conference that Biden addressed from the White House. But there was also pushback, notably from the French president, Emmanuel Macron, who in his address made an impassioned defense of his concept of strategic autonomy from the United States, making the case that Europe can no longer be overly dependent on the United States as it focuses more of its attention on Asia, especially China. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times And even Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, who is leaving office within the year, tempered her praise for Bidens decision to cancel plans for a withdrawal of 12,000 U.S. troops from the country with a warning that our interests will not always converge. It appeared to be a reference to Germanys ambivalence about confronting China a major market for its automobiles and other high-end German products and to the continuing battle with the United States over the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Russia. But all three leaders seemed to recognize that their first virtual encounter was a moment to celebrate the end of the era of America First, and for Macron and Merkel to welcome back Biden, a politician whom they knew well from his years as a senator and vice president. And Biden used the moment to warn about the need for a common strategy in pushing back at an Internet-fueled narrative, promoted by both Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China, that the chaos surrounding the American election was another sign of democratic weakness and decline. We must demonstrate that democracies can still deliver for our people in this changed world, Biden said, adding, We have to prove that our model isnt a relic of history. For the president, a regular visitor to the conference even as a private citizen after serving as vice president, the address was something of a homecoming. The session was crunched down to a video meeting by Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, this years host, and the European leaders decided to do the same for a brief, closed meeting of the Group of 7 allies that Biden also participated in. The next in-person summit meeting is still planned for Britain this summer, pandemic permitting. Biden never named his predecessor, Donald Trump, in his remarks, but framed them around wiping out the traces of Trumpism in the United States approach to the world. He celebrated its return to the Paris climate agreement, which took effect just before the meeting, and a new initiative, announced Thursday night, to join Britain, France and Germany in engaging Iran diplomatically in an effort to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement that Trump exited. But rather than detail an agenda, Biden tried to recall the first principles that led to the Atlantic alliance and the creation of NATO in 1949, near the beginning of the Cold War. Democracy doesnt happen by accident, the president said. We have to defend it. Strengthen it. Renew it. In a deliberate contrast to Trump, who talked about withdrawing from NATO and famously declined on several occasions to acknowledge the United States responsibilities under Article V of the alliances charter to come to the aid of members under attack, Biden cast the United States as ready to assume its responsibilities as the linchpin of the alliance. We will keep the faith with the obligation, he said, adding that an attack on one is an attack on all. But he also pressed Europe to think about challenges in a new way different from the Cold War, even if the two biggest geostrategic adversaries seem familiar. We must prepare together for long-term strategic competition with China, he said, naming cyberspace, artificial intelligence and biotechnology as the new territory for competition. And he argued for pushing back against Russia he called Putin by his last name, with no title attached mentioning in particular the need to respond to the SolarWinds attack that was aimed at federal and corporate computer networks. Addressing Russian recklessness and hacking into computer networks in the United States and across Europe and the world has become critical to protect collective security, Biden said. The president avoided delving in to the difficult question of how to make Russia pay a price without escalating the confrontation. A senior White House cyberofficial told reporters this week that the scope and depth of the Russian intrusion was still under study, and officials are clearly struggling to come up with options to fulfill Bidens commitment to make Putin pay a price for the attack. But it was the dynamic with Macron, who has made a habit of criticizing the NATO alliance as nearing brain death and no longer pertinent since the disappearance of the Warsaw Pact, that captured attention. Macron wants NATO to act as more of a political body, a place where European members have equivalent status to the United States and are less subject to the American tendency to dominate decision-making. A Europe better able to defend itself, and more autonomous, would make NATO even stronger than before, Macron insisted. He said Europe should be much more in charge of its own security, increasing its commitments to spending on defense to rebalance the trans-Atlantic relationship. That is not a widely shared view among the many European states that do not want to spend the money required, and the nations of Central and Eastern Europe are unwilling to trust their security to anyone but the United States. Macron also urged that the renovation of NATOs security abilities should involve a dialogue with Russia. NATO has always claimed that it is open to better relations with Moscow, but that Russia is not interested, especially as long as international sanctions remain after its seizure of Crimea from Ukraine about seven years ago. But Macron, speaking in English to answer a question, also argued that Europe could not count on the United States as much as it had in past decades. We must take more of the burden of our own protection, he said. In practice, it will take many years for Europe to build up a defense arm that would make it more self-reliant. But Macron is determined to start now, just as he is determined to increase the European Unions technological capacities so that it can become less dependent on American and Chinese supply chains. Biden, in contrast, wants to deepen those supply chains of both hardware and software among like-minded Western allies in an effort to lessen Chinese influence. He is preparing to propose a new joint project for European and American technology companies in areas like semiconductors and the kinds of software that Russia exploited in the SolarWinds hacking. It was Merkel who dwelled on the complexities of dealing with China, given its dual role as competitor and necessary partner for the West. In recent years, China has gained global clout, and as trans-Atlantic partners and democracies, we must do something to counter this, Merkel said. Russia continually entangles European Union members in hybrid conflicts, she said. Consequently, it is important that we come up with a trans-Atlantic agenda toward Russia that makes cooperative offers on the one hand, but on the other very clearly names the differences. While Biden announced he would make good on an American promise to donate $4 billion to the campaign to expedite the manufacturing and distribution of coronavirus vaccines around the world a move approved last year by a Democratic-led House and a Republican led-Senate there were clear differences in approach during the meeting. Underscoring the importance that the European Union accords to Africa, Macron called on Western nations to supply 13 million vaccine doses to African governments as soon as possible to protect health workers. He warned that if the alliance failed to do this, our African friends will be pressured by their populations, and rightly so, to buy doses from the Chinese, the Russians or directly from laboratories. Vaccine donations would reflect a common will to advance and share the same values, Macron said. Otherwise, the power of the West, of Europeans and Americans, will be only a concept, and not a reality. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, on Friday also urged countries and drugmakers to help speed up the manufacturing and distribution of vaccines across the globe, warning that the world could be back at Square 1 if some countries went ahead with their vaccination campaigns and left others behind. Vaccine equity is not just the right thing to do, its also the smartest to do, Tedros said to the Munich conference. He argued that the longer it would take to vaccinate populations in every country, the longer the pandemic would remain out of control. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company

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What would happen if humans tried to land on Jupiter - Yahoo News

Part of the GoFundMe money raised will be used to create a scholarship at St. Laurence Catholic School, where the siblings were enrolled.

SHELLEY CHILDERS: Sugar Land firefighters were called to this home in the Lakes of Edgewater community around 2:00 AM. They were on scene within 10 minutes, but the home, they say, was already filled with smoke and flames. Inside, three children and their grandmother were found dead. The fire department says their 41-year-old mother was outside the home with burns frantic to get back inside.

- When we arrived, the woman was very distraught, emotionally upset. She had to be physically restrained because she was trying to get back into the house to save her family.

SHELLEY CHILDERS: Neighbors say this area lost power Monday afternoon. Investigators say social media posts show the family was using a chimney to stay warm, but it's unclear, at this point, if that was the cause. Neighbors are now wondering if this crushing scene could have been avoided.

- It's a horrible tragedy, and it should have been unnecessary. It shouldn't have happened.

SHELLEY CHILDERS: The mother and another friend, who also suffered burns on the scene, are both being treated at the hospital. In Sugar Land, Shelley Childers, ABC 13 "Eyewitness News."

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How to help family of children killed in Sugar Land House Fire - Yahoo News

Fariha Bhatti Feb 19, 00:51

Controller agents are most viable on passive plays, but Valorant's most underrated agent, Viper, can be a menace on the attacking side thanks to her snake bite.

Painted in Paris green, the controller agent may be visually pleasing but is extremely deadly when used correctly. A few players who main Viper use her for her bombshell ultimate or unique re-usable smokes. Her molotov's efficacy usually goes unnoticed.

Tackling a large map like Haven can be challenging for players. However, a good sentinel or controller can help make this map easier. These lineups for Snakebite prove that Viper's molotov is the ultimate key to clearing out tight corners on Ascent both on the attack.

A Site's Haven is a critical angle that defenders utilize to hold off attacker pushes. A smoke may help block their sight, but a well-calculated molotov can cause damage as well. To injure enemies at Window, stand atop the sacks on A Long. Aim at the corner where the wall connects with the house and shoot your launcher.

From this same position, you can create excellent post-plant molotov. Step down from the sacks and aim at the corner of the burnt building, as shown in the image. Launch the molotov to poison the enemies defusing the Spike on A Default.

For B Site-post plant, Viper's molotov works just as good as Brimstone's ultimate. Make sure the spike is planted is for the courtyard and position yourself towards the mid doors. Aim at the door's corner seal, peek enough to bounce your launcher against it.

Ascent's C Site is relatively easier to open as long as you have a solid initiator or controller. Viper's poison can help clear out corners before you push in, allowing a quick Spike plant without taking up unnecessary duels. The corner behind the generator is one of the most common hiding spots for defenders.

To burn them out, align yourself with the brick outside of C Long and aim up at the wood slats. Place your crosshair in the middle of the wooden bars and shoot the launcher. This will land right behind the generator, allowing your teammates to take the hiding enemies down.

C Entrance's left side is another pain point, which is just as predictable as it is dangerous. Enemies usually camp there to take the attackers by surprise. It's better to clear out this angle beforehand instead of dying to a close-range SMG spray.

Aim at the wood threshold outside of C Long and place your crosshair a bit far from the roof shingle. Shoot the molotov as soon as your team starts pushing as the launcher takes five seconds to land on the corner.

Using these Viper snakebite lineups, you may find it easier to open sites and play a crucial role even after the plant. The team could save up Brimstone, Killjoy, and Sova's ultimate if there's a Viper with two molotovs on the team.

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Use these Viper molotov lineups in Valorant to win rounds on Haven - WIN.gg

February 19, 2021

Radiation under a Staten Island park from a 1940s landfill and a fight over who should clean it up has again halted progress on the East Shore Seawall, a key climate resiliency project.

The radiation in the planned 5.3-mile seawall's path comes from Great Kills Park, where radium-226 was first found during an anti-terror aerial survey conducted by the NYPD in 2005. The vast majority of the park has been shut since 2009.

The seawall originally was supposed to be completed this year. But now more than eight years after Superstorm Sandy devastated parts of the borough and about six years after the project was announced, construction remains stalled as the feds, city and state differ on who's responsible for getting rid of the radiation.

Now it could be 2026 before the work gets done, officials say.

The Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) told its state and city partners in August that it couldn't undertake the planned removal of hazardous materials on the land without a policy waiver from the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, according to various city and federal officials.

But the Army Corps would first have to recommend the policy waiver, which it hasn't done.

"Given there is very little precedent for [radioactive waste] remediation work to be undertaken by USACE as part of a civil works project, there is no guarantee a waiver would be approved," Jennifer Gunn, a spokesperson for the Army Corps, told THE CITY last week.

Citing federal environmental protection laws, Gunn asserted that the contamination is ultimately not her agency's responsibility.

"USACE is not a potentially responsible party for the contamination located within the project site," said Gunn.

"Remediation [is] the responsibility of the non-federal sponsor, New York State. USACE has every expectation the non-federal sponsor will comply with the terms of the agreements they sign," said Gunn in a statement Friday.

The Army Corps, city and the state signed an agreement in 2019 that assigned clean-up duties to the state, Gunn noted. The Army Corps has also suggested that either Albany or City Hall could take on the hazmat effort, since it is on land owned by the city, officials told THE CITY.

First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan told the Army in a January letter that making the city find a contractor to do the work would delay construction, currently set to end in 2025, by at least 12 months.

But Fuleihan affirmed that, as outlined in its 2019 agreement with the Army Corps, the city would pay for the entire cost of the Army Corps or state removing the radioactive waste.

"Staten Islanders were devastated by Hurricane Sandy and must be protected from future storms without delay," Jainey Bavishi, director of the Mayor's Office of Resiliency told THE CITY in a statement. "The city, state, and both of New York's senators are united in urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake the radioactive waste remediation work that will allow this project to move forward."

The state Department of Environmental Conservation's commissioner, however, didn't acknowledge any responsibility to clean the site and implored the Army Corps to take on the task in a Jan. 8 letter seeking to "clarify New York's position" regarding waste cleanup.

"It was the understanding of New York State that USACE would manage any radioactive material that might be excavated during the construction of the levee/floodwall," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos wrote, citing a project agreement.

A DEC spokesperson, Maureen Wren, pointed THE CITY to the letter when asked about the state's responsibility to carry out the remediation.

Gunn said the Army Corps can provide technical oversight for clean-up sites, but it would still likely also need to contract out the work.

The urgency of the 5.3 mile seawall, which would stretch from the foot of the Verrazano Bridge at Fort Wadsworth to Oakwood Beach, near Great Kills Park, is twofold for Staten Islanders.

The marine structure is intended to protect thousands of residents from potential rising waters, but it will also trigger immediate decreases in flood insurance premiums for East Shore homeowners once the project is half built.

Construction hasn't even started, according to Gunn. The original completion date for the project was 2021, but it's been plagued by delays since its inception in 2015.

A formal contract among governmental partners wasn't signed until four years after the seawall project which includes a new boardwalk, drainage improvements, road elevation and tide gates was announced.

Staten Island Borough President James Oddo told THE CITY that this latest obstacle is especially frustrating because the city, state and federal agencies all knew about the issue of radiation when they entered into an official agreement in February 2019 to jointly execute the $615 million project.

"The issue of the radiological material and the need for a clean up was not necessarily new news," said Oddo, who said that all parties were aware of this as far back as 2015.

Oddo said the key to forward momentum may lie with now U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who also implored the Army Corps to take on the clean-up in a December letter with fellow Democratic New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand

"An inability of the Army Corps to move forward with remediation threatens to significantly delay completion of the seawall estimated to be at least two years," the senators and then-Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island, Brooklyn) wrote.

The stalemate likely means that the clean-up contract likely won't be awarded anytime soon, but the state and Army Corps will "initiate construction at other segments, to expedite coastal storm risk reduction for this long-suffering, low-lying community."

New York City dumped about 15 million cubic yards of waste fill from 1944 to 1948 into the park's low lying wetlands. The National Park Service took over jurisdiction in 1972.

Chemical contaminants, including incinerator residue, sewage sludge and coal ash from a city-run incinerator used at the site are also present in the park, according to a 2017 report from NPS.

This story was originally published on Feb 15, 2021 by THE CITY. Sign up here to get the latest stories from THE CITY delivered to you each morning.

THE CITY is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York.

The rest is here:
A Five-Mile Seawall Was Supposed To Protect Staten Island By 2021. A Fight Over Radiation Cleanup Stands In The Way - Patch.com

Posted on Feb 16, 2021 in Latest News, Newsroom

(Waimnalo) Just after dawn, two officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) drove around the 16-acre former site of the Dragon Garden-Hawaii Bonsai Cultural Center in the back of the valley Waimnalo. They entered numerous structures to make sure there were no squatters, in advance of an enormous clean-up of the property.

Based on lease violations, lessees Walter Liew and Ann Liew lost their lease after a ruling from the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR), last December.

Abandoned vehicles, illegal structures, an infinite variety of rubbish, and possibly hazardous chemicals leaking from discarded barrels or mixed in soil that was illegally dumped create a literal potpourri of useless junk.

During the clean-up work crews and heavy equipment will be working and could pose safety hazards to anyone in the area. DOCARE officers will continue to patrol the property. Anyone trespassing onto the property could be cited or arrested.

When the head of the clean-up crew from the DLNR Engineering Division surveyed the extent of the mess this morning, he estimated it will take several weeks to clear everything out.

The land is designated for agricultural purposes and is expected to remain as such, once the remediation is completed.

# # #

(RESOURCES)

(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

HD video Property and SOTs (DOCARE officer Fagota Tataipu):

Photographs Property and DOCARE sweep:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cxrju2ggcwp60jx/AAAusKi3YtsNuFNTNt_mTJkra?dl=0

Media Contact:

Dan Dennison

Senior Communications Manager

(808) 587-0396

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DLNR NEWS RELEASE: DRAGON BONSAI GARDEN IN WAIMNALO IS SITE OF MASSIVE PROPERTY CLEAN-UP - David Y. Ige | Newsroom

The companies claimed to have made significant strides in reducing the use of child labor, but have failed to meet their goal because "the real magnitude of child labor in the cocoa supply chain and how to address the phenomenon were poorly understood" when they made the pledge in 2001, as Timothy S. McCoy, a World Cocoa Foundation vice president, explained to the Washington Post. They further stated that the blame for child labor cannot lay entirely with them, saying the West African government, NGOs, and other members of the international community must also accept some responsibility for the problem.

"This lawsuit does not advance the shared goal of ending child labor in the cocoa industry. Child labor is a complex, global problem, and tackling this issue is a shared responsibility. All stakeholders including governments, NGOs, communities, and the broader cocoa industry need to continue to address its root causes to have an impact," a Nestl spokesperson said in an email statement sent to Business Insider. Hershey's concurred in a similar statement, saying: "We have worked hard over the past several years to implement meaningful programs and work with our cocoa suppliers and West African governments to combat these issues and use our influence to make a positive impact," but addressing child labor "requires significant investment and intervention on the ground in West Africa, not in the courts."

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The Horrifying Reason These Major Chocolate Companies Could Be Facing Legal Action In The US - Mashed

SINGAPORE - Large swathes of Kranji woodland along the rail corridor were mistakenly clearedwhile the authorities were in the midst of biodiversity impact assessments there.

Aerial photos of the site showing the destruction of the woodland, a 70hagreen patch home to around 40 species of birds, emerged on social media on Sunday (Feb 14). One picture showed a narrow strip of trees surrounding the rail corridor, with much of the rest cleared.

In response to these posts, a JTC Corporation spokesman said on Tuesday that the land was "erroneously" cleared by its contractor before the completion of environmental assessments.

The National Parks Board told The Straits Times that it is investigating the unauthorised clearance at the site.

"We take a serious view of unauthorised greenery clearance and will not hesitate to take the appropriate enforcement action," it added.

Development projects in Singapore near sensitive nature areas are subject to greater scrutiny and may be required to carry out more detailed environmental studies.

Beginning at the end of last December, green patches were cleared on the site, slated for the Agri-Food Innovation Park, which is part of the Sungei Kadut Eco-District (Sked). The master plan for the latter, which seeks to support new growth sectors such as agri-tech and environmental technology, was announced in February last year.

Upon discovering the mistake during a site inspection on Jan 13, JTC instructed the contractor, Huationg, to stop all clearing works immediately.

No further clearing has taken place at the site since then and the contractor has been issued a stern warning, JTC said.

According to the statutory board, it had engaged an environmental specialist to conduct a biodiversity baseline study last December to create an environmental monitoring and management plan (EMMP) for specified plots of land within the area. These were expected to be completed around April before plans to engage stakeholders.

"JTC will continue with the baseline study and EMMP and will work closely with all relevant stakeholders...to ensure that the Sked redevelopment plans are carried out with due consultation and in an environmentally responsible and sensitive manner," the spokesman said.

"The findings of the studies will be publicly available when ready."

In a statement, Huationg apologised and said it was working with JTC on investigations "to determine the cause of this lapse, and to prevent future occurrences".

"We are also reviewing internally and working with JTC to strengthen our project management processes," the contractor added.

Members of the nature community were shocked by what had happened.

Mr Brice Li, who posted the photos, said: "My heart sank when I saw that around 40 to 50 per cent of the area was gone."

The green patches cleared were on a site slated for the Agri-Food Innovation Park. PHOTO:BRICE LI/FACEBOOK

Upon receiving a phone call about the situation, the creative art director visited the site to survey the damage on the first and second day of Chinese New Year.

"I usually share photos and videos showcasing the beauty of places but this was too much for me not to show," added the nature lover who had shot a video of the woodland in May 2019.

"This was a... human error that could have been avoided," he said.

One picture showed a narrow strip of trees surrounding the rail corridor, with much of the rest cleared.PHOTO: BRICE LI/FACEBOOK

On Monday, Nature Society Singapore (NSS) commented in a Facebook post that this was a "shocking and dreadful development".

"It's a huge oversight... We lost a sizeable natural habitat and a picturesque space for hikers along the northern sector of the rail corridor," said NSSconservation committee chair Leong Kwok Peng.

This will likely affect the ecological significance of the rail corridor, but the impact can be fully understood only with an environment impact assessment, said environmental consultant Tony O'Dempsey.

"If we take out the destinations that the rail corridor connects to, it has less utility as a corridor," he added.

Nature lovers recommended retaining the woodland as part of the design for the redevelopment.

The Kranji woodland is unique because it forms a direct connection between the mangrove-lined Sungei Pang Sua tidal canal and the rail corridor, said Mr O'Dempsey.

Birds and bats, which use the woodland for nesting and roosting, are important seed dispersers that contribute to the area's biodiversity.

"This would be a crowning feature of the (Sked) development, bringing some heart to the built environment," he added.

"We would have proposed a bigger width for the green buffer on both sides of the rail corridor and that the Kranji woodland be merged with Sungei Pang Sua as a single habitat," Mr Leong said, adding that wildlife tends to be richer with a water body.

"I am confident that whatever damage has been done can be restored... though it could take over a decade or so," said Mr O'Dempsey.

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NParks investigating after swathes of Kranji woodland along rail corridor were cleared by mistake - The Straits Times