Daily Archives: July 19, 2017

Utopia’s new desktop is a quad CPU beast that starts at 23000 – PCR-online.biz

Posted: July 19, 2017 at 4:35 am

Kilmarnock-based system builder Utopia Computers has gone all-out with its latest creation the Sonox C4 that it calls the 'world's fastest desktop PC' that also happens to be the first watercooled Quad CPU system in Europe.

It might be a bold claim, but the system builder backs it up with some pretty jaw-dropping specs. Coming equipped with fourIntel Xeon E7 CPUs installed on a SuperMicro motherboard, the system is configurable up to 96 cores, 192 threads and a staggering 2TB of memory with a 4TB option on the way (your eyes don't deceive you, that's RAM, not storage).

And the price tag is just as staggering, starting at23,362 and rising to 83,311.

Obviously this isn't going to be your run-of-the-mill system for any old user, and in fact this system in particular was an entirely bespoke system initially made to order, said Utopia director Craig Hume:Over the last few years we have been building ever faster and more exciting computers. We listen to the needs of our clients and while we are a hardware manufacturer, we also believe we are a solutions provider. The new C4 range of Sonox PCs was born from the requirements of an individual client. Now that we have served that client we are excited to offer this solution to everyone.

We believe in working closely with our clients to help create the perfect specification for their needs. added Andrew Robinson, workstation specialist at Utopia. We take the time to understand the outcomes that our clients are looking to achieve. At this level of system, each part down the the individual fan mounts, are hand picked to ensure the ultimate in performance and reliability.

If you want to see just how mad you can make the workstation, have a look at Utopia's system configuator here.

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FIBA U17 Oceania Development Camp – FIBA

Posted: at 4:34 am

19/07/2017

Oceania

Four different nations took part in the FIBA Oceania Development Camp 2017

GUAM Every two years, teams from around the Oceania come together to compete at the FIBA U17 Oceania Championships. It is a chance for the best youth players to compete against each other, make new friends and determine a champion.

For some countries, it is the chance to size themselves up against regional powerhouses, Australia and New Zealand, who boast huge populations and notoriously talented youth basketball teams.

With amazing basketball facilities, national junior high-performance programs and teams of people managing the development of basketball in their country, Australia and New Zealand always prove to be a formidable foe. Whilst others countries in the region only have one or two volunteers to manage all basketball matters in the country and play their National Championships on outdoor courts.

All nations share the same love and passion for the sport of basketball but some have more development opportunities and resources than others. This is why FIBA in Oceania created the FIBA Oceania Development Camp.

Following the group phase of the FIBA U17 Oceania Championships 2017, teams were split into Division A and Division B. The Division A teams played off for a medal whereas the Division B teams received a once in a lifetime opportunity for some of these athletes.

At the conclusion of the Division B Medal games, players and coaches from these were invited to attend a 2-day development camp conducted by FIBA in Oceania Development Manager Annie La Fleur. Guest coaches included Basketball Australia Head of High Performance Coach Development Peter Lonogan, New Zealand U17 Mens Head Coach Miles Pierce and New Zealand U17 Womens Head Coach Jody Cameron.

The focus of the camp was on "the fantastic five of basketball - pivot, pass, dribble, shoot and individual defense, said Mr. Lonogan.

Picture 50 teenage athletes from the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Palau and Tahiti national teams together on the court, working together and learning from each other. Some of these athletes had never played on a court with floorboards before this event and now they are being coached by some of the best in the region.

FIBA Oceania has had a strong commitment to player & coach development for a long time and it was an honor to play a small part in this endeavor. The energy for learning is always great in these sessions and the Pacific athletes were very receptive.

Coach Pierce working one-on-one with the athletes

This was a very humbling experience for me, added Mr. Pierce. It felt amazing being able to work with these kids, they were great. Even with some language barriers with the French speaking athletes, you could see how eager they were to listen and learn.

It was fantastic to see all of these athletes taking everything in, said La Fleur. They were very receptive to what the coaches had to say and tried to perfect everything they asked. Growing up in Papua New Guinea, we were never exposed to this level of coaching. I am very proud to be a part of something that is providing these types of opportunities to athletes.

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Experts to assess, develop solutions for Oceania water – Fiji Sun Online

Posted: at 4:34 am

The University of the South Pacific (USP) will be working with a team of scientists from the University of Auckland, New Zealand and regional experts and key stakeholders from the region, to identify the most critical water security, equity, and sustainability issues facing New Zealand and the rest of Oceania, as well as develop solutions to tackle the challenges.

Dr Krishna Kotra, Science Programme Coordinator at USPs Emalus Campus in Port Vila said the university had been a champion in the research front in the Pacific with in-house and collaborative projects being undertaken.

USP has made these research works part of their curriculum and also provides first-hand training to its students, Dr Kotra said.

The university is moving towards being an excellent university hence has been vibrant in all areas of research both in the Pacific and all over the world.

He said USPs Emalus campus had been hosting these types of collaborative research initiatives for the best usage of student engagement and as a part of science promotion in the region and capacity building.

Dr Kotra welcomed the collaborative initiative from the University of Auckland and Dr Lokesh Padhye; and stressed that the Emalus campus and USP would certainly be part of the network and looked forward to finding sustainable solutions for the needs of the Pacific.

Emalus Campus manager Ruben Markward welcomed Dr Lokesh Padhye and said that the campus was looking forward to these initiatives.

The research work into water quality and sustainability in Oceania was the topic of a presentation by Dr Lokesh Padhye, Senior Lecturer in Engineering of the University of Auckland, hosted by USPs Emalus Campus in Port Vila, Vanuatu, on June 14.

The Oceania Water Research (OWRC) was established by the Auckland University and Dr Padhye said that its intention was to create a network of researchers in Oceanic to carry out this project.

Source: University of the South Pacific

Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj

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Double gold dominance for Australia at FIBA Oceania U17 Championships – The Pick and Roll (blog)

Posted: at 4:34 am

Dominance from both the Crocs and Sapphires has resulted inFIBA Oceania U17 double gold for Australia.

The men and women breezed past their competition, with the only real test coming against New Zealand in both gold medal games.

The story of the tournament for the under 17 Australian men was truly in the statistics.

Through their five games they averaged142.6 points, 27 steals, and a winning margin of 104.2 points per game (Team Statistics).

They held their opposition to single digit scoring in 11 of their 20 quarters played, while managing to score above 30 points in 14 of them. That is more than just outstanding, it was simply pure dominance.

The coaching staff was able to spread the minutes, with no player averaging less than 16 minutes per game.

As was expected, the Crocs faced New Zealand in the gold medal game. They managed to win every quarter in what was a convincing 93-55 win (Box Score). Samson Froling was rightfully awarded MVP for the final, recording a big double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Froling was also named in the all-star five for the tournament, along with teammates Sean MacDonald, and Kody Stattmann who were also brilliant throughout the event (Player Statistics).

After the gold medal game, Stattmann discussed his teams success, Overall, I think we did really good. Coach told us to go out and play aggressive, and I think we did that throughout the tournament.

Feels great. All the boys put in hard work and we didnt get much training before we came, but overall its a great feeling, he said.

Just like the Crocs, the Sapphires dominated throughout the tournament and were arguably even more impressive.

They averaged 135 points, 25.6 steals, and a winning margin of 112 points per game (Team Statistics).

Their defense was incredible, keeping their opposition to three points or less in 11 out of 20 quarters. When they played the Marshall Islands, they held them to just three points for the entire game such was the gap in quality between the sides. No doubt coach Tracy York would have been disappointed that they let Tamara Andrike get loose for those three points! If you want to look at one of the most lop-sided box scores youll ever see, click here.

In the gold medal game, New Zealand proved to be no pushover, making Australia work for their win. The Kiwis in fact led by a point at quarter time, no doubt sending a scare through the Australian camp. However, the Sapphires managed to gain control of the game over the next three periods and run away 81-60 winners (Box Score).

Shyla Heal was named MVP of the trans-Tasman clash for her 13 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. She was also named in the all-star five for the tournament along with fellow countrywomen Miela Goodchild and Isabelle Bourne who were outstanding all week (Player Statistics).

The next step for the both sides is the FIBA U18 Asia Championships next year. After the gold medal game, Bourne spoke about what her side was expecting in 2018.

Were really excited to be going to the Asia Championships, but we still gotta work hard. We just need to prepare for the harder physicality and I think well be alright, she said.

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Emirates A380 flight ‘almost collides’ with Air Seychelles aircraft reports – Gulf Business News

Posted: at 4:34 am

An Emirates Airbus A380 flight from Dubai to Mauritius almost collided with an Air Seychelles flight that was leaving from the island country during the weekend, according to reports.

On Friday, July 14, Emirates flight EK703, operated on an A380-800 aircraft, was preparing to descend in Mauritius. Meanwhile Air Seychelles flight HM054 operated by a Airbus A330-200, was cleared for take-off from Mauritius to Mahe Island.

According to reports, while the Air Seychelles was given clearance by the Mauritius Air Traffic Control (ATC) to climb and maintain 37,000 ft, EK703 was given clearance to descend and maintain 38,000 ft.

However, reports allege that the Emirates crew read back Flight Level 360 (36,000 ft) to Mauritius ATC which was not corrected and began the descent.

As they headed towards a possible collision, both the flights received TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system) resolution advisories, and the Air Seychelles flight also sharply turned right, preventing an accident.

According to a report by The Aviation Herald, data from transponders of both the aircraft implies that the horizontal separation between the two planes was about 7.5 nanometres when they passed through FL360 (36,000ft) at zero vertical separation, and was about 4 nanometres when the vertical separation between the two aircraft reached 1,000 feet with EK703 below FL360 and HM54 at FL370 (37,000 ft).

In a brief statement, an Emirates spokesperson said: Emirates has received reports of an event on July 14, 2017 in relation to aircraft separation involving flight EK703 in Mauritius airspace. The matter has been reported to the respective air transport authorities and Emirates will extend its full cooperation to any investigation.

The safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance.

Emirates offers daily flights to and from Mauritius. Air Seychelles flies five times weekly to and from Mauritius.

In March this year, an Emirates A380 bound for Dubai also collided with a Scoot 787 Dreamliner in the early hours of the morning at Singapores Changi Airport.

Both the planes needed repairs.

Read more: Emirates A380 collides with Scoot plane in Singapore

Also read: Emirates A380 nearly caused private jet crash over Arabian Sea report

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James Michel Foundation signs MOU with Government of Seychelles – eTurboNews

Posted: at 4:34 am

During a ceremony held yesterday to mark the first Blue Economy Day at the Seychelles Institute of Teachers Education (SITE), the Chief Executive Officer of the James Michel Foundation, Mr. Jacquelin Dugasse, and the Minister of Environment, Energy & Climate Change, Mr. Didier Dogley, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Cooperation.

The aim of the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation is to ensure harmonization and a holistic approach to the work undertaken by the Government of Seychelles and the James Michel Foundation on the Blue Economy.

Under the MOU, the James Michel Foundation and the Government of Seychelles will pool resources and actions in the following areas:

Policy compatibility and representation Joint activities Exchange of information and experience

The signing of the MOU establishes the platform for cooperation between the Government of Seychelles and the James Michel Foundation for the promotion of the Blue Economy concept, raise awareness of climate change impacts on Seychelles, advance the cause of small island developing states nationally and internationally, said Mr. Dugasse.

The ceremony was also organized to celebrate the Youth Ocean Champions. The James Michel Foundation sponsored prizes, which were presented to the children by Mr. Jacquelin Dugasse. The prizes were given for the winners of the national school competition Blue Economy Career Profile as well as prizes for Anse Royale primary school and Pointe Larue secondary school for promoting the Blue Economy Concept at community level.

Also present at the ceremony were the Vice President, Mr. Vincent Meriton; Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, Mr. Joel Morgan; and Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture, Mrs. Mitcy Larue.

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Bahamas ‘Left Behind’ Without Transparency – Bahamas Tribune

Posted: at 4:31 am

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas will "continue to be left behind" unless it becomes fully transparent, amid suggestions yesterday that the Government could save $13 million annually through procurement.

K Peter Turnquest, Deputy Prime Minister and minister of finance, said the Government "cannot hide" the country's challenges from the Bahamian people, and pledged to lay out this nation's economic and financial performance "good and bad".

Speaking at the launch of a $33 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) project to reform the Government's financial management and procurement systems, Mr Turnquest bemoaned the "frustrating" lack of access to quality statistical data in the Bahamas.

Refuting recent Opposition charges, Mr Turnquest said it was "ridiculous" to suggest that the Government should be less transparent on the state of its finances and the economy. He added that the project would bring "meaningful change" to the Government's management of its fiscal resources, and improve its ability to collect data and provide quality statistics.

As a businessman, the Deputy Prime Minister said it was frustrating to try and put together a business plan without having access to basic statistical data.

"It's not necessarily that it doesn't exist; it just doesn't exist in one place and isn't available to public," he added. "We intend to be a transparent government, and a part of that is laying out the national statistics, good and bad.

"Only in acknowledging our weaknesses are we able to address them and introduce well thought-out strategies to fix them. We cannot hide from the Bahamian people those challenges that we have. We want to be graded as a government and a country on the facts. Unless we are transparent we will continue to be left behind."

Mr Turnquest told Tribune Business: "The suggestion that we somehow be less than transparent, in particular to the Bahamian people and the rating agencies, who are international observers, is a ridiculous suggestion. That has led us to where we are we are today.

"We are not benefiting from the feedback of those who have suggestions that may help us to improve. We are committed to be transparent and above board in all our dealings."

Mr Turnquest added that the Bahamas has gone through a "rough period" economically, and greater efforts must be made to boost the economy. "We believe that we must focus on how we can turn around the economy, and increase employment and private sector wealth creation through business opportunities," he said.

"We want to transition people from government jobs, or even jobs in the private sector per se, to creating wealth and opportunity for themselves."

Mr Turnquest said that the IDB project, combined with the Minnis administration's 'intense' expenditure review and enhanced revenue collection, would help to narrow the deficit. "We believe that there has been far too much wastage over the years," he added.

The $33 million project was approved by the IDB in July 2014, but only received Parliamentary approval in February 2016. The project consists of four components. The first will focus on strengthening the management capacity of the public sector to monitor priority projects and programmes more efficiently and effectively.

The second component will aim to improve the ability of the Government to collect data and produce quality statistics, while the third will deal with public financial management, with the objective of improving efficiency in how public funds are allocated.

The fourth component aims to modernise the public procurement system by promoting efficient market competition and value for money. According to the IDB, the Government will save more than $13 million annually from a centralised, more modern public procurement system.

Mr Turnquest promised that public procurement will become much more transparent and competitive to the benefit of the Bahamian people.

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Bahamas Ambassador Presents Credentials to President of European Council – Magnetic Media (press release)

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Bahamas, July 18, 2017 On Monday 17 July, 2017, H. E. Rhoda M. Jackson, Ambassador to The United Nations Office in Geneva presented her letters of credence to H. E. Mr. Donald Tusk, President of the European Council. The European Council is the institution of the European Union (EU) that defines the overall political direction and priorities of the EU and comprises of the heads of state and government of the member states along with the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.

During her exchange with the EU Councils President, a number of issues of importance to both The Bahamas and the European Union were raised including that of BREXIT, changes in the global political arena and the impact of climate change. Ambassador Jackson signaled that the increase in intensity and frequency of hurricanes have left a devastating impact on The Bahamas evidenced by Hurricanes Joaquin and Matthew. The Ambassador expressed concern at emerging threats to The Bahamas financial services sector and that of the wider Caribbean with current issues such as correspondent banking and the use of per capita income as a determinant of economic viability which has resulted in graduation and its inherent inability to access concessional loans. Within the wider context of the future relations of the EU and the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP), the Ambassador underscored the importance of maintaining a unified approach for the tri-continental region, with a legally-binding agreement of mutual benefit.

President Tusk was pleased to note that The Bahamas was one of those countries which has maintained friendly relations with the EU and added that he looked forward to greater engagement with CARIFORUM members countries, particularly at the Summit of EU and Latin America and Caribbean Heads in El Salvador in October of this year. Ambassador Jackson expressed The Bahamas appreciation for the EUs continued development assistance through the European Development Fund (EDF), citing EU funded projects as the recently launched Trade Information Portal and ongoing effort to strengthen Economic Partnership Agreement Implementation.

As Ambassador to the European Union, Ambassador Jackson will also be responsible for matters pertaining to the ACP. A courtesy call was also made on ACP Secretary General, H. E. Dr. Patrick I. Gomes who congratulated the Ambassador on this formal recognition of her appointment as Ambassador to the EU, noting The Bahamas commitment to the work of the ACP throughout the years. He cited the upcoming Meeting of ACP Ministers responsible for Fisheries and Marine Resources to be hosted in Nassau from 18-21 September, 2017 as a demonstration of The Bahamas solidarity with the ACP. Ambassador Jackson hosted a small reception at Au Vieux Saint Martin, a restaurant owned by The Bahamas Honorary Consul in Brussels, Albert Jean Niels.

Ambassador Jackson, who serves concurrently as The Bahamas Ambassador to Belgium and Switzerland, was accompanied by Ms. Alarice Grant, Second Secretary.

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Bahamas Welcomes Dignitaries and Delegates for Commonwealth Youth Games – Magnetic Media (press release)

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Bahamas, July 18, 2017 Nassau The Bahamas will take centre stage this week as the country hosts the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games July 18-23. During a press conference held at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Monday, July 17, Minister of Youth, Sports & Culture, the Hon. Michael Pintard welcomed the delegation, which included Secretary-General, Commonwealth Nations, the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland, QC and President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Louise Martin.

I would like to take this occasion to welcome the dignitaries and guests of the 64 countries represented during these games, said Minister Pintard. This is an important occasion largely because each time we pour into our young people, we are essentially shaping our future.

Mr. Pintard that that the event is not only a sporting one but also a cultural one, which gives Bahamians the opportunity to display their athletic and cultural talents. In addition, the Minister said that events such as the Commonwealth Youth Games, provide the opportunity for economic growth as they add to the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He said that currently, the government is in the process of trying to tap into ways to monetize these types of events, which are huge undertakings for small countries like The Bahamas.

Secretary General, Commonwealth Nations, the Rt. Hon.Patricia Scotland, said that it was a huge pleasure and privilege for the event to be staged in the Caribbean. She said that the last time the event was held in the Caribbean was in l966. She encouraged the young athletes to do their best during the six-day event.

Young athletes of today tend to become the leaders of tomorrow, said Baroness Scotland. And so we must do everything possible to help to maximize their potential.

Also delivering brief remarks was President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Louise Martin, who expressed her pleasure at being in The Bahamas.

We were so impressed with the facilities here when we did our tour earlier, therefore, we believe that this will be a wonderful experience for both the athletes and your beautiful country, The Bahamas.

President of the Bahamas Local Olympics Committee, Wellington Miller also welcomed the dignitaries and guests and encouraged the athletes to do their best.

Chief Executive Officer of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), Dexter Cartwright also delivered remarks and said that BTC was proud to be the title sponsor for the event.

Young athletes from 64 nations and territories will participate in the six-day event, which will include: Athletics, Aquatics (Swimming), Beach Soccer, Boxing, Cycling (Road), Judo, Rugby Sevens, Tennis and Beach Volleyball.

The Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games will be the largest international sporting event ever to be hosted in The Bahamas, and the largest-ever edition of the Youth Games, with up to 1,300 athletes aged 14-18 set to participate in a mix of personal development, competition and long lasting friendships.

The Bahamas Commonwealth Games Association and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture coordinated the games.

This will be the second edition of the Youth Games to be held on a Small Island Developing State, following the Games in Samoa in September 2016. It is part of the Federations commitment to partner and support peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Commonwealth communities. It will also be the first Commonwealth Games event to be held in the Caribbean for over 50 years, with Commonwealth athletes last participating in the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.

Story by: Betty Vedrine

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

At Commonwealth Youth Games Press Conference, July 17, 2017 at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, seated from left: Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland, QC; Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Michael Pintard; President of the Commonwealth Games Federation Louise Martin; President of the Bahamas Olympic Committee Wellington Miller.

(BIS Photos/Derek Smith)

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Will the Gulf of Mexico Remain a Dumping Ground for Offshore … – EcoWatch

Posted: at 4:30 am

By Mike Ludwig

As the Trump administration moves to gut Obama-era clean water protections nationwide, an environmental group is warning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that its draft pollution discharge permit for offshore drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico violates clean water laws because it allows operators to dump fracking chemicals and large volumes of drilling wastewater directly into the Gulf.

In a recent letter to the agency, the Center for Biological Diversity told the EPA that the dumping of drilling wastewaterwhich can contain fracking chemicals, drilling fluids and pollutants, such as heavy metalsdirectly into Gulf waters is unacceptable and prohibited under the Clean Water Act.

Under current rules established by the Obama administration, offshore oil and gas platforms can discharge well-treatment chemicals and unlimited amounts of "produced waters" from undersea wells directly into the Gulf as long as operators perform toxicity tests a few times a year and monitor for "sheens" on the water's surface. About 75 billion gallons of produced water were dumped in the Gulf in 2014 alone, according to EPA records.

Offshore fracking, which typically involves injecting water and chemicals at high pressure into undersea wells to improve the flow of oil and gas, has rapidly expanded in the Gulf of Mexico over the past decade. The latest draft of the pollution discharge permit, which was largely prepared under the Obama administration, would require drillers to collect information on the fracking chemicals they dump overboard. Regulators want to know what these chemicals are; their catalogue of offshore fracking chemicals has not been updated since 2001, despite advancements in technology.

"It's absolutely appalling that EPA is letting oil companies dump fracking wastewater into the Gulf without any idea of the types of chemicals being discharged, or their effects on sea turtles, sturgeon or the other marine life that call Gulf waters home," said Kristen Monsell, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, in an email to Truthout.

The Center for Biological Diversity, is also fighting offshore fracking off the coast of California, where a federal court on Friday rejected the Trump administration's effort to dismiss legal challenges to fracking in the Santa Barbara Channel. The Center for Biological Diversity, along with other environmental groups and the state of California, argue in separate lawsuits that federal regulators did not do enough to study and mitigate the environmental impacts of offshore fracking before allowing operators to use the technology in Pacific waters.

The Center for Biological Diversity may have trouble convincing the EPA to change the draft pollution discharge permit for the Gulf of Mexico without taking the agency to court. Under the leadership of Scott Pruitt, a Trump-appointee with close ties to polluting industries, the EPA is working to gut environmental regulations with the explicit intent of maximizing fossil fuel production.

Republicans Put Clean Water Rule in the Crosshairs

Pruitt is currently working to repeal the Clean Water Rule, an Obama-era regulation expanding the number of tributaries and wetlands located upstream from major bodies of water that are protected by the Clean Water Act. According to the Obama-era EPA, drinking water for one-third of the country's population originates from such sources. However, farmers, agribusinesses and developers fear the rule would expand federal oversight to small bodies of water and interfere with private property rights. A federal court has blocked implementation of the rule until legal questions are resolved.

In late June, Pruitt released a proposal for rescinding the Clean Water Rule, which would leave federal regulators with the same definition of protected waters that has been in place since the late 1980s. It's the first step in a lengthy process that is required by law to include a scientific review and public input. However, Republicans in Congress are working to waive these requirements.

Last week, the House Appropriations Committee, lead by Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson, approved an energy and water appropriations bill containing a rider that would waive the federal administrative requirements for rescinding the Clean Water Rule. The bill would also cut funding for energy efficiency initiatives while investing in nuclear energy and weapons programs.

If passed in its current form, the legislation would allow Pruitt to rescind the rule without responding to public comments or justifying the rulemaking with an extensive record of scientific facts. The legislation could also make it much more difficult for environmental groups to challenge Pruitt's legal rationale for rescinding the rule in court.

"The Trump administration's proposal to allow more pollution into America's drinking water sources is senseless," said John Rumpler, a senior attorney and clean water director at Environment America, in a statement. "For Congress to exempt such a move from the law is simply beyond the pale."

Water Pollution and the Gulf of Mexico

Under the Clean Water Act, polluters must receive a permit from the EPA or state regulators before discharging pollutants into a body of water under federal jurisdiction. If the Clean Water Rule were to somehow survive the Trump administration, it would extend these requirements further upstream in many parts of the country's interior.

In the Gulf of Mexico, which hosts the nation's highest concentration of offshore drilling platforms, one general water pollution permit is issued every five years or so for the entire industry. It's a draft of this permit that is currently under fire from environmentalists because it would allow the dumping of fracking chemicals and "produced water" from oil and gas wells.

Offshore fracking has been used to maximize production in more than 1,000 Gulf wells. Over the past eight years, the Obama administration approved hundreds of frack jobs without taking a close look at the technology's impacts on the environment, at least until recently. Offshore fracking is typically much smaller in scale than its controversial onshore cousin, but recent investigations into the practice drew public attention to the industry's habit of dumping billions of gallons of drilling wastewater into the ocean every year.

A review of the draft water pollution permit for oil and gas operations in the Gulf reveals how difficult it can be to uphold federal clean water standards in remote areasor in this case, out on the open sea. Oil and gas operators are allowed to dump an unlimited amount of wastewater overboard, but certain conditions must be met in order to keep water quality near drilling platforms within federal standards.

Under the draft permit, offshore drillers would be required to run toxicity tests of the produced water and other fluids dumped overboard twice a year. If the fluid fails to pass the test, it would be considered a permit violation, and operators must conduct monthly tests until the situation improves. Operators would also be required to look for "sheens" on the surface of the water and figure out what is causing them.

In addition, they would either need to collect information on any fracking chemicals they dump overboard and share it with regulators, or participate in an "industry-wide study" on offshore fracking. Regulators would then use this data to determine whether limits for those chemicals will be needed in the future.

The draft permit tightens several monitoring requirements, but Monsell says it does not go far enough to protect water quality. Plus, the monitoring would largely be conducted by the industry itself, out on the open water.

"The Trump administration can't just let the oil industry self-regulate, or we're all in huge trouble," Monsell said. "And the toxicity testing doesn't prevent the chemicals from being dumped in the first place, and the testing requirement doesn't even coincide with the dumping of fracking chemicals."

Monsell added that toxicity testing is not required at the source of the wastewater, but at the edge of a 100-meter "mixing zone" where the discharge mingles with ocean waters below the platform. This is a major concern because there are thousands of platforms operating in the Gulf, and the EPA has "no clue" about the cumulative impact of various "mixing zones" because officials have yet to completely study the issue. She argues that the EPA must seek to understand the impacts of fracking chemicals and other pollutants before allowing discharges, not after the fact.

Monsell and the Center for Biological Diversity, sent a letter of concern to the EPA last week as a public comment period on the draft permit came to a close. A spokesman for the EPA's regional office in Houston told Truthout in an email that officials would consider all the comments they have received as they work to finalize the permit.

Reposted with permission from our media associate Truthout.

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