Category Archives: Progress

This post co-authored by Alex Hillbrand

The Montreal Protocols 30th anniversary is shaping up to be a good year for ozone and climate protection.

The parties gathered last week in Bangkok for their midyear meeting to make headway on the ongoing phase-out of ozone-killing HCFCs and to start working implementing the phase-down of climate-damaging HFCs agreed in Kigali, Rwanda, last year.

Although not as glamorous as the Kigali meeting, good progress was made and nearly all countries played constructive roles.

We reported earlier on the progress made by the Montreal Protocols funding body, the Multilateral Fund. Last weeks meeting began with a well-attended Safety Standards Workshop on Monday to discuss the updates to international and national codes and standards needed to assure that the climate-friendly but flammable refrigerant alternatives to HFCs can be used safely. These include some HFCs with relatively low heat-trapping power, and very low GWP compounds such as HFOs and propane.

To use these gases safely, product design standards need to be improved to reflect safety measures (such as better leak prevention and spark avoidance). In many cases, building fire codes also will need to be updated to reflect safe practices for installing and using air conditioning products using flammable refrigerants.

Representatives of international and national safety standards committees presented their plans to update standards and the timelines they hope to follow. They offered reassurance that the Kigali Amendments phase-down timetable leaves enough time for safety standards to be revised. In some places, such as the U.S., states and cities will need assistance to update their building codes quickly.

Following the workshop, the Protocol parties met for four days to consider, among other things, replenishment the Multilateral Fund for the next three years. The Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) shared its estimate of the funds needed to help developing countries meet the next stage of their HCFC phase-out obligations, and to get started planning for HFC reductions.

The TEAP estimated that about $600 - $750 million will be needed during 2018-2020, up modestly from just over $500 million required during 2015-2017. About 90-95 percent of this funding would go to the ozone-saving work of phasing out HCFCs. The remainder, TEAP estimates, will go towards early enabling activities to help countries plan for the phase-down of HFCs as agreed in Kigali. Parties were keenly interested whether the estimated amounts would support leap-frogging over HFCs, i.e., going directly to climate-friendlier alternatives when phasing out HCFCs.

But it was energy efficiency that stole the show. Two groups of countries India and several Middle Eastern countries, and the Africa Group submitted statements on energy efficiency to the meeting. A very constructive conversation, kicked off by India, highlighted the critical importance of improving the efficiency of cooling appliances as a means to reduce climate-damaging carbon pollution from power plants.

India called for identifying what part of the energy efficiency picture the Montreal Protocol should address the power consumption of air conditioners, for example, as opposed to whole-building energy efficiency. India called for the TEAP to consider how Protocol could support energy efficiency projects. Nearly 50 countries took the floor in the ensuing discussion. The parties agree to hold workshop on energy efficiency next year to address many of these key questions. Also next year, the parties are to negotiate and agree upon guidelines to govern decisions of the Multilateral Fund on energy efficiency.

NRDC contributed by holding a side event reporting on global pathways to improve the energy-efficiency of air conditioning in tandem with the refrigerant transition. Over the last year, NRDC and our partners interviewed dozens of manufacturers to get a sense for how their product portfolios and product planning take these clean technologies into account, and what would help them move faster.

The meeting closed with delegates in high spirits, their expectations turned to the treatys 30th anniversary celebration, taking place in Montreal this November. There they will complete negotiations on the 2018-2020 funding replenishment and continue developing approaches to leverage big improvements in the energy efficiency of rapidly-growing air conditioning equipment.

Director, Climate & Clean Air program

Excerpt from:

Steady Progress on Ozone and Climate at Bangkok Talks - Natural Resources Defense Council

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pa. Turnpike making progress on erosion controls near McDonald flooding Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Additional erosion controls the Pennsylvania Turnpike has completed in the past 10 days near a flood site in McDonald could get a serious test this weekend. The National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rain Saturday and Sunday in that area, where ...

Excerpt from:

Pa. Turnpike making progress on erosion controls near McDonald flooding - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Parents, students and residents alike can expect to see continued improvements in the Savannah-Chatham school district in the upcoming school year, Superintendent Ann Levett said to a packed room of educators Friday.

During her first State of Our Schools Address, Levett touted growth in employment and graduation rates in 2016 and said district progress is slated to continue when school kicks off Aug 3.

Levett said an unprecedented 2,000 graduates received diplomas in May and said the districts graduation rates continue to beat the state average. The Savannah-Chatham school districts graduation rate is about 83.2 percent compared to Georgias rate of 79.2 percent.

This is indeed our season of impact, she said. And we will work to provide another year of excellence.

The school district serves more than 38,000 students throughout 55 schools and employs 5,600 people, Levett said, making it the 10th largest school district in the state.

Officials added to those employment numbers when the district decided to bring its transportation in-house. The change was designed to streamline student experience while saving a few dollars, Levett said. It was also the first time the district handled its own bus transportation and routing since its transportation department was privatized in 1998.

From Tybee to Bloomingdale, we have a large geographic footprint and we cover a lot of miles, she said. By bringing transportation inside, we brought those dollars back and made an investment in our community.

Other noted achievements included the STEM certification of Heard Elementary and new facilities for Haven, May Howard and Juliette Low schools.

In the coming months, residents can expect to see aggressive efforts to get the community more involved in the education process, Levett said.

This year the district is launching literacy and math programs to make resources more readily available to students including a book drive with a million-book goal.

The school board chose Levett from among four superintendent finalists on May 4. The board officially approved her hiring on May 22 in a contentious 5-4 vote. Board members Julie Wade, Michael Johnson and Shawn Kachmar as well as School Board President Jolene Byrne insisted that their criticisms of Levett during that meeting werent personal, and they pledged to follow board policy and support Levett. The board approved Levetts contract June 27. She received a $242,500 salary. Her two-year deal includes a stipend, home workstation and business expenses.

Levett begins the school year as an investigation looms into the school board by the districts accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Mariama Jenkins, spokeswoman for AdvancEd which oversees the SACS accreditation process said in a previous story that SACS received complaints of school board interference and will investigate.

We received complaints in response to allegations that Savannah-Chatham County Public School System is in violation of AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality School Systems. Based on the merits of those complaints we will be conducting an on-site review this fall, Jenkins said.

SACS investigators can put districts on probation and revoke accreditation if they find that school boards are disrupting the educational effectiveness of a district. The investigation stems from now retired Superintendent Thomas Lockamys complaints that interference and a lack of support from Byrne hastened his decision to retire and he has provided SACS with a candid account of her alleged interference.

Georgia Milestone scores

Levett said Friday that she recognized that while progress was made there is still much work to be done.

The countywide educator rally comes on the heels of the state release of Georgia Milestones Assessment System scores. The 2017 release shows that the state average is improving, but Savannah-Chatham schools still have a bit of catching up to do.

The percentage of proficient and developing high school learners dropped in five of GMAS test subjects: algebra, biology U.S. history, geometry and economics. There were significant increases in four GMAS test high school subjects: 9th grade literature, American literature, analytical geometry and physical science. Proficiency percentages among elementary and middle school students decreased among grades 5-8. Savannah-Chatham third- and fourth-graders showed increased proficiency across the board.

We may not be doing everything right, but we are doing something right to see some progress, she said. And that progress wont go unnoticed. But we will continue to work hard Our first step is to look at those areas where scores dropped and see what caused the drop and the same with improvements.

To read a complete list of GMAS scores, go to http://bit.ly/2ujFe36.

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New Superintendent Levett pledges progress for Savannah ... - Savannah Morning News

Chris Oaks spoke with Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik. Q: With another flood event behind us, protocol dictates a review of the response. At this point, however, is there anything more than can be learned about how to better respond to these events? A: Right now were still focused on helping our residents recover, so the full postmortem discussion has yet to take place. But we do know that well have to look at the efficiency with which we are able to close down roads, for one thing. Some of that has to do with the software we use in our computer-aided dispatch center and the way we communicate with various departments who help us do that. Of course, that was complicated by the sheer number of road closures due to the nature of this event. So, were going to evaluate how we do that and how we can more quickly and efficiently stay on top of the situation. Its always an ongoing process. Q: Last weeks event was unique in that it was actually two separate events in succession first the flash flood, then the major river flooding. To what extent did that tax the citys resources? A: I cant remember a time when citywide we have been pushed to the limits like this. Our storm sewer system is good, but not good enough to handle 4 to 5 inches of rain in two hours. And, of course, you noticed that we werent the only ones with that issue several cities across the state faced a similar challenge in that respect. The thing we had to deal with then, of course, was the river coming up. I think at one point we were using all the barricades we had available from both the public works department and storm sewer maintenance department. So it definitely kept us pretty busy. Q: Knowing that a potentially major event was in the forecast, one of the lessons from past events was the importance of splitting response services effectively to the north and the south of the river. Were you happy with the way that plan was executed? A: I was. Were talking about making sure police and fire resources are positioned for timely response when the city is split in half, which is even more critical now because of the extensive construction on I-75 as it is the only reliable north-south artery in these conditions. The fire department is naturally pretty well split in that way, but we want to make sure they are adequately staffed. And then we also stationed two different groups of police working the north and south end. Like I said, we havent had our official postmortem conversation, but it seemed as though our organization and response times were good. That said, Im sure those folks will have ideas for further improvement in the future. Q: And the city itself wasnt immune to the impact of the flood, either. A: Right. We have some essential city services located in the heart of the flood plain. Our utility billing office, our water distribution group and our water treatment office all had to make preparations. Our public works crew had to make sure all the heavy rolling stock was out of the way of the water. So it was certainly an all-hands-on-deck situation where just about everyone had something that had to be done. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, weve had experience at this. Q: As you are aware, many residents are also weighing in with their analysis, much of which has been harshly negative. Realizing that comes largely from frustration, whats your reaction to those voices asking when were going to stop studying and discussing and start actually doing something about all of this? A: I really do understand the frustration, and we feel it too. One thing that is painfully obviously to me and our team is that weve done a poor job of communicating about our efforts to date. Setting aside the flash flood last Thursday, which is impossible or nearly impossible to do anything about, our abatement program through the acquisition of now some 150 homes has been very effective at dealing with the river flooding issue. When the Blanchard comes up to 14 or even 15 feet, it doesnt impact near as many homes and businesses as it used to. We are now in the design phase of a significant mitigation project that should commence by the end of this year or early next. We are making progress, but we need to communicate better and Ill own that. Can we do more? Really, thats up to the community to decide what options are acceptable and at what cost. At the end of the day, however, these events are natural disasters, and no amount of money or human engineering will eliminate them completely. Good Mornings! with Chris Oaks airs from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. weekdays on WFIN, 1330 kHz. He can be reached by email at chrisoaks@wfin.com, or at 419-422-4545.

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Mayor: Findlay making progress on flood control - The Courier

Cleanup Continues At The Fairgrounds

WGRZ 11:30 PM. EDT July 21, 2017

Photo: WGRZ (Photo: Photo: WGRZ)

HAMBURG, N.Y. - What a difference a day makes.

Almost 36 hours after a tornado tore through the Hamburg Fairgrounds, crews made quick progress on Friday to clear off the debris scattered all across the property. Beginning at 4 a.m., they worked to collect the fallen branches, limbs and hunks of tree that had been tossed around by the sheer force of the storm.

That's good news, since the Erie County Fair is set to begin here in just 19 days. By the end of Friday, fair organizers estimated that most of the debris had already been cleared away from the fairgrounds. It would appear that the fair will begin as scheduled in August.

Although there is significant damage to the grandstands, the fair organizers have portable bleachers and will be able to make due for the concerts and other events held near the raceway.

Meanwhile, the Yankee Reigning Horse Association's "Summer Spectacular" horse show continued as planned on Friday.

Courtney Craig, the president of YRHA, said the tornado came through like a "flash" on Thursday and cut power to the barns. Many people are attending the show from out of town, and Thursday was their "move-in" day. Many campers behind barns had broken glass windows due to the tornado.

Craig had to decide whether to proceed with the show.

"We decided we'd go on with the show," she said. "It was a big decision, because we didn't have power in all of our barns. We didn't have camper power until today. But we decided we'd go on, and have our show, as usual."

So it would seem that not even a tornado can stop the horse show-- or the Erie County Fair.

2017 WGRZ-TV

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Hamburg Fairgrounds Makes Quick Progress on Cleanup - WGRZ-TV

Evacuation orders were lifted for the historic mining town of Mariposa on Friday morning, as firefighters slowed the progress of a massive wildfire burning near Yosemite National Park.

Authorities lifted the evacuation order at 11 a.m., but warned residents: There will still be smoke in the respective areas as firefighters continue firefighting operations. If at anytime you feel unsafe, please call 911.

The blaze, which has scorched more than 70,000 acres, is now 15% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It has gutted 58 homes, damaged 11 others and triggered the evacuation of approximately 4,000 people in Mariposa County communities.

Dozens of other structures have been destroyed or damaged, Cal Fire said.

Thousands of firefighters plodded through steep hillsides and canyons overnight to reach flames smoldering in chaparral, and at least one firefighter was injured Friday when a fire engine rolled down a hill, officials said. The condition of the firefighter has not yet been made public.

Temperatures should warm up this weekend, but isolated thunderstorms could sweep over the southern Sierra Nevada range on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Hanford.

On Thursday night, residents displaced by the Detwiler fire attended a community meeting at the Merced Theatre, where they expressed concerns about security and inquired when they could return home.

Mariposa County Sheriff Doug Binnewies said he hoped downtown Mariposa would reopen Friday, but he warned that some roads would remain closed because firefighters were still trying to mop up.

Binnewies said deputies were patrolling neighborhoods that were abandoned by homeowners who were forced to flee. He said anyone attempting to commit a crime would be arrested.

If youre coming here to do something nefarious, we dont want you here, the sheriff said. Get out.

With officials opening some areas Friday, Allison Byerley, a pastor in Mariposa, said she planned to prepare a special sermon for Sunday to give thanks and raise spirits.

Byerley said she will quote from Isaiah 43, which reads in part: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. ... When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

If prayers could put out fires, this one would have been dead awhile ago, Byerley said.

Sights, sounds, and the people that made the first day of 2017's Comic-Con a sight to behold.

Sights, sounds, and the people that made the first day of 2017's Comic-Con a sight to behold.

Democrats Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Tim Canova are preparing already for their August 2018 congressional primary rematch by raising and spending campaign money.

Democrats Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Tim Canova are preparing already for their August 2018 congressional primary rematch by raising and spending campaign money.

ALSO

The fight to save the gold-mining town of Mariposa from a monster fire

'Explosive' flames destroy 45 homes as 70,000-acre wildfire rages near Yosemite

Whittier fire in Los Padres National Forest consumes more than 18,000 acres

UPDATES:

11:35 a.m.: This article was updated with details on evacuation orders being lifted for Mariposa.

8:35 a.m.: This article was updated with information about the possible return of evacuated Mariposa residents.

7:15 a.m.: This article was updated with new figures on the size of the fire and number of homes destroyed.

This article was originally published at 4 a.m.

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Evacuation orders lifted for Mariposa as crews slow progress of massive wildfire - Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON Michigans two U.S. senators say environmental issues will be a big topic of policy discussion in 2017.

At the same time, U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, who represents Michigans 1st District, said he is focused on the budget.

Federal lawmakers were asked about their accomplishments for the first half of 2017, and what they believe will be the big issues they will be tackling for the next six months.

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow

For the first six months, Stabenow, a Democrat, said she has been focusing on protecting the Great Lakes and strengthening the healthcare system.

Stabenow is a co-chair of the Senates bipartisan Great Lakes task force. She is focused on doing everything possible to preserve the Great Lakes, including controlling the water quality and invasive species like Asian carp, Stabenow said.

Stabenow said shes pushing back on President Donald Trumps budget, which ends all funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. According to its website, the initiative focuses on cleaning up the Great Lakes areas of concern, preventing and controlling invasive species, reducing nutrient runoff that contributes to harmful algal blooms and protecting native species.

(Protecting the Great Lakes is) about jobs, its about the quality of life, its really who we are in Michigan, Stabenow said.

Stabenow said she is also fighting back efforts to end the Healthy Michigan Plan, which is a program that gives health care to low-income adults who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid.

I am always opposed to eliminating health care for millions of people in Michigan, Stabenow said. Instead, I have been focused on lowering the cost of prescription drugs and lowering the cost of health insurance.

Stabenow hopes two of the bills she has introduced will be debated and passed in the next six months. One bill would give a 50 percent tax credit for the cost of small businesses providing healthcare for their employees. The other bill is a five-year farm bill, meant to help people and businesses in the agriculture business.

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters

In a statement, Peters, a Democrat, pointed to legislative efforts he has been working on in 2017.

Peters, along with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, introduced a bill meant to help local fire departments. The bill would allow fire departments to use Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grants to promote part-time and on-call firefighters to be full time. Currently, the grants can only be used to hire and train new firefighters.

The legislation has passed the Senates Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, but has not been voted on by the full Senate, the statement said.

Members of the Senates Commerce Committee approved Peters amendments meant to improve airport security outside screening areas. The amendments would allow airports to use already existing funds to update their infrastructure outside Transportation Security Administration-screened areas, such as baggage claims and drop-offs. For example, airport officials could use the funds for ballistic protective podiums and camera installation.

Peters will continue in the next six months to improve public services and strengthen protections for the Great Lakes and Straits of Mackinac, he said in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman

Bergman, R-Watersmeet, said he is proud to have voted for several bills that are now laws. One of those laws is the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. Bergman said it gives the VA a streamlined process to fire employees for poor performance. He said employees still have due-process rights.

Before we did this, it took forever (to fire bad employees), and because of that slowness, the veterans floundered, Bergman said.

He said lawmakers got rid of many regulations put in place by the Obama administration. Bergman said the reduction of regulations is going to save businesses billions of dollars. He said representatives also increased defense spending.

Bergman, part of the budget committee, said he has been spending much of his time preparing the fiscal year 2018 budget.

We have too much of the government which on whats called autopilot spending, thats the mandatory spending. We cant continue down a road like that because we are broke at that rate, Bergman said.

Bergman said he is working on legislation to support the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie. He also said he will work on giving more power to the state government and reduce the size of the federal government.

What might work in Michigan, may not work in Mississippi or New Mexico, Bergman said.

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Federal legislators reflect on progress, look ahead | Gaylord ... - Petoskey News-Review

Its like playing golf, Pete Mackanin said. In golf, you want to let the club do the work, swinging downward to try to elevate the ball. In baseball, the Phillies manager wants hitters still to elevate the ball, but do so by pushing a level swing through the bottom half of the baseball.

In the age of the term launch angle, Mackanin said he believes that metric is overemphasized. It encourages hitters to dip the bat and swing up, which projects the ball at a higher angle andcan result in more unproductive fly balls.

Theres this trend for hitters to want to lift the ball and they do it wrong, Mackanin said. They dont understand the whole concept of getting the ball in the air. And a nice level swing will get the ball in the air.

The manager used the example of Daniel Murphy, who is slugging .576 with 16 home runs for the first-place Washington Nationals. Murphys swing generates backspin to drive the ball out of the park. Mackanin said he believes thats the way to lift the ball, which brought him back to the revival that his own hitter, Maikel Franco, has experienced over the past week.

The manager noticed instantly during the teams trip to Milwaukee last weekend that Franco had leveled out his swing. The third baseman was hitting just .217 with a .384 slugging percentage at the all-star break, in the midst of the worst of his three full seasons with the Phillies. But Mackanin noticed Francos new swing again during batting practice in Miami on Tuesday, and predicted to pitching coach Bob McClure that he would have a good game.

Franco went 3-for-4 with a home run.

Im kind of cautiously optimistic about this, Mackanin said. If he continues to do what hes doing, hes going to have a good second half, I believe.

In the six games since the break, Franco has hit safely in five and gone 11-for-25 with four doubles.

Of course, he has had stretches like this in the past. He strung together six different hitting streaks of five or more games last year, but his batting average only rose above .260 for a couple of weeks after the first month.

Mackanin has reason to believethis time is different. Franco is not just golfing low pitches into the seats. He appears to have made a lasting tweak to his swing.

Thats what hes been doing daily in batting practice, Mackanin said. And the last three or four games he has been swinging like that. So Im pretty excited. Every day I hope to see the same swing path.

POLL: Can Franco and Herrera improve in the second half and help prevent the Phils from a 100-loss season?

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Published: July 21, 2017 3:01 AM EDT | Updated: July 21, 2017 6:31 PM EDT

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Pete Mackanin lauds Maikel Franco's progress after Phillies' road trip - Philly.com

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The first of two construction cranes expected on the Vancouver waterfront this summer was erected Thursday and Friday.

The progress, clearly visible from downtown and the Interstate 5 Bridge, illustrates the transformation of the old Boise Cascade paper mill site into offices, restaurants, retail and residential space.

Underground parking will be provided in two of the first four buildings now under construction by the firm of Robertson & Olson. One building will be for offices; the other, apartments.

A pier jutting into the Columbia River and a waterfront park are also under construction, as are two retail/restaurant buildings. The first waterfront restaurants should open sometime in 2018.

Gramor Development is the lead on the public-private project, which at full build-out will cover 21 blocks at an investment estimated at nearly $1.5 billion.

To the east, nearer the bridge, the Port of Vancouver also has major development plans for its property.

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Construction crane signals progress at Vancouver waterfront - The Columbian

Wall Street Journal (subscription)

GE Leaves Investors in Limbo Wall Street Journal (subscription) General Electric Co. told investors that profits are under pressure and they would have to wait several months for a better sense of its business, sending shares tumbling to their lowest levels in years. GE improved its cash flow and ramped up cost ... GE Makes Progress on Cost-Cutting, Cash Flow Goals -- UpdateMorningstar.com General Electric Makes Progress on Cost-CuttingFox Business all 86 news articles »

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GE Leaves Investors in Limbo - Wall Street Journal (subscription)