Sens. John Kerry (D-MA), Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), John Rockefeller (D-WV), Scott Brown (R-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced the “Fisheries Investment and Regulatory Relief Act (FIRRA) of 2012” (S. 2814) on March 12. Companion bill in the House by Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Frank Guinta (R-NH). This bill would invest in the management of America’s fisheries by providing a dedicated funding source. The legislation would redirect existing duties on imported fish and fish products to programs that will protect and increase the value of America’s ocean fish and the jobs they support. This new legislation would re-direct existing revenues from duties on imported fish products (estimated at $124 million for FY 2013) to support critical research, monitoring, and management programs, as well as provide assistance to fishermen and fishing communities. This bill would create a regionally-based grant program that would direct 70 percent of the money (approximately $85 million in FY 2013) per year to fund fisheries research and management programs. The councils would establish investment committees responsible for identifying funding priorities and making recommendations on which specific projects should be supported in each region.
Home Perfomance needs help at energize but Briarcliff School District Is going green with LED.
Since only 1,000 homes have been retrofitted in Westchester County we need to pump it up. We’re talking about real money here. Real money means hundreds of millions of dollars. Trillions nationwide and potentially more if people really can go green. So what is going green statistics needed: at least 1-3. NWEAC numbers are great... Continue Reading →
RESTORE Act Funds and Ecological Restoration Efforts
A FINE USE A bipartisan group within Congress has been working since last summer to build support for a proposal that would provide a steady stream of funding for ongoing restoration work. Known as the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourism Opportunities, and Revived Economy (RESTORE) Act, the measure would ensure that fines raised from the Deepwater Horizon spill are dedicated primarily to restoring the economic and ecological damage to the Gulf region. If enacted into law, the RESTORE Act will direct 80% of Clean Water Act penalties resulting from the Gulf oil spill to the coastal areas directly impacted by the spill. These funds could be used only for the affected areas’ ecological and economic recovery with the following breakdown: * 65% of the funds will be spent by state and local task forces * 30% of the funds will be spend by a federal-state task force * 5% of the funds will be for Gulf fisheries and ecosystem research and monitoring “The remaining 20% of the Clean Water Act penalties will be dedicated to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.” (“Another Milestone for RESTORE Act,” WKRG News - Mobile, AL, March 12, 2012) http://www2.wkrg.com/news/2012/mar/14/another-milestone-restore-act-ar-3412608/
DEEP IMPACT ON THE GULF COAST!
Deep Impact: The Lingering Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Disaster The 2010 Deepwater Horizon gulf oil spill may have faded from the headlines, but its repercussions continue to ripple through the Gulf Coast's environment and economy. With approximately 4.9 million barrels of crude oil released into the Gulf, recent research underscores the long-lasting damage to... Continue Reading →
Go Green Energy Consulting – helping homeowners reduce their carbon footprint
Many of us are used to suffering through the seasons in our homes – bundling up in blankets and slippers when it’s freezing outside, and running the fan and sleeping with open windows at night during the hot summers.
We chalk it up to something we just need to deal with as part of the changing seasons, but the reality is – we don’t.
More often than not, the problem isn’t the outdoor temperatures at all, but the way our homes are working (or in these cases – not working) for us.
Adam Duke, 24, and Jacob Smith, 23, are the founders of Go Green Energy Consulting (www.gogreenec.com) – a company dedicated to improving the comfort factor in clients’ homes by scientifically pinpointing the ways homes are losing energy, and developing smart, customized solutions using sustainable and locally made materials.
