#Infrastructure Development Committee

[nepalenergyforum]

Lawmakers Question Minister Khadka on Stalled Energy Bills and Projects

Kathmandu — During the meeting of the Infrastructure Development Committee under the House of Representatives held on Sunday, lawmakers fired a series of questions at Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Deepak Khadka. the lawmakers questioned Minister Khadka’s working style, pointing out the long delay in moving forward with the Water Resources, Electricity, and Renewable Energy…

[lmsintmedia]

Reps Advocate for South East Infrastructure Upgrade, Launch Development Commission Committee

The House of Representatives has called for swift action to tackle infrastructure challenges in Nigeria’s South East region. During the official inauguration of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) Committee at the National Assembly, Speaker Tajuddeen Abbas—represented by Deputy Speaker Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu—emphasized the urgent need for infrastructural renewal. Abbas highlighted…

[townpostin]

Jamshedpur DC Meets Durga Puja Committee for Festival Prep

332 Durga Puja sites planned; infrastructure and safety measures discussed Jamshedpur’s Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal met with the Central Durga Puja Committee to discuss preparations for this year’s festival. JAMSHEDPUR – Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal convened with the Jamshedpur Central Durga Puja Committee to plan for the upcoming festival, set to be celebrated at 332 locations across…

[reasonsforhope]

"Seven federal agencies are partnering to implement President Biden’s American Climate Corps, announcing this week they would work together to recruit 20,000 young Americans and fulfill the administration's vision for the new program. 

The goals spelled out in the memorandum of understanding include comprehensively tackling climate change, creating partnerships throughout various levels of government and the private sector, building a diverse corps and serving all American communities.

The agencies—which included the departments of Commerce, Interior, Agriculture, Labor and Energy, as well the Environmental Protection Agency and AmeriCorps—also vowed to ensure a “range of compensation and benefits” that open the positions up to a wider array of individuals and to create pathways to “high-quality employment.”  

Leaders from each of the seven agencies will form an executive committee for the Climate Corps, which Biden established in September, that will coordinate efforts with an accompanying working group. They will create the standards for ACC programs, set compensation guidelines and minimum terms of service, develop recruitment strategies, launch a centralized website and establish performance goals and objectives. The ACC groups will, beginning in January, hold listening sessions with potential applicants, labor unions, state and local governments, educational institutions and other stakeholders. 

The working group will also review all federal statutes and hiring authorities to remove any barriers to onboarding for the corps and standardize the practices across all participating agencies. Benefits for corps members will include housing, transportation, health care, child care, educational credit, scholarships and student loan forgiveness, stipends and non-financial services.

As part of the goal of the ACC, agencies will develop the corps so they can transition to “high-quality, family-sustaining careers with mobility potential” in the federal or other sectors. AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith said the initiative would prepare young people for “good-paying union jobs.” 

Within three weeks of rolling out the ACC, EPA said more than 40,000 people—mostly in the 18-35 age range—expressed interest in joining the corps. The administration set an ambitious goal for getting the program underway, aiming to establish the corps’ first cohort in the summer of 2024. 

The corps members will work in roles related to ecosystem restoration and conservation, reforestation, waterway protection, recycling, energy conservation, clean energy deployment, disaster preparedness and recovery, fire resilience, resilient recreation infrastructure, research and outreach. The administration will look to ensure 40% of the climate-related investments flow to disadvantaged communities as part of its Justice40 initiative.  

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the MOU would allow the ACC to “work across the federal family” to push public projects focused on environmental justice and clean energy. 

“The Climate Corps represents a significant step forward in engaging and nurturing young leaders who are passionate about climate action, furthering our journey towards a sustainable and equitable future,” Regan said. 

The ACC’s executive committee will hold its first meeting within the next 30 days. It will draw support from a new climate hub within AmeriCorps, as well as any staffing the agency heads designate."

-via Government Executive, December 20, 2023

-

This news comes with your regularly scheduled reminder that WE GOT THE AMERICAN CLIMATE CORPS ESTABLISHED LAST YEAR and basically no one know about/remembers it!!! Also if you want more info about the Climate Corps, inc. how to join, you can sign up to get updates here.

[sheirukitriesfandom]

Headcanons about Thalmor institutions in Skyrim

After voicing my dissatisfaction, I thought I might as well share some HCs about Thalmor infrastructure in Skyrim.

The Thalmor Embassy

A representative building primarily used for negotiations (and “negotiations”) as well as direct communication with the Dominion and the overseeing of other Thalmor institutions in the province. Agents new to the province go through an onboarding process at the embassy.

It's also where Justiciars undergo further schooling if ordered.

The Committee for Artistic Exchange and Cross-Cultural Relations

Located in Solitude proper, this institution is in charge of censorship and propaganda*. It controls the vast majority of publishing in imperial Skyrim. It both distributes propaganda from the Dominion proper and develops more tailored to the political situation in Skyrim. It has/had offshoot branches in Markarth and Windhelm, the Stormcloaks having burnt the one in their city to the ground.

*When I say propaganda, I mean both the blatant rallying, ideologically obvious kind and the more subtle kind promoting Altmeri practices and traditions—even travel reports about Alinor.

Bureaus of Civil Security

Originally operated by the imperial administration rather than the Thalmor themselves, these bureaus existed in every major city pre civil war. This was where “concerned citizens” could make anonymous denunciations against their neighbours. Since the outbreak of the civil war, these bureaus have either closed, transferred their duties to resident Thalmor (like in Markarth) or been so understaffed and overwhelmed that a denunciation rarely leads to any consequences.

Thalmor Logistics Inspectors

These Thalmor agents cooperated with imperial toll controls as well as import and export at the border. Their job was to make sure no ideologically unsound/illegal material was moved in and out of the country. Since the civil war, their numbers have dwindled, as have imperial border controls overall.

Undercover Couriers

The average Thalmor courier has two things: a family and no money.

They're also hardly ever Altmer, Bosmer or Khajiit as that alone raises suspicions, though Khajiit are the most common exception. The rest is picked from among the other races, often hiding as pilgrims, wandering nobles, mercenaries or even priests.

An undercover courier is paid handsomely. The Thalmor provide housing and medical care for their families and, throughout the courier’s training, will infiltrate every aspect of the courier's life. This is what makes undercover couriers incredibly dangerous: they're trained combatants who'll fight to the death because they know if they fail, it's not just their life that's over.

The Cross-Cultural Formation Initiative

A civil branch of the Thalmor focused on ensuring Thalmor influence over labor and academic training. It provides training and research opportunities but demands reports, loyalty and adherence to Thalmor values in return.

It also doubles as a propaganda tool since it provides training for people who otherwise wouldn't receive any. It also ensures Skyrim’s Thalmor institutions are safe from sabotage, as they've built an inhouse stock of craftspeople.

With the civil war, the Initiative has come under scrutiny, as a good number of its beneficiaries defected.

[vicholas]

(...)Even under the best of circumstances, it is difficult to maintain a vibrant Olympics training program in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Nine months of war between Israel and Hamas has made that challenge next to impossible.

Much of the country’s sporting infrastructure, clubs and institutions have been demolished, said Nader Jayousi, the technical director at the Palestine Olympic Committee.

“Do you know how many approved pools there are in Palestine? Zero,” said al Bawaab, who noted that the Palestinian economy is too small and fragile to consistently support the development of elite athletes. “There is no sports in Palestine. We are a country right now that does not have enough food or shelter, and we are trying to figure out how to stay alive. We are not a sports country yet.”

The Palestinian diaspora has always played an important role at the Olympics and other international competitions, Jayousi said.

Jayousi said it’s not the first time that most of the athletes representing the POC come from abroad. He said the Palestinian diaspora is always represented at any big international sporting competition and Olympics.

More than 38,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war between Israel and Hamas began, according to local health officials. Among those who died were about 300 athletes, referees, coaches and others working in Gaza’s sports sector, according to Jayousi.

Perhaps the most prominent Palestinian athlete to die in the war was long-distance runner Majed Abu Maraheel, who in 1996 in Atlanta became the first Palestinian to compete in the Olympics. He died of kidney failure earlier this year after he was unable to be treated in Gaza and could not be evacuated to Egypt, Palestinian officials said.

Only one Palestinian athlete, Ismail, qualified for the Paris Games in his own right. The seven others gained their spots under a wild-card system delivered as part of the universality quota places.. Backed by the International Olympic Committee, it allows athletes who represent poorer nations with less-established sports programs to compete, even though they did not meet the sporting criteria.

“We had very high hopes that we would go to Paris 2024 with qualified athletes,” Jayousi, the team’s technical director, said. “We lost lots of these chances because of the complete stoppage of every single activity in the country.”

Palestinian athletes will compete in boxing, judo, swimming, shooting, track and field and taekwondo.(...)

[ouroborosmoons]

Media Committee in Jenin Camp:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

133 Days of Aggression on Jenin: Ongoing Assaults and Arrests

The "israeli" occupation forces continue their aggression against the city of Jenin and its refugee camp for the 133rd consecutive day, with a marked escalation in attacks against civilians.

This morning, the occupation forces stormed the town of Yamoun, west of Jenin, sparking armed clashes and intense confrontations between the revolutionary youth and the invading forces, who brought in large military reinforcements to the area.

The occupation forces besieged a house in the town, while confrontations persisted. At the same time, the youth hurled stones at occupation patrols as they moved toward Jenin Camp.

Yesterday, the towns of Zababdeh, Al-Kufeir, Aqqaba, and Seer, south of Jenin, witnessed widespread military tightening, including checkpoints, vehicle and citizen searches, and the storming of a freed prisoner’s home in Seer.

In a related development, young man Mohammed Anan Marabeh turned himself in to occupation forces at Salem checkpoint, after they exerted pressure by arresting his brother Ameed from the town of Fahmeh.

The occupation forces also arrested a child in Al-‘Ajaz neighborhood of Zababdeh.

The aggression on Jenin Camp has resulted in the complete demolition of 600 homes, while the remaining homes sustained partial damage and are now uninhabitable. The widespread destruction has severely impacted the city’s structures, homes, and infrastructure.

Since the start of the assault on January 21, nearly 22,000 residents have been forcibly displaced after being driven from their homes by the occupation forces. Additionally, 43 citizens have been martyred, including two shot dead by Palestinian Authority security forces, with dozens more injured and arrested.

Media Committee – Jenin Camp

June 2, 2025

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Sign of the Day - Boston again… another great overpass banner sign there….

* * * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

June 4, 2025

Heather Cox Richardson

Jun 04, 2025

Just hours after President Donald J. Trump posted on social media yesterday that “[b]ecause of Tariffs, our Economy is BOOMING!” a new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said the opposite. Founded in 1961, the OECD is a forum in which 38 market-based democracies cooperate to promote sustainable economic growth.

The OECD’s economic outlook reports that economic growth around the globe is slowing because of Trump’s trade war. It projects global growth slowing from 3.3% in 2024 to 2.9% in 2025 and 2026. That economic slowdown is concentrated primarily in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China.

The OECD predicts that growth in the United States will decline from 2.8% in 2024 to 1.6% in 2025 and 1.5% in 2026.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released two analyses today of Trump’s policies that add more detail to that report. The CBO’s estimate for the effect of Trump’s current tariffs—which are unlikely to stay as they are—is that they will raise inflation and slow economic growth as consumers bear their costs. The CBO says it is hard to anticipate how the tariffs will change purchasing behavior, but it estimates that the tariffs will reduce the deficit by $2.8 trillion over ten years.

Also today, the CBO’s analysis of the Republicans’ “One Big, Beautiful Bill” is that it will add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade because the $1.2 trillion in spending cuts in the measure do not fully offset the $3.7 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. Republicans have met this CBO score with attacks on the CBO, but its estimate is in keeping with those of a wide range of economists and think tanks.

Taken together, these studies illustrate how Trump’s economic policies are designed to transfer wealth from consumers to the wealthy and corporations. From 1981 to 2021, American policies moved $50 trillion from the bottom 90% of Americans to the top 1%. After Biden stopped that upward transfer, the Trump administration is restarting it again, on steroids.

Just how these policies are affecting Americans is no longer clear, though. Matt Grossman of the Wall Street Journal reported today that economists no longer trust the accuracy of the government’s inflation data. Officials from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which compiles a huge monthly survey of employment and costs, told economists that staffing shortages and a hiring freeze have forced them to cut back on their research and use less precise methods for figuring out price changes. Grossman reports that the bureau has also cut back on the number of places where it collects data and that the administration has gotten rid of committees of external experts that worked to improve government statistics.

There is more than money at stake in the administration’s policies. The administration's gutting of the government seeks to decimate the modern government that regulates business, provides a basic social safety net, promotes infrastructure, and protects civil rights and to replace it with a government that permits a few wealthy men to rule.

The CBO score for the Republicans’ omnibus bill projects that if it is enacted, 16 million people will lose access to healthcare insurance over the next decade in what is essentially an assault on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The bill also dramatically cuts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Plan (SNAP) benefits, clean energy credits, aid for student borrowers, benefits for federal workers, and consumer protection services, while requiring the sale of public natural resources.

These cuts continue those the administration has made since Trump took office, many of which fell under the hand of the “Department of Government Efficiency.” But, while billionaire Elon Musk was the figurehead for that group, it appears his main interest was in collecting data. His understudy, Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought, appears to have determined the direction of the cuts, which did not save money so much as decimate the parts of the government that the authors of Project 2025 wanted to destroy.

Vought was a key author of Project 2025, whose aim is to disrupt and destroy the United States government in order to center a Christian, heteronormative, male-dominated family as the primary element of society. To do so, the plan calls for destroying the administrative state, withdrawing the United States from global affairs, and ending environmental and business regulations.

Yesterday the White House asked Congress to cancel $9.4 billion in already-appropriated spending that the Department of Government Efficiency identified as wasteful, a procedure known as “rescission.” Trump aides say the money funds programs that promote what they consider inappropriate ideologies, including public media networks PBS and NPR; the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which provides food and basic medical care globally; and PEPFAR, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief that was established under President George W. Bush to combat HIV/AIDS in more than 50 countries and is currently credited with saving about 26 million lives.

Vought appeared today before the House Appropriations Committee, where members scolded him for neglecting to provide a budget for the year, which they need to do their jobs. But Vought had plenty to say about the things he is doing. According to ProPublica’s Andy Kroll, he claimed that under Biden “every agency became a tool of the Left.” He said the White House will continue to ask for rescissions, but also noted that, as Project 2025 laid out, he does not believe that the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, which requires the executive branch to spend the money that Congress has appropriated, is constitutional, despite court decisions saying it is.

Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) told Vought: “Be honest, this is never about government efficiency. In fact, an efficient government, a government that capably serves the American people and proves good government is achievable is what you fear the most. You want a government so broken, so dysfunctional, so starved of resources, so full of incompetent political lackeys and bereft of experts and professionals that its departments and agencies cannot feasibly achieve the goals and the missions to which they are lawfully directed. Your goal is privatization, for the biggest companies to have unchecked power, for an economy that does not work for the middle class, for working and vulnerable families. You want the American people to have no one to turn to, but to the billionaires and the corporations this administration has put in charge. Waste, fraud, and abuse are not the targets of this administration. They are your primary objectives.”

The use of the government to impose evangelical beliefs on the country, even at the expense of lives, also appears to be an administration goal. Yesterday, the administration announced it is ending the Biden administration’s 2022 guidance to hospital emergency rooms that accept Medicare—which is virtually all of them—requiring that under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act they must perform an abortion in an emergency if the procedure is necessary to prevent a patient’s organ failure or severe hemorrhaging. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act requires emergency rooms to stabilize patients.

The Trump administration will no longer enforce that policy. Last year, an investigation by the Associated Press found that even when the Biden administration policy was being enforced, dozens of pregnant women, some of whom needed emergency abortions, were turned away from emergency rooms with advice to “let nature take its course.”

Finally tonight, in what seems likely to be an attempt to distract attention from the omnibus bill and all the controversy surrounding it, Trump banned Harvard from hosting foreign students. He also banned nationals from a dozen countries—Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—from entering the United States, an echo of the travel ban of his first term that threw the country into chaos.

Trump justified his travel ban by citing the attack Sunday in Boulder, Colorado, on peaceful demonstrators marching to support Israeli hostages in Gaza. An Egyptian national who had overstayed a tourist visa hurled Molotov cocktails at the marchers, injuring 15 people.

Egypt is not on the list of countries whose nationals Trump has banned from the United States.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[girlactionfigure]

🧵𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭? 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭: 𝐈𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐬.

Enough is enough, Let’s set the record straight: the claim that Arabs welcomed Jews to Israel after the Holocaust is a false narrative and just a lie. The reality is that it's a much more complex and challenging history. Here’s a comprehensive look at the real dynamics of Jewish immigration and the reception in Israel.

1/ An Ancient Bond: Jews and the Land of Israel.

Let me first say that The idea that Jews arrived in Israel only as Holocaust refugees disregards their ancient and continuous connection to the land. Jews have maintained a consistent presence in Israel for thousands of years, documented in ancient texts and archaeological findings. Cities like  Jerusalem, Hebron, and  Safed were significant centers of Jewish life long before the 20th century. This deep-rooted connection shows the significance of Israel to the Jewish people throughout history.

2/ The status of Israel in the 1880s

By the 1880s, when the First Aliyah began, Israel was largely neglected and in disrepair. The region suffered from economic stagnation, sparse infrastructure, and minimal habitation. Many areas were desolate, with abandoned villages and a general lack of modern amenities. Public health conditions were dire, with widespread malaria and typhoid fever, and there was a severe shortage of medical facilities and basic health care. The land had been left in a state of neglect by previous rulers and local inhabitants, who had not invested in its development.

3/ The Transformation by Jewish Immigration.

Jewish immigrants arriving in the 1880s faced severe conditions but undertook significant efforts to transform the land. They joined the local Jewish community and they established agricultural settlements, drained swamps, and developed irrigation systems, turning barren land into productive farmland. New towns and cities emerged, such as Tel Aviv, which started as a small neighborhood and grew into a bustling urban center. Their work laid the foundation for the modern state of Israel, significantly enhancing living conditions and infrastructure.

4/ Hostility from Local Arab Populations.

Despite the historical presence of Jews, the arrival of Jewish immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was met with increasing hostility from local Arabs. Many of these Arabs, who began migrating to Israel around the same time as the First Aliyah, viewed the Jewish newcomers with growing animosity. This hostility manifested in violent confrontations and revolts, such as the 1929 Hebron massacre, where 67 Jews were killed, and the Arab revolt from 1936 to 1939, which targeted Jewish settlements and British authorities. This resistance reflects the significant opposition Jews faced, contrary to claims of a warm welcome.

5/ The Arab Mufti’s Alliance with Nazi Germany.

The situation grew more complex during World War II. Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of  Jerusalem, sought an alliance with Nazi Germany. In 1941, he met with Adolf Hitler, offering support for the Nazi regime and advocating for anti-Jewish policies in Palestine. This collaboration proves again the intense hostility Arab leaders had towards Jews and their aspirations, complicating the notion of Arab support for Jewish migration.

6/ The Efforts of Local Jews to Aid Holocaust Survivors

In stark contrast to the hostility faced, local Jewish communities in Palestine went to extraordinary lengths to assist Holocaust survivors. As the horrors of the Holocaust became known, Jewish organizations in Israel, including the Jewish Agency and various relief committees, worked tirelessly to find refuge for survivors. They orchestrated complicated immigration operations, known as Aliyah Bet, to bypass British restrictions and bring Jews to Israel. The efforts of these local Jewish organizations were instrumental in providing sanctuary and rebuilding lives.

7/ The Birth of modern Israel and the 1948 War.

The Holocaust heightened the urgency for a Jewish homeland. Despite restrictive British immigration policies, many Jews found refuge in Israel. The establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948 was met with fierce opposition from neighboring Arab countries, who rejected the creation of a Jewish state. This rejection led to the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, driven by the refusal to accept a Jewish state and resulting in significant losses for the Arab forces.

8/ Displacement and Historical Complexity.

The narrative that Jews “took away” Arab land oversimplifies a complex situation. The land of Israel has always been home to a diverse population, including Jews, Muslims, and Christians. The 1948 war and subsequent conflicts led to significant displacement on both sides, including the expulsion of Jews from Arab countries and the creation of Palestinian refugees. This complexity reflects a turbulent history rather than a simple story of land grabbing.

9/ Refuting the “Jews Left” Myth.

The claim that Jews left Israel and returned only after the Holocaust is misleading. The fluctuating Jewish population in Israel over the years does not negate the fact that Jews have consistently maintained a presence there. The migration waves of the 1880s and 1920s demonstrate a profound connection to the land, driven by historical and spiritual significance, not by temporary circumstances.

Saying that Jews left Israel and came back only after the Holocaust is like saying that pasta isn’t Italian because there was a shortage in the 1930s. The essence of our connection to the land has remained unbroken, despite periods of challenge and fluctuation. Just as Italian cuisine remains Italian regardless of temporary shortages, the historical and spiritual bond of Jews to Israel endures despite the changing dynamics over time.

11/ Conclusion: Resilience Through Truth

The ongoing attempts to distort, manipulate, or deny Jewish heritage and historical facts only serve to strengthen our resolve and unity. No one welcomed us to Israel after the Holocaust but the local Jewish community, who worked tirelessly to provide refuge and rebuild lives. Despite the efforts to alter or obscure these historical truths, they remain steadfast and undeniable.

We will not let you change our history. No matter how much people try to change this fact, it won’t work. Throughout history, countless attempts have been made to erase or undermine the Jewish people, and each time, these efforts have failed. Today, with a strong and thriving State of Israel, it is not only misguided but delusional to believe that such attempts can succeed. The more history is challenged or distorted, the closer and stronger we become as a people. Our connection to the land, our historical narrative, and our cultural identity are deeply ingrained and resilient, reinforcing our unbreakable bond to the land and our unwavering strength as a nation.

@AP_from_NY

[nepalenergyforum]

Government Decides: Water Resources Bill Will Proceed

“There is a question as to why a provision that should have been in the Electricity Bill has appeared in the Water Resources Bill. Another bill discusses engineering safety, but there is technical ambiguity, which raises serious concerns about potential misuse.” – Mahesh Bartuala, Chief Whip, CPN-UML “The bill states that if the concerned company builds a substandard dam, it may collapse later,…

[scotianostra]

On July 2nd 1971 The Erskine bridge was officially opened.

Construction on the project began in April 1967 at a cost of £10.5m, which is the equivalent of almost £150m today.

The bridge was designed by Freeman Fox & Partners for the Erskine Bridge Joint Committee. Dr Oleg Kerensky was the partner in charge and the chief design engineer was Dr William Brown under the supervision of Sir Gilbert Roberts. The piers and foundations were designed by W. A. Fairhurst & Partners. The consultant architect was R. E. Slater.

The central span is 305m (1000ft) flanked by anchor spans of 110m each. The total length including approach spans is 1322m. The aerofoil box-girder deck is supported by fourteen diamond-plan, single-shaft concrete piers at a maximum height of 45m above the river. Two central pylons extend 38m above the level of the deck. A 6x4 cluster of galvanized steel cables passes over the saddle of each pylon in a centralised, single plane.

The dual carriageway has cycle lanes and footpaths with metal safety barriers, renewed in 2012. The underside of the deck carries four water mains pipes and two gas pipes. In 2017 the cables were painted and aluminium lighting columns were installed.

The Bridge was a state-of-the-art infrastructure landmark in Scotland for its time and remains one of the country's most architecturally and technically distinguished bridges of the post-war period and beyond its date of construction. It is the first example of a large-scale cable-stayed bridge in Scotland and is recognised for its structural simplicity, economy of materials and slender appearance.

It was designed and built during a period of substantial development in civil engineering and road infrastructure. It illustrates the aspirations for economic and social progress in Scottish society and is directly associated with the period of ambitious transformation of Scotland's modern infrastructure during the 1960s.

The Erskine Bridge is one of only three road bridges in Scotland with a main span exceeding 300 metres. Its minimalistic single-cable design remains exceptionally rare for large-scale road bridges. On completion, the Erskine Bridge is understood to have had the longest span of this type in the world. The appearance of many bridges on this scale have been altered by later alteration and engineering works. The largely unchanged appearance of the Erskine Bridge contributes to its special interest.

[rjzimmerman]

Yesterday felt like an earthquake shook the foundations of our climate and environmental laws, followed by a hurricane that scattered the bits all over the place and a wildfire that burned those bits that weren't scattered. I didn't watch any part of yesterday's debauchery, either on TV or streaming or the alerts that pop up on my iPhone or iPad, or read anything (neither national, local or environmental or climate specialized media). I figured most of the crap he did yesterday will be the subject of strategic lawsuits, and much will be tossed out as contrary to legislation or regulation or unconstitutional. In other words, I'll pay attention to the reconstruction, not the destruction. But.......it was still a horse shit day.

This compilation from the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law (of the Columbia Law School/Columbia Climate School) is outstanding. Click/tap on the caption of this post and you'll be able to figure out what happened and sort things out as you want. Just click/tap on the caption and go for it. But if you don't want to do that, here's the compilation, abbreviated. Italicized/red fonts are my addition, either explanatory or editorial.

PUTTING AMERICA FIRST IN INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS

Withdraw from Paris Climate Agreement

Withdraw from any other agreements made under UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Revoke any financial commitments under UNFCCC

Revoke U.S. International Climate Finance Plan

DECLARING A NATIONAL ENERGY EMERGENCY

Declares national energy emergency, primarily based on high energy prices

Use any lawful emergency authorities “to facilitate the identification, leasing, siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy resources.”

Use Defense Production Act and federal eminent domain authorities

Issue emergency fuel waivers to allow year-round sale of E15 gasoline (E15 is ethanol/gasoline mix)

“Expedite the completion of all authorized and appropriated infrastructure, energy, environmental and natural resources projects”

Use emergency authorities and nationwide permits to grant approvals under Clean Water Act Sec. 404, Rivers and Harbors Act Sec. 10, and Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act Sec. 103 for energy projects

Use emergency consultation processes under Endangered Species Act, and frequent convening of Endangered Species Act Committee, for energy projects

Use construction authority of Army Corps of Engineers

The term “energy” is defined to mean “crude oil, natural gas, lease condensates, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal heat, the kinetic movement of flowing water, and critical minerals” [not wind or solar] (excluding wind and solar is childish and just plain stupid)

UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY

“eliminate the ‘electric vehicle (EV) mandate’ and promote true consumer choice … by terminating … state emissions waivers that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles; and by considering the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs” (the elon musk pacifier....i.e., Tesla)

“safeguard the American people’s freedom to choose from a variety of goods and appliances, including but not limited to lightbulbs, dishwashers, washing machines, gas stoves, water heaters, toilets, and shower heads”

Require all agency heads to review all existing regulations “that impose an undue burden on the identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources – with particular attention to oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, biofuels, critical mineral, and nuclear energy resources”

Attorney General “shall consider whether pending litigation against illegal, dangerous, or harmful policies should be resolved through stays or other relief”

Revocation of many executive orders

Terminate the American Climate Corps

Council on Environmental Quality must propose rescinding its NEPA regulations (NEPA regulations are the core of our environmental laws)

CEQ to convene working group to expedite permitting approvals

“all agencies must prioritize efficiency and certainty over any other objectives, including those of activist groups that do not align with the policy goals”

“facilitate the permitting and construction of interstate energy transportation and other critical energy infrastructure, including … pipelines”

In NEPA and other permitting reviews, “agencies shall adhere to only the relevant legislated requirements for environmental considerations and any considerations beyond those requirements are eliminated”

Disband Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases; all of its guidance, recommendations, etc. are withdrawn

Consider eliminating the “social cost of carbon” calculation

EPA in collaboration with other agencies shall submit recommendations to OMB “on the legality and continuing applicability” of the greenhouse gas endangerment finding of 2009 (this is the core concept from the US Supreme Court case that provides the legal basis for greenhouse gas controls)

Immediately pause disbursement of funds appropriated through Inflation Reduction Act or Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; review processes for issuing grants, loans, contracts, or any other financial disbursement of appropriated funds

Secretary of Energy to restart reviews of applications for approvals of LNG export projects

Maritime Administration to review approvals for proposed deepwater ports for LNG export

“identify all agency actions that impose undue burdens on the domestic mining and processing of non-fuel minerals and undertake steps to revise or rescind such actions”

UNLEASHING ALASKA’S EXTRAORDINARY RESOURCE POTENTIAL

Expedite permitting and leasing of energy and natural resource projects in Alaska

Prioritize development of Alaska’s LNG potential

End restrictions on development of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and certain other areas in Alaska

Numerous other actions to facilitate energy development in Alaska

TEMPORARY WITHDRAWAL OF ALL AREAS ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF FROM OFFSHORE WIND LEASING AND REVIEW OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S LEASING AND PERMITTING PRACTICES FOR WIND PROJECTS

Stop leasing of federal waters for offshore wind

Issue no new or renewed approvals, rights of way, loans for onshore or offshore wind projects

“consider the environmental impact of onshore and offshore wind projects upon wildlife, including, but limited to, birds and marine mammals”

PUTTING PEOPLE OVER FISH: STOPPING RADICAL ENVIRONMENTALISM TO PROVIDE WATER TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Restart work “to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of the state for use by the people there who desperately need a reliable water supply”

“The recent deadly and historically destructive wildfires in Southern California underscore why the State of California needs a reliable water supply and sound vegetation management practices in order to provide water desperately needed there”

DELIVERING EMERGENCY PRICE RELIEF FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES AND DEFEATING THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS

Among many other actions, “eliminate counterproductive requirements that raise the costs of home appliances”

“Eliminate harmful, coercive ‘climate’ policies that increase the costs of food and fuel”

[townpostin]

Dhalbhumgarh Airport Clearance on Advisory Panel's Agenda in Aug 27 Meeting

Key Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Forest Conservation Division) meeting to discuss forest land diversion for crucial infrastructure project Environmental committee to weigh Dhalbhumgarh Airport’s forest clearance, potentially advancing regional development aspirations. JAMSHEDPUR – A pivotal Forest Advisory Committee meeting, scheduled for August 27, is set to deliberate on…

[princessanneftw]

We were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal to the 88th IEC General Meeting in Edinburgh hosted by BSI, host of the UK National Committee of the IEC.

Her Royal Highness had the opportunity to meet with several leading experts at the forefront of developing international standards and conformity assessment for a safe, reliable and more efficient world.

The event brought together around 1,250 global experts, who attended various technical committee and governance meetings. These sessions focused on sharing best practices and future planning for the development and implementation of global standards for an efficient energy infrastructure, and emerging technologies in the electrotechnical sector.

During her visit, Her Royal Highness was also introduced to the IEC Global Impact Fund, a key initiative aimed to help underserved communities unlock the benefits of electricity safely, build up their capacity to create a better future, and develop solutions to achieve sustainability goals.

@IECStandards | 28 October 2024

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Lauren Egan at The Bulwark:

AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, Democrats had no shortage of things to panic over—including DOGE, the rise of anti-vaccine skepticism, and an aggressive deportation regime targeting immigrants. But for the political-operative class, it was a specific, tactical matter that was causing a unique kind of stress. In their circles, it was taken as a fait accompli that Donald Trump, with his penchant for political vengeance, would move to dismantle a critical piece of their party infrastructure: the online giving platform ActBlue. On Sunday, Trump did just that, using a social media post to instruct “authorities” to investigate ActBlue for unsubstantiated allegations that it allowed foreign contributions to find their way to Democratic campaigns. He vaguely suggested that officials at the company “should all be in jail.” It was the most direct threat to date issued by the president against ActBlue—and, for those already panicky operatives, the surest sign yet that he will move to dismantle the platform, which is used by just about every Democratic campaign to process and collect online donations. “The party needs to be prepared for an alternative were there to be a long, dragged-out lawsuit or if it were shut down, even if in the short term,” warned Rufus Gifford, who served as the campaign finance chair for the Biden-turned-Harris presidential campaign. “We have to put all the options on the table, because that engine needs to continue to exist.” ActBlue has been one of the greatest success stories in modern politics, revolutionizing the way money is raised and helping to lift up candidates for everything from school boards to Congress. It has been such a goliath that Republicans went from trying to copy it to trying to kill it. Recently, the GOP has claimed with little evidence that foreign money can easily (and illegally) be laundered through the platform and influence American elections. The threat to ActBlue became so acute during the 2024 campaign that Democratic operatives who specialize in digital fundraising privately began talking with clients about developing contingency plans. They urged candidates and advocacy groups to set up backup options for processing payments and donations—such as NGP VAN and GoodChange—or by simply building their own donation platform via Stripe. In recent months, different consultant groups have been charting out what their own individual portals could look like and debating whether the party’s formal campaign committees could, in theory, house one of their own (the consensus was that it would pose an ethical dilemma for, say, the Democratic National Committee to run a portal where primary challengers raised money for campaigns against incumbents). Recently, digital operatives have begun testing fallback options, which have proven fairly successful in replicating ActBlue’s conversion rates (the percentage of people who make a donation after receiving a solicitation).

Last Thursday evening, those discussions took on a different dimension when the president signed a memorandum aimed at investigating ActBlue for possible illegal donations. He directed the Justice Department to conduct the investigation and report its findings within 180 days. It was a clear escalation in the Republican party’s effort to destroy the Democrats’ ability to fundraise. But instead of ditching the fundraising platform, or putting into action the plans to build alternatives to it, Democrats are, for now, rallying behind ActBlue. Strategists who spoke with The Bulwark said that while they feel that they can ultimately stand up those fallback options in the 180-day window, they believe bigger considerations are currently at play than the more technical concern of how to best raise money online. After watching universities and law firms give in to Trump’s threats, the party felt it had little choice but to rally behind ActBlue, convinced that accommodation for the sake of putting off a fight ultimately does little good.

[...] MANY DEMOCRATIC STRATEGISTS told The Bulwark that they were relieved to see the reaction among the committees and donors to Trump targeting ActBlue. They also said they were somewhat comforted that Trump had instructed the Justice Department only to investigate ActBlue rather than shut it down outright. In a statement, ActBlue said it would “pursue all legal avenues to protect and defend itself against the Administration’s baseless claims,” adding that the Democratic party should “unite and create a blue wall against the oppressive use of power by this White House and their accomplices in Congress.” But no one appears to think that this standoff will end without some dramatic confrontation or action. Nor do they regard Trump as the only threat. House Republicans launched an investigation into the firm’s security practices last year, and they have made repeated demands for information about its operations. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), chairman of the House Committee on Administration, subpoenaed ActBlue for documents in October that dealt with how it verifies donors and how it ensures that foreign actors do not “use the platform to launder illicit money into U.S. political campaigns.”

The Democratic Party’s main financial contributions arm ActBlue are under a cloud of crisis right now, and that is mostly due to the Trump Regime’s memorandum calling for a faux “investigation” into ActBlue over its allegations of allowing “foreign donations.” Alternatives to ActBlue are potentially on the horizon.