Monthly Archives: April 2021

A few thousand years ago, King Solomon declared in Proverbs 29:18: When there is no vision, the people perish. While the wise King Solomon probably had bigger and deeper things on his mind when he recorded those words, after watching the Wyoming Legislature this past session, it seems like he was talking directly about us, about the state of Wyoming in 2021.

After this session, the question keeps coming back to me what is our vision? What is the vision for the state of Wyoming? The problems are easy to define massive structural deficit, unsustainable spending models in K-12 education, continued lack of ability to diversify our economy and attract new industries and the struggles of our natural resource-based economy.

Who in this state is stepping forward to honestly talk about those problems and give us the path forward to resolve them? What do we want Wyoming to look like in five years, 10 years, 20 years, and what steps can we take today to put us on that path?

I do not pretend to have the answers, but I can tell you a few things that are not vision and are simply making our problems worse. We are now dominated by performative outrage and performative politics. We spend hours fighting about things that serve no purpose other than to put on a performance and punt on actual meaningful legislation.

First, simply putting on a performance and disparaging everyone that tries to honestly address this problem is not helpful. This sort of name calling is not only childish, it is counterproductive. Tearing down others without offering solutions is intellectual laziness. Besides, the performative crowd is just flat wrong on so many things.

Did you know that Wyomings general fund budget was approximately $3.5 billion in 2010. Today, it is $2.97 billion. That same legislator you are calling names is responsible for a 15% cut in government spending over the last decade. That is not inflation adjusted, that is not a reduction of a proposed increase (the way the federal government counts cuts) that is a reduction in actual dollars spent. We spend $500 million less dollars today than we did 10 years ago. Show me any other government in the world that could say that.

Heck, we like to say government should be run like our household budgets show me any other household budget that is 15% less today than it was 10 years ago. The cuts have been deep, and they have been real, and our legislators should get credit for that. Calling those legislators names is simply absurd.

Second, because we have made such drastic cuts to the general fund, essentially all of the available cuts left are going to be painful. I laugh at the performative types that talk a big game about cuts during election season, but then get to Cheyenne and are the most vociferous against specific proposed cuts. Specific, actual cuts have constituents and cause real pain to those constituents.

Finally, and probably most importantly, we have got to find efficiencies in our K-12 education spending. We just do. From 2010 to today, our state has increased education spending by almost 25%. At the same time we are cutting everything else in the state, education spending has actually increased at a pretty dramatic pace. How is that even possible? We can and should combine school districts; we can and should reduce money spent on administration and things outside of the classroom; we should stop paying for ghost positions; we can and should implement efficiencies like combining health care plans that save money, but protect teachers and the classroom.

None of those things are really that hard. It just takes courage to take on the education establishment. The ironic thing is, if teachers dont engage and work on these things now, they will be the ones that bear the brunt of the massive cuts when they come and they will come.

One last point: Wyoming is perhaps the largest beneficiary of the blue state bailout from Bidens COVID-19 legislation. The bad news is we are officially a blue state and part of the blue state bailout because we cannot seem to balance our budget. The good news is this bailout buys us another couple years to fix our problems.

We can engage on those problems and start to fix them NOW to give us the softest landing possible or we can continue to ignore them and go over the cliff. Engaging now takes courage. We will have no choice when the cliff comes.

Matt Micheli is a Cheyenne attorney, a longtime political consultant and former chairman of the Wyoming Republican Party. Email: Matt_Micheli@yahoo.com.

View original post here:

Micheli: We must stop calling each other names and engage on key problems - Wyoming Tribune

Beginning this week, Washington residents can once again apply through the state Department of Social and Health Services for emergency cash assistance to help meet their immediate needs. The department announced on Monday that it received additional funding and a new order from Gov. Inslee to reinstate this temporary program to help Washingtonians through financial hardship.

The governors April 15 proclamation enables the state to offer Disaster Cash Assistance Program (DCAP) benefits to people who are not eligible for other cash assistance programs. The assistance is available to all Washington families and people without children who meet the income and resource limits of the program.

The benefit amount depends on household size, income, and need, and ranges from a maximum of $363 for a single person to a maximum of $1,121 for a household of eight or more people. The program can cover expenses like housing or shelter costs, utilities, clothing, minor medical care, household supplies, and transportation costs for work. It can also help with food for those not otherwise eligible for ongoing food benefits.

Disaster cash assistance is for people who are not eligible for the other programs. It is a very limited amount of money, said Norah West, Assistant Director of DSHS Office of Communications, Economic Services Administration. She said people can apply online at http://www.WashingtonConnection.org and then call the Customer Service Contact Center at 8775012233 to complete the required interview. She said they can also call 8775012233 first, to complete the entire application process over the phone. The Washington Connection website is a single point of entry for many services from the state, and the application process asks far more questions than are required for this program. West encouraged people to call if they only seek information about this program because the very simple process can look much more complicated online.

West added, the program is, typically is only available once in a 12 month period, but because of COVID lasting as long as it has, theyve made it available on a month-to-month basis. She adds that families seeking support may want to spend more time on that website, because there may be other assistance programs that are more beneficial.

Once approved for the Disaster Cash Assistance Program, people will receive their DCAP benefits on an existing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, or a new EBT card will be sent via U.S. mail.

Were seeing some progress toward combating the COVID-19 pandemic with vaccines becoming available to all Washingtonians and additional funding from Congress to reinforce our economy, explained Babs Roberts, director of DSHS Community Services Division. But we know people are still struggling every day to meet their immediate needs like costs for shelter and utilities, and even clothing and transportation costs for work. Reinstating DCAP is another positive step to help Washingtonians move beyond the pandemic.

This cash assistance is available to Washington residents regardless of citizenship status and does not require applicants to provide a Social Security number. Substitute House Bill 1151 states that people who have received DCAP benefits previously and are still in need may reapply each month the program is active.

Due to much higher than normal call volumes, the department asks that people call before 11 a.m. and to keep in mind that the busiest call times are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Customer Service Contact Center is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Excerpt from:

State has emergency cash available, based on income - The Daily World

Adam Mikka, Caves Beach, NSW

Our leadership crushes people too

Christine Holgate may have tripped over a highly technical hurdle in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act but in economic substance what she did is covered by the fringe benefits law and done in any other context would be unexceptional.We think we are better than the authoritarian regimes we sanctimoniously criticise but we are not we just crush people differently.

Peter Haggstrom, Bondi Beach, NSW

Cut personal, not corporate, tax rates

John Kehoe is right and the OECD is wrong (Big business 30pc tax rate cuts growth, April 15). Personal income tax cuts are long overdue. The personal marginal income tax rate should not exceed the company tax rate on personal annual incomes up to $300,000. Income tax between individuals, companies and superannuation needs to be in balance. We have a way to go.With a sensible personal income tax regime, the incentive to negative gear and top up superannuation contributions to avoid tax is reduced. Incentive to work is encouraged. There is less need for top-up bonuses.One expects certain dumbness from the OECD in relation to commentary on the Australian taxation system. Given our resource-based economy, we would be mad to reduce the company tax rate. Our dividend imputation system means the corporate tax rate does not need to be reduced. A 30 per company tax rate is the sweet spot. The small company tax rate should be reinstated to 30 per cent rather than the large company tax rate reduced.The company tax rate is not in the top 10 reasons to invest. Taxation is an afterthought in the investment decision-making process. Business investment and working capital requirements are finance- rather than taxation-related. The company tax rate has no effect on productivity. It should also be borne in mind that company structures are used to avoid higher personal tax rates and effectively utilised as a secondary form of superannuation.

Graeme Troy, Wagstaffe, NSW

Beijing not keen on geopolitical harmonyChinas communist government does not appear to understand that respect is a two-way street. It is a supremacist regime that views all other nations and cultures as being inferior to it. And treats them, accordingly. Not a formula for geopolitical harmony.

Michael J Gamble, Belmont, Vic

Origin should rethink its hydrogen exports

It would seem at first glance that Origin Energy hasnt fully done its homework (Origin signs Townsville hydrogen export accord, April 15). It is to be congratulated for looking to the future with ambitions for hydrogen but for export, ammonia is a better form of hydrogen for transport due to its greater energy density, lower handling cost and by being in liquid form.A further point is that with exporting of hydrogen, Origin is getting ahead of itself as hydrogen will be needed here for storage for seasonal power generation and in low wind/solar situations. If we had a national energy plan of any sort this would of course be spelt out. The random development of this countrys future energy needs continues in its haphazard way because the debate has been so dramatically skewed by incumbent interests and an out-of-touch government.

Robert Brown, Camberwell, Vic

Lack of service from big super funds

Tony Boyds article (RBA study exposures super flaws, Chanticleer, April 13) was on the mark in one important aspect. The large retail and industry funds may well compete on price but they certainly do not compete on service.The commentary exposed the flaw in large super fund offers. They seemingly dont and cant offer advice to members who are financially illiterate and require an advisory service.Asset allocation advice is crucial at times of crisis and it should be givenby professionals who care about their clients. While there is a costto financial advice there is a greater cost in not receiving it.

John Abernethy, director, Clime Investment Management Limited, Sydney, NSW

Gobbledegook cant explain RBAs stance

The RBA should take comfort from rising house prices ... says Coolabah Capital Investments, whose RBA model predicts house prices will rise 14-36 per cent in the next three years, according to research similar to the Reserve Banks modelling (RBA model predicts 25pc house price rise, April 15).The reason for the RBAs supposed comfort is because higher asset prices are a key part of the transmission mechanism of both conventional and unconventional monetary policy, whatever that gobbledegook means.These increases, via the 0.1 per cent interest rate policy, are deliberate RBA/government policy. This policy must be reviewed as almost permanent, near-zero interest rates and rising house prices cause permanent hardship.

Malcolm Cameron, Camberwell, Vic

Read more:

Letters of 16 April 2021: Holgate cloud hangs over board - The Australian Financial Review

Craig Cookson of the American Chemistry Council and Kate Bailey of Eco-Cycle spoke during a session moderated by Dan Leif of Plastics Recycling Update at the 2021 Plastics Recycling Conference. | Screenshot from the 2021 Plastics Recycling Conference.

The recent Plastics Recycling Conference, held online, featured eight sessions over two days. Here are some of the talking points that caught our teams attention.

Record-high recycled polyolefins prices are expected to drop in the latter half of this year, although the prices probably wont fall as much as virgin prices, according to Joel Morales, executive director of Polyolefins Americas for IHS Markit.

In an April 7 session covering resin markets, Morales explained a few of the drivers behind higher polyolefins pricing: COVID-19 boosted demand for PE and PP, and at the same time plastic production was hampered by both the virus and the early 2021 deep freeze in Texas. Costs to ship resin (and other goods) from Asia to North America have risen sharply, and Chinas demand for plastic has grown considerably. Those factors have lifted prime prices, which has helped lift recycled HDPE and PP prices to new heights (recycled natural HDPE pricing was also boosted by brand owner sustainability goals, Morales noted).

But Morales expects virgin and recycled resin prices to come down starting in a couple of months. Thats because plastic production is expected to catch up to demand, and Asia-to-North-America freight markets are expected to normalize a bit. That being said, he doesnt think recycled resin prices will drop as fast as virgin for every penny that virgin plastic prices drop, recycled HDPE and PP prices may drop by six-tenths of a penny, he predicted.

Recycled is being used really because brand owner and downstream awareness is asking for it, he said.

Overall, IHS Markit forecasts pricing troughs for PE and PP in coming years as a result of new production capacity coming on-line, but those declines arent expected to be too deep because COVID-19 has created a new normal of higher demand.

For PET, the pandemic-stimulated demand boost has differed by region, with North America experiencing a 4.5% increase in demand in 2020, said Martin Wiesweg, IHS Markits executive director of Polymers EMEA. Production capacity growth will slow over the next couple of years until a large Corpus Christi, Texas plant comes on-line, likely in late 2023, he said. That plant, with a capacity of over 1 million tons of PET per year, will be a game changer, helping to drive down virgin PET prices until they reach parity with imported resin.

In terms of RPET, IHS Markit sees an increase in PET bottle collections worldwide in coming years, with Wiesweg noting the high recovery rates enabled by bottle deposit programs and brand owner demand. Overall, virgin plastic demand will slow in the future and RPET demand will grow.

Three speakers outlined efforts in Maine, New York and California to implement packaging EPR during an April 7 session. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies make packaging producers responsible for the funding and management of the collection and recycling of end-of-life materials.

Maine state Rep. Nicole Grohoski said a bill shes supporting will help boost recycling rates, reduce costs for municipalities and ratepayers, and drive improvements in packaging design. Her states bill will include an eco-modulation concept, through which producers pay lower fees for selling packaging that is easier to recycle, less toxic, includes more PCR and has better instructions to the consumer for recycling.

The Maine bill is still in the final drafting stage, but Grohoski expects it to be introduced very soon.

In New York, Sen. Todd Kaminsky, chair of the Senates Environmental Conservation Committee, has made an EPR bill his No. 1 priority this session, he said. The goal is to boost recycling rates and increase the use of recycled materials, while also reducing municipalities costs, so they can lower taxes or invest in other needed projects they may not have been able to afford (his town on Long Island has a 100-year-old water tower in need of replacing, for example, he said).

On the West Coast, California has a number of EPR programs in place for various materials, and legislators have introduced packaging EPR bills. Heidi Sanborn, executive director of the National Stewardship Action Council and chair of the California Statewide Commission on Recycling Markets and Curbside Recycling, shared a few lessons California has learned. She warned against handing the keys over to producers without having clear expectations in statute and a well-funded state agency to provide oversight. Never let the fox watch the chicken coop, she said. That is never a good idea. It doesnt go well.

She also urged that recycling stakeholders be given a formal voice in the system; otherwise, the producers stewardship group will ignore them, Sanborn said.

In a presentation during the conferences opening panel on April 7, Nina Butler of Stina Inc. shared some initial data from the annual plastics recycling research her company (which was formerly called More Recycling) performs with support from several industry groups.

Butler said the soon-to-be-released study will show that in 2019, the all-bottle recycling rate for the U.S. was 28.4%. This represents a drop of 0.5 percentage points from the 2018 number, and it continues a trend of falling rates in plastic bottle recycling that has been seen since 2016. The summary report of all the categories of post-consumer plastic recovered for recycling is new; in the past, separate annual recycling reports were performed for different plastic categories.

Butler said that the continued move away from the export market and low virgin pricing both contributed to the drop in 2019 both of those factors lessened demand for recovered plastic. The research determined 88% of of U.S. post-consumer material plastic recovered for recyclingwas processed in the U.S. or Canada.

Butler said declining plastics recycling rates might be reversed in future years as the market finds its footing in the wake of Chinas National Sword import prohibition. Were hopefully going to be shifting away from that trend as we adjust to not having as much material going offshore, she said.

Recycling technologies were the focus of an April 8 panel featuring leaders of chemical companies Eastman and SABIC and PET reclaimer PetStar.

Matthew Marks, senior sustainability specialist at SABIC, noted that his company has portfolios of both mechanically recycled polymers and chemically recycled plastics. SABIC earlier this month announced a PC/PET compound made with at least 10% mechanically recycled PET, which is recovered from areas where the plastic is at risk of becoming marine pollution. The company has also commercialized recycled plastics made via a pyrolysis process, which converts mixed plastics into an oil that is fed into plastic production equipment. SABICs chemically recycled PP is being used in Magnum brand ice cream tubs sold in Europe.

Holli Alexander, Eastmans strategic initiatives manager for global sustainability, discussed her companys large-scale push into chemical recycling. By 2030, her Kingsport, Tenn.-based company wants to recycle over 200 million pounds per year of scrap plastic via chemical recycling technologies. Eastman recently broke ground on a $250 million methanolysis plant, which will break down low-grade polyester scrap into chemicals that can be used in new products.

The capacity of the plant, which is now expected to come on-line in 2023, will be around 110,000 metric tons annually. Eastman is working to develop a supply chain for scrap plastic thats not better suited for mechanical recycling, Alexander said. We want to expand the pie rather than divide up the pie of recycled materials that are already being collected, she said.

Jaime Camara, CEO of PetStar, said his Mexico City-based recycling operation demonstrates that mechanical recycling of PET into drink packaging is viable on a large scale. His company is owned by Coca-Cola bottlers, who use the RPET in their bottles, including at up to 100% recycled content. PetStar pulls feedstock from around 1,200 collection points and produces around 120,000 pounds per year.

The company converts B Grade bales into high-quality resin. Technology is part of what enables that achievement PetStar relies on a front-end sorting system, AMUT wash lines and Polymetrix extrusion and solid-stating equipment. But the reclaimer also relies on standardized processes and qualified personnel, Camara said. You need to have the right technology, but its much more complex than that, he said. Ive seen many failures in recycling with the right technology and many successes with maybe not that good of technology.

Recently, decision-making in Malaysia has grabbed the attention of many in the recycling industry. Customs officials in the Asian nation have rejected around 300 containers of scrap plastics over the past two years, Reuters reported April 6. At the same time, one much-watched container from Los Angeles has been accepted into the country.

During an April 8 session looking at changes to the Basel Convention waste treaty, Adina Renee Adler of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries said that over the past couple of years, Malaysian officials have been working hard behind the scenes to understand the specifics of scrap plastic shipping and contamination. This work came as importers and exporters scrambled to make sense of new Basel Convention rules on the regulation of plastic exports, which took effect at the start of this year.

I do want to give the Malaysian government a great deal of credit, Adler said. They started to implement the Basel Convention changes earlier in 2020 or even 2019. They were trying to control non-compliant material, but it also gave them time to train customs agents. They reached out to us and other organizations to understand specifications. Its been a real pleasure, ironically, to watch all that take place, to see them understand what truly is waste and what is a usable end-use manufacturing product.

The U.S. Plastics Pact is well into its work of helping U.S. companies and organizations fulfill their commitments made through the Ellen MacArthur Foundations New Plastics Economy initiative. The pact has a target of 2025 to meet various plastics recycling and waste reduction goals.

As part of that work, pact stakeholders are figuring out which processes count toward targets and how terms such as materials recovery are defined.

During an April 7 session, Emily Tipaldo, leader of the U.S. Plastics Pact, described how one hot-button topic in the world of plastics recycling is handled under the pact: Chemical recycling, which is addressed based on the type of technology being employed, in line with guidance laid out by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Broadly speaking, chemical recycling is considered within the scope of materials recovery processes recognized by the pact, alongside mechanical recycling. But the pact looks at the technologies differently based on the end products, Tipaldo explained. If the output is a manufacturing feedstock, such as a monomer that can be used in polymer production, the U.S. Plastics Pact counts it as recycling. But if the process is generating a fuel or oil, it does not count.

I think one way that were looking at it is, again, being mindful of our timeline, Tipaldo said. We dont want to necessarily cut off any one solution, but we need to be realistic about what were driving to in the short term.

The pact will be looking at ways to help further commercialize chemical recycling technologies. That could include supporting the development of bale specifications for chemical recycling.

The debate over whether and in which cases chemical recycling should be considered recycling is also playing out at the EPA, which recently received a range of comments on how the U.S. should define and measure the national recycling rate.

Speakers in an April 8 session came from two often-opposing sides of the packaging and recycling debate: Craig Cookson of the American Chemistry Council, representing plastics producers, and Kate Bailey of Eco-Cycle, a nonprofit MRF operator in Colorado. Bailey is also a founding member of the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers, a group of nonprofit recycling organizations with similar policy goals.

Although Bailey and Cookson represent interests that are frequently at odds, they touched on many areas of agreement. They agreed that well-crafted EPR policies must avoid monopoly control over the recycling system. They discussed the merits and role of life-cycle analyses. They also agreed that the packaging waste discussion needs to focus on a wider array of materials and not only plastics.

Cookson noted that ACC is concerned about any policy that pits materials against each other, for example through punitive fees only on plastic. Bailey agreed its not necessarily fair to single out plastics.

Theres really no such thing as a good disposable, she said. Aluminum cans have their own impacts. Glass has impacts. Every material across the board has detrimental impacts. Its about balancing those concerns.

Thats not to say the speakers agreed on all topics. The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, reintroduced in Congress last month, saw disagreement. Bailey noted that Eco-Cycle and the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers are excited for the act and the huge, systemic policy change it represents.

ACC, on the other hand, has come out strongly in opposition.

Were over 50 minutes in, and finally Kate and I can disagree about something, Cookson joked as the legislation was discussed near the end of the session.

Like every business sector, the plastics recycling industry is navigating what the end of the pandemic looks like. For some companies, that means helping employees through the vaccination process.

Sonoco Recycling has worked with local medical providers to help employees and their spouses in certain age groups access vaccines. The company has shared the latest vaccination information with employees.

Its really mostly about keeping folks educated and accommodating them as they go seek out vaccine, said Palace Stepps, vice president of recycling for the company, during the April 8 closing session of the conference.

Henrik Dullinger, vice president of business development for reclaimer PreZero, said his company is figuring out how to move back into increased employee business travel. The company has multiple locations, and travel has been a necessity for some company representatives during the pandemic. Recently, Dullinger said he perceives more interest in business travel as more people get vaccinated.

Still, he said, a return to normalcy is not imminent. Mask mandates and COVID protocols will remain part of the companys practices, he said, and the decision to travel will lie with the employee.

We will keep it optional for those people, even if theyre vaccinated, to travel via airplane, Dullinger said. We dont want to make it mandatory at this point. Everybody needs to feel more comfortable getting back out there.

Senior Reporter Colin Staub, Managing Editor Dan Leif and Associate Editor Jared Paben contributed to this report.

A version of this story appeared in Plastics Recycling Update on April 14.

See the original post:

Online event dives into plastic markets, policy and more - Resource Recycling

Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), one of the leading organisations that works on creating awareness about energy efficiency as a resource, today released the Green Vehicle Rating (GVR), countrys only vehicle rating system based on environmental performance. An information tool, GVR aims to reshape consumer knowledge on vehicles and help buyers calculate its impact on a communitys health and environment.

With the launch of the industry-first tool, AEEE has set out to move the ever-growing 2 and 3 wheeler rider base towards greener options in the country. GVR also intends to help buyers identify high-performing vehicles, make informed decisions with a web-based rating system for vehicles followed by working towards increasing the demand for greener variants.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Funded by Shakti Foundation and supported by American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the tool uses Form 22 or the Road Worthiness Certificate mandated by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in 2017 to calculate the environmental performance of the vehicle. Based on the data available in the Form 22, GVR takes a composite approach to pollutant emissions data and fuel efficiency data as reported by the auto dealers and online auto marketplaces.

Green Vehicle Rating (GVR) takes the self-reported emissions data in Form 22 and makes it easier to understand the true impact of a vehicle on the road without getting lost in numbers. With GVR, we aim to propel towards creating a culture of energy efficiency in India by shifting this ever-growing consumer base towards cleaner modes of transportation said Dr Satish Kumar, President and Executive Director, AEEE.

Also read:Simple Mark 2 spotted testing: 240 km-range electric scooter to launch by mid-2021

The GVR website (www.aeee.in/green-vehicle-rating/rating-result/) allows a buyer a model to model comparison of the vehicle, the Real Cost of Ownership, damage cost, emissions levels along with commonly sought specifications like mileage, cost, engine capacity etc. To help consumers assimilate the impact, these costs are represented in Rs per km terms.

As the nation moves towards reducing carbon footprint, clean mobility can help India meet its Paris Agreement commitment of reducing carbon emission intensity (emission per unit of GDP) by 33 to 35 percent of 2005 level over 15 years. 2 wheelers in India account for 61% petrol sales and over 67% households in India own 2 wheelers. In line with this, the government can use the tool to grow the share of efficient and less polluting vehicles, while moving forward on its commitment to clean mobility and adoption of EVs.

Get live Stock Prices from BSE, NSE, US Market and latest NAV, portfolio of Mutual Funds, Check out latest IPO News, Best Performing IPOs,calculate your tax by Income Tax Calculator, know markets Top Gainers, Top Losers & Best Equity Funds. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

See more here:

Green Vehicle Rating: Indias first two-wheeler ratings based on environmental performance - The Financial Express

MLA Dan Davies speaks to environmental initiatives in rural B.C. ahead of Earth Day

The following is an exchange in the Legislature April 19 fromPeace River North MLA Dan Davies speakingto a motion recognizing Earth Day.

"On Thursday, April 22, British Columbians will join fellow Canadian provinces and countries across the world in recognizing Earth Day. This year's theme is to restore our Earth,which focuses on the natural processes, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking that can restore the world's ecosystems.

"The theme rejects the idea that mitigation or adaptation are the only ways to address climate change. Instead, it affirms that it is up to each and every one of us to restore Earth, not just because we care about the natural world, but because we live within it. We all need a healthy Earth to support our jobs, our livelihoods, health, survival and happiness. A healthy planet is not an option; it is a must.

"As members of this House know, I represent the constituency of Peace River North, which is home to the energy capital, Fort St. John. Fort St. John, in the Peace region, is known for thriving economic development in the natural gas sector. However, the Peace region has a lot more going on than just that. We are also known for our other industries, such as forestry, agriculture, mining and tourism. Its natural resources have allowed our economic growth within our beautiful region, and it's also our lifeblood.

"A lot of rural British Columbians, especially my constituents and the residents of Fort St. John, are often viewed as anti-environmentalist because our economies depend heavily on the natural resources. This perception and stigmatization of natural resource-based jobs and communities is completely inaccurate. Much of the natural resource development that takes place in our region goes toward green initiatives such as electric cars, greener transportation options and more eco-friendly residential and commercial developments. Rural businesses and organizations are constantly looking for new ways, new innovative technologies, to create greener industries and a greener economy for British Columbia. In fact, we lead the way.

"Earth Day has always been a significant day for me and my community, and we commemorate it every year. On a personal note, this date is also my wedding anniversary. On this Earth Day, I'll be celebrating 15 years with my wife, Erin. Every Earth Day, rural communities have a conversation about environment and remind ourselves that energy conservation is the best thing that we can do.

"In fact, the city of Fort St. John was key in building one of the farthest-north passive houses in the world. At the time of completion of the house, it was "only the third certified single-family passive house in Canada. Over the past several years, the city of Fort St. John has made it a priority to conserve water and energy and ultimately reduce both costs and greenhouse gas emissions.The city has also adopted a community-wide GHG reduction target of 12 percent below 2007 levels by 2030 and continues to maintain a carbon-neutral status in its corporate operations.

"This is rural community leadership. But we, as individuals, can all do better. Turn off the lights when you leave the room. Reduce water waste. Car-pool when able. These are all small ways that we can all reduce our environmental footprint.

"This year the communities in Peace River North will continue to engage in meaningful conversations on Earth Day. Government, as well as all of us, must fight to end this false narrative that rural British Columbians do not care about the environment. B.C. is a global leader in pursuing cleaner resource extraction and renewable energy alternatives, but we need to continue the work. With our growing population, B.C. needs to find fast and innovative ways to expand renewable energy. I encourage all members to support these initiatives in their communities.

"In fact, I will take a quick opportunity to remind the members of this House that it was the previous B.C. Liberal government that began the Site C project, which would provide a clean source of reliable power for the next 100 years. This dam was designed to be a renewable energy source, and when it was proposed, its estimated cost would have been $8 billion. Unfortunately, as a result of mismanagement, delays and certain stakeholders playing politics with the project, the construction of Site C is now an estimated $16 billion and, regrettably, will not be completed until 2025.

"Nevertheless, it is clear, by overwhelming support of the initial Site C project, that rural British Columbiansdeeply care about sustainable sources. Together, I truly believe that we can achieve a balance between protecting resource-based jobs and environmental protection through cooperation, reducing the stigmatization, as well as mutual respect."

Email Managing Editor Matt Preprost at editor@ahnfsj.ca.

Follow this link:

From Hansard: Rural B.C. leads the way in environmental innovation - Alaska Highway News

EDMONTON, Alberta, April 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Using drones to help reforest remote boreal environments. Reducing methane emissions from cattle by up to 90 per cent through feed additives. Leveraging artificial intelligence to optimize energy usage at a pulp mill. These are three of 17 technology innovations that will receive funding from the Government of Alberta through Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA).

Albertas Minister of Environment and Parks, Jason Nixon, announced the winners of the Food, Farming, and Forestry Challenge with ERA CEO, Steve MacDonald, on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at ERAs Lessons Learned Workshop and SPARK Speaker Series online event.

ERA is committing $33 million for 17 projects with a combined value of $107 million in public and private investment. Funding comes from the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund and supports innovation in the agriculture, agri-food, and forestry sectors. If successful, these technology innovations will lead to cumulative GHG reductions of up to 2.7 million tonnes of CO2e by 2030.

Agriculture and forestry are critically important to the economy of Alberta. This investment, driven by the TIER regulation, will help advance innovative processes and technologies to support the provinces bioeconomy and reduce emissions. Its builds on Albertas historical strengths in agriculture, forestry, and land use.Jason Nixon, Minister of Environment and Parks, Government of Alberta

Agriculture and forestry were bright spots in our economy in 2020 and will continue to drive our economic recovery into 2021. This support for our foresters will ensure that our industry, through innovation, remains competitive and sustainable. It will also support our farmers and ranchers who grow high-quality, safe food for not only Alberta families, but for families all around the world. This $33 million investment will help Alberta meet the demands of a growing population in both an economically efficient and environmentally sensible way.Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Government of Alberta

Albertas food, farming and forestry sectors are critical to achieving Albertas economic and environmental goals and their innovative capacity is world class. The projects announced today will create jobs, attract investment, open new markets and deliver it all with improved environmental performance.Steve MacDonald, CEO, ERA

A total of 150 applications were received requesting a total of $383 million for projects worth $1.5 billion. From the 17 approved projects, four are categorized as natural solutions, seven are in the bioindustry and bioenergy sector, and six projects are in the agriculture and agri-food sector.

These technologies are at the pilot, demonstration, or first-of-kind commercial deployment stage of development. They include:

NATURAL SOLUTIONS

Cenovus Energy Inc. Linear Restoration Equipment Modernization and DeploymentTotal project value: $1,800,000 | ERA commitment: $890,000Provide industry with more effective tools to remediate linear disturbances in the boreal and foothill forests of Alberta created by the geophysical exploration for oil and gas.

Saltworks Technologies Inc.GHG Saving and Internationally Scalable Ultra High Recovery Industrial Wastewater Treatment at an Albertan Agri-Chem FacilityTotal project value: $9,500,000 | ERA commitment: $2,600,000Treat and reuse industrial wastewater to avoid land-spreading and/or use of disposal wells.

West FraserProduct and Production Innovations for Using Albertas Surplus Poplar to Enhance Carbon SequestrationTotal project value: $1,600,000 | ERA commitment: $500,000Develop and test anovelprocess for making oriented strand board and engineered strand-based products. The newmaterialswill utilize Albertas surplus poplar resource.

Flash Forest Commercial Pilots and Demonstrations of Rapid Drone Reforestation Technology Total Project value: $5,450,000 | ERA commitment: $1,800,000Utilize dronereforestationtechnology andhardware, aerial mapping software, automation, and biological seed pod technology to reforest boreal areas at a rapid pace.

BIOINDUSTRY AND BIOENERGY

Steeper Energy Canada LtdThe Conversion of Forestry Residue to Advanced Biofuels in AlbertaProject value: $12,610,000 | ERA commitment: $5,000,000Convert waste biomass from forests and fields into a biocrude with lower oxygen and water content compared to other biocrudes.

KorovaFeeders Ltd.New Production SystemProject value: $20,350,000 | ERA commitment: $5,000,000New productive system and standard for feedlot anaerobic digestion and waste management.

SEPPURE Pte. LtdSustainable Nanofiltration Technology for Vegetable Oil RefiningProject value: $3,600,000 | ERA commitment: $1,800,000Transformative technology for separation and filtration applications in food sector and beyond.

ATCORNG from Pulp Mill WasteProject value: $18,670,000 | ERA commitment: $5,000,000Produce valuable renewable natural gas from the pulp mills wastewater treatment anaerobic digestor.

FPInnovationsBio-sourced asphalt from the Canadian forest industryProject value: $1,250,000 | ERA commitment: $350,000Developing a bitumen-lignin asphalt formulation to be used in the paving industry.

Blindman BrewingBrewery GHG reduction Project value: $200,000 | ERA commitment: $102,000Adopt aCO2e capture and reuse technology in its fermentation process to reduce GHG emissions.

Millar Western Forest Products Ltd.Application of Artificial Intelligence at Pulp Refiners to Optimize Energy Usage and Product QualityProject value: $1,460,000| ERA commitment: $730,000Use a Pulp Expert System (PES) driven byartificial intelligence (AI) at the refining stage of the pulping process to reduce energy consumption and improve product quality.

AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD

SynergrazeInc.Cattle Feed Additive for Reducing Methane EmissionsProject value: $15,000,000 | ERA commitment: $5,000,000Commercially grow and process a feed additive for cattle based on a strain of red macroalgae (Asparagopsis) that could potentially reduce methane emissions from cattle.

Livestock Water Recycling, a division of IWR Technologies Ltd.Achieving on-farm carbon neutrality through the datafication of wasteProject value: $1,370,000| ERA commitment: $650,000Use a technology (known as PLANT) to transform paunch manure into two distinct natural fertilizers,reducing on-farm methane emissions by up to 82 per centin cattle processing.

Optimal Agricultural Equipment Ltd.Opti-CartProject value: $1,500,000 | ERA commitment: $638,000Develop a dual-purpose grain cart/seed tender unit for the grain farming industry. This unit is suitable for use as a grain cart in the fall during harvest season and as a seed tender cart in the spring to deliver seed and fertilizer to a seeding tool.

Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaImpact of genomics-enhanced whole herd genetic management platform on reducing beef GHGsProject value: $5,500,000| ERA commitment: $490,000Develop and demonstrate a genomics enhanced whole herd management platform for the beef industry.

Ceres Solutions Ltd.Use Ag waste and craft brewers grain to grow high value mushrooms and produce livestock feedProject value: $2,000,000 | ERA commitment: $500,000Use agricultural by-product (spent brewer grain which would have gone to land fill) as a growing media for specialty mushroom production in a containerized system and use the leftover substrate after mushroom harvesting (calledMycopro) as cattle feed.

Horseshoe PowerDoef'sGreenhouses CO2e and Heat CaptureProject value: $5,100,000| ERA commitment: $2,000,000Construct a 13-acre hydroponic vegetable greenhouse, co-located with a natural gas field, and heat it using waste heat from the adjacent natural gas fired tri-generation (electricity,heatand CO2e) power plant.

ERA funding is essential in promoting ongoing innovation in the forest industry. By enabling investment in novel technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence, ERA will help us to make higher-value products that better meet the needs of international customers, and to keep pushing the boundaries of technological advancement in Alberta. Most important, it will help us optimize use of critical inputs like energy, fibre, and chemicals, and further reduce our carbon footprint. David Anderson, President and CEO, Millar Western

"Breweries are perfect candidates for CO2e capture and utilization because we both produce and use CO2e in-house. We are beyond excited to partner with Emissions Reduction Alberta in bringing a technology to Canada for the first time ever to allow us to create this loop. This is the future and with ERA and our great project partners, we intend to prove the robust financial benefits of the tech so that the 1,100 breweries in Canada adapt it as well and we make a real GHG impact.Kirk Zembal, Co-Founder, Blindman Brewing

ERA is driving innovation that preserves and protects Albertas industries and the environment. An important Albertan agri-chemical producer and Saltworks will collaborate with ERA to install a worlds first commercial-scale low energy wastewater treatment plant that will recycle, refine, and re-use wastewater at over 98 per cent recovery. ERAs funding builds on a successful pilot, enabling this important first commercial installation of technology that decarbonizes Albertas essential industries while making clean water.Dr. Pierce Maguire, Technology Specialist, Saltworks Technologies

Flash Forest is thrilled to partner with Emissions Reduction Alberta for a multi-year expansion of drone reforestation efforts in Western Canada. In addition to the many environmental benefits this funding enables, it supports the creation of an Alberta-based Centre of Excellence, provincial up-skilling and hiring programs, and a potential production hub for Western Canada. We anticipate Flash Forests unique drone and seed pod technology's successful application will significantly drive down tree planting costs while driving up provincial regeneration efforts.Cameron Jones, COO and Co-founder, Flash Forest

"ERAs funding accelerates Synergrazes ability to get our feed additive to cattle producers. It will help advance the technology through to early commercial scale production. Our feed additive reduces methane emissions from cattle by approximately 90 per cent. Alberta cattle producers will gain access to a product that will enhance competitiveness and greatly reduce GHG emissions as a result of ERAs financial support."Tamara Loiselle, CEO and Founder, Synergraze

"ERAs financial support allows West Fraser to undertake development of an innovative wood product. Wood is 50 per cent carbon, so giving consumers alternatives made from wood is an effective method of sequestering additional carbon. ERAs funds will go towards testing a new method of making a high value product from under-utilized deciduous trees. In this way, we are both helping to diversify Alberta's economy and making the best use of the forest resource."Rob Spring, Senior Engineer, West Fraser

Projects were selected through ERAs competitive review process. A team of experts in science, engineering, business development, commercialization, financing, and greenhouse gas quantification conducted an independent, rigorous, transparent review overseen by a Fairness Monitor. All recipients are required to produce a final outcomes report that will be shared publicly for the broader benefit of Alberta.

ABOUT EMISSIONS REDUCTION ALBERTA (ERA):For more than 10 years, ERA has been investing the revenues from the carbon price paid by large final emitters to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative clean technology solutions. Since ERA was established in 2009, they have committed $646 million toward 204 projects worth $4.5 billion that are helping to reduce GHGs, create competitive industries and are leading to new business opportunities in Alberta. These projects are estimated to deliver cumulative reductions of 37.7 million tonnes of CO2e by 2030.

Read the original post:

$33 million announced to advance technology innovations in Alberta's agriculture, agri-food, and forestry sectors - GlobeNewswire