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Bob Passmore, the vice president of auto and claims policy for the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), stated in an August 9 statement to Federal Newswire that third-party litigation funding (TPLF) creates a larger volume of lawsuits and leads to outsized verdicts.

The U.S. Department of Education today released the framework for the testing period it will use starting October 1, 2024, ahead of making the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available to all students and contributors on or before December 1. The Department’s top priority remains ensuring the FAFSA form is stable and delivers a smooth and secure experience for families, schools, states, and other partners.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a settlement with Cleveland Cliffs Burns Harbor LLC, located in Burns Harbor, Indiana, for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. These violations reportedly occurred while the facility was operating under its former name, ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor LLC. As part of the settlement, the company will implement additional pollution controls and pay $248,396 in penalties.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced nearly $70 million in grant funding for Dillard University and the City of New Orleans. The funding includes $19,944,576 for Dillard University and its partner, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, as well as $49,975,589 from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program (CPRG) for New Orleans to implement community-driven solutions addressing climate change.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $26 million in funding, including $1,285,000 allocated for Massachusetts, to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities. This grant funding aims to reduce lead exposure where children learn and play while advancing the goals of the Biden-Harris Administration's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced today the allocation of $521 million in grants to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure across 29 states, two Federally Recognized Tribes, and the District of Columbia. This initiative includes the deployment of over 9,200 EV charging ports.

On August 27, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that over $240 million will be allocated to nineteen state and local governments for the adoption and implementation of advanced energy-efficient or innovative building codes. This initiative is part of the administration's Investing in America agenda, aimed at reducing utility costs for residents and commercial building operators while combating climate change.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the implementation of federal disaster assistance for New Mexico, following severe storms and flooding from June 20 to June 21, 2024. President Biden issued a major disaster declaration in Santa Clara Pueblo.

The U.S. Department of Labor is attempting to locate 28 former employees of a Cordele-based home healthcare company to distribute their share of $65,944 in back wages and liquidated damages. An investigation revealed that the employer, Adventist Homecare and Medical Services LLC, had failed to pay these workers overtime wages as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the allocation of $1,499,979 in research funding to Clarkson University. The grant aims to support the development and demonstration of nanosensor technology designed to detect, monitor, and degrade per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater and surface water sources.

National retailer Walmart Inc. and pet product manufacturer The Hartz Mountain Corporation will each pay a civil penalty to settle alleged violations of federal pesticide law at Walmart’s Colby, Kansas, location.

The founder and chief executive officer of a California-based company that marketed stem cell-based products linked to multiple hospitalizations pleaded guilty yesterday to a felony violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced today that the Department of Commerce and HP Inc. have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $50 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. This funding aims to support the expansion and modernization of HP’s existing facility in Corvallis, Oregon, which is part of the company’s “lab-to-fab” ecosystem, spanning from research and development activities to commercial manufacturing operations.

PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 27, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced Khesha Reed as the permanent Deputy Director for EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO), located in Annapolis, Maryland. Reed has been serving as the Acting Deputy Director since April 2024, focusing on strengthening administrative processes and acting as a liaison to the Local Government Advisory Committee.

Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and Environment Jose W. Fernandez, U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador Art Brown, and Ecuador’s Minister of Energy and Mines Antonio Gonçalves marked Ecuador’s entry into the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Forum during the Under Secretary’s visit to Quito on August 27.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated action against Care.com, alleging that the care gig platform deceived caregivers about job availability and wages while complicating the process for families to cancel their paid memberships.

Federal safety inspectors became aware that a 31-year-old employee of a Chicago countertop manufacturer needed a double lung transplant after suffering accelerated silicosis, an incurable lung disease. The U.S. Department of Labor immediately alerted the company of the potential imminent danger, and an inspection by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found workers exposed to silica levels up to six times greater than permissible limits.

Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc., has announced the general availability of AWS Parallel Computing Service. This new managed service is designed to facilitate the setup and management of high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, enabling customers to run scientific and engineering workloads at scale on AWS.

The Department of State has announced a reward offer under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program of up to $2.5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Volodymyr Kadariya, also known as Volodymyr Kadaria or Vladimir Kadaria. Kadariya is wanted in the United States for his alleged participation in a significant malware organization.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $61,646 for 140 workers following investigations into three restaurants in Lamesa and Lubbock, Texas. The investigations revealed that these establishments had illegally withheld tips from their employees.

On August 8, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 ordered three grocery distributors to halt the sale and distribution of certain Fabuloso household disinfectant products.

The Republic of Guinea-Bissau has conveyed to Morocco its endorsement of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) following its attendance at the PSI African Political Meeting and Outreach Event, co-hosted by Morocco and the United States from January 31 to February 2, 2024, in Marrakesh, Morocco. The United States welcomes Guinea-Bissau’s endorsement and participation in the Initiative and looks forward to working with the Government of Guinea-Bissau to advance the counterproliferation goals of the PSI and its Statement of Interdiction Principles. Guinea-Bissau is the...

The Office of the Pardon Attorney has released a Spanish-language version of its application for commutation of sentence. This application can be used to request that the President commute the sentence of an incarcerated individual. The release follows the launch of an improved pardon application in June 2024 and an English-language commutation application in November 2023.

The U.S. Department of Labor and the Republic of Colombia have announced that Colombia has joined the Consular Partnership Program to raise awareness among Colombians working in the U.S. about regulations protecting them in American workplaces. This announcement coincides with the beginning of Labor Rights Week.

Cartagena de Indias, August 26, 2024