News from July 2024
By Federal Newswire | Jul 9, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of Mississippi State University Extension to receive $100,000 in funding to support environmental education in Jackson and across Mississippi. The Extension, an off-campus educational arm of Mississippi State University, provides current research and educational information to individuals in all 82 counties. This grant aims to increase public awareness of environmental issues and equip participants with skills for informed decision-making and responsible environmental actions.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 9, 2024
Nikolay Goltsev, 38, of Montreal, and Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, 53, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit export control violations for their roles in a global procurement scheme on behalf of sanctioned Russian companies, including Russian military companies. Some of the electronic components shipped by the defendants were later found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 9, 2024
The Justice Department today announced the seizure of two domain names and the search of 968 social media accounts used by Russian actors to create an AI-enhanced social media bot farm that spread disinformation in the United States and abroad. The social media bot farm used elements of AI to create fictitious social media profiles, often purporting to belong to individuals in the United States, which the operators then used to promote messages supporting Russian government objectives, according to affidavits unsealed today.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 9, 2024
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), has released an updated Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Strategy to prevent the importation of goods produced with forced labor in China. This strategy builds on two years of enforcement under the UFLPA and DHS's broader efforts to remove forced labor from U.S. supply chains.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 9, 2024
The Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and State of Colorado announced a settlement with Enterprise Gas Processing LLC and Enterprise Products Operating LLC (jointly, “Enterprise”). The agreement includes a $1 million civil penalty aimed at protecting community health and the environment by enhancing leak detection and repair practices at the Meeker Gas Plant in Rio Blanco County, Colorado.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 9, 2024
The United States is expanding its visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This policy restricts visa issuances to individuals who facilitate irregular migration to the United States and profit from exploiting vulnerable migrants. The expanded policy will now also apply to executives of travel agencies and tour operators who provide travel services designed primarily for irregular migrants to the United States.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 9, 2024
The Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the State of Colorado announced a settlement with Enterprise Gas Processing, LLC, and Enterprise Products Operating, LLC (jointly referred to as "Enterprise") regarding violations of the Clean Air Act at the Meeker Gas Plant in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The agreement includes a $1 million civil penalty aimed at improving community health and environmental conditions through enhanced leak detection and repair practices.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 9, 2024
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced approximately $1.5 billion in funding to support 117 projects aimed at improving public transportation across 47 states. This initiative is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has allocated nearly $5 billion over the past three years to replace and modernize transit buses with new technology produced by American workers. More than 4,600 new buses will be manufactured as a result.
By Federal Newswire reports | Jul 9, 2024
There are few places in the country that can claim to be more afflicted by the current fentanyl crisis than Cabell County, West Virginia.
By Federal Newswire reports | Jul 9, 2024
Berkeley County, West Virginia Sheriff Robert Blair is advocating for the Biden Administration to close the nation’s borders in an effort to bolster public safety.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, in collaboration with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), will host a series of online webinars in August to coincide with Breastfeeding Awareness Month. These webinars aim to educate expectant and new mothers about their workplace rights.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
The co-founder and former chief technology officer (CTO) of Paxful Inc. pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to fail to maintain an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
On January 18, 2024, the Air Force informed Congress that the Sentinel program had exceeded its baseline cost projections, leading to a critical breach under the Nunn-McCurdy statute. Such a breach occurs when the Program Acquisition Unit Cost (PAUC) or Average Unit Procurement Cost (APUC) increases by 25 percent or more over the current Acquisition Program Baseline. By law, the program must be terminated unless certified by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)) as meeting specific criteria to continue.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on July 8 the selection of 38 organizations to receive over $3.6 million in funding for projects under the Environmental Education Grants Program.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
The Department of Commerce is calling for nominations for the 2024 Sustainability, Energy, and Environmental (SEE) Ambassadors program. The SEE Ambassadors program recognizes individual Departmental employees for outstanding performance in implementing exceptional projects and programs that help the Department meet goals related to sustainability, energy and water reduction, clean energy, climate change adaptation, environmental justice, resilience, and environmental performance.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the selection of the University of Maine and Learning Endeavors to receive competitive grants for environmental education projects in the Pacific Islands. These organizations have been chosen for their work in promoting youth ecological stewardship and environmental education, focusing on environmental justice, water resource challenges, and watershed health.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) welcomed 32 faculty and staff from Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Hispanic-Serving School Districts (HSSDs) to the 2024 class of E. Kika De La Garza (EKDLG) Fellows on July 8, 2024. This initiative aims to educate participants on USDA services and programs, benefiting their students and communities as part of USDA’s commitment to advancing equity in professional development opportunities.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
On Wednesday, July 10, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo will travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to discuss how the Biden-Harris Administration’s economic agenda is creating good-paying clean energy jobs and continuing the historic small business boom by expanding access to capital.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
As inflation continues to ease and the Federal Reserve ponders when to lower interest rates, the nation is in a “critical moment” of waiting to see what will happen next, National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said today.
By Federal Newswire | Jul 8, 2024
Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara A. Leaf is on travel from July 8-14 to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the West Bank, and Italy. The Assistant Secretary will meet with government officials on continued diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire agreement, secure the release of all hostages, and ensure humanitarian assistance is distributed throughout Gaza. She will also have further discussions on the post-conflict period in a way that builds lasting peace and security.
