A 4,000-foot section of a California oil pipeline that spewed more than 100,000 gallons of oil into the Pacific Ocean was displaced laterally about 105 feet and had a 13-inch split on the side of the pipe that was likely the source of the spill, authorities said Tuesday.Divers and footage from remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs, confirmed Monday the split along a section of a 17.7-mile pipeline off the coast of Southern California, according to the Unified Command of agencies investigating the incident.
The divers and ROVs also found no indications of continued oil release at the potential source of the leak, authorities said.The discovery explains the likely source of a spill, widely reported Saturday, of as much as 144,000 gallons of crude oil about five miles off the coast of Huntington Beach.The spill has shut down prized beaches, damaged the environment and presented possible health hazards for local residents.Authorities investigating the leak also sought to clarify the timeline of when authorities and the pipeline company learned about the spill and what they did in response.The Unified Command said the National Response Center first received a report of an unknown sheen of unknown source on Friday evening.”These types of reports are common and in many cases, the sheen reported can be natural seepage of oil or sheen that is never located,” the Unified Command said in a press release. “NOAA satellite imagery was reported to agencies early morning reporting a possible oil anomaly.”Crews from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response went to investigate before sunrise, but conditions were foggy and the crew returned to shore, authorities said.”The Coast Guard and Orange County Sheriff deployed at first light once fog lifted to investigate.A Coast Guard aircraft was diverted to support the investigation.
California Oil Pipeline: Authorities Investigating Leak
Today In History – Oct. 5 – 1947 – Harry Truman Makes 1st Presidential Address Televised From White House
1274 Around 1,000 soldiers of the Mongol army land on the Japanese island of Tsushima, the first attack of Kublai Khan’s Mongol invasion of Japan
1789 French Revolution: Women of Paris march to Versailles in the March on Versailles to confront Louis XVI about his refusal to promulgate the decrees on the abolition of feudalism, demand bread, and have the King and his court moved to Paris
1813 Battle of the Thames; American forces under General William Henry Harrison defeat Tecumseh’s Confederacy and their British allies led by Henry Procter near Chatham, Upper Canada
1864 Most of Calcutta destroyed by cyclone, approx 60,000 die
1978 Over 30 major nations ratify the Environmental Modification Convention which prohibits weather warfare that has widespread, long-lasting or severe effects
1988 Chile votes in a referendum 56-44 against extending Augusto Pinochet’s regime by 8 years thus ending the dictator’s 16½ years in power
2000 Mass demonstrations in Belgrade culminate in the resignation of Serbian strongman Slobodan Milošević, often called the Bulldozer Revolution
Today’s Historical Events
Today in Film & TV
1947 Harry Truman makes the 1st Presidential address televised from the White House
1962 “Dr. No”, 1st James Bond film based on the novel by Ian Fleming and starring Sean Connery and Ursula Andress, premieres in London
Today in Music
1962 The Beatles release their first record, “Love Me Do”
Today in Sport
1922 NY Yankees and Giants play out a controversial 3-3 tie in 10 innings in Game 2 of Baseball World Series at Polo Grounds, Manhattan, NY; Giants win series, 4-0-1
Do you know this fact about today? Did You Know?
Monty Python’s Flying Circus begins airing on BBC TV, on this day in 1969
Would you believe this fact about today? Would You Believe?
A strong hurricane known as the Saxby Gale devastates the Bay of Fundy region in Maritime Canada. Incredibly British naval officer Stephen Martin Saxby predicted the storm 10 months earlier in December 1868 via astronomy, on this day in 1869
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seek New Natural Flood Control Solutions
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is known for damming rivers and building levees to keep waterways at bay.
But a new initiative seeks natural flood control solutions as climate change brings increasingly frequent and severe weather events that test the limits of concrete and steel.
It only makes sense to use Mother Nature’s flood defenses as one of the tools to combat destruction from intense rains in the middle of the country and storms and sea level rise on the coasts, says Todd Bridges, who heads the Corps Engineering with Nature initiative.
Pieces are in place to make the change.
In the 2020 Water Resources Development Act, Congress directed the Corps to consider nature-based systems on equal footing with more traditional infrastructure. And the initiative was directly funded for the first time last year with $12.5 million.
But the Corps is often constrained by its own rules and the way costs and benefits of its projects are evaluated.
“The Corps has a lot of people who are used to doing things a certain way,” said Jimmy Hague, The Nature Conservancy’s senior water policy advisor. “We’re tracking some projects right now where nature-based solutions are almost an afterthought.”
In Missouri, the Corps recently completed a levee setback along the Missouri River after the existing levee was overtopped and breached by flooding in 2019.
Rather than simply repairing the levee, the Corps built a new 5-mile (8-kilometer) stretch farther from the river, opening up about 1,000 acres (405 hectares) of floodplain to help reduce future flooding while providing habitat for rare and declining species.
Dave Crane, the Corps’ environmental lead on the project, said making it happen was not simple.
The Corps is required to repair levees at the lowest cost, and only extreme damage to the original levee made building a new one possible under its rules.
The Corps also likes to work fast to repair levees before a new flood, and moving the levee required time for planning and acquiring land.
New Mexico To Kick-Start Hydrogen Fuel Industry February, 2022
New Mexico’s Democratic governor is seeking legislation to help jump-start hydrogen production from natural gas in her state, a process that generates harmful greenhouse gases but could one day be harnessed to provide environmental benefits.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham outlined the effort briefly at a convention of oil executives in a speech that acknowledged the state’s reliance on industry tax revenue while pledging to enforce pro-environment regulations.
It’s the latest tightrope walk for the governor who has promised action on climate change while also working to shield the state’s oil and gas producers from a federal drilling moratorium on public lands issued by fellow Democrat President Joe Biden.
Lujan Grisham’s first message to the executives was to put on their masks, citing her own emergency regulations issued weeks ago in response to the surge of the delta variant of the coronavirus.
She paused while some 300 attendees complied, before launching into a 20-minute speech thanking oil and gas producers for their contributions to the economy and tax revenues that form the backbone of state education funding.
She pledged to kick-start the hydrogen fuel industry in New Mexico with legislation in February.
“We are working on that as we speak,” Lujan Grisham said, adding that it’s part of an effort to turn New Mexico into a hydrogen fuel “hub.”
The bill could include taxes and incentives for energy producers to produce hydrogen, legal frameworks to facilitate production and storage, refueling corridors for truck traffic and training programs for workers in the industry.
“The Hydrogen Hub Act will continue (to) help us reach our ambitious climate goal of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 45% by 2030 — and boost our economy in the process,” said New Mexico Environment Department spokeswoman Kaitlyn O’Brien.
Like electric car batteries, hydrogen fuel cells emit no carbon dioxide when used. But electric cars, like the growing number of hydrogen vehicles including forklifts, are only as “green” as the energy used to power them.
Most energy used to produce hydrogen currently comes from natural gas, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and directly contributes to the pollution that causes.
But supporters of the technology, including Biden, see it as a pathway to reducing carbon emissions as it becomes more environmentally safe.
New Mexico’s first large-scale hydrogen project describes itself as “blue” — harnessing natural gas to divide water to create hydrogen.
A recent study by Cornell and Stanford found the process generates 20% more carbon emissions than burning natural gas or coal for heat.
In what could have been an applause line for an industry with few friends in the White House, Lujan Grisham said she’s advocating for them at the highest level.
“We continue to have conversations with the Biden administration to make sure that they understand the critical importance of this industry in our state,” the governor said.
But like most of the speech, it was met with a silent buzz of ceiling lights and an occasional cough.
In March, Lujan Grisham wrote Biden asking to exempt New Mexico from an executive order halting gas and oil production on federal land.
She argued the move would push hydrocarbon mining to Texas, which shares a border above ground and the oil-rich Permian Basin beneath it.
But Lujan Grisham describes herself as a “stakeholder” of the industry, not necessarily a friend.
She pledged to restrict methane emissions at drilling sites and continue enforcing regulations requiring reduced use of freshwater and thorough cleanups of environmental spills.
The speech made no mention of an oil spill currently coating the coast of California, or the record fires made worse this summer by global warming.
Producers say methane rules will cost billions.
The governor will have to walk another tightrope in February when pro-environment legislators from the state’s growing progressive wing will have a chance to weigh in on the hydrogen legislation, and New Mexico Oil and Gas representatives will too.
For many environmentalists, the governor’s methane rules and support for hydrogen don’t go far enough, fast enough, to curb global warming.
Student protesters have started to picket the governor’s events and office.
A handful of student climate activists blocked hotel doors after the governor left Monday’s event. They sang and held a sign that read “Whose side are you on?”
Back in the convention hall, most of the oil and gas executives took off their masks immediately after the governor left.
Lagos State Plans Compact City, Aims To Reduce Emission
The Governor of Lagos, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed the resilience and innovativeness of the State in tackling environmental challenges confronting its development as a low-line, coastal Megacity.
Speaking during the World Habitat Day Celebration held on Monday at Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium, Secretariat, Alausa in Ikeja, the Governor noted that in line with the celebration’s theme, “Accelerating Urban Action For Carbon-Free World”, Lagos State, through a compact city planning, aimed to reduce emission by targeting critical sectors such as housing, energy and waste management, among others.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, said: “We have retrofitted our economy by adopting energy-saving alternatives as a decisive step towards reducing carbon footprint in the State”.
He added that initiatives like Tree Planting Campaigns, Landscaping and Beautification of open spaces, climate change advocacy summits and the promotion of waste recycling have become institutionalised in response to the environmental challenges in Lagos State.
Noting the inherent opportunities resulting from Climate Change in the State, Sanwo-Olu said his administration has recently signed the N25 Billion Green Bond Market Agreement to galvanise viable financing options for green and sustainable projects in areas such as climate change adaptive transportation, housing, health and agriculture among others.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako stated that successive topics of the celebration had underscored the importance of the environment, particularly the built environment, as a superstructure interconnecting other important sectors.
While calling on stakeholders to reflect and take progressive steps forward in the vanguard of a livable and sustainable city that is carbon-free and climate-resilient, Salako stated that the theme of this year’s celebration is a clarion call for actionable plans and strategies for the achievement of a truly sustainable world for all.
The Guest Speaker from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Lagos, Prof. Taibat Lawanson, noted that carbon emission was prevalent in urban centres, such as Lagos, with high population density, small landmass as well high commercial and industrial activities.
She called for proactive measures in accelerating action for a carbon-free State, through sustainable measures in transportation, energy, agriculture and other areas.
Lagos State To Deploy Technology In Farming
The Lagos State Government is working towards the deployment of technology that will enable farming all year round in order to achieve food security and self-sufficiency in the State and Nigeria as a whole.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, made the disclosure at a press briefing to herald the activities lined up for the celebration of Y2021 World Food Day.
She explained that an all-year farming season would ensure that Lagos attains the desired sustainable agri-food systems.
Maintaining that the theme of this year’s World Food Day Celebration – Our Actions are our Future: Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life – is indeed apt, the Commissioner stated that it focuses on the efforts being made by the State Government to ensure that a variety of sufficient, nutritious and safe foods are available at affordable prices to everyone.
NDLEA Arrests Fake Soldier With Drugs, Gadgets, Others For Bandits
The Director Media and advocacy NDLEA headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a press statement, Sunday the arrest of a suspected fake soldier, Hayatu Galadima and his accomplice, Hamisu Adamu by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
The duo were arrested while conveying drugs, ammunition and communication equipment to bandits in Kaduna, North – West Nigeria.
“Recovered from them were 21 RLA 7.45mm ammunition concealed in water bottle, 16 packs of new two-way radio (Walkie talkie), four army coloured head masks, wallet containing army ID card, 1USD, 2 FCMB, 1 First Bank, 1 Ecobank, 1 UBA, 1 Skye Bank ATM cards, wraps of cannabis sativa, tablets of tramadol, three MTN, two 9mobile and one Airtel simcards packs, one iPhone 12 pro, one Samsung A31, and one Nokia phones, seven NA pass letters, five handbags and one Bagco bag containing personal belongings, as well as a gallon of palm oil.” The statement explained.
While Hayatu Galadima claimed to be a Lance Corporal serving in Ibadan, stating “they were taking the exhibits to Kaduna and Kano as Preliminary investigation however indicates that the suspects may have contact with bandits in the North West and were possibly moving the ammunition and the two-way radios to bandits who are presently excommunicated due to the suspension of telecommunications services in Zamfara, Sokoto and Kaduna states.”
The Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed the FCT Command of the Agency, which made the arrest to transfer the suspects to authorities of the Nigerian Army and another intelligence agency, which had earlier placed the two men on its watch list for further investigation.
World Teachers’ Day: Union Calls For Safety Of Schools
The Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, has called on the Nigerian, State and Local governments as well as private individuals to work together and restore peace in the Society to ensure safety of schools.
The Union also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to grant assent to the Teachers Retirement Age Bill into law, to ensure compliance by all teachers.
The NUT President, Comrade Nasir Idris made the calls in Abuja during the occasion of the 2021 World Teachers’ Day.
Idris said the theme of the 2021 World Teachers’ Day, Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery, is apt following the devastating impact of 2020 pandemic on the Education Sector.
“Teachers took up the responsibilities of identifying learning losses and applied recovery measures such as accelerated learning programmes to reduce learning gaps,” he stated.
Idris however called for empowerment and more support for teachers in their task of carrying out education recovery.
The Union expressed dissatisfaction at State governments yet to implement the National Minimum Wage for teachers sayin, “Erring states must begin payment without further delay.”
Idris expressed the regret of NUT over the non-payment of Primary School teachers’ salaries as at when due.
On the alteration act on the 1999 Constitution, he called on the National Assembly to fund basic education through first line charge.
Katsina Govt. States Why Its Public Schools Skipped Third Term
The Katsina State Government has said the cancellation of the last academic session (Third term) in public schools in the state was so as to ensure that the students did not miss their external examinations.
The state’s Ministry of Education gave the reason following an outcry from members of the public and civil society organisations in the state.
The state government reopened boarding schools this week for the first time since December last year when schools across the state were shut following the kidnapping of over 300 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara.
Governor Aminu Masari shut down the public schools but reopened the day schools a few weeks later.
In February, boarding school students and staff were asked to resume in day schools near them.
Speaking at the sideline of an event in Katsina Tuesday morning, the Commissioner of Education, Badamasi Charanci, an associate professor, gave the reason why the state government took the controversial decision.
He added that the decision was taken after due consultation with concerned parties.
“Let me remind you why we have even witnessed the closure of schools. We had the pandemic that bedeviled the whole world, kidnapping of students and other things. When we finished the assessment on the reopening of boarding schools, we decided to skip third term for the whole secondary schools, (boarding and day), in the state.
“We did that because we took into consideration that examination bodies like WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and even NBAIS would not wait for our students when the examinations are due. So, we decided to skip third term to ensure that our students also participate in the examinations.”
Charanci said this was not the first time a whole term was being skipped.
He said in emergency situations, governments at all levels are forced to make adjustments.
“Over 10 states in northern Nigeria are in the first term, so how do you want us to reconcile this? You want us to sacrifice all the students waiting to write their graduating examinations or what?”
When asked the measures the government was taking to ensure the lessons missed in the third term are covered, Charanci said provisions have been made.
“We are specialised teachers. We have done this before and the results were good. We will use all the available options to ensure that the lessons are covered. We have prep, lessons, specialised lessons during break and team teaching. We will ensure that everything is duly covered,” Charanci said.
World Teachers’ Day: FG Assure Teachers New Salary Structure, More From January
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has said teachers will begin to enjoy the new salary structure promised by President Muhammadu Buhari from January 2022.
Nwajiuba made the disclosure in Abuja at a symposium organised by the Ministry of Education.
The symposium is part of activities to mark the forthcoming 2021 World Teachers Day with the theme “Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery”.
The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Sonny Echono, noted that work was being concluded on the enhanced salary structure.
He further disclosed work was also being concluded on other incentives promised by the president during the 2020 World Teachers’ Day.
He stressed that the other incentives ranged from allowances, housing, training, to elongate service year from 35 to 40.
“The President has approved the enhanced salary structure and we will finish it very soon.
“The president specifically approved that it should take effect from 2022.
“We are doing all to finish it to ensure that by January 2022, teachers should get the remuneration they deserve.
“We are fast tracking the process of implementation to see that by the end of year we will be able to tell Mr President that all the incentives he has approved are ready for implementation”, he said.
The Minister further said, ” the President has taken the lead by approving a far reaching and revitalising programme for the teaching profession in this country and there are many soft incentives in that.
“All that is required is for other actors down the line like state governors, the National Assembly and others to key into this initiative and ensure that the implementation is seamless.
“For instance, we are tired of hearing how long teachers are being owed salaries in states.
“It is criminal. So, with the new initiative, we have incentives to attract the best brains and retain them in the teaching profession.
“All welfare issues including housing, training and retraining, enhanced remuneration, allowances are being taken care of,” he said.
He commended Nigerian teachers for the sacrifice in spite of the many challenges faced in the course of their duties.
He urged them to retune themselves to fit into the new normal occasioned by being more technology savvy.
Registrar and Chief Executive of Teachers Registration Council (TRCN), Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, who was the Guest Speaker at the event, said the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly changed world education system, with African countries most hit.
He, however, said while some continents were able to quickly adjust to the new normal, African countries including Nigeria found it difficult to adjust to a technology base learning.
