Several Carcross/Tagish First Nation citizens want self-government jobs to be more accessible
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Associated Press
2 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Trump moves to shut down NASA missions that measure carbon dioxide and plant health
The Trump administration is moving to shut down two NASA missions that monitor a potent greenhouse gas and plant health, potentially shutting off an important source of data for scientists, policymakers and farmers. President Donald Trump's budget request for fiscal year 2026 includes no money for the Orbiting Carbon Observatories, which can precisely show where carbon dioxide is being emitted and absorbed and how well crops are growing. NASA said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the missions were 'beyond their prime mission' and being terminated 'to align with the President's agenda and budget priorities.' But the missions — a free-flying satellite launched in 2014 and an instrument attached to the International Space Station in 2019 that include technology used in the Hubble Space Telescope — still are more sensitive and accurate than any other systems in the world, operating or planned, and a 'national asset' that should be saved, said David Crisp, a retired NASA scientist who led their development. They helped scientists discover, for example, that the Amazon rain forest emits more carbon dioxide than it absorbs, while boreal forests in Canada, Russia and places where permafrost is melting absorb more than they emit, Crisp said. They also can detect the 'glow' of photosynthesis in plants, which helps monitor drought and predict food shortages that can lead to civil unrest and famine, he said. 'This is really critical,' Crisp said. 'We're learning so much about this rapidly changing planet.' The decision to end the missions is 'extremely shortsighted,' said Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan. 'The observations provided by these satellites ... (are) critical for managing growing climate change impacts around the planet, including in the U.S.,' he said. Looking to Congress Crisp and others hope Congress will vote to preserve funding for the missions, which are funded through the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. A bill in the House closely aligns with the president's request and would eliminate the missions, while a Senate version preserves them. But with Congress in recess, it is unclear whether a budget will be adopted before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. If it doesn't, Congress could adopt a resolution to continue current funding until a budget is passed, though some lawmakers fear the Trump administration could try to delay or withhold that money. Congressional Democrats warned acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy last month that it would be illegal to terminate missions or impound funds already appropriated by Congress. Experts said the administration's move to eliminate funding aligns with other actions to cut or bury climate science. 'The principle seems to be that if we stop measuring climate change it will just disappear from the American consciousness,' said University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann. Backup plan Crisp and others also are trying to put together a coalition of outside partners — including from Japan and Europe — that could fund and operate the instrument attached to the space station. NASA said it will accept outside proposals through Aug. 29. The free-flying satellite, though, is at risk of being brought down, meaning it would burn up in the atmosphere. National Public Radio first reported that NASA employees were making plans to end the missions. Crisp said advocates are hoping NASA also allows outside control of that satellite, which covers more of the globe, but there are legal hurdles to overcome because it would mean giving control of a U.S. satellite to a group that could include foreign partners. 'We're going out to billionaires. We're going out to foundations,' Crisp said. 'But ... it's a really, really bad idea to try and push it off onto private industry or private individuals or private donors. It just doesn't make sense.' ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
First Nation disappointed as B.C. court rejects challenge to Mount Polley dam level
VANCOUVER — The B.C. Supreme Court has dismissed a First Nation's bid to stop a tailings dam from being raised at the Mount Polley mine site, which suffered a catastrophic dam collapse that spilled millions of litres of waste and water 11 years ago. The Xatsull First Nation claimed the province's approval of the plan to raise the level of the dam in B.C.'s Interior by four metres was improper and done without "meaningful" consultation with the nation. But Justice Michael Tammen ruled Wednesday that the provincial government's consultation with the Xatsull was proper. "I view the consultation here as deep and, importantly, the process employed by the province provided Xatsull with ample opportunity to present their perspective," Tammen said. The First Nation said in a statement it was disappointed in the ruling. "This is the same facility that breached and devastated Xatsull's territory in 2014 — the worst mining disaster on record. Its impacts are still harming our nation's rights, culture and way of life today," it said. "We will be reviewing the decision as well as exploring our options to determine next steps." Imperial Metals president Bryan Kynoch told reporters in a conference call Wednesday that the court's finding was an "important decision for the mine." "Being able to move ahead with the raise helps us keep operations stable and avoid unnecessary interruptions and disruptions," he said. Raising the dam would allow the mine to continue depositing tailings, but Kynock said they're still awaiting another permit amendment that would extend the life of the mine significantly. "If that doesn't come soon, we may be put in jeopardy of significantly revising operational plans or even ceasing operation if the amendment process is not expedited," he said. "While today's decision gives us some clarity, we're clearly not out of the woods yet." He said the company has the support of the Williams Lake First Nation, and it's "worked hard" to negotiate and co-operate with the Xatsull First Nation in the past. Tammen found the province fulfilled its duty to consult, and said that had he found otherwise, he would not have hesitated to grant the Xatsull's wishes to have the decision approving the plan reconsidered. Tammen said Mount Polley Mining Corp.'s plan to raise the tailings storage level was "comparatively modest," and the rationale for provincial approval "readily apparent." The court had been expected to rule on an application for an injunction Wednesday with a decision on the nation's judicial review to follow, but Tammen dismissed the Xatsull's legal challenge outright and found no basis to grant an injunction to stop the plan from moving ahead. Tammen said raising the dam as proposed "does not increase the scope of operations at the mine, nor does it increase the ecological footprint of ongoing mining operations." The judge said the tailings dam failed "catastrophically" in 2014, which "has in turn caused widespread and long-lasting environmental damage and corresponding impacts to Xatsull's Aboriginal title, rights, culture, and way of life." "Xatsull is obviously and understandably extremely concerned with the potential for a further failure and thus has a corresponding interest in ensuring that the mine is being operated in an environmentally responsible and safe manner," he said. The judge said he didn't want to dismiss, diminish or minimize the "deleterious" effects of the tailings dam failure, which is still the subject of civil litigation and Fisheries Act charges against the company. Lawyers for Mount Polley and the provincial government claimed the risk of a future tailings dam failure was "speculative," while the judge characterized "it as remote and incapable of even approximate quantification." The judge ruled that the province's duty to consult relates to only "current government conduct" rather than any past wrongs or failings, and must focus on "adverse impacts" from a specific proposal and not "larger adverse impacts of the project of which it is a part." Tammen said it was reasonable for B.C.'s environmental assessment office to consider impacts on the First Nation's constitutional rights as a "starting point" during the consultations that happened during the permitting process. "That process was aimed at the overarching safety and design issues that were at the heart of Xatsull's concerns," the judge said. "If Xatsull asserted other impacts … beyond the risk of further failure of the (tailings storage facility), they had ample opportunity to make those known to the (environmental assessment office), but did not do so." Chief Rhonda Phillips said earlier this year that the province was allowing the work to proceed without a valid environmental assessment certificate at the site of the spill that sent millions of tonnes of water and tailings into the environment on the nation's territory in B.C.'s Cariboo region. Phillips had said "meaningful" reform is needed in the aftermath of the 2014 spill because the provincial government is still approving "risky storage methods" while failing to adequately consult the nation. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2025. Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Yukon First Nation to oppose all new mining claims on its territory during planning
A Yukon First Nation says it will oppose any new mining claims on its traditional territory as it begins a regional land-use planning process with the territory's government. The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun says in a post on Facebook that it is issuing a notice to the mining industry that it will oppose any claim "through all available legal and political avenues." The Nation says any such claim staked during the land-use planning process are "unwelcome" and "unlawful," citing past court decisions that it says "strongly discourages staking claims in the areas" undergoing such a process. It says the Nation has adopted its own policy on mining that will govern the industry on its traditional territory while the planning process in pending. The notice comes after a catastrophic failure at an ore storage site last year at the Eagle Gold Mine, within the nation's traditional territory, that released about two-million tonnes of cyanide-laced ore and water into the environment. Yukon Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker says in a statement that the territory is aware of the notice and recommends any mining proponent to "engage with potentially affected Indigenous governments and groups as early as possible" for any project development. Streicker says the territory has recently entered into a memorandum of understanding with Na-Cho Nyak Dun to start the land-use planning process, however they haven't reached a consensus on how interim staking of mining claims should be handled while planning is taking place. "We are committed to working alongside the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun to develop a regional land use plan that considers the diverse land uses in this region," he says. "In our view, this includes maintaining a healthy environment and vibrant cultural legacy, while supporting a sustainable economy and ensuring Yukon First Nations and public priorities are appropriately reflected." Na-Cho Nyak Dun Chief Dawna Hope says in the statement that her Nation "is advising all mining companies and their financial backers that no new claims should be staked in their traditional territory to protect our planning process and our treaty rights." "We will vigorously oppose — through all possible political and legal means — any new claims staked on our territory,' Hope says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2025. Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
