Latest news with #Conlan
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Federal judge dismisses suit that threatened wetlands on farmland nationwide
A federal judge in Iowa dismissed a lawsuit on Thursday that threatened millions of acres of wetlands, ecosystems that mitigate flooding, reduce water pollution and support biodiversity. While the lawsuit implicated wetlands nationwide, the battleground was a 72-acre farm in Delaware County, Iowa, owned by Chicago-based investor James Conlan. Conlan has over 1,000 acres of farmland in Iowa, which he leases to farmers who work the land. In some cases, he aims to eventually sell the land to developers. Represented by the libertarian Pacific Legal Foundation and Liberty Justice Center, Conlan argued that a federal provision colloquially known as Swampbuster, which discourages farmland owners from converting wetlands into cropland, infringes on property rights. Conlan and his lawyers did not respond to requests for comment following the decision, which detailed how his gripe with Swampbuster originated three years ago when he sought to cut down trees on 9 of his 72 acres federally designated as wetlands. Under the law, this would have made him and the farmer who leases the land ineligible for federal benefits such as subsidies, loans and insurance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and several environmental and sustainable agriculture groups countered that compliance with Swampbuster was voluntary. Farmers can drain and till wetlands, but if they do, they cannot expect to receive taxpayer dollars. An expectation of land stewardship is central to the partnership between farmers and the public, said Aaron Lehman, a fifth-generation farmer and president of the Iowa Farmers Union, one of the several groups that joined with the federal government in the case. 'Thursday's decision means we can continue to have farm programs that have integrity,' he said Friday afternoon as he planted soybeans on his farm in Polk County, Iowa. Swampbuster protects 78 million acres, or two-thirds of the wetlands remaining in the continental U.S., according to Food and Water Watch, another group that joined the case in support of Swampbuster. In the upper Midwest, 30 million acres of wetlands, including over 640,000 in Iowa and 1 million in Illinois, are at risk of being destroyed by industrial agriculture, according to a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists. Over half the nation's original wetlands have already been destroyed by farming, development and climate change since the 1780s. 'Every day Americans, and especially homeowners — they might not even know about this case — but it was a big win for them. Wetlands in the Midwest and across the country provide billions of dollars in mitigation benefits by preventing people from losing their homes due to floods,' said Katie Garvey, an attorney at the Chicago-based Environmental Law and Policy Center who represented the environmental and sustainable agriculture groups. Wetlands are natural sponges and filters, absorbing excess water to prevent flooding and catching pollutants before they run into local waterways. They are also critical habitats for a variety of plants and animals. Garvey and her colleagues were pleasantly surprised by the Agriculture Department's continued defense of Swampbuster under the Trump administration. The lawsuit was originally filed under the Biden administration. 'We've been very relieved to see that this administration is continuing to support the USDA and defend Swampbuster,' she said. Chief Judge C.J. Williams, who presided over the case, was also appointed to the Northern Iowa District Court by President Donald Trump during his first term. 'I think that part of the reason is that these programs are really popular with farmers and with Trump's base,' said Dani Replogle, a staff attorney with Food and Water Watch. 'I wonder if that is maybe contributing to them being a little bit more cautious with programs that benefit farmers and benefit farming more broadly?' Lehman warned that the alternative to the voluntary Swampbuster program is a total regulatory environment where farmers don't have choice on whether to comply with conservation programs. 'The only other options would be neglecting the environment or a total regulatory environment, which would be difficult,' he said. The fight to over Swampbuster's fate — and the millions of wetlands it protects — isn't over yet, however. Conlan's team plans to appeal the decision to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals based in St. Louis, according to a statement posted by the Liberty Justice Center on X Thursday evening. 'We're confident that the appellate court will ultimately rule that this federal law is unconstitutional. This law has been taking land from farmers for years, and we look forward to continuing to fight this unconstitutional law,' said the statement, which Conlan's lawyers referred the Tribune to, in lieu of an interview.
Int'l Business Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Beyond the 'Crypto Bros': Women Make Their Mark in Web3
Let's be honest, the image of the typical "cryptocurrency enthusiast" was, for a long time, distinctly male—think "Crypto Bro," maybe talking fast about complex tech. While that picture had some truth to it, especially back in the day, it never really showed the full reality: women have always been involved in crypto, and now their numbers and impact are really starting to show. You see, even though crypto promised a decentralized world open to everyone, the early days often looked a lot like traditional tech and finance, with similar gender gaps. Fewer women were visible as investors, founders, or developers. But that story's definitely changing. Thanks to determined individuals, specific programs pushing for inclusion, and the simple fact that blockchain needs diverse ideas, women aren't just showing up—they're increasingly taking the reins, building new things, and investing in the future of Web3. Binance's Rachel Conlan: It's a Myth That Women Aren't in Web3 One person actively challenging that outdated image is Binance CMO Rachel Conlan. At a recent Binance event during Token2049, she hit the nail on the head regarding the perception of women in the space. "That there aren't women in Web3, that's the biggest misconception," Conlan declared. She pointed to Binance's own team as proof of change, mentioning that women account for 45% of their staff worldwide. Conlan, leveraging her extensive background in traditional marketing within the high-speed crypto environment, is clearly driven to help reshape the industry. She laid out two key goals she's personally focused on: "One is bringing more women into work in this industry, to build, to develop... The second part is ensuring that we get more women holding, trading, learning, investing." Her point is blunt: "We do not want this to be another financial revolution where females get left behind." For her, cracking this involves making crypto more accessible through community and education, and maybe even making it a bit more entertaining—less intimidating, basically. Still, Conlan's positive view bumps up against some tough industry-wide numbers. Yes, more women own crypto now—Triple-A suggested they made up 39% of global owners in 2024, a huge leap from themeager 8.5% back in 2018. But getting into leadership? That's still a steep climb. A HRReview article showed that only about 6% of crypto company CEOs were women. Startups founded by women? They were getting just a tiny slice (somewhere between 3.5% and 7% , depending on the source) of the venture capital pie. On top of that, reports indicate a significant pay gap for women in Web3 finance roles, possibly worse than in traditional finance, and female experts still struggle for visibility in the media or on influencer lists. So, Have Women Really Found Their Place in Web3? With all that in mind, have women truly cemented their place in Web3? It feels like the answer is an emphatic "Yes" but there's still plenty of work ahead. You can't deny the progress, but reaching real equality is going to take continued focus. Women are actively creating their own spaces, building valuable networks, and leading significant projects, often using the decentralized tools crypto offers. People like Clara Bullrich, who helps run women-centric DAOs like Komorebi, are perfect examples of this push to build supportive ecosystems from the ground up. Education is playing a huge part in opening doors. Binance, for instance, has rolled out several programs specifically designed to get more women involved. The company's Binance Women in Technology Academy in Turkey, working with Wtech, offers training on everything from blockchain basics and AI to NFTs and cybersecurity, with a goal to train 5,000 women over the next five years. Similarly, the exchange's Blockchain for Women Bootcamp in Africa , in partnership with Utiva, gave 300 women (chosen from 3,000 applicants) intensive training focused on landing actual jobs in the crypto field. Efforts like these, plus global networking events around International Women's Day and highlighting female community leaders (like the Binance Angels), directly target the known roadblocks: lack of specific knowledge, not having the right connections, and a shortage of visible role models. As Sheila Warren, who previously headed the Crypto Council for Innovation, pointed out , deep-seated cultural ideas about who gets to take risks or be "good at tech" need active challenging. It's about more than just opening the door; it's about making sure the room is welcoming and set up for everyone to succeed. When you look at the whole picture, women aren't just finding some spot in Web3; they're actively shaping it. Yes, big challenges like the gaps in leadership and funding are still very real. But the clear increase in female investors, developers, marketers, and founders—fueled by dedicated efforts from organizations like Binance and countless others—marks a significant change. The industry seems to be waking up to the fact that real decentralization and widespread adoption mean everyone needs to be involved. Getting to full equality won't happen overnight, but the foundation is definitely being built, one block at a time.
Irish Examiner
13-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
International banks in Ireland braced for 'headwinds' amid trade tensions
Four out of five international banks operating in Ireland expect to face 'headwinds' from geopolitical tensions and resulting effects on trade. A report published on Tuesday by the Federation of International Banks in Ireland (FIBI) shows that the international banking sector in Ireland is set to grow with over 60% of member firms expected to increase business activity and 39% expected to increase the number of people employed in 2025. However, 79% of banks believe the trade uncertainty brought about by the US administration's tariffs will be a concern over the next five years. The increasing regulatory burden is also regarded as a challenge by 61% of members. 'While the overall outlook remains positive, the industry does face headwinds. In common with businesses in every other sector, Ireland's international banks are likely to be impacted by heightened geopolitical tensions and resulting disruptions to trade," said FIBI chair and country head for Citi Ireland, Davinia Conlan. "The increasing regulatory burden was also seen as a challenge by 61% of members while a further 39% cited the diverging international regulatory landscape. This is to be expected against the backdrop of a growing tide of regulation coming into force both domestically and at EU level, exacerbated by the increased complexity caused by the varying approaches taken to implementing regulations in different jurisdictions.' Ireland hosts operations for more than 30 international banks and ranked eighth largest exporter of financial services in the world. Internationally owned business, financial and other services firms were responsible for direct spending in the Irish economy of €5.5bn, according to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, including more than €3.9bn in payroll costs alone. Ireland's international banks also make a significant contribution to employment across the country with employment in FIBI member firms up by over 20% on pre-pandemic levels, with almost 14,700 employed at the start of 2025. "As the international financial services industry grows in Ireland, the talent pool is expanding organically, and many companies now have a depth of experience that was not previously available to them. The quality of talent available is also having a positive impact on growth in the sector, which is helping FIBI member firms to expand their business and develop beyond initial plans,' said Ms Conlan. FIBI is an affiliate of the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) represents the banking, payments and fintech sector in Ireland.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Binance CMO Rachel Conlan on building for 100 years: 'Slow and steady'
In an industry known for volatility and constant disruption, Binance is focused on the long haul. Speaking with TheStreet Roundtable host Scott Melker, Binance Chief Marketing Officer Rachel Conlan opened up about how the world's largest crypto exchange is navigating complex global regulation while staying ahead of competitors through user trust and education. 'We are operating with about 261 different policies at the moment in the countries that we operate in,' said Conlan, responding to a question on how Binance deals with differing market regulations. 'But those policies are better than we have in countries where there's no clear policy.' Binance's strategy, Conlan noted, is rooted in a conservative and regulatory-compliant approach. 'We are committed to regulation… so we try to ensure that we're entering and participating in that market in a way that's safe and follows financial promotions rules that you see in the West.' Beyond regulatory compliance, Binance is laser-focused on user acquisition and retention — in a hyper-competitive environment where 'a new exchange literally appears every single day,' as Melker put it. 'For us, it's focusing on slow and steady and building user trust because that is critical in order to ensure we're here for the long term,' said Conlan. 'We are building a company that we want to last a hundred years.' One of Binance's major tools in that effort is education. 'For me, in my role and 70% of my team's efforts are focused on education,' she said. 'We have Binance Academy… a place that you can go and it's localized in different languages where you can learn everything from the basics of what is Bitcoin… to more complicated fundamentals of crypto trading.' Last year alone, over 43 million users engaged with Binance's educational content globally. According to CoinGecko's 2025 Q1 Crypto Industry Report, Binance held its position as the largest centralized exchange (CEX), with a commanding 38.0% market share in April. On a quarterly basis, Binance processed $2.0 trillion in volume, securing a 37.5% share of the top 10 CEX volumes. 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
New York Times
24-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
This Land Is His Land. But Is It Wetland?
Driving through the gently sloping terrain of northeast Iowa, there is little to distinguish Jim Conlan's land, a stretch of light brown dirt sprinkled with tallgrass and maples, from the other fields where soybeans and cornstalks will soon sprout from the ground. But if Mr. Conlan has his way, his plot in Delaware County will lead to a permanent change in how farmland is used across the country. For 40 years, to remain eligible for federal crop insurance and other government programs, American farmers have been required to preserve wetlands on their properties. That federal provision, known as Swampbuster, has been credited by environmentalists with keeping countless acres of vulnerable land unplowed, and has been upheld over the decades by Republican and Democratic administrations. But where conservationists see an essential guardrail against habitat destruction, Mr. Conlan sees government run amok. Backed by legal groups that support libertarian causes, Mr. Conlan is challenging Swampbuster in federal court, asking not just to open nine acres of wetland in his field to cultivation, but to have that entire provision of federal law deemed unconstitutional. He is seeking to build on a series of recent court decisions that have reduced the role of federal agencies in regulating private land and have rolled back wetland protections. 'The bigger principle is that the federal government doesn't have the authority to regulate private property,' said Loren Seehase, a lawyer at the Liberty Justice Center who is among those representing Mr. Conlan's company, CTM Holdings. Environmental groups, already reeling from a series of major court losses, have mobilized to defend Swampbuster, warning that millions of acres of protected wetlands could be in peril if the provision is invalidated. The threat, they say, goes beyond wetlands. If the courts buy the legal theory that Mr. Conlan is pushing, they believe that other provisions, including one called Sodbuster that sets aside rural land that is considered highly erodible, could be in jeopardy in the future. 'This is a part of a reckless and dangerous assault on our bedrock environmental law,' said Dani Replogle, a lawyer for Food & Water Watch, a nonprofit advocacy group that has intervened in Mr. Conlan's lawsuit against the federal Department of Agriculture. Ms. Replogle said her opponents were 'essentially right-wing extremists who are trying to turn wetlands into a boogeyman for government overreach.' The fight over Swampbuster is playing out against the backdrop of a Trump administration that has taken a skeptical approach toward many longstanding federal regulations, moving to loosen or discard rules on commercial fishing, coal production and the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, among others. Environmentalists have worried that federal officials might be newly sympathetic to efforts to invalidate Swampbuster. But so far, at least, U.S.D.A. lawyers have continued to defend Swampbuster in court and have questioned whether Mr. Conlan had properly appealed the wetland classification concerning his land. Agriculture Department officials did not respond to a request for comment about the legal fight. When Swampbuster was passed as part of the 1985 Farm Bill, the country's wetlands were disappearing rapidly, and policymakers were concerned that federal farm subsidies had given farmers an incentive to plant crops on any land they could, including sensitive habitats. Wetlands, defined by the government as lands that are covered by water or where water is present at or near the surface of the soil for at least part of the year, play an important role in storing and filtering water and are home to many species of plants and animals. Swampbuster allowed farmers to continue planting on wetlands that had already been producing crops, but said that untouched wetlands had to remain crop-free if farmers wished to receive government benefits, including certain U.S.D.A. loans, subsidy payments, disaster assistance payments and federally subsidized crop insurance. Many farmers and landowners rely on those programs, which collectively cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year, to sustain their businesses and help them rebound from natural disasters. Mr. Conlan, a lawyer and financier who grew up on an Iowa farm, said he had no intention of suing the government when he bought his roughly 72-acre property in 2022 on the outskirts of the town of Delaware, population 140. The land, part of which is wooded, borders a wastewater treatment facility and a four-lane highway, and the whir of speeding semi trucks drowns out the sound of chirping birds. Scattered in patches around the property are a total of nine acres of wetlands, surrounded by drier ground where Mr. Conlan's tenant has grown corn in recent years. With thousands of vehicles buzzing by each day, Mr. Conlan, who splits his time between Chicago and Philadelphia, said he figured that the field he bought might eventually be developed for commercial uses, which would not be restricted by Swampbuster. In the short term, he would lease it out to a farmer to grow corn or soybeans, just as Mr. Conlan does with roughly 1,000 other acres of farmland he owns across Iowa. Mr. Conlan's tenant in Delaware County receives federally subsidized crop insurance for the crops he raises on the plot, one of Mr. Conlan's lawyers said. The lawyer said he was unsure whether any of Mr. Conlan's tenants benefit from U.S.D.A. programs other than crop insurance. After acquiring the Delaware County land, Mr. Conlan said he became convinced that the nine acres classified as wetlands by the government, which he said are not visibly wet or connected to waterways, were not really wetlands at all. He raised the issue with U.S.D.A., which administers Swampbuster, and eventually decided to take the agency to court. Though he believes his land is wrongly classified, he also wants the entire Swampbuster provision declared unconstitutional. 'You can't just take people's property, give them no compensation and say, 'tough luck,'' Mr. Conlan said. Recent Supreme Court decisions have limited federal agencies' environmental rule-making authority and helped open a lane to challenge Swampbuster. In 2023, the court said the Clean Water Act did not allow the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate discharges into wetlands near bodies of water unless the wetlands have 'a continuous surface connection' to those waters. In 2022, the court limited the E.P.A.'s ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants. One of the firms representing Mr. Conlan, the Pacific Legal Foundation, represented landowners in the 2023 wetlands case. 'From the Supreme Court, especially, there's been a lot of changes in administrative law, and I think that makes courts more receptive to our arguments,' said Jeff McCoy, a lawyer for the Pacific Legal Foundation who is involved in the Swampbuster case. The outcome of the case, Mr. Conlan's lawyers said, should matter even to Americans who will never own an acre of farmland. Conditioning farm subsidies on a landowner promising to conserve wetlands, Ms. Seehase said, would be like requiring Social Security beneficiaries to sign a document relinquishing their right to own a gun, or conditioning food stamp eligibility on a promise to not speak negatively about the government. While some farmers see Swampbuster as overreach, others see it as a reasonable and necessary protection. John Gilbert, a longtime corn, soybean and dairy farmer in Iowa, said he feared that there would be environmental and health consequences if Swampbuster were to disappear. Mr. Gilbert is on the board of the Iowa Farmers Union, which has intervened in Mr. Conlan's lawsuit. He said in court filings that 'Swampbuster is the last thumb in the dike preventing total destruction of our natural ecosystems.' 'Farm programs are not entitlements,' Mr. Gilbert said in an interview, and it is 'perfectly reasonable for the taxpayers to expect some minimal behavior standards for farmers' who receive federal funds. For now, all sides are waiting to see how a federal district judge in Iowa rules in the case. The judge, C.J. Williams, who was appointed by Mr. Trump, heard arguments last month, and could announce a decision at any time. There is a widespread expectation, though, that Judge Williams's ruling, whatever it may be, will not be the final word. Lawyers on both sides said they would strongly consider appealing if they lost, and they expected their opponents to do the same.
