Latest news with #Kuhns
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Environmental groups slam federal plan to ship wetlands mitigation out of Hampton Roads
Natural wetlands along the Elizabeth River. (Photo courtesy of Coastal Virginia Conservancy). 2025 05 16 Upper Brandon-NOAA ResponseHampton Roads environmental groups are alarmed over a proposed federal decision that they say could undermine decades of local tidal wetlands restoration and protection. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Virginia's Department of Environmental Quality are moving toward approval of a new wetland mitigation bank in Prince George County — 50 miles upstream from Hampton Roads — that would allow developers to purchase mitigation credits from outside the region. Wetland mitigation banks are designed to compensate for environmental damage caused by permitted development projects. Developers buy credits from these banks to offset the impacts, typically by funding the creation or restoration of similar wetlands nearby. The plan to outsource part of the process has prompted fierce opposition from conservationists, who warn that exporting these credits could lead to the continued loss of local saltwater tidal wetlands without restoring equivalent benefits in the region. 'This allows damages to local wetlands to still occur, but Hampton Roads will lose out on the extensive services and ecological benefits these wetland mitigation sites are designed to offset,' Coastal Virginia Conservancy, a Hampton Roads-based environmental group, said in a statement. Helen Kuhns, the organization's executive director, said in a phone interview that the proposed bank represents a dramatic break from long-established practices. 'In the past, the Army Corps has been very specific about the need for that mitigation to be done in the waterway, or at least in the life ecosystem that the damage is being done,' she said. 'But the new bank that is proposed is in Prince George County, it's 50 miles up the river. And the ecosystem there is not the same as it is here in Hampton Roads.' Kuhns warned that credits purchased there would not deliver ecological benefits to impacted waterways like the Elizabeth River. 'We would lose those ecosystem services,' she said. A spokesman for the Army Corps did not provide a comment Monday. For over 20 years, banks in Hampton Roads have generated more than 75 acres of restored tidal wetlands, supporting local infrastructure projects while preserving critical ecological services. The proposed shift to an 'out-of-kind' mitigation site — replacing saltwater tidal wetlands with freshwater tidal systems — represents a stark departure from that approach. 'The benefits of our local saltwater tidal wetlands are numerous and include coastal protection, erosion control, water quality improvement, aquatic species habitat and nurseries, carbon sequestration, and environmental contaminant remediation,' Coastal Virginia Conservancy stated. Mary-Carson Stiff, executive director of Wetlands Watch in Norfolk, called the shift deeply troubling. 'Wetlands Watch is opposed to the expansion of the bank's reach into the Hampton Roads HUC, because the wetlands losses that we will expect to experience in Hampton Roads cannot be replaced through the creation of wetlands outside of our region,' she said. Stiff noted that under the Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) system — a national watershed classification system — trading mitigation credits across these distinct watershed boundaries compromises the integrity of local restoration. 'In coastal Virginia, our wetlands loss rates are staggering with the impacts of sea level rise,' Stiff added. 'Wetlands growth rates can't keep up with sea level rise rates, so our wetlands are drowning in place. And if we don't do something about it, we're projected to lose as much as 89% of tidal wetlands by 2080.' Opponents also argue that freshwater wetlands in Prince George County cannot replicate those benefits. Coastal advocates further point to historical damage in areas like Norfolk — where the loss of wetlands has contributed to severe flooding — as evidence of why keeping restoration local is critical. 'Just considering exporting the flood storage capacity alone, Norfolk's flood wall has a price tag of $2.7 billion,' Coastal Virginia Conservancy said. Stiff emphasized the economic stakes as well. 'Wetlands provide countless ecosystem services, they are the most productive ecosystems in the world,' she said. From filtering pollutants and absorbing floodwaters to supporting fisheries and tourism, she noted, 'without them, our fishing economy will tank, which provides a really important economic benefit to everyone in Virginia, not just in our region.' The Corps has issued a notice of intent to approve the bank, despite objections from federal environmental agencies, local wetland experts, and grassroots groups across the region. In response to the growing criticism, Irina Calos, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, clarified that the notice of intent came from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, not DEQ. She noted that the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and the Interagency Review Team (IRT) jointly oversee tidal wetland mitigation banks, with the Army Corps serving as the lead federal agency. 'The response from the Army Corps to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration concludes that the bank complies with applicable laws and would provide the functions and services of tidal wetlands that would provide similar structure and function to the impacted tidal wetland,' Calos said. 'As such, we would defer to VMRC and the Army Corps on tidal waters.' Kuhns stressed that the state agency still plays a role in those decisions. 'The DEQ's role in this is that they are part of the Interagency Review Team, and that is the committee that oversees restoration,' she said. 'But I will say that the Army Corps does hold the highest influence there.' According to Kuhns, the Corps originally helped establish the idea of local mitigation to ensure companies damaging tidal environments restored what they took away. 'We started understanding the important role that wetlands were playing, and why we needed to hold on to those,' she said. 'The Army Corps had set up a program that when a company damages wetlands or river bottoms or oyster reefs in a construction capacity, then they have to mitigate for that damage within the watershed ecosystem that they are impacting.' Stiff argued that the current plan violates that spirit. 'Everybody understands that in-kind replacement is the preferred option. And so breaking that trend is highly irregular,' she said. 'The wetlands benefits that we're deriving in our region are important to our region. And they're more critically important to the property owners at the site where the damage is occurring.' Coastal Virginia Conservancy warned that the precedent could set back progress made over the last two decades in restoring and protecting Hampton Roads' unique coastal ecosystem. 'In the past, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has worked tirelessly to restore and make sure that damages were mitigated locally,' the group said in its statement. 'The pending decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leaves Hampton Roads-based environmental groups greatly confused and concerned about the future of restoration in our local waters.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Supporters say Hunger-Free Campus Act would benefit Ohio students' well-being
Stock image of a food pantry courtesy Hurlburt Field. Advocates recently spoke out in favor of a bill that would help Ohio college students dealing with food insecurity. A bill that would require the Chancellor of Higher Education to create the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program had supporter testimony last week in the Ohio House Workforce and Higher Education Committee meeting. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The program would award hunger-free campus grants which could, for example, create an on-campus food pantry or a partnership with a local bank, provide students information about SNAP, have an emergency assistance grant available to students, or have a student meal plan credit donation program. Ohio House Reps. Sean Patrick Brennan, D-Parma, and Jim Hoops, R-Napoleon, introduced Ohio House Bill 157, which had 15 people submit supporter testimony. H.B. 157 would appropriate $625,000 for fiscal year 2026 and 2027 for the program. 'The Hunger Free Campus Act would incentivize colleges and universities to establish basic needs programs, like an on-site food pantry or emergency assistance grant program as well as connecting students to resources,' said Sarah Kuhns, external affairs manager of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks has worked with more than 30 Ohio colleges and universities to create food pantries or distribute food to students struggling with food insecurity, she said. 'Throughout our network's engagement on the issue of college student hunger, it has been clear that the approach has been patchwork, leading institutions to establish basic needs programs only if they have the connections, the will and the funds to do so,' Kuhns said. Students who are unable to meet their basic needs are more likely to have a hard time in class, take longer to finish their degree or drop out, Kuhns said. Some food pantries on Ohio's college campuses said they are interested in providing microwaves and stoves near the pantry, so commuter students or those with limited access to a kitchen can cook the items they receive from the pantry, she said. State Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp., was surprised that food insecurity on college campuses is an issue. 'I don't have anyone coming up and saying, 'We have students starving on campus and things like that.' I just can't get my head around it,' he said. 'Why is this such a big issue that no one knows anything about?' In response, Kuhns said food insecurity is often an invisible problem. About 23% of college students experienced food insecurity in 2020 and 59% of food-insecure students potentially eligible for SNAP did not report receiving benefits, according to a report released last summer by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. State Rep. Tracy Richardson, R-Marysville, asked what population of students are experiencing food insecurity and Kuhns said this affects all demographics of students — commuter, non-traditional, and those living on campus. Deacon Nick Bates, director of the Hunger Network in Ohio, said he regularly hears from campus ministries about the growing need to help food insecure students across Ohio. 'Students cannot learn hungry,' Bates said. 'Food insecurity on college campuses leads to lower GPA's and lower completion rates.' Sophie Gephardt, a graduate social work student at Ohio State University, talked to students facing food insecurity last year when she did her undergraduate thesis on food insecurity experiences of Ohio State social worker students. 'Some common themes included poor diet quality impacting energy and health, concerns about rising food costs, and overall constant stress and mental health concerns due to food insecurity,' she said. 'The Enact the Hunger-Free Campus Act would be incredibly beneficial to getting students connected to resources that they so desperately need.' Meeting students' basic needs leads to higher retention and graduation rates, said Stephanie Dodd, executive director at Community Campus Coalition. 'These outcomes contribute directly to Ohio's workforce development priorities and long-term economic growth,' she said. Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
B'desh outfit KNF-C denies links to American couple detained at Lengpui airport
Aizawl: Kuki-Chin National Front - Chittagong ( KNF-C ) has issued a rebuttal regarding the detention of an American married couple at Mizoram 's Lengpui airport on May 2, stating that the group has no link with the couple, contrary to reports in some mainstream Indian media a press statement sent to TOI on Tuesday, the KNF-C refuted allegations that the Bangladesh-based outfit, which is fighting for autonomy in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, has any political ties or relation with the American couple detained at Lengpui airport and deported the following day. The group called the accusations "completely false and baseless".The statement further claimed that the allegations were part of a conspiracy aimed at maligning the group by certain vested to the KNF-C, the couple had planned to travel to Lawngtlai district in southern Mizoram to provide humanitarian aid and healthcare to refugees and asylum seekers from Bangladesh who have taken shelter there. The statement clarified that although the couple was Bangladeshi by birth, they have been working in America with a religious organisation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts for a long time. The KNF-C said it has no connection with them in terms of meeting refugees or their American couple, identified as Walter Frederick Kuhn and Sahron Clodfelter Kuhn, landed at Lengpui airport without possessing the mandatory protected area permit on May 2. Intelligence officials, who had prior information about their arrival, detained them, and they were deported the next officials stated that the Kuhns are not known to have any connection with rebel groups, some media organisations, citing unnamed agencies, alleged that they had entered Mizoram to meet Nathan Hlawncheu Bawm, the founder of the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA) — an armed group of ethnic Mizos, primarily from the Bawm tribe, residing in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Reports suggested that Nathan Hlawncheu Bawm was present in Lawngtlai district, near the Bangladesh-Myanmar intelligence officials who detained the couple said they had no information regarding any alleged ties between the Kuhns and the KNF or its armed wing, the KNA. They clarified that the couple was detained and deported solely for not holding the mandatory PAP, which is required for foreigners visiting Mizoram following the withdrawal of the protected area regime relaxation by the ministry of home affairs in Dec last year.
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Stunning tropical island that's stuffed with gold and treasures should be Trump's 51st state, resident says
A lush tropical island with a mountain of gold under its soil could offer Donald Trump what a prominent businessman has declared 'the deal of the century'. John Kuhns, a former investment banker who moved to the island of Bougainville nearly a decade ago, told that if the US supports its independence, America's pockets would be rewarded. Bougainville's president, Ishmael Toroama, previously said that in exchange of U.S. support of its independence from Papua New Guinea, America would get the Panguna mine a significant source of copper and gold. 'If the US comes and says, "Yes, we support Bougainville independence," then, I can say, "Well, the Panguna mine is here. It's up to you,'" Toroama said. Even though the mine has been dormant since 1989, it's still estimated to hold 5.84 million tons of copper and nearly 20 million ounces of gold, which would be worth around $60 billion. Kuhns has a newfound optimism for a deal between Bougainville and the US, likening potential cooperation to President Trump's proposed mineral agreements with Ukraine. 'Given President Trump's interest in securing tangible returns for American diplomatic and military support, Bougainville represents a low-cost, high-yield strategic investment,' Kuhns said. 'It's exactly the type of deal that fits Trump's vision - affordable, strategically invaluable and economically beneficial.' A dazzling tropical island bursting with untapped gold and hidden riches is making headlines - not just for its beauty, but for its potential to become America's 51st state Bougainville is a lush cluster of about 200 islands and has remained largely unknown to most of the world. Beneath its serene tropical façade lies a history marked by a devastating civil war, ongoing economic challenges and renewed global attention due to its vast natural resources - a region increasingly contested by China and Western powers. Kuhns first arrived in Bougainville in 2015 on what seemed an unrelated business venture. While he saw the aftermath of the deadly conflict, he also saw a chance for the locals there to make something new. 'They had fought a civil war and won the right to an independence referendum, but they hadn't gotten their act together economically, and they were afraid they'd run out of time,' Kuhns said. Seeing both opportunity and purpose, Kuhns founded Numa Numa Resources in 2018, a company dedicated to revitalizing Bougainville's struggling economy and supporting the islanders' long-held independence aspirations. A pivotal moment came when Kuhns met Toroama, a legendary figure widely revered across Bougainville as the commander of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army during the civil war. Toroama had transitioned from military leader to respected community mediator. After witnessing Toroama expertly navigate a complex business dispute, Kuhns identified him as a natural political leader. 'I asked him if he'd ever thought about being involved in politics because he was a natural,' Kuhns says. 'He told me about his unsuccessful run for president in 2015, and I said, 'Well, if you ever reconsider, I'm sure my shareholders would be interested in backing you.' With Kuhns's backing, Toroama ran again for president and emerged victorious in 2020. Their partnership quickly solidified around two intertwined goals: rebuilding Bougainville's economy through vital infrastructure projects, and securing international diplomatic support to turn the dream of independence into reality. In late 2023, Kuhns orchestrated President Toroama's visit to Washington, D.C., arranging high-level talks with the Biden administration and the Special Select Congressional Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, chaired by Congressman Mike Gallagher. Their diplomatic mission aimed to demonstrate to U.S. policymakers the viability of an independent Bougainville and its strategic importance in countering China's regional ambitions. Kuhns highlighted the archipelago's extraordinary natural wealth - particularly the Panguna mine, home to roughly $60 billion in copper, gold and silver reserves - as well as its strategic deep-water port at Lolo. 'Bougainville has the best deep-water port in the third island chain,' Kuhns emphasized. 'There are island chains that ring Asia and essentially protect China from us, and protect us from China.' Though initial talks with the Biden administration produced limited results, Kuhns remains optimistic due to shifting political circumstances, especially under former President Trump's strategic approach to foreign policy. The urgency of American involvement is underscored by China's growing influence across the Pacific. Kuhns disclosed persistent Chinese attempts to seize control of the Panguna mine through questionable means, likening it to the fate of nearby Solomon Islands. 'China has tried multiple times to corruptly acquire the mine,' Kuhns warned. 'They'd love to take over Bougainville like they did our neighbors, the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands is gone as a country the West can depend on - they're in China's thrall until further notice.' Decisive U.S. action, he believes, is crucial to preventing a similar scenario in Bougainville. Beyond diplomacy, Kuhns's company has initiated essential economic development projects designed to demonstrate Bougainville's readiness for independence. Central among these is a groundbreaking infrastructure initiative — the first major road constructed in over 40 years connecting isolated communities across Bougainville Island. 'When we started constructing the road, local women - who previously walked hours just to buy basic goods - were literally in tears,' Kuhns recounted. 'Roads, hospitals, education - these are essentials for any developing nation.' Despite previous setbacks under the Biden administration, Kuhns remains highly optimistic about a potential collaboration with Trump. Strong congressional support from key figures like Congressman Gallagher and Congressman Neil Dunn bolsters his conviction that Bougainville's independence is attainable. Kuhns is actively planning another strategic trip to Washington, confident that the evolving political climate favors Bougainville's cause. He argues that decisive American support would shift the balance dramatically, compelling Papua New Guinea's parliament - which has stalled on recognizing Bougainville's overwhelming 98 percent pro-independence vote - to finally relent. 'If the U.S. was to support Bougainville, PNG would have no real argument,' Kuhns asserts. 'Then the world would say, "Just let them go."' Ultimately, Kuhns sees Bougainville not merely as another aspiring nation but as a beacon of successful self-determination. Through strategic alliances and sustained economic growth, he believes Bougainville could reshape Pacific geopolitics. 'With the right support,' Kuhns concludes confidently, 'Bougainville's independence isn't just possible; it's inevitable.'
Associated Press
13-02-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Mercyhurst hosts Cent. Conn. St. after Kuhns' 33-point outing
Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (6-16, 5-4 NEC) at Mercyhurst Lakers (8-14, 5-6 NEC) Erie, Pennsylvania; Thursday, 6 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Mercyhurst hosts Cent. Conn. St. after Bailey Kuhns scored 33 points in Mercyhurst's 60-58 loss to the Le Moyne Dolphins. The Lakers have gone 6-3 at home. Mercyhurst is 3-7 against opponents with a winning record. The Blue Devils are 5-4 in NEC play. Cent. Conn. St. averages 15.3 turnovers per game and is 4-3 when turning the ball over less than opponents. Mercyhurst is shooting 41.3% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points higher than the 40.8% Cent. Conn. St. allows to opponents. Cent. Conn. St. averages 5.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 more makes per game than Mercyhurst allows. The Lakers and Blue Devils square off Thursday for the first time in NEC play this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Kuhns is averaging 19.7 points for the Lakers. Jenna Van Schaik is averaging 14.2 points over the last 10 games. Dagny Slomack is averaging 8.7 points for the Blue Devils. Belle Lanpher is averaging 22.7 points over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 5-5, averaging 63.4 points, 29.5 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 4.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 41.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.8 points per game. Blue Devils: 5-5, averaging 63.6 points, 31.9 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 5.1 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 38.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.6 points. ___
