Latest news with #STB
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Milken Institute Asia Summit will continue to be held in Singapore from 2026 to 2028
The annual Milken Institute Asia Summit, which addresses pressing issues in the Asia Pacific, will continue to be held in Singapore from 2026 to 2028. This follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Singapore Tourism Board and Milken Institute. The event provides business leaders and senior government officials with a platform to address challenges, such as geopolitics and climate change. STB said the commitment reaffirms Singapore's position as the world's best city for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions sector.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
US comedy series Hacks filmed Season 4 finale in Singapore
Hacks filmed internationally for the first time in Singapore for its Season 4 finale. PHOTO: MAX SINGAPORE – Local viewers of American comedy Hacks will find some very familiar sights in the Season 4 finale which premiered on May 30 morning on Max. The episode features local hot spots like The Fullerton Hotel, Gardens by the Bay, Resorts World Sentosa, The Clifford Pier and Victoria Theatre. The Emmy-winning series stars Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, a legendary stand-up comedienne. In the finale, Deborah has to travel abroad to continue performing. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) partnered with Max and Universal Studio Group for the first time that Hacks has filmed internationally. The episode was supported by the Singapore On-Screen Fund, a joint initiative by IMDA and STB. The fund supports global film and TV productions that spotlight Singapore as a tourism and film-making destination. IMDA's assistant chief executive of media industry group Yvonne Tang said in a press statement: 'The Singapore On-Screen Fund puts our local media industry and artists on the global map by giving them the opportunity to work alongside top international players to create engaging content. It shows the strength of our creative and production capabilities, and the calibre of talent we're growing here.' Hacks creators and showrunners Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky added: 'The city's robust production capabilities were so impressive, with the Singapore production crew demonstrating exceptional thoroughness and professionalism, showing how Singapore is a world-class destination all around.' All episodes of Hacks are available on Max, the streaming platform from Warner Bros. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Supreme Court Unanimously Agrees To Curb Environmental Red Tape That Slows Down Construction Projects
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Utah railroad project on Thursday, setting a precedent that could make it easier to build things in the United States. The case at hand—Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County—involved an 88-mile-long railroad track in an oil-rich and rural area of Utah. The project would have connected this area to the national rail network, making it easier and more efficient to transport crude oil extracted in the region to refineries in Gulf Coast states. In 2020, a group of seven Utah counties known as the Seven Counties Infrastructure Coalition submitted its application to the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) for the project. During its review process, the board conducted six public meetings and collected over 1,900 comments to produce an environmental impact statement (EIS)—which is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—that spanned over 3,600 pages. The board approved the project's construction in 2021. Before construction could begin, however, Eagle County, Colorado, and several environmental groups filed suit, challenging the STB's approval. Specifically, this coalition argued that the STB did not consider the downstream environmental effects of the project—such as increased oil drilling in Utah and refining in the Gulf Coast. The Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit agreed with the plaintiffs and vacated the railroad's construction approval. In an 8–0 decision on Thursday (Justice Neil Gorsuch recused himself from the case), the Supreme Court overturned the lower court's ruling. In its majority opinion, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the Court clarified that under NEPA the STB "did not need to evaluate potential environmental impacts of the separate upstream and downstream projects." The Court concluded that the "proper judicial approach for NEPA cases is straightforward: Courts should review an agency's EIS to check that it addresses the environmental effects of the project at hand. The EIS need not address the effects of separate projects." This statement "is particularly significant for infrastructure projects, such as pipelines or transmission lines, and should help reduce NEPA's burdens (at least at the margins)," wrote Jonathan Adler, a law professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, in The Volokh Conspiracy. "The opinion will also likely hamper any future efforts, perhaps by Democratic administrations, to expand or restore more fulsome (and burdensome) NEPA requirements." One recent example is former President Joe Biden, who finalized rules requiring federal agencies to consider a project's impacts on climate change—a global issue that is incredibly complex and hard to forecast—in their NEPA analyses. The Trump administration recently rescinded this requirement. Kavanaugh's opinion also clarified that courts should "afford substantial deference" to federal agencies in their EIS reviews and "should not micromanage" agency choices "so long as they fall within a broad zone of reasonableness." This point could reduce one of the largest delays caused by NEPA: litigation. Since its passage in 1969, NEPA has been weaponized by environmental groups to stunt disfavored projects—which has disproportionately impacted clean energy projects. On average, these challenges delay a permitted project's start time by 4.2 years, according to The Breakthrough Institute. The increased threat of litigation has forced federal agencies to better cover their bases, leading to longer and more expensive environmental reviews. With courts deferring more to agency decisions, litigation could be settled more quickly. "NEPA has transformed from a modest procedural requirement into a blunt and haphazard tool employed by project opponents (who may not always be entirely motivated by concern for the environment) to try to stop or at least slow down new infrastructure and construction projects," wrote Kavanaugh. "All of that has led to more agency analysis of separate projects, more consideration of attenuated effects, more exploration of alternatives to proposed agency action, more speculation and consultation and estimation and litigation." Projects that receive the necessary permits to start "often end up costing much more than is anticipated or necessary, both for the agency preparing the EIS and for the builder of the project," he added. "And that in turn means fewer and more expensive railroads, airports, wind turbines, transmission lines, dams, housing developments, highways, bridges, subways, stadiums, arenas, data centers, and the like." For years, NEPA has delayed, or outright canceled, projects. The Court's decision could be a significant step in reducing the regulatory labyrinth that has stymied America's economy and environment. The post Supreme Court Unanimously Agrees To Curb Environmental Red Tape That Slows Down Construction Projects appeared first on
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Supreme Court rules in favor of Utah crude oil railway
The Surface Transportation Board's environmental review of the proposed Uinta Basin Railway was proper, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday in an 8-0 decision that overturns a lower court's order that blocked construction of the 88-mile Utah railroad. The STB in December 2021 approved the project, noting that the transportation merits of the rail line outweighed its potential environmental impacts. The line would be used to transport waxy crude oil from the remote Uinta Basin to a connection with Union Pacific's former Rio Grande main line. From there the crude would be hauled to Gulf Coast refineries. Eagle County, Colorado, and several environmental groups subsequently filed suit against the STB and the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, the Utah group seeking to build the railway. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled in 2023 that the STB's 3,600-page environmental review did not consider the railroad's broader impacts, including increased drilling in the Uinta Basin and refining the oil the railroad would haul. The decision vacated the STB's environmental impact statement and its order approving the Supreme Court said Thursday that the STB's environmental impact statement (EIS), was sufficient and was in line with the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. 'Under NEPA, the Board's EIS did not need to address the environmental effects of upstream oil drilling or downstream oil refining. Rather, it needed to address only the effects of the 88-mile railroad line. And the Board's EIS did so,' Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote. The 1970 law requires federal agencies to review major construction projects and their 'reasonably foreseeable' environmental impacts. The Supreme Court said government agencies are only required to consider the direct impacts of the project under review, and that courts should defer to agencies' judgments in environmental and other assessments, known as preemption.'NEPA is a procedural cross-check, not a substantive roadblock. The goal of the law is to inform agency decisionmaking, not to paralyze it,' Kavanaugh wrote. Kavanaugh noted that the Uinta Basin Railway would give oil producers a more efficient way to reach refineries. 'As of now, oil from the Basin is carried by trucks that must navigate mountain passes on narrow roads, a difficult and slow journey in any season,' he wrote. 'Over the years, some have sought to abuse NEPA by unlawfully turning a procedural tool into an ideological weapon,' STB Chairman Patrick Fuchs told FreightWaves, in an email. 'Today's decision is a victory for common sense, economic growth, and meaningful environmental review. I strongly supported the Board's approval decision and subsequent legal defense, and I am pleased the Supreme Court has upheld the diligent work of the agency for the benefit of the public.' Justice Neil Gorsuch recused himself from the case because of work he did in private practice for Colorado billionaire Philip Anschutz, whose companies include one involved in oil exploration in Utah. Subscribe to FreightWaves' Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox. This railroad has 100 extra locomotives ready to handle a container surge Baun joins railcar builder Greenbrier as chief commercial officer Norfolk Southern expands short line interchange improvement program Rail agenda steams up as short lines blitz Congress The post Supreme Court rules in favor of Utah crude oil railway appeared first on FreightWaves.
The Star
5 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Sarawak Tourism targets Singaporeans at travel fair
Tourism Malaysia (Singapore) director Norliza Md Zain (fourth from right) with travel industry players at the fair's Sarawak Pavilion. — Photo courtesy of STB WITH its lush rainforests and vibrant traditions, Sarawak is growing in appeal as a sustainable, culturally rich and accessible destination for discerning travellers. This was spotlighted by the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) at the Travel Malaysia Fair 2025 in Singapore early this month, targeting Singaporeans and the expatriate community with curated travel packages and authentic experiences. Singapore ranked among Sarawak's top five international markets last year, with direct flight connections to Kuching, Miri and Sibu. As such, STB leveraged the travel fair platform to further boost arrivals from the city state into Sarawak. 'Singapore has always been a vital market for us,' STB chief executive officer Sharzede Salleh Askor said. 'Our presence and participation reaffirm our commitment to deepen engagement with Singapore's travel community and reconnect with a mature market that values nature, heritage and convenience.' She added that the significant turnout of Singaporeans at Sarawak's renowned Rainforest World Music Festival last year reflected the strength of this connection and its potential to grow further. The Sarawak Pavilion at the travel fair featured five dedicated sellers, including established travel agencies Meidi Travel Solutions, Singatour and EU Holidays, offering specially curated packages highlighting Sarawak's ecotourism, culture, and adventure. The pavilion also served as a dynamic space for networking sessions with Singaporean travel agents to strengthen future collaborations and product development. 'We are confident that renewed marketing efforts, stronger partnerships and enhanced air connectivity, including 14 weekly flights operated by Scoot, will continue to drive momentum,' Sharzede said. STB's presence at the travel fair builds on the success of previous collaborative campaigns. This includes the 2024 Tripartite Campaign Agreement between STB, Scoot and the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (Statos), reinforcing Sarawak's growing presence in Singapore as a business and leisure as well as ecocultural destination. 'As Sarawak continues to attract travellers seeking immersive, responsible tourism experiences, events like the travel fair serve as a critical platform to maintain visibility, build partnerships and position the Land of the Hornbills as Malaysia's Gateway to Borneo,' Sharzede said.
