Latest news with #SamBrown
Associated Press
04-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Amalgamated Bank Joins Nearly $1 Billion Aggregate Financing with Greenbacker's 674 MW Cider Solar Farm, Powering New York's Largest Solar Project to Date
NEW YORK, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amalgamated Bank, a subsidiary of Amalgamated Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: AMAL), today announced the successful closing of a $15 million commitment as part of a nearly $1 billion aggregate financing to support the construction and operation of Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC's ('Greenbacker') utility-scale 674 MWdc (megawatts of direct current) 'Cider' solar farm, the largest solar project in New York State. Cider is located on approximately 2,500 acres in Genesee County, New York, the state where both Greenbacker and Amalgamated Bank are headquartered. Greenbacker broke ground on the solar project—its largest to date—in late 2024, and commenced major construction activities at the site in spring 2025. 'The Cider project and associated financing, including the new partnership with Amalgamated Bank, underscores Greenbacker's commitment to building a more resilient energy system in New York,' said Carl Weatherley-White, Greenbacker's interim Chief Financial Officer. 'Together we are driving forward a sustainable future that delivers affordable, homegrown, clean power and meaningful economic benefits to local communities.' Cider's construction is expected to support hundreds of clean energy jobs. The project is slated to enter commercial operation by the end of 2026, when it is projected to generate enough clean electricity to power over 120,000 New York homes annually. 'We are proud to partner with Greenbacker on the Cider project, a landmark achievement for renewable energy in New York,' said Sam Brown, Chief Banking Officer at Amalgamated Bank. 'This project stands as a testament to our collective mission to deliver impactful, scalable clean energy solutions. Additionally, Greenbacker's dedication to partnering with local organized labor further underscores our unwavering support for unions and our commitment to fostering strong, sustainable communities.' Greenbacker's portfolio has produced over 12 million megawatt - hours of clean energy and abated more than 8 million metric tons of carbon since 2016, reinforcing its commitment to energy transition investments across the country. About Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC is a publicly reporting, non-traded limited liability sustainable infrastructure company that both acquires and manages income-producing renewable energy and other energy-related businesses, including solar and wind farms, and provides asset management services to other renewable energy investment vehicles. We seek to acquire and operate high-quality projects that sell clean power under long-term contracts to high-creditworthy counterparties such as utilities, municipalities, and corporations. We are long-term owner-operators, who strive to be good stewards of the land and responsible members of the communities in which we operate. Greenbacker conducts its asset management business through its wholly owned subsidiary, Greenbacker Capital Management, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. We believe our focus on power production and asset management creates value that we can then pass on to our shareholders—while facilitating the transition toward a clean energy future. For more information, please visit About Amalgamated Bank: Amalgamated Bank, the wholly owned banking subsidiary of Amalgamated Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: AMAL), is a mission-driven New York-based full-service commercial bank and a chartered trust company with a combined network branches in New York City, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Boston. Amalgamated Bank provides commercial and retail banking products, investment management and trust and custody services, and lending services. Since their founding in 1923, Amalgamated Bank is diligent in fulfilling their mission to be America's socially responsible bank, empowering organizations and individuals to advance positive change. The businesses that Amalgamated Bank focus' on are generally mission aligned with our core values, including sustainable companies, clean energy, nonprofits, and B Corporations. Media Contacts: Chris Larson Media Communications Greenbacker 646.569.9532 [email protected] Ayele Ajavon Head of Communication Amalgamated Bank 929.979.5811 [email protected]
Fox News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Vets groups torch Dems for holding up key VA picks, including memorials chief, on Memorial Day
FIRST ON FOX: A slew of veterans' groups, along with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, are criticizing Senate Democrats for delaying key agency nominations over what some have called unserious or "DOGE-type" concerns. One top nominee currently facing the collective procedural roadblock ahead of Memorial Day is wounded warrior Sam Brown, a former Nevada senatorial candidate and Army captain who was burned over more than one-third of his body when the Humvee he was riding in in Helmand, Afghanistan, hit a roadside IED that incinerated its fuel tank. He was nominated by President Donald Trump as undersecretary for memorial affairs, which maintains cemeteries and facilitates veterans' burial ceremonies – about 100,000 per year. A letter from about two dozen veterans' groups addressed to Senate VA Committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kan., ranking member Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and caucus leaders was obtained Friday by Fox News Digital. The groups note that they respect the Senate's advise-and-consent role, but object to the current situation. They note that the VA has the fewest presidentially nominated positions and that other agency nominees receive overnight and weekend considerations at times. "We will be happy to bring the senators coffee and donuts during such late night and weekend sessions, of course in compliance with the Senate's gift and ethics rules," the groups wrote. Brown and all other nominees since April have been held up by Blumenthal and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. – but the lawmakers say their move is not personal and instead aimed to halt mass firings and other Trump-era actions. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, indicated that he would join the two Democrats, after a confirmation hearing for Brown, Marine Lt. Col. James Baehr for general counsel and Army veteran Richard Topping for VA CFO, was mooted in April by the procedural hold. "We've had 2,400 firings so far," King said, according to Stars & Stripes. Vietnam Veterans of America, in a separate letter obtained by Fox News Digital, demanded Brown, Baehr and Topping be confirmed summarily. "All three of these veterans received favorable reports following the April 9th nominations process from the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee," wrote VVA President Jack McManus. McManus said that many Vietnam Vets are concerned about the hold-up and agree that Brown and the others are eminently qualified, blaming "two members of the US Senate Veterans Affairs Committee" for "affecting services to our veterans." Another letter from the Independence Fund, which provides resources, including trackchairs, to severely wounded veterans, said a fully staffed VA central office is crucial to its mission. Last week, when Moran again attempted to confirm Brown by unanimous consent – a voice vote that must have no audible objections – Blumenthal rose to block him. "The chairman and I share a bipartisan commitment to putting our veterans first. . . . I think we also share a respect for Sam Brown [and] his service to our nation as a decorated veteran," said Blumenthal. Blumenthal, whose own service was criticized by Trump with the nickname "Da Nang Dick" after a Vietnamese province, said that Brown's nomination lacked unanimous support in committee, citing a 10-9 vote. "This issue is bigger than Sam Brown. It is about information that has been denied to our committee and to us as senators. The secretary of the VA is actively working to undermine our bipartisan oversight efforts. Blumenthal told Fox News Digital he had a message for Collins: "Before you hire new top VA bureaucrats, you should be rehiring the dedicated veterans you fired." "Secretary Doug Collins is denying us essential information that is necessary for our oversight, and we want accountability. All Americans, especially veterans, deserve votes by the full Senate on top nominees—not rubber stamp unanimous consents," he said, adding Collins can ask the Senate to hold floor-debate on the nominees through regular order. In comments to Fox News Digital, Collins rejected Blumenthal's claims and lambasted the delays. "Imagine how much better off America's veterans would be if Senators Blumenthal and Gallego cared as much about fixing the department's broken bureaucracy as they do about preventing wounded combat veterans from coming to work at VA," he said. "Despite their obstruction, we will reform the department to make it work better for veterans, families, caregivers and survivors." Gallego said he also does not object to Brown personally, and that he is instead seeking agency accountability – saying in a recent statement he wants to reverse "hack-job firings." In a statement to Fox News Digital, Gallego said Collins is "more concerned with three political appointees than the thousands of veterans who are going to lose their jobs and care." "I served this country and received care at the VA. I know how important it is for veterans. Abandoning them, like Secretary Collins wants to do, is reckless and un-American. Show Congress the plan on how care won't be impacted. Anything short of that is political posturing," he said. In Gallego's Arizona, the Phoenix VA hospital is letting go 800 employees, and a 2024 inspector general report found that the site already faced staffing shortages. Recent surveys of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans show an elevated concern that VA cuts could impact benefits and health care. Fox News reached out to King for comment for purposes of this story.
Rhyl Journal
16-05-2025
- Rhyl Journal
Shakespeare tree enjoys new chapter in Denbighshire
Nearly 2,500 crab apple trees are being nurtured by Denbighshire County Council's local provenance tree nursery at Green Gates Nature Reserve, St Asaph. Crab apples have long been associated with love and marriage. In the past, apple pips were thrown into fires while saying the name of a true love, and if they exploded, that love was deemed true. Celts also burned the tree wood during festivals and fertility rites. William Shakespeare continued the crab apple's theme of love by mentioning the tree in both A Midsummer Night's Dream and Love's Labour's Lost. The nursery's work will provide a significant boost for county biodiversity once the trees are planted. The crab apple trees, which can grow up to 10 metres and last around 100 years, provide a source of food for moths, including the pale tussock, green pug, and the eyed hawk moth. Tree nursery assistant, Sam Brown, said: "Its flowers are also a great early source of pollen and nectar for bees and other insects. "All these seeds we have grown here were sourced across the county and they have taken really well at the nursery. "Once they get to a stage when we can plant them outdoors, they will make such a difference to local biodiversity and will bring a lot of love to our countryside with their lovely flowering stages and great supply for food for all creatures great and small." Councillor Barry Mellor, lead member for environment and transport, said: "Growing trees takes time and it's a credit to our biodiversity team and the tree nursery volunteers that there are so many species of trees growing on site that are going out to tackle the impact of climate change for both residents and our local nature."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scanifly Integrates with SnapNrack to Accelerate PV Design and Plan Set Workflows, Saving Installers 2+ Hours Per Project
DENVER, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Scanifly, the solar industry's leader in PV design and field operations software, announced a new integration with SnapNrack, a premier solar mounting solutions provider. The partnership connects Scanifly's platform directly to SnapNrack's plan set portal, Blueprint, creating an automated workflow that saves hours of rework on every project. This API integration lets solar contractors automatically transfer critical project data from Scanifly to SnapNrack, including drone imagery, digital checklists, electrical specifications, structural data, CAD files, and shade reports. The automated process replaces manual uploads and re-entry of data between platforms. "Today's solar designers are trapped in digital bottlenecks — spending too much time moving data between different software and manually accounting for inaccurate, outdated remote imagery that doesn't reflect the actual site and roof conditions," said Jason Steinberg, CEO of Scanifly. "By connecting our drone-based design platform directly with SnapNrack's Blueprint portal, we're eliminating these friction points entirely, letting contractors focus on accurate, efficient installations instead of manual data transfer and costly revisions." Solar installers using the integration will see immediate benefits: Cuts 1-3 hours from each design cycle Reduces installation prep time by 2-4 hours per project Improves first-time pass rate by +30% Prevents costly revision cycles The integration leverages Scanifly's drone-based design technology, which produces a to-scale 3D model of the property with exact measurements and structural details that flow directly into Bueprint, eliminating errors from manual data entry or designs based on outdated remote imagery. "Getting accurate site data quickly has always been a challenge in solar design," said Sam Brown, Product Manager at SnapNrack. "Scanifly's precise measurements and automated data transfer give our customers the accuracy they need without slowing down their workflow." Solar contractors can access the Scanifly + SnapNrack integration starting today. Please reach out to your Scanifly or SnapNrack Account Manager for more details. About Scanifly Scanifly is the solar industry's leader in PV design and field operations software, helping residential and commercial contractors build and install projects faster, safer, more accurately, and at a lower cost. Its end-to-end solution centralizes design, site survey, engineering, installation, and maintenance on one platform. Contractors using Scanifly's mobile, web, and drone-based technology cut site survey time by 90% and eliminate design revisions. Learn more at About SnapNRack SnapNrack, an independent business unit of Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN), is a leading manufacturer of innovative solar mounting solutions designed to reduce installation costs, improve installation quality and safety, and make the job of solar installers easier. SnapNrack roof and ground mount systems feature a single tool installation, pre-assembled snap-in hardware, integrated wire management, integrated grounding/bonding, and Class A Fire Rating in accordance with UL2703/UL1703 standards. For more information, visit Contact: Brad Knudseninfo@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Scanifly
The Citizen
23-04-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Parkhurst community comes together for second clean-up
Under the warm morning sun and the sound of running water in the nearby streams, residents, volunteers, and local business owners gathered for the second Parkhurst neighbourhood clean-up on April 13. Hosted by the Parkhurst Residents and Business Owners Association (PRABOA), the event took place at 5th Avenue Park, bringing together community members for a morning that combined hands-on work with environmental education. Read more: Parkhurst community rallies for a cleaner, greener future The morning was elevated by the presence of Jozi Trails and Being a River, who facilitated a skills and knowledge-sharing session, covering topics such as the identification and removal of invasive vegetation, safety tips, and best practices for clean-ups. Participants also had the opportunity to take part in water quality testing. Led by Jozi Trails director Jaco Louw and environmental co-ordinator Sam Brown, residents learned practical methods for caring for their park. They focused on identifying and replacing alien vegetation with indigenous trees. Support from within the community helped move the day along smoothly. A generous resident arranged for their gardener to mow the grass, improving access to the park for walkers. Another resident sponsored the removal of several bags of rubbish, mostly plastic and other debris collected from the park and stream banks. The clean-up marked the inaugural session of Being a River, a new initiative focused on exploring Johannesburg's water systems through both citizen science and creative expression. Water samples were taken from the Braamfontein Spruit and a tributary stream by the team from Bubele Africa and local volunteers, guided by Dr Teresa Dirsuweit, from the Department of Geography at UNISA. Being a River will continue to test water quality at the same sites through WaterCAN's RiverWatch programme. Results are expected to be shared in the coming days. Vicky O'Brien noted: 'The Bubele Africa team play an important role in reducing the amount of plastic and other debris along this part of the Braamfontein Spruit.' After heavy rain, she explained, storm water often deposits a: 'mantle of plastic and other debris', along the banks. Also read: New Killarney-Riviera Association's festive drive: Making Killarney-Riviera safer, cleaner, and greener After the citizen science activity, participants took part in a reflective group experience facilitated by Sally Clark and Rachel Adatia. The session encouraged individuals to tune in to the natural environment – its sights, sounds, and smells – and to reflect on their emotional responses. 'It's a relief to see the trees and bushes free from the plastic that the storm water draped over them,' said Adatia. Clark added: 'It was good to sit and talk to members of the team, informally, about how these kinds of public places are important for all our well-being.' Pauline Borton echoed the value of the effort: 'With regular testing, we can help to monitor the health of our streams. Working so closely with the water, it is important that Bubele team members are aware of the potential risks of polluted water and how to take necessary safety precautions.' PRABOA plans to host eight clean-ups this year, and invites residents, volunteers, and partners to take part in future efforts to keep Parkhurst clean. Those interested can contact Pauline Borton at support@ Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! Related article: Wrap up: Cleanup events and cultural celebrations take centre stage At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
