Latest news with #WesternUS
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is the stage finally set for transcontinental rail mergers?
-- The prospect of transcontinental rail mergers in the U.S. has re-entered discussions among industry participants, with Wells Fargo analysts stating that while the probability remains "low," it has "increased substantially from near-zero." The key factor, according to Wells Fargo, lies in securing "the Trump administration's buy-in," which they believe would make the STB "unlikely to stand in the way." This political alignment has elevated the odds to approximately 20% in their view, with an accelerated timeline aiming for completion by the end of Trump's term in 2025. Wells Fargo suspects that any potential combinations would occur "between the large Western U.S. rails and the Eastern rails," as administration support for Canadian rail participation is deemed unlikely. They also anticipate that if one East/West deal is proposed, another would likely follow due to the competitive advantages of a transcontinental network. The primary appeal of such mergers, according to Wells Fargo, would be "better service as un-natural interchanges, and the friction they create, are eliminated, resulting in market share increases." Beyond potential cost synergies, they highlight the public good generated by "privately funded, greener infrastructure" that can reduce trucks and congestion on highways, driving "revenue/margin/EPS growth story for the rails." Wells Fargo estimates potential deals could generate "25-60%+ EPS growth over 3-5 years," assuming 30% premiums and synergies. Wells Fargo maintains a positive outlook on railroads, with or without M&A, due to "improving pricing power, potential for technological operational improvements, strong cash generation, and volume support from less economically sensitive goods." If mergers proceed, they see "the most upside for CSX (NASDAQ:CSX) and NS," considering them likely targets, though all rail stocks are expected to benefit. Related articles Is the stage finally set for transcontinental rail mergers? What are next big copper projects? UBS tells when equipment makers could benefit What's next for Fannie and Freddie under Trump administration? Effettua l'accesso per consultare il tuo portafoglio
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Guardian
Rapid snowmelt and Trump cuts compound wildfire fears in US west
Unusually warm springtime temperatures have contributed to rapid reductions in snowpacks across the western US that rival the fastest rates on record, increasing concerns around wildfire season. The rapid snowmelt, in addition to reduced staffing and budget constraints initiated by the Trump administration, has set the stage for a particularly dangerous season across the west, according to an analysis of publicly available data by the Guardian and interviews with experts in the region. The National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings across the south-west this week as warm weather ushered in rainfall at higher than usual elevations, worsening the runoff. In several lower-elevation locations within the headwaters of the Colorado River, mountain terrain is already snow-free – the earliest complete-melting of snowpack on record. 'Such rapid melt rates are not normal,' according to a special update by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) last month. All western states now have below-normal snowpacks, including California, where this season's snowfall was above average. About one-third of the western US is now in 'severe' drought or worse, the highest fraction in more than two years. This summer's seasonal wildfire forecast calls for a continuation of hot and dry weather, especially in the Pacific north-west. Experts now fear that quickly depleting mountains snows will limit summertime water availability in streams and rivers throughout the west, and may kick off a potential feedback loop that could intensify and expand the current drought. In addition to the ominous environmental conditions, federal fire crews are short-staffed due to accelerated retirements and staff reductions taking place across the myriad organizations that make up the nation's unified wildland firefighting force. Off-season training has been hampered by an across-the-board spending freeze instituted by Donald Trump and Elon Musk's 'department of government efficiency'. Some crews have reported constraints even on basic off-season necessities, like the inability to buy fuel for chainsaws during training exercises due to Doge setting purchase limits to $1. The reduced readiness state means that firefighters and their support teams, called incident management teams, could be quickly overwhelmed. 'The thing that has me really worried is that I don't think we're going to have enough incident management teams to handle all the large fires that are going to pop this year,' said Jim Whittington, a retired federal wildfire public affairs officer who is now a faculty member at Oregon State University. Incident management teams – which include skilled support staff such as meteorologists, cartographers and supply chain experts – are deployed on short notice whenever a prolonged and complex firefight emerges. Whittington and his colleagues estimate that cuts by the Trump administration mean federal agencies will be able to field about 15-20% fewer incident management teams this summer, even amid an outsized fire threat. At the regional level, Washington cut its wildfire prevention spending in half amid a state budget crisis, raising concern for public safety this summer. Oregon officials held a news conference last week to say that cuts to EPA, USFS and NWS staff will leave their state less prepared for this year's fires. Given that fire season is already on a record-setting pace in the prairie provinces of Canada, Whittington also expects limited support from international partners, furthering the burden for US fire crews. Sign up to First Thing Our US morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'This may be the first year in memory where we have Canada and the US having overextended potential at the same time, and so I don't expect there to be a lot of help from up north,' said Whittington. 'That's going to create some cumulative fatigue issues as we head into late summer.' The National Weather Service itself is also dealing with its own staffing constraints, with forecast offices in Sacramento and Hanford, California, recently curtailing long-standing around-the-clock services. Some meteorologists receive special training to be able to forecast weather conditions around wildfires and are loaned to incident management teams as needed. Given this year's staffing constraints, however, they may need to stay at their home offices. The Trump administration's Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) is undergoing a comprehensive review. The rapid onset of summer-like conditions is a clear symptom of climate crisis, and has been occurring more frequently in the western US in recent years. There are more than a million homes in the wildland-urban interface in Washington state – about the same as in southern California – and the number is growing quickly. 'There's a good chance that the Wildland Fire Service will not be able to meet the expectations that we've created in the past,' said Whittington. 'I know they're going to bust their ass to try.' 'I think everybody who lives in fire country needs to have a really good plan this year and have some contingencies off those plans because you never can tell when you're going to be in the thick of it, and there just may not be the resources there that you expect there to be.'
Medscape
03-06-2025
- General
- Medscape
Wildfire Smoke Linked to Respiratory Admissions in Seniors
Among older adults in the western United States, exposure to high concentrations of smoke-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was associated with increased rates of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases, with weaker but suggestive ties to cardiovascular hospitalizations. METHODOLOGY: Researchers carried out a retrospective cohort study to analyze the association between exposure to smoke-specific PM2.5 and cause-specific hospitalizations in older adults in the United States. They used inpatient claims data of 10,369,361 Medicare beneficiaries (mean age, 74.7 years; 53.1% women) across 11 western United States during wildfire seasons from 2006 to 2016, with 57,974,120 person-months of follow-up. The causes of unscheduled hospitalizations were inferred from International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes and classified into various disease categories. codes and classified into various disease categories. Daily concentrations of surface-level smoke-specific PM2.5 were estimated through machine learning models that utilized ground measurements, satellite data, and reanalysis data sources. The associations between causes of hospitalization and smoke-specific PM2.5 were characterized by examining daily county-level rates of unscheduled hospitalization by disease category, modeling hospitalization rates according to same-day and prior-week smoke-specific PM2.5 exposure. TAKEAWAY: The leading cause of unscheduled hospitalizations was cardiovascular disease, with a mean daily rate of 7.92 per 100,000 persons, followed by digestive system disease at 3.62 and respiratory disease at 3.53 per 100,000 persons. Respiratory hospitalizations increased as smoke-specific PM2.5 exceeded 25 μg/m 3 , with average daily rates increasing by 2.40 (95% CI, 0.17-4.63) per 100,000 persons when PM2.5 levels rose from 0 to 40 μg/m 3 over a week. , with average daily rates increasing by 2.40 (95% CI, 0.17-4.63) per 100,000 persons when PM2.5 levels rose from 0 to 40 μg/m over a week. Hospitalizations due to cardiovascular diseases were unrelated to smoke-specific PM2.5 at exposure levels < 20 μg/m 3 but showed an increasing trend at higher concentrations. but showed an increasing trend at higher concentrations. No significant associations were seen for hospitalizations related to injuries, digestive issues, neuropsychiatric conditions, or endocrine disorders. IN PRACTICE: 'This information can be used by both policymakers and clinicians to design policies and guidelines to protect vulnerable older adults from the escalating health threats posed by wildfire smoke,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Sofia L. Vega, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston. It was published online on April 30, 2025, in JAMA Network Open . LIMITATIONS: Estimating concentrations of smoke-specific PM2.5 proved challenging due to the lack of direct measurements. County-level exposure measures may not have accurately reflected the exposures experienced by individual residents. This study did not include information on wildfires from recent years when their intensity increased. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by the Harvard Climate Change Solutions Fund and grants from the National Institutes of Health. One author reported receiving support through an environmental fellowship at the Harvard University Center. The authors reported having no conflicts of interest.
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Sky Quarry Announces Strategic Growth Plan to Achieve Full Production Capacity at its Foreland Refinery
'Scalable roadmap sets stage for up to 800,000 barrels annually through steady operations and targeted investments' WOODS CROSS, Utah, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYQ) ('Sky Quarry' or 'the Company'), an integrated energy solutions company committed to revolutionizing the waste asphalt shingle recycling industry, today announced a comprehensive strategic roadmap for its wholly owned subsidiary, Foreland Refining Corporation ('Foreland'). The plan is designed to scale operations to a sustained production rate of up to 800,000 barrels per year. Titled the 'Path to Full Production,' the phased plan positions Foreland, Nevada's only operating refinery, as a key piece of regional energy infrastructure, helping to stabilize fuel supply across the Western U.S. Each stage is supported by clearly defined operational, technical, and financial benchmarks. The Refinery is currently operating at up to 3,600 barrels per day, with expansion efforts already underway. The roadmap outlines four key production milestones: 45,000, 60,000, 80,000, and 100,000 barrels per month. Foreland expects to reach this peak level during periods of high seasonal demand. These are monthly targets, with production rising in the summer and easing back in winter. At full capacity, this translates to an annualized peak rate of 800,000 barrels, though actual output will vary seasonally. 'This initiative is designed to sharpen our operations and strengthen our bottom line, setting the stage for expected and sustained growth,' said David Sealock, Chairman & CEO of Sky Quarry. 'Refining is a long game, and Foreland is building the foundation to be a high-integrity, high-performance facility for years to come.' Key components of the strategic growth plan include: To support these goals, the Company has implemented a proactive maintenance and risk management framework. Infrastructure upgrades and crude supply contracts are already in progress to ensure safe and uninterrupted operations in anticipation of increased production. 'These projects aren't just about increasing production, they're about building strong teams and lasting systems,' Sealock added. 'I want to thank Cyla Apache, our Vice President, for spearheading this project from concept to implementation with vision and precision. I'm also grateful to our refinery staff for their hands-on expertise, to Kevin Arrington at TAR360 for his guidance, and to the University of Utah research team, whose work is helping us reduce energy use and lower utility costs. We're confident in our path forward and proud of what it means for our community, customers, and shareholders.' The Refinery also intends to expand its capabilities to include recycled heavy oil from waste materials, expected to be sourced from PR Spring. The Company believes this roadmap will help support Sky Quarry's mission to build a more sustainable and resilient energy future through operational excellence, safety, and long-term value creation. About Sky Quarry Inc. Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYQ) and its subsidiaries are, collectively, an oil production, refining, and a development-stage environmental remediation company formed to deploy technologies to facilitate the recycling of waste asphalt shingles and remediation of oil-saturated sands and soils. Our waste-to-energy mission is to repurpose and upcycle millions of tons of asphalt shingle waste, diverting them from landfills. By doing so, we can contribute to improved waste management, promote resource efficiency, conserve natural resources, and reduce environmental impact. For more information, please visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release may include ''forward-looking statements.'' All statements pertaining to our future financial and/or operating results, future events, or future developments may constitute forward-looking statements. The statements may be identified by words such as 'expect,' 'look forward to,' 'anticipate,' 'intend,' 'plan,' 'believe,' 'seek,' 'estimate,' 'will,' 'project,' or words of similar meaning. Such statements are based on the current expectations and certain assumptions of our management, of which many are beyond our control. These are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and factors, including but not limited to those described in our disclosures. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying expectations not occur or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or our achievements may (negatively or positively) vary materially from those described explicitly or implicitly in the relevant forward-looking statement. We neither intend, nor assume any obligation, to update or revise these forward-looking statements in light of developments which differ from those anticipated. You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and the Company's other disclosures, including the statements made under the heading 'Risk Factors' and elsewhere in the Company's Form 10-K as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are contained. Investor Relations Jennifer Standley Director of Investor Relations [email protected] Company Website
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Abnormal snowpack melt in California, western U.S. increases wildfire and drought risks
The snowpack in California and other western U.S. states is melting at a record-breaking pace despite above-average snowfall in many areas, threatening an early start to the wildfire season and persistence of drought conditions, authorities announced. The National Integrated Drought Information System issued an update Tuesday warning of the rapid snowmelt because of above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation in April and May. The NIDIS said nearly all western basins are in late-season snow drought, an abnormally low snowpack for the time of year, even in areas that reached near to above-average water content in the snowpack during the winter. The rapid depletion of snow, along with increased evaporative demand - or how "thirsty" the atmosphere is for water - can quickly dry soils and vegetation and lead to the fire season's early start. "Snowmelt this time of year is common, but such rapid melt rates are not normal," the report stated. In some instances, the conditions can cause snow to transition from a solid to a gas, reducing the runoff into streams and reservoirs, according to the report. Stations in Nevada, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico saw record early melt out, the report said. These areas, along with Southern California, Arizona, and portions of Washington, are locations where drought is likely to persist. Heightened wildland fire risk is also expected in California's Sierra Nevada and other areas of the state, as well as in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, southern Nevada, eastern Washington, and northern Idaho. The 6-10 day outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center indicates above-normal temperatures across most of the West, which would accelerate snowmelt rates at the higher elevations where snow remains.
