Latest news with #Learner
The South African
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs transfers: New Bafana goalkeeper
Kaizer Chiefs are anticipated to find and introduce a new goalkeeper for the 2025/26 season. Bruce Bvuma, Brandon Petersen and Fiacre Ntwari earned opportunities but failed to seize them fully. While Petersen and Bvuma signed new deals last season, and Bvuma joined from TS Galaxy last winter, Amakhosi is expected to part ways with at least one of them. Rumours suggest Ntwari could be sacrificed for the purpose of opening up a foreign spot. The Premier Soccer League permits no more than five foreign players on each team. Orlando Pirates transfers: Three AmaZulu players in three years Kaizer Chiefs team vs AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Image: @safootclassics/X In the meantime, reports say Sekhukhune United and Bafana Bafana's newly-capped 27-year-old goalkeeper, Leaner, has been noticed by the Glamour Boys. 'Kaizer Chiefs are set to make an enquiry to Sekhukhune United over goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner, who has broken into the senior national team,' iDiski Times reported. Kaizer Chiefs midfielder fights drug addiction 'The 27-year-old iKamva graduate earned his way into the Sekhukhune line-up shortly after the arrival of Eric Tinkler and made a huge impression, more notably in the Nedbank Cup, where he pulled off a Man of the Match display in their 1-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns. The publication further confirmed that Sekhukhune are in no position to lose Learner. 'Babina Noko have since parted ways with veteran goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangare and Lloydt Kazapua, and while they are in the market for replacements, the chance of granting a sale to Kaizer Chiefs for Learner remains slim at present,' the outlet concluded. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Army Corps drops plan for expansion of Lake Michigan dump after opposition from Illinois EPA and community advocates
After yearslong litigation from residents and activists, and following recent opposition from the state of Illinois, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Tuesday it was dropping a plan to expand a toxic waste dump on the Southeast Side of Chicago. Over the next two decades, the proposed 25-foot vertical expansion along the Lake Michigan shoreline would have taken in an additional 1 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment dredged from the Calumet River — the Corps' solution to the disposal site's now-full 45 acres. 'This is very good news and a victory for Chicagoans and all of us who care about protecting healthy communities and Lake Michigan,' said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center and lead attorney for community groups in litigation against the Army Corps. After denying the Army Corps all of the state water quality permits needed to proceed, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter saying the proposal was contrary to some environmental regulations, including an Illinois law that prohibits the construction of new landfills or the expansion of existing landfills in Cook County. Learner said the agency's proposal 'defies common sense.' In a news release, the Army Corps said it will work with the state, the city and the Illinois International Port District to explore 'sustainable and feasible alternatives.' The Army Corps has argued it needs somewhere to dispose of the sediment that has to be routinely dredged from the Calumet River so that commercial ships can pass through waterways connecting the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River basin. When Alliance of the Southeast and Friends of the Parks sued the Army Corps in 2023, the community organizations claimed that the federal agency didn't consider alternative locations for a new dump or adequately assess the risks of expanding the current site. In the Tuesday news release, the Army Corps said it 'remains committed to maintaining a safe and fully operational navigation system in Calumet Harbor and the Calumet River.' The agency's plan to manage dredging operations in the waterways and ensure commercial navigation was approved in 2020. The next year, Congress allocated funding for the vertical expansion of the disposal facility. 'The Corps remains committed to maintaining commercial navigation in the Calumet Harbor, Calumet River, and the Cal-Sag Channel,' said Col. Kenneth Rockwell, commander of the Chicago District. 'We will work closely with federal, state, and local partners to explore alternative solutions that balance environmental considerations, economic needs, and the long-term viability of these waterways.' In the Illinois EPA letter, acting director James Jennings urged the Army Corps 'to explore alternative means to manage dredged materials,' including its disposal at permitted landfills or even 'upland beneficial use,' which would entail its use on dry land for habitat creation, land reclamation, soil enhancement or even construction materials. 'The Army Corps will now need to find better and more sensible alternatives that are outside of Cook County and reduce the dredged waste to the extent practicable,' Learner said. 'There are better solutions and better alternatives to the Corps' flawed approach.' Since 1984, the Army Corps has been dumping toxic sediment dredged from the Calumet River into the containment site, which contains mercury, arsenic and polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs. After reaching capacity or after 10 years, whichever came first, the property was to be returned to the Chicago Park District to restore as a park for the largely Black and Latino community. Four decades later, the property hasn't been turned over. 'The Army Corps, Park District and City of Chicago should now work together to restore the site and transform it into the long-delayed new lakefront park for the public to use and enjoy,' Learner said. 'Chicago's lakefront is for people and parks, not toxic waste dumps.' adperez@ Check back for updates.
Chicago Tribune
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Army Corps drops plan for expansion of Lake Michigan dump after opposition from Illinois EPA and community advocates
After yearslong litigation from residents and activists, and following recent opposition from the state of Illinois, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Tuesday it was dropping a plan to expand a toxic waste dump on the Southeast Side of Chicago. Over the next two decades, the proposed 25-foot vertical expansion along the Lake Michigan shoreline would have taken in an additional 1 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment dredged from the Calumet River — the Corps' solution to the disposal site's now-full 45 acres. 'This is very good news and a victory for Chicagoans and all of us who care about protecting healthy communities and Lake Michigan,' said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center and lead attorney for community groups in litigation against the Army Corps. After denying the Army Corps all of the state water quality permits needed to proceed, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter saying the proposal was contrary to some environmental regulations, including an Illinois law that prohibits the construction of new landfills or the expansion of existing landfills in Cook County. Learner said the agency's proposal 'defies common sense.' In a news release, the Army Corps said it will work with the state, the city and the Illinois International Port District to explore 'sustainable and feasible alternatives.' The Army Corps has argued it needs somewhere to dispose of the sediment that has to be routinely dredged from the Calumet River so that commercial ships can pass through waterways connecting the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River basin. When Alliance of the Southeast and Friends of the Parks sued the Army Corps in 2023, the community organizations claimed that the federal agency didn't consider alternative locations for a new dump or adequately assess the risks of expanding the current site. In the Tuesday news release, the Army Corps said it 'remains committed to maintaining a safe and fully operational navigation system in Calumet Harbor and the Calumet River.' The agency's plan to manage dredging operations in the waterways and ensure commercial navigation was approved in 2020. The next year, Congress allocated funding for the vertical expansion of the disposal facility. 'The Corps remains committed to maintaining commercial navigation in the Calumet Harbor, Calumet River, and the Cal-Sag Channel,' said Col. Kenneth Rockwell, commander of the Chicago District. 'We will work closely with federal, state, and local partners to explore alternative solutions that balance environmental considerations, economic needs, and the long-term viability of these waterways.' In the Illinois EPA letter, acting director James Jennings urged the Army Corps 'to explore alternative means to manage dredged materials,' including its disposal at permitted landfills or even 'upland beneficial use,' which would entail its use on dry land for habitat creation, land reclamation, soil enhancement or even construction materials. 'The Army Corps will now need to find better and more sensible alternatives that are outside of Cook County and reduce the dredged waste to the extent practicable,' Learner said. 'There are better solutions and better alternatives to the Corps' flawed approach.' Since 1984, the Army Corps has been dumping toxic sediment dredged from the Calumet River into the containment site, which contains mercury, arsenic and polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs. After reaching capacity or after 10 years, whichever came first, the property was to be returned to the Chicago Park District to restore as a park for the largely Black and Latino community. Four decades later, the property hasn't been turned over. 'The Army Corps, Park District and City of Chicago should now work together to restore the site and transform it into the long-delayed new lakefront park for the public to use and enjoy,' Learner said. 'Chicago's lakefront is for people and parks, not toxic waste dumps.'
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Trump order freezes funding for Illinois EV charging network, raises questions about other clean energy projects
In its quest to get a million electric vehicles on the road by 2030, Illinois was counting on $148 million in federal funding to help build a statewide network of public EV chargers. Now that funding has been frozen — and targeted for possible reduction or elimination — under a wide-ranging executive order that President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office. Also in limbo: another federal program that was to provide Illinois with millions of dollars for public EV chargers. 'I'm very nervous right now that (the Trump executive order) is going to limit Illinois' ability to achieve its EV future,' said Brian Urbaszewski, environmental health programs director at the Chicago-based Respiratory Health Association. If the federal funding drops or disappears, 'it really puts that (1 million EV) goal that we have in Illinois in jeopardy,' he said. EVs and their chargers appear to be a prime target of Trump's 'Unleashing American Energy' executive order, but they are by no means the only Illinois clean energy projects that could be in for a bumpy ride as the president takes bold steps to reverse the ambitious clean energy policies of his predecessor. The executive order pauses funds coming from President Joe Biden's signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, including incentives for solar and wind projects and a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for EV buyers. The executive order also targets the opportunity for states to adopt California-style vehicle emissions rules that exceed national standards, an approach that Illinois is currently considering. The executive order sets up a 90-day review period for clean energy projects funded under the Inflation Reduction Act and the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, after which agency heads will submit recommendations. Illinois experts and advocates noted that there are still a lot of unknowns. Environmental Law and Policy Center Chief Executive Officer Howard Learner said Trump's power is limited in areas such as solar energy tax credits and EV tax credits, which were voted into law by Congress. 'No president in an executive order can willy-nilly overturn congressional legislation,' Learner said. The president can go to Congress with his preferred policies and ask for changes, Learner said, but solar energy tax credits and wind production tax credits already have strong bipartisan support. Funds for the Illinois EV charger network under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, on the other hand, are subject to more direct presidential control. 'Here the administration does have a degree of flexibility, and can decide, with regard to new expenditures, whether to move forward or not,' Learner said. 'If (the expenditures) have been congressionally authorized and appropriated, the administration has to follow what Congress has decided.' Of the $148 million in money for an electric charger network that Illinois was expecting from the EV formula program, the state announced $25 million in grants in September for 37 projects with 182 new charging ports. Applications are currently open for a second round of funding, expected to distribute about $24 million in grants. It's unclear how much of the money could be vulnerable under the Trump executive order, but Urbaszewski said the state has to first spend its own money and then get reimbursed by the EV formula program or the federal Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program. That reimbursement system means money stays in federal hands longer, which could be a disadvantage if funding is cut off. 'That, and the fact that those two programs are specifically called out in the executive order — specifically — makes me a little nervous,' Urbaszewski said. Asked about the effects of Trump's executive order on Illinois, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued a written statement saying, 'At this time, IEPA is not aware of any impacts to grants and will be monitoring the situation closely.' At the Union of Concerned Scientists, Midwest Policy Director James Gignac highlighted another issue for Illinois: the Inflation Reduction Act's solar and wind incentives. 'There's a lot of development that's underway, based in part on those incentives. If they were to be eliminated, reversed or taken away, that could have an effect for sure on this area,' he said. The executive order is not expected to have much impact on residential solar in Illinois, according to Illinois Solar Energy & Storage Association Executive Director Lesley McCain. The federal government currently offers a tax credit worth up to 30% of the cost to install a solar roof. 'The executive order does not impact (that tax credit), as it is part of the federal tax code, but we will keep a close eye on further developments,' McCain said in a written statement. Urbaszewski, who supports a bid to adopt the California-style clean car and clean truck rules in Illinois, said those rules could help Illinois meet its EV goals if federal EV-charger funding were cut. The rules, currently under consideration by the Illinois Pollution Control Board, would require that all new passenger vehicles sold in Illinois be zero emissions by 2035. During his first term, Trump tried to rescind a waiver that allowed California to pursue car emissions standards stricter than the federal government's. 'This is all going to end up in court, and it's going to take years to figure out whether the U.S. EPA under Trump actually has the authority to take back a waiver once it has been granted,' Urbaszewski said. In the meantime, he'd like to see Illinois adopt the California standards, which he said would accomplish the EV formula program goal of expanding the Illinois charging network. 'If there's a lot of (electric) cars that show up, businesses are going to smell opportunity, and they're going to build chargers,' he said. The Inflation Reduction Act has spurred economic growth in both blue states and red states, and Learner said that solar energy tax credits and wind power production tax credits have strong support on both sides of the aisle. Since the Inflation Reduction Act, companies have announced 751 new clean energy projects in the U.S., including battery manufacturing sites, new or expanded electric vehicle manufacturing facilities, and solar and wind manufacturing plants, according to a recent report from Climate Power, a strategic communications organization. More than half of those projects are in congressional districts represented by Republicans in the House of Representatives. Learner sees a parallel between the Biden climate plan and another high-profile piece of Democratic legislation: the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. During his first term, Trump vowed to repeal Obamacare, but the program developed bipartisan support as a wide range of Americans started to experience its benefits. 'Today, Obamacare is in place,' said Learner. 'There have been some ways in which it's been cut back or changed by the first Trump administration, and by some of the Supreme Court decisions, but by and large, (24) million Americans are now covered by Obamacare and the program has been successfully implemented.' nschoenberg@
Chicago Tribune
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
Trump order freezes funding for Illinois EV charging network, raises questions about other clean energy projects
In its quest to get a million electric vehicles on the road by 2030, Illinois was counting on $148 million in federal funding to help build a statewide network of public EV chargers. Now that funding has been frozen — and targeted for possible reduction or elimination — under a wide-ranging executive order that President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office. Also in limbo: another federal program that was to provide Illinois with millions of dollars for public EV chargers. 'I'm very nervous right now that (the Trump executive order) is going to limit Illinois' ability to achieve its EV future,' said Brian Urbaszewski, environmental health programs director at the Chicago-based Respiratory Health Association. If the federal funding drops or disappears, 'it really puts that (1 million EV) goal that we have in Illinois in jeopardy,' he said. EVs and their chargers appear to be a prime target of Trump's 'Unleashing American Energy' executive order, but they are by no means the only Illinois clean energy projects that could be in for a bumpy ride as the president takes bold steps to reverse the ambitious clean energy policies of his predecessor. The executive order pauses funds coming from President Joe Biden's signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, including incentives for solar and wind projects and a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for EV buyers. The executive order also targets the opportunity for states to adopt California-style vehicle emissions rules that exceed national standards, an approach that Illinois is currently considering. The executive order sets up a 90-day review period for clean energy projects funded under the Inflation Reduction Act and the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, after which agency heads will submit recommendations. Illinois experts and advocates noted that there are still a lot of unknowns. Environmental Law and Policy Center Chief Executive Officer Howard Learner said Trump's power is limited in areas such as solar energy tax credits and EV tax credits, which were voted into law by Congress. 'No president in an executive order can willy-nilly overturn congressional legislation,' Learner said. The president can go to Congress with his preferred policies and ask for changes, Learner said, but solar energy tax credits and wind production tax credits already have strong bipartisan support. Funds for the Illinois EV charger network under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, on the other hand, are subject to more direct presidential control. 'Here the administration does have a degree of flexibility, and can decide, with regard to new expenditures, whether to move forward or not,' Learner said. 'If (the expenditures) have been congressionally authorized and appropriated, the administration has to follow what Congress has decided.' Of the $148 million in money for an electric charger network that Illinois was expecting from the EV formula program, the state announced $25 million in grants in September for 37 projects with 182 new charging ports. Applications are currently open for a second round of funding, expected to distribute about $24 million in grants. It's unclear how much of the money could be vulnerable under the Trump executive order, but Urbaszewski said the state has to first spend its own money and then get reimbursed by the EV formula program or the federal Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program. That reimbursement system means money stays in federal hands longer, which could be a disadvantage if funding is cut off. 'That, and the fact that those two programs are specifically called out in the executive order — specifically — makes me a little nervous,' Urbaszewski said. Asked about the effects of Trump's executive order on Illinois, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued a written statement saying, 'At this time, IEPA is not aware of any impacts to grants and will be monitoring the situation closely.' At the Union of Concerned Scientists, Midwest Policy Director James Gignac highlighted another issue for Illinois: the Inflation Reduction Act's solar and wind incentives. 'There's a lot of development that's underway, based in part on those incentives. If they were to be eliminated, reversed or taken away, that could have an effect for sure on this area,' he said. The executive order is not expected to have much impact on residential solar in Illinois, according to Illinois Solar Energy & Storage Association Executive Director Lesley McCain. The federal government currently offers a tax credit worth up to 30% of the cost to install a solar roof. 'The executive order does not impact (that tax credit), as it is part of the federal tax code, but we will keep a close eye on further developments,' McCain said in a written statement. Urbaszewski, who supports a bid to adopt the California-style clean car and clean truck rules in Illinois, said those rules could help Illinois meet its EV goals if federal EV-charger funding were cut. The rules, currently under consideration by the Illinois Pollution Control Board, would require that all new passenger vehicles sold in Illinois be zero emissions by 2035. During his first term, Trump tried to rescind a waiver that allowed California to pursue car emissions standards stricter than the federal government's. 'This is all going to end up in court, and it's going to take years to figure out whether the U.S. EPA under Trump actually has the authority to take back a waiver once it has been granted,' Urbaszewski said. In the meantime, he'd like to see Illinois adopt the California standards, which he said would accomplish the EV formula program goal of expanding the Illinois charging network. 'If there's a lot of (electric) cars that show up, businesses are going to smell opportunity, and they're going to build chargers,' he said. The Inflation Reduction Act has spurred economic growth in both blue states and red states, and Learner said that solar energy tax credits and wind power production tax credits have strong support on both sides of the aisle. Since the Inflation Reduction Act, companies have announced 751 new clean energy projects in the U.S., including battery manufacturing sites, new or expanded electric vehicle manufacturing facilities, and solar and wind manufacturing plants, according to a recent report from Climate Power, a strategic communications organization. More than half of those projects are in congressional districts represented by Republicans in the House of Representatives. Learner sees a parallel between the Biden climate plan and another high-profile piece of Democratic legislation: the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. During his first term, Trump vowed to repeal Obamacare, but the program developed bipartisan support as a wide range of Americans started to experience its benefits. 'Today, Obamacare is in place,' said Learner. 'There have been some ways in which it's been cut back or changed by the first Trump administration, and by some of the Supreme Court decisions, but by and large, (24) million Americans are now covered by Obamacare and the program has been successfully implemented.'
