Latest news with #NRDC
The Hindu
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
NRDC, RINL renew agreement on value-added services
The National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) on Monday exchanged an addendum to the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to continue their collaboration. Under the renewed agreement, NRDC will continue to provide a suite of value-added services including intellectual property (IP) management, IP valuation, commercialisation support, and end-to-end technology transfer services to RINL. This comprehensive support aims to enhance RINL's capabilities in protecting, evaluating, and monetising its in-house innovations. This renewed partnership reinforces the shared commitment towards fostering innovation, promoting indigenous technologies, and advancing the national goal of self-reliance in steel manufacturing, according to a statement issued by NRDC, Visakhapatnam. Over the past five years, under the previous agreement, NRDC facilitated IP services that enabled RINL to file and secure the grant of 12 patents for in-house developed technologies in steel manufacturing, significantly contributing to Atmanirbhar Bharat. The new addendum to the MoA marks a continued journey of technological excellence and strategic IP management. RINL's R&D Centre, which serves as the nodal agency for IPR activities within the organisation, plays a pivotal role in coordinating innovation-led initiatives and aligning them with strategic industrial goals. The addendum to the MoA was exchanged in the presence of senior officials from both organisations. From RINL, Ranjan Mohanty, CGM (Works) I/c, Ruchira Gupta, head of R&D Centre, and T. Goutham, GM (Iron and Technology), and representing NRDC were B.K. Sahu, head (Outreach), and Bhavya, NRDC-Visakhapatnam participated in the proceedings, the release added.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers push forward on game-changing law that could eliminate common feature in new homes: 'Help households transition away'
The New York State Assembly passed an energy bill that aligns with its climate policy to achieve a clean economy by 2050. If Gov. Kathy Hochul signs the bill into law, certain natural gas line expansions will come to a halt. As the Democrat and Chronicle reported, lawmakers voted to repeal a rule that stretches natural gas lines to new construction within 100 feet of existing lines. The repeal means utility companies won't have to supply gas to customers in these new construction zones at the customers' expense. Richard Schrader, the director of New York government affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the decision is a step in the right direction yet only the beginning of what the state needs to do to achieve its clean energy goals. "To fully align New York's gas utility system with its climate and affordability goals, lawmakers must pass the broader reforms in the NY HEAT Act," Schrader said. The Home Energy Affordable Transition Act, Sen. Liz Krueger said, "would save ratepayers billions of dollars every year on avoided gas infrastructure costs [and] help households transition away from dirty and expensive methane gas." The Assembly did not pass the NY HEAT Act, and natural gas advocates oppose it. The NRDC found that New Yorkers are relying less on natural gas because they have more sustainable power solutions available. But the state continues to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on gas line expansions and billions on replacement pipes. Though repealing the 100-foot rule alone will not make energy cleaner and more affordable, it is encouraging progress. Across the nation, states are passing laws to end gas line expansions into new homes and reduce communities' reliance on natural gas. Environmentally focused policies demonstrate states' sustainability commitments and set examples and precedents for others to follow. Do you think governments should ban gas stoves? Heck yes! Only in new buildings Only in restaurants Heck no! Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. As a voter, you can keep this momentum going by supporting pro-climate action candidates and discussing local laws related to climate issues with people you know. One of the New York bill's supporters, Jo Anne Simon, said it prevents gas companies from getting a "blank check to expand polluting gas pipelines" and encourages people to choose electric and heat pump options that are "less expensive, more reliable, and better for our environment." Liz Moran, the New York policy advocate at Earthjustice, said, "Today, lawmakers took a stand by putting the needs of everyday New Yorkers over the profits of greedy fossil fuel companies." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Los Angeles Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Flint's still-unfinished lead pipe replacement serves as cautionary tale to other cities
FLINT, Mich. — Jeffrey Bell watched as crews dug up and replaced neighbors' lead water pipes, hoping his mother's house would be next. Workers told him it wasn't on their list but probably assigned to another contractor. With Flint's lead pipe replacement program winding down this year, Bell and his elderly mother worried the home they share was forgotten. Betty Bell repeatedly called the city while continuing to buy bottled drinking water, as she had for years. Finally someone called to say the water line was fine — records indicate it was checked in 2017. But the Bells hadn't known that, exemplifying residents' confusion over a process marred by delays and poor communication. 'I have even more questions now,' Jeffrey Bell said. About a decade after Flint's water crisis caused national outrage, replacement of lead water pipes still isn't finished. Although the city recently said it completed work required under a legal settlement, the agreement didn't cover vacant homes and allowed owners to refuse, potentially leaving hundreds of pipes in the ground. The state agreed to oversee work on those properties and says it's determined to finish by fall. Flint's missteps offer lessons for municipalities that face a recently imposed federal mandate to replace their own lead service lines. The Trump administration is expected to soon tell a federal appeals court if it will stand by that mandate. 'I think other cities are racing not to be Flint,' said Margie Kelly, a spokesperson with the environmental nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council, which reached a settlement with the city to force it to replace lead pipes. Flint's crisis was set in motion in 2014, when a state-appointed emergency manager ended a contract with Detroit's water system and switched to the Flint River to save money. But the state didn't require treatment to prevent corrosion that caused lead to leach into the water. High levels of lead eventually were detected in drinking water and children's blood. Outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease that killed a dozen people were also linked, in part, to the city's water. In 2017, Flint entered into a settlement requiring it to replace all lead pipes and fix dug-up yards for free within three years. Funds were directed first toward homes with known lead lines at the NRDC's insistence, which meant workers couldn't tackle neighborhoods systematically. And finding those homes proved challenging because many records were missing or inaccurate — some handwritten on notecards dating to the early 1900s. 'The city's overall management of the program was ineffective,' and it could have better coordinated work geographically, said Sarah Tallman, an attorney with the NRDC. That stalled the program and, ultimately, the city had to check every pipe anyway. COVID-19 also slowed work. Flint Department of Public Works Director Kenneth Miller, who was hired last year, said the city didn't know how many homeowners had opted out of lead pipe replacement or how many properties had simply been missed as contractors came and went. 'Just like any other organization, people get lax, people stop doing things, people get laid off and the person that used to do it doesn't do it anymore,' he said. Because the city didn't keep accurate records of repairs, a judge ordered officials to visually check thousands of properties that had been excavated. Yards torn up by contractors sometimes sat that way for months or years. For months, Danyele Darrough's lawn was a mess and the sidewalk and driveway were covered, she said. Grass seed that workers applied never grew. Finally this spring, nearly three years later, she bought bags of topsoil and seed to fix her lawn herself. 'It was like, yeah, we knew it; we couldn't trust them,' said Darrough. Miller said the city now has robust data management, which he recommends to other communities tackling lead lines. Steep population loss left thousands of vacant homes that will require contractors to cap lead lines where they're found, said Eric Oswald, drinking water director at Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. 'The state and the city wanted to absolutely make sure that ... we leave no stone unturned,' he said. In Flint, government at every level caused the lead crisis or delayed fixing it, according to an EPA inspector general report. The scandal damaged trust in government — nearly 700 Flint homeowners declined free lead pipe replacement, the NRDC said. Flint finally adopted an ordinance last year to prevent homeowners from opting out. 'It's very difficult to get across the finish line unless you've got something to enforce,' Oswald said. Benton Harbor, across the state, implemented a similar provision early on, helping its work move smoothly. Now officials are working from a list of more than 4,000 properties where there could be a lead line, sending letters and making in-person visits to homes, if needed. Miller said he hopes the outreach will show that customer service is now a priority, but it will take time to rebuild trust. Some also distrust the Environmental Protection Agency, which in May lifted a long-standing emergency order for Flint water. The agency said it's now safe to drink from the tap after years of tests showing sharply reduced lead levels. 'We don't know what to believe,' resident Aonie Gilcreast said at a recent community gathering. 'We don't trust the system' because officials have said 'time after time after time .... that everything was fine.' As other cities and towns start replacing their own lead pipes — there are roughly 9 million in the U.S. — one thing should be top of mind, experts say: Digging them up isn't just a construction job, but also a test of community trust. To replace the lines that connect the water main in the street to homes, workers usually must dig in the street and yard, and enter the home. When residents trust local government, they're more willing to grant that access. 'With lead, as with everything else, the first time people hear from their water utility can't be when there is a concern,' said Greg Kail, spokesperson at utility industry group American Water Works Association. Instead, it is important for utilities to reach out to residents about what they plan to do and enlist trusted community groups in the effort. Newark, New Jersey, avoided Flint's pitfalls when facing its own lead crisis. In 2019, about two years after elevated levels were revealed and with funds available, the mayor said the city would replace more than 20,000 lead pipes at no cost to residents — and do it within three years. But a challenge soon emerged: Newark has lots of renters who couldn't approve the work. 'We couldn't get into the houses. We couldn't find the owners,' said Kareem Adeem, Newark's water and sewer director. 'They don't live there. They had no interest in taking care of the lead service line.' So the city passed an ordinance making lead pipe removals mandatory and giving renters permission to approve the work. Then contractors moved quickly through the city block by block — a lesson learned from Flint. For the most stubborn holdouts, officials told them when they'd start replacement work and said they'd turn the water off until the resident allowed them to complete it. The threat was enough. They never had to actually turn off anybody's water, Adeem said. Sometimes, people would recognize Adeem from TV and he could start a conversation — a crack in a resident's determination to say no. He worked with trusted community groups, too. And the decision that ensured people's property was cleaned up afterward? The contractors weren't fully paid until they finished the work and fixed any damage. Phillis and Webber write for the Associated Press.
30-06-2025
- Politics
Flint's still-unfinished lead pipe replacement serves as cautionary tale to other cities
FLINT, Mich. -- Jeffrey Bell watched as crews dug up and replaced neighbors' lead water pipes, hoping his mother's house would be next. Workers told him it wasn't on their list but probably assigned to another contractor. With Flint's lead pipe replacement program winding down this year, Bell and his elderly mother worried the home they share was forgotten. Betty Bell repeatedly called the city while continuing to buy bottled drinking water, as she had for years. Finally someone called to say the water line was fine — records indicate it was checked in 2017. But the Bells hadn't known that, exemplifying residents' confusion over a process marred by delays and poor communication. 'I have even more questions now,' Jeffrey Bell said. About a decade after Flint's water crisis caused national outrage, replacement of lead water pipes still isn't finished. Although the city recently said it completed work required under a legal settlement, the agreement didn't cover vacant homes and allowed owners to refuse, potentially leaving hundreds of pipes in the ground. The state agreed to oversee work on those properties and says it's determined to finish by fall. Flint's missteps offer lessons for municipalities that face a recently imposed federal mandate to replace their own lead service lines. The Trump administration is expected to soon tell a federal appeals court if it will stand by that mandate. 'I think other cities are racing not to be Flint,' said Margie Kelly, a spokesperson with the environmental nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council, which reached a settlement with the city to force it to replace lead pipes. Flint's crisis was set in motion in 2014, when a state-appointed emergency manager ended a contract with Detroit's water system and switched to the Flint River to save money. But the state didn't require treatment to prevent corrosion that caused lead to leach into the water. High levels of lead eventually were detected in drinking water and children's blood. Outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease that killed a dozen people were also linked, in part, to the city's water. In 2017, Flint entered into a settlement requiring it to replace all lead pipes and fix dug-up yards for free within three years. Funds were directed first toward homes with known lead lines at the NRDC's insistence, which meant workers couldn't tackle neighborhoods systematically. And finding those homes proved challenging because many records were missing or inaccurate — some handwritten on notecards dating to the early 1900s. 'The city's overall management of the program was ineffective,' and it could have better coordinated work geographically, said Sarah Tallman, an attorney with the NRDC. That stalled the program and, ultimately, the city had to check every pipe anyway. COVID-19 also slowed work. Flint Department of Public Works Director Kenneth Miller, who was hired last year, said the city didn't know how many homeowners had opted out of lead pipe replacement or how many properties had simply been missed as contractors came and went. 'Just like any other organization, people get lax, people stop doing things, people get laid off and the person that used to do it doesn't do it anymore,' he said. Because the city didn't keep accurate records of repairs, a judge ordered officials to visually check thousands of properties that had been excavated. Yards torn up by contractors sometimes sat that way for months or years. For months, Danyele Darrough's lawn was a mess and the sidewalk and driveway were covered, she said. Grass seed that workers applied never grew. Finally this spring, nearly three years later, she bought bags of topsoil and seed to fix her lawn herself. 'It was like, yeah, we knew it; we couldn't trust them,' said Darrough. Miller said the city now has robust data management, which he recommends to other communities tackling lead lines. Steep population loss left thousands of vacant homes that will require contractors to cap lead lines where they're found, said Eric Oswald, drinking water director at Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. 'The state and the city wanted to absolutely make sure that ... we leave no stone unturned,' he said. In Flint, government at every level caused the lead crisis or delayed fixing it, according to an EPA inspector general report. The scandal damaged trust in government — nearly 700 Flint homeowners declined free lead pipe replacement, the NRDC said. Flint finally adopted an ordinance last year to prevent homeowners from opting out. 'It's very difficult to get across the finish line unless you've got something to enforce,' Oswald said. Benton Harbor, across the state, implemented a similar provision early on, helping its work move smoothly. Now officials are working from a list of more than 4,000 properties where there could be a lead line, sending letters and making in-person visits to homes, if needed. Miller said he hopes the outreach will show that customer service is now a priority, but it will take time to rebuild trust. Some also distrust the Environmental Protection Agency, which in May lifted a long-standing emergency order for Flint water. The agency said it's now safe to drink from the tap after years of tests showing sharply reduced lead levels. 'We don't know what to believe,' resident Aonie Gilcreast said at a recent community gathering. 'We don't trust the system' because officials have said 'time after time after time .... that everything was fine.' As other cities and towns start replacing their own lead pipes — there are roughly 9 million in the U.S. — one thing should be top of mind, experts say: Digging them up isn't just a construction job, but also a test of community trust. To replace the lines that connect the water main in the street to homes, workers usually must dig in the street and yard, and enter the home. When residents trust local government, they're more willing to grant that access. 'With lead, as with everything else, the first time people hear from their water utility can't be when there is a concern,' said Greg Kail, spokesperson at utility industry group American Water Works Association. Instead, it is important for utilities to reach out to residents about what they plan to do and enlist trusted community groups in the effort. Newark, New Jersey, avoided Flint's pitfalls when facing its own lead crisis. In 2019, about two years after elevated levels were revealed and with funds available, the mayor said the city would replace more than 20,000 lead pipes at no cost to residents — and do it within three years. But a challenge soon emerged: Newark has lots of renters who couldn't approve the work. 'We couldn't get into the houses. We couldn't find the owners,' said Kareem Adeem, Newark's water and sewer director. 'They don't live there. They had no interest in taking care of the lead service line.' So the city passed an ordinance making lead pipe removals mandatory and giving renters permission to approve the work. Then contractors moved quickly through the city block by block — a lesson learned from Flint. For the most stubborn holdouts, officials told them when they'd start replacement work and said they'd turn the water off until the resident allowed them to complete it. The threat was enough. They never had to actually turn off anybody's water, Adeem said. Sometimes, people would recognize Adeem from TV and he could start a conversation — a crack in a resident's determination to say no. He worked with trusted community groups, too. And the decision that ensured people's property was cleaned up afterward? The contractors weren't fully paid until they finished the work and fixed any damage.
San Francisco Chronicle
29-06-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Flint's still-unfinished lead pipe replacement serves as cautionary tale to other cities
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Jeffrey Bell watched as crews dug up and replaced neighbors' lead water pipes, hoping his mother's house would be next. Workers told him it wasn't on their list but probably assigned to another contractor. With Flint's lead pipe replacement program winding down this year, Bell and his elderly mother worried the home they share was forgotten. Betty Bell repeatedly called the city while continuing to buy bottled drinking water, as she had for years. Finally someone called to say the water line was fine — records indicate it was checked in 2017. But the Bells hadn't known that, exemplifying residents' confusion over a process marred by delays and poor communication. 'I have even more questions now,' Jeffrey Bell said. About a decade after Flint's water crisis caused national outrage, replacement of lead water pipes still isn't finished. Although the city recently said it completed work required under a legal settlement, the agreement didn't cover vacant homes and allowed owners to refuse, potentially leaving hundreds of pipes in the ground. The state agreed to oversee work on those properties and says it's determined to finish by fall. Flint's missteps offer lessons for municipalities that face a recently imposed federal mandate to replace their own lead service lines. The Trump administration is expected to soon tell a federal appeals court if it will stand by that mandate. 'I think other cities are racing not to be Flint,' said Margie Kelly, a spokesperson with the environmental nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council, which reached a settlement with the city to force it to replace lead pipes. Flint falters Flint's crisis was set in motion in 2014, when a state-appointed emergency manager ended a contract with Detroit's water system and switched to the Flint River to save money. But the state didn't require treatment to prevent corrosion that caused lead to leach into the water. High levels of lead eventually were detected in drinking water and children's blood. Outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease that killed a dozen people were also linked, in part, to the city's water. In 2017, Flint entered into a settlement requiring it to replace all lead pipes and fix dug-up yards for free within three years. Funds were directed first toward homes with known lead lines at the NRDC's insistence, which meant workers couldn't tackle neighborhoods systematically. And finding those homes proved challenging because many records were missing or inaccurate — some handwritten on notecards dating to the early 1900s. 'The city's overall management of the program was ineffective,' and it could have better coordinated work geographically, said Sarah Tallman, an attorney with the NRDC. That stalled the program and, ultimately, the city had to check every pipe anyway. COVID-19 also slowed work. Flint Department of Public Works Director Kenneth Miller, who was hired last year, said the city didn't know how many homeowners had opted out of lead pipe replacement or how many properties had simply been missed as contractors came and went. 'Just like any other organization, people get lax, people stop doing things, people get laid off and the person that used to do it doesn't do it anymore,' he said. Because the city didn't keep accurate records of repairs, a judge ordered officials to visually check thousands of properties that had been excavated. Yards torn up by contractors sometimes sat that way for months or years. For months, Danyele Darrough's lawn was a mess and the sidewalk and driveway were covered, she said. Grass seed that workers applied never grew. Finally this spring, nearly three years later, she bought bags of topsoil and seed to fix her lawn herself. 'It was like, yeah, we knew it; we couldn't trust them,' said Darrough. Miller said the city now has robust data management, which he recommends to other communities tackling lead lines. Steep population loss left thousands of vacant homes that will require contractors to cap lead lines where they're found, said Eric Oswald, drinking water director at Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. 'The state and the city wanted to absolutely make sure that ... we leave no stone unturned,' he said. Trust is key In Flint, government at every level caused the lead crisis or delayed fixing it, according to an EPA inspector general report. The scandal damaged trust in government — nearly 700 Flint homeowners declined free lead pipe replacement, the NRDC said. Flint finally adopted an ordinance last year to prevent homeowners from opting out. 'It's very difficult to get across the finish line unless you've got something to enforce,' Oswald said. Benton Harbor, across the state, implemented a similar provision early on, helping its work move smoothly. Now officials are working from a list of more than 4,000 properties where there could be a lead line, sending letters and making in-person visits to homes, if needed. Miller said he hopes the outreach will show that customer service is now a priority, but it will take time to rebuild trust. Some also distrust the Environmental Protection Agency, which in May lifted a long-standing emergency order for Flint water. The agency said it's now safe to drink from the tap after years of tests showing sharply reduced lead levels. 'We don't know what to believe,' resident Aonie Gilcreast said at a recent community gathering. 'We don't trust the system' because officials have said 'time after time after time .... that everything was fine.' As other cities and towns start replacing their own lead pipes — there are roughly 9 million in the U.S. — one thing should be top of mind, experts say: Digging them up isn't just a construction job, but also a test of community trust. To replace the lines that connect the water main in the street to homes, workers usually must dig in the street and yard, and enter the home. When residents trust local government, they're more willing to grant that access. 'With lead, as with everything else, the first time people hear from their water utility can't be when there is a concern,' said Greg Kail, spokesperson at utility industry group American Water Works Association. Instead, it is important for utilities to reach out to residents about what they plan to do and enlist trusted community groups in the effort. Newark charges forward Newark, New Jersey, avoided Flint's pitfalls when facing its own lead crisis. In 2019, about two years after elevated levels were revealed and with funds available, the mayor said the city would replace more than 20,000 lead pipes at no cost to residents — and do it within three years. But a challenge soon emerged: Newark has lots of renters who couldn't approve the work. 'We couldn't get into the houses. We couldn't find the owners,' said Kareem Adeem, Newark's water and sewer director. 'They don't live there. They had no interest in taking care of the lead service line.' So the city passed an ordinance making lead pipe removals mandatory and giving renters permission to approve the work. Then contractors moved quickly through the city block by block — a lesson learned from Flint. For the most stubborn holdouts, officials told them when they'd start replacement work and said they'd turn the water off until the resident allowed them to complete it. The threat was enough. They never had to actually turn off anybody's water, Adeem said. Sometimes, people would recognize Adeem from TV and he could start a conversation — a crack in a resident's determination to say no. He worked with trusted community groups, too. And the decision that ensured people's property was cleaned up afterward? The contractors weren't fully paid until they finished the work and fixed any damage. ___
