The Nature Conservancy News

German energy company RWE announced it has hired Amanda Lefton as Vice President of Offshore Development, U.S. East.Lefton was previously Director of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) during a period of sigificant growth for the U.S. offshore wind industry under direction from the Biden Administration. Lefton resigned from here position at BOEM effective January 19, 2023.RWE is one of the world's largest producers of offshore wind energy, with projects in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that Donald T. “Boysie” Bollinger, Chairman and CEO of Bollinger Enterprises, LLC and retired Chairman and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards, has been selected for membership in this prestigious organization. Mr. Bollinger joins 12 other exceptional business, civic and cultural leaders from across North America in receiving 2023 honors.

The oceans are inextricably connected to the health of the planet, and of humans: they absorb up to 30% of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 90% of excess heat, and over 3 billion people — almost half the global population — depend directly on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.Healthy coastal ecosystems are also critical to the world’s ability to withstand the impact of climate change. Not only do mangrove forests, for example, hold four times the amount of carbon per hectare as tropical forests…

The hulking backhoe dredges up rocks and silt from the shallows of the muddy Magdalena River in the first laborious step to transform the waterway into an engine of economic growth. The excavation along a verdant stretch near Barrancabermeja, an inland oil and coal hub, is part of a $600 million government bid to reclaim the river, once Colombia's primary transport route. By clearing logjams, the aim is to allow big cargo barges to steam up 900 km (560 miles) from the Caribbean coast to Puerto Salgar, close to the capital Bogota.

As a global manufacturer with the resources, technologies and expertise to make a positive impact in the world, Pentair is pleased has announced that its Project Safewater efforts have provided over 1 million people with sustainable, safe water services around the world. Through Project Safewater, the company's holistic approach to providing safe water solutions to people in need, Pentair collaborates with a range of partners with innovative approaches - combining technology, micro-enterprise business models, and scientific research - to provide sustainable access to safe water. One such innovative collaboration is the Nairobi Water Fund, Africa's first water fund to combat rising threats to food security, water and energy supplies.

Infrastructure Projects: Perhaps Not So Quixotic After All? Over the course of 2014, significant steps forward were taken in the quest to find additional sources of funding for inland waterways infrastructure projects. First came the long awaited and much-celebrated Water Resources, Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA) in June, which included several provisions to address the funding needs of the ever-worsening condition of the inland waterways infrastructure. WRRDA eased…

Edison Chouest’s Fairweather, LLC lessens Arctic risk while increasing efficiencies in a challenging environment. As interest in offshore commerce in the Arctic increases, key components of any successful operation in this theatre include logistics, assets, and of course, a healthy dose of experience while operating in cold weather environments. To that end, Fairweather LLC’s Arctic operations include the Deadhorse Aviation Center (DAC). Strategically located at Prudhoe Bay, DAC provides oil companies and their suppliers with an aviation command center to manage both onshore operations and Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) exploration and production activities on the Arctic Ocean and Beaufort Sea.

Thousands of conservation experts from around the world, including environmental scientists from BHP Billiton, are in Sydney for the 2014 World Parks Congress (WPC). WPC is the preeminent conservation forum and is held every 10 years to share best-practice knowledge in managing protected wilderness areas. BHP Billiton Senior Manager Environment, Erika Korosi joined partnership organisations Conservational International, Tasmanian Land Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy to showcase their collaborative approach to conservation projects. Ms Korosi said she was excited by the opportunity to share knowledge and outcomes from BHP Billiton’s programs at this globally significant event.

Carnival Corporation & plc released the results of its multiyear Fleet Fuel Conservation Program that states by the end of 2014 the cruise company will have saved more than one billion gallons of fuel and reduced fleet carbon emissions by 12 billion kilograms over a seven year period. By the end of 2014, Carnival Corporation's Fleet Fuel Conservation Program will have improved the fleet's overall fuel efficiency by 24 percent compared to 2007, while saving approximately $2.5 billion in fuel costs, the company's single biggest expense.

Preserving pristine Coral Reefs in a remote location is no small task, but also of big importance. Global Diving & Salvage shows how it is done. On June 19, 1991 officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were notified of a 121 foot long fishing vessel shipwrecked and hard aground in the coral reef on the Western Terrace of Palmyra Atoll. The wreck of the Taiwanese long line fishing vessel HUI FENG #1 lay deep into the reef in 20 feet of water, about one…

To Celebrate World Oceans Day, World's Largest Cruise Company Announces Gift to Support Ecologically Important Lands and Waters. To help celebrate World Environment Day today and in advance of World Oceans Day on June 8, Carnival Foundation in partnership with Carnival Corporation & plc is providing a $2.5 million gift over five years to support The Nature Conservancy’s global marine protection priorities. Carnival Foundation’s support will be directed toward identifying locations…

In the summer of 1991, a 121 foot long Taiwanese long line fishing vessel, the HUI FENG #1, ran aground on an atoll in the middle of the Pacific. With a footprint of just 4.6 square miles Palmyra Atoll forms the most northern vegetated island in the Northern Line Islands, lying some 1,000 miles south of Honolulu. The atoll has a long storied past and is now a national monument and wildlife refuge, cooperatively managed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and The Nature Conservancy.

Fairweather, LLC has announced the appointment of Lori Davey as the company’s new general manager. Davey will be responsible for directing all of Fairweather’s business activities and overseeing the company’s expansion and management of Deadhorse Aviation Center. A member of the Edison Chouest Offshore group of companies, Fairweather LLC is a 38-year-old Alaskan company and a leader in providing remote medical, aviation, logistics and scientific support services to Alaska’s natural resource industry.

Craig E. Philip, Chief Executive Officer, Ingram Barge Company, today announced several changes and promotions for the Marine Group. Dave O’Loughlin has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Vessel Operations and Strategic Sourcing, reporting to Kaj Shah, President, Ingram Barge Company. Mr. O’Loughlin will head up vessel operations and oversee a strategic sourcing team comprised of the external services and purchasing departments. He most recently served as Vice President of Dry Cargo Customer Service. Mr.

The American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) Women in Safety Engineering (WISE) Common Interest Group has honored  100 women from around the world for making a difference in the safety, health and environmental (SH&E) field as part of the WISE ‘100 Women, Making a Difference in Safety’ project. Mary Armstrong, who is based in the Seattle area, was honored for her dedication to protecting people, property and the environment. Armstrong is the vice president of Environment, Health and Safety at Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company. She joined the company in 1984 as a process engineer for manufacturing research and development, and steadily ascended the chain of command during the last two decades.

•    Frances G. •    Terry D. •    Cherry A. The bipartisan Commission, established through an Executive Order, is tasked with providing recommendations on how we can prevent – and mitigate the impact of – any future spills that result from offshore drilling. The Council is co-chaired by former two-term Florida Governor and former U.S. Senator Bob Graham and former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency William K. Reilly. Frances G. Frances Beinecke is currently the President of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a non-profit corporation that works to advance environmental policy in the United States and across the world. Ms. Beinecke has worked at NRDC for 35 years, serving as executive director, associate director and deputy executive director.

The Nature Conservancy and the Army Corps of Engineers announced a collaborative effort to improve the management of dams on various rivers across the country. Under the new partnership, entitled the Sustainable Rivers Project, the two organizations will work together to improve dam operations, helping to restore and protect the health of rivers and surrounding natural areas while continuing to meet human needs for services such as flood control and power generation. The partnership is one that both organizations expect will improve the quality of America’s waterways.“At the heart of this agreement is a shared vision of restoring and protecting hundreds of river miles and thousands of acres of some of our nation’s most important natural habitats…

$1,029,368 in grants for 12 community-based marine debris prevention and removal projects. These projects are funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program and administered by the NOAA Restoration Center. The program provides financial and technical assistance to local groups to clean-up marine debris, and prevent its introduction into coastal environments. The Marine Debris Program awarded $333,868 in the northeast region to support marine debris removal, research and education. (GIS) analysis to target the source of marine debris in New Hampshire and will investigate the effectiveness of marine debris removal activities. The State of Rhode Island, Clean the Bay, and other local partners will remove more than 500 tons of debris from Narragansett Bay.

The Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises Ocean Fund awarded $796,000 on March 30 in 15 new grants to marine conservation and environmental organizations, including a $100,000 grant to The Conservation Fund for its Alaska land preservation program and a $100,000 grant to Conservation International for its campaign to conserve Caribbean biodiversity. Almost $9 million has been awarded to 64 non-profit organizations working to protect the marine environment since the fund’s inception in 1996. The mission of the Ocean Fund is to support efforts to restore and maintain a healthy marine environment, minimize the impact of human activity on this environment, and promote awareness of ocean and coastal issues and respect for marine life.

The Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) announced the appointment of Alan Thornhill as Science Advisor to MMS Director Liz Birnbaum. In this capacity, Thornhill will assist Director Birnbaum in the review of scientific and technical data that will ensure the effective management of energy resources located on the nation’s Outer Continental Shelf — including the development of offshore renewable energy — and the environmentally safe exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas. Thornhill comes to MMS from the Society for Conservation Biology where for the past eight years he served as the Executive Director. In this capacity, Thornhill was the head of the largest professional association of conservation professionals in the world.

trade association for the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry, elected a new Chairman, Steven P. 22 during the AWO Spring Convention. Mr. Marine, LP, based in Houston, Texas and Mr. headquartered in Coos Bay, Oregon. AWO Chairmen serve for a one year term. Mr. system, in order to enhance industry safety. Mr. of AWO members in AWO advocacy efforts. Mr. Valerius has 26 years of experience in the barge and towboat industry. largest fleet of inland tank barges and towing vessels. Hollywood Marine, Inc. and Kirby in 1999, Mr. Hollywood Marine, the last being Executive Vice President. Conservancy, and the Texas Waterways Operators. Mr. the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Accounting. Accountant and has a J.D. from South Texas College of Law. Accepting the position, Mr.