U.S. GOVERNMENT ISSUES FINAL RULE ON APPRAISALS FOR HIGH-PRICE MORTGAGE LOANS

FROM: FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
Agencies Issue Final Rule on Appraisals for Higher-Priced Mortgage Loans

WASHINGTON— Six federal financial regulatory agencies today issued the final rule that establishes new appraisal requirements for "higher-priced mortgage loans." The rule implements amendments to the Truth in Lending Act made by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act). Under the Dodd-Frank Act, mortgage loans are higher-priced if they are secured by a consumer's home and have interest rates above certain thresholds.

For higher-priced mortgage loans, the rule requires creditors to use a licensed or certified appraiser who prepares a written appraisal report based on a physical visit of the interior of the property. The rule also requires creditors to disclose to applicants information about the purpose of the appraisal and provide consumers with a free copy of any appraisal report.

If the seller acquired the property for a lower price during the prior six months and the price difference exceeds certain thresholds, creditors will have to obtain a second appraisal at no cost to the consumer. This requirement for higher-priced home-purchase mortgage loans is intended to address fraudulent property flipping by seeking to ensure that the value of the property legitimately increased.

The rule exempts several types of loans, such as qualified mortgages, temporary bridge loans and construction loans, loans for new manufactured homes, and loans for mobile homes, trailers and boats that are dwellings. The rule also has exemptions from the second appraisal requirement to facilitate loans in rural areas and other transactions.

The rule is being issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Federal Register notice is attached. The rule will become effective on January 18, 2014.

In response to public comments, the agencies intend to publish a supplemental proposal to request additional comment on possible exemptions for "streamlined" refinance programs and small dollar loans, as well as to seek clarification on whether the rule should apply to loans secured by existing manufactured homes and certain other property types.

　

EPA SAYS AIR POLLUTANTS CONTINUE TO DECLINE

Photo:  Green Energy.  Credit:  U.S. Air Force.

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA’s 2011 Toxics Release Inventory Shows Air Pollutants Continue to Decline
Total toxic chemicals increase as result of mining

WASHINGTON – Total toxic air releases in 2011 declined 8 percent from 2010, mostly because of decreases in hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions, even while total releases of toxic chemicals increased for the second year in a row, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report published today.

The annual TRI provides citizens with vital information about their communities. The TRI program collects information on certain toxic chemical releases to the air, water and land, as well as information on waste management and pollution prevention activities by facilities across the country. TRI data are submitted annually to EPA, states and tribes by facilities in industry sectors such as manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste facilities.

"The Toxics Release Inventory provides widespread access to valuable environmental information. It plays a critical role in EPA’s efforts to hold polluters accountable and identify and acknowledge those who take steps to prevent pollution," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Since 1998, we have recorded a steady decline in the amount of TRI chemicals released into the air, and since 2009 alone, we have seen more than a 100 million pound decrease in TRI air pollutants entering our communities. This remarkable success is due in part to the TRI program and concerted efforts by industry, regulators and public interest groups to clean up the air we all depend upon."

Among the HAPs showing decline were hydrochloric acid and mercury. Likely reasons for the decreases seen over the past several years include installation of control technologies at coal fired power plants and a shift to other fuel sources.. Releases into surface water decreased 3 percent and releases to land increased 19 percent since 2010, with the latter again due primarily to the metal mining sector, as explained below.

Many of the releases from TRI facilities are regulated under various EPA programs and requirements designed to limit harm to people’s health and the environment.

The 2011 TRI data show that 4.09 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were disposed of or released into the environment (i.e., air, water or land), an 8 percent increase from 2010. The difference is mainly due to increases in land disposal at metal mines, which typically involve large facilities handling large volumes of material. In this sector, even a small change in the chemical composition of the ore being mined - which EPA understands is one of the asserted reasons for the increase in total reported releases - can lead to big changes in the amount of toxic chemicals reported nationally. Other industry sectors also saw smaller increases in releases, including the hazardous waste management sector.

EPA has improved this year’s TRI national analysis report by adding new information about facility efforts to reduce pollution, insights into why air releases are declining, and an enhanced analysis of releases on tribal lands. With this report and EPA’s web-based TRI tools, citizens can access information about TRI-listed toxic chemical releases in their communities and across the country.

Facilities must report their toxic chemical releases to EPA under the Federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) by the beginning of July each year. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 also requires information on waste management activities related to TRI chemicals. Also, EPA’s TRI mobile application, myRTK, geographically displays nearby facilities that report to the TRI program, as well as facilities with EPA air, water or hazardous waste program permits.

U.S. AIR FORCE SPACE COMMAND WILL ADD 1,000 NEW PEOPLE

Left to Right: Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joel Melendez, Naval Network Warfare Command information systems analysis, Air Force Staff Sgt. Rogerick Montgomery, U.S. Cyber Command network analysis, and Army Staff Sgt. Jacob Harding, 780th Military Intelligence Brigade cyber systems analysis, at an exercise during Cyber Flag 13-1, Nov. 8, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Matthew Lancaster

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Air Force Space Command to Bolster Cyber Force
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2013 - The Air Force Space Command expects to be directed to add 1,000 new people, mainly civilians, to its base of about 6,000 cyber professionals for the 2014 fiscal year, the command's chief said here yesterday.

Speaking with reporters at a meeting of the Defense Writers Group, Air Force Gen. William L. Shelton said direction for the hires would come from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, fueled by the U.S. Cyber Command.

"Cyber Command is in the midst of determining how they are going to operate across all the geographic combatant commands as well as internal to the United States," Shelton said, "and it looks like we will be tapped for well over 1,000 additional people into the cyber business, so you can see [cyber] is starting to take root."

If budget restrictions allow the increase in personnel, they will be hired over two years beginning in fiscal 2014, and 70 percent to 80 percent will be civilians "if it turns out like we think it's going to turn out," the general said.

This will represent about a 15 percent increase over 6,000 cyber professionals working today for the 24th Air Force, he added, noting that the 24th Air Force is the numbered Air Force that works under Air Force Space Command.

A numbered Air Force is a tactical Air Force organization that is subordinate to a major command and has assigned to it operational units like wings, squadrons and groups.

Within the 24th Air Force, subordinate units for cyber operations include the 67th Network Warfare Wing and the 688th Information Operations Wing at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, and the 689th Combat Communications Wing at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

"I have the responsibility of major command headquarters but in terms of where the work really gets done to operate and defend Air Force networks, to provide exploitation capabilities and develop attack capabilities, that's the 24th Air Force," he said.

"They are also the Air Force component to U.S. Cyber Command," the general said, "so when U.S. Cyber Command wants Air Force capability or wants capabilities the Air Force has developed, that's where they go."

Those who work in the Space Command's cyber arm tend to operate, defend, exploit and attack rather than address cyber policy, Shelton said, "but the 24th Air force certainly gets into the policy area as well just because of the newness of this business."

The general observed that the policy and legal regimes are not as mature as they need to be because it's so difficult to segment them.

"The cyber domain -- I call it the Wild West because you can be anywhere and do anything and be effective," Shelton said. "All you need is an Internet connection, the right skills and a laptop and you're in the game."

In cyber there are many parallels to the space domain, Shelton said, "because it's global in nature and yet the effects you want are in somebody else's backyard in terms of geographic combatant commanders' ownership. So getting a model that works efficiently and effectively and also respects the geographic combatant commanders' authorities -- that's the challenge."

Shelton said one of his biggest problems in planning for the future, including the future of Air Force cyber and space operations, is the uncertainty of the DOD budget process.

"We don't have an appropriations bill for [fiscal 20]13 so we're not sure what the '13 picture is, and here we are over a quarter [of the way] into '13," the general said. "That affects planning for the president's budget for '14 and that, in turn, impacts ... the '15-and-out budget, which we're in the throes of right now."

The budget situation, he added, "is the worst I've seen in thirty-six-and-a-half years in this business [in terms of] the pressures on all of us now to try to make decisions without good information. And it is the national security of the nation we're talking about here."

Shelton said he'd looked at 2012 as a year to make "a pretty good move into cyber ... to show progression, to show grasping the reins of the cyber capabilities of the Air Force. Whether or not we're going to be able to do that is the question, whether or not we're going to have sufficient funding."

But as the budget process plays out, the general said he plans to be a strong advocate for priorities like space and cyber.

"There will be strong advocates coming from other functional areas within the United States military as well," he added, "so it's going to be literally the strategy that we adopt based on the budget authority that will be available, and then you let the chips fall from there."

U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA COMMENTS ON TERRORIST ATTACKS

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, right, holds a joint news conference with British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond at Lancaster House in London, Jan. 19, 2013. Panetta is on a six-day trip to Europe to visit with defense counterparts and troops. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Calls for 'Innovative' Allied Action
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

LONDON, Jan. 19, 2013 - The hostage crisis in Algeria has ended, but information on what exactly happened and how many people were killed remain unclear, the U.S. and British defense chiefs told reporters here today.

During a news conference at Lancaster House, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said both their governments remain in close contact with Algerian officials, and are working to establish firm details of the assault, kidnappings and murders that took place at a remote natural gas facility in Algeria.

Panetta confirmed Americans were among those held hostage, but he said the possible number of U.S. deaths remains unclear. He pledged continued close consultation with Algerian authorities, and emphasized the attackers bear full and sole responsibility for all loss of life.

"Just as we cannot accept terrorist attacks against our cities, we cannot accept attacks against our citizens and our interests abroad," he said. "Neither can we accept an al-Qaida safe haven anywhere in the world."

Since 9/11, Panetta said, "we've made very clear that nobody is going to attack the United States of America and get away with it." The nation and its allies and partners have fought terrorists in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, and will take the fight to North Africa as well, he said.

Both Panetta and Hammond stated they have no plan to put their nations' troops on the ground in Mali, where French forces are fighting the advance of terrorist factions. Both nations are assisting French operations, the defense chiefs said, but they agree that the ultimate solution to countering terrorism in Africa is to train and assist forces on that continent to provide their own security.

Terrorists, particularly regional factions of al-Qaida, remain a determined enemy, Panetta said. It's important that the United States and its allies continue to work with developing militaries in the places where terrorists seek to establish operations, he added.

"What I care about is that [regional forces] do everything they can to ensure al-Qaida does not establish a safe haven. ... If we continue to pressure al-Qaida, we can keep them on the run. ... [But we] cannot be complacent," he said.

The secretary arrived here the evening of Jan. 17, and has attended meetings with Prime Minister David Cameron, other senior government officials and members of Parliament.

Panetta told reporters he also met with some British troops who recently returned from Afghanistan. "I expressed my deepest appreciation to them and to their families," he said.

The secretary expressed his sorrow for the families of Great Britain's troops killed in Afghanistan. "The American people will forever mourn the more than 400 fallen British heroes of this war," he said.

Sustaining Afghan forces beyond 2014 is crucial to ensuring those and all deaths in Afghanistan since 9/11 are not in vain, he said, and to ensuring Afghanistan can secure and govern itself into the future.

Panetta praised Britain's commitment to the coalition mission in Afghanistan, and his meetings with British leaders and defense officials, he said, "reaffirmed the continued strength of the historic relationship between our two nations."

Those discussions also underscored the numerous security challenges the United States, Great Britain and their partner nations face, the secretary noted.

He listed some of those threats: ongoing operations in Afghanistan, turmoil in the Middle East, a growing terrorist threat in Africa, Iran's focus on nuclear proliferation, the murder of Syrian citizens by Bashar al Assad's regime, ceaseless cyberattacks and the shadow of record deficits and growing budget pressures.

His discussions with Hammond addressed those issues and others, the secretary said. He praised Britain's leaders for their focus on sustaining and improving the NATO alliance, and in planning effective, allied approaches to common threats.

As he has throughout this trip, the secretary also spoke of budget crises facing American and many of its allies, and the resulting increased need for partner nations to cooperate in defense investments and operations. The United States and the United Kingdom, he noted, are pursuing a mutual aircraft carrier initiative that "will bring our navies closer together than ever."

Panetta repeated a message he has delivered consistently throughout his travels this week: "It is when resources are constrained and security challenges are growing that we need to be creative and innovative in ... [developing] alliances."

The secretary quoted the World War II British Prime Minister Winston Churchill: "This is no time for ease and comfort; this is a time to dare, and to endure."

BEIJING AIR QUALITY AS SEEN FROM SPACE

FROM: NASA
Air Quality Suffering in China
Residents of Beijing and many other cities in China were warned to stay inside in mid-January 2013 as the nation faced one of the worst periods of air quality in recent history. The Chinese government ordered factories to scale back emissions, while hospitals saw spikes of more than 20 to 30 percent in patients complaining of respiratory issues, according to news reports.

At the time that this Jan. 14 image was taken by satellite, ground-based sensors at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing reported PM2.5 measurements of 291 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Fine, airborne particulate matter (PM) that is smaller than 2.5 microns (about one thirtieth the width of a human hair) is considered dangerous because it is small enough to enter the passages of the human lungs. Most PM2.5 aerosol particles come from the burning of fossil fuels and biomass (wood fires and agricultural burning). The World Health Organization considers PM2.5 to be safe when it is below 25.

Also at the time of the image, the air quality index (AQI) in Beijing was 341. An AQI above 300 is considered hazardous to all humans, not just those with heart or lung ailments. AQI below 50 is considered good. On January 12, the peak of the current air crisis, AQI was 775 the U.S Embassy Beijing Air Quality Monitor—off the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scale—and PM2.5 was 886 micrograms per cubic meter. Image Credit-NASA-Terra - MODIS

PRESIDENT OBAMA BLAMES TERRORISTS FOR DEATHS IN ALGERIA

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Obama: Blame for Algeria Tragedy Rests With Terrorists
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2013 - The nation's thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured in the terrorist attack in Algeria, and the blame for the tragedy rests with the terrorists who carried it out, President Barack Obama said today.

In a statement, the president said the United States condemns the terrorists' actions "in the strongest possible terms."

"We have been in constant contact with Algerian officials and stand ready to provide whatever assistance they need in the aftermath of this attack," Obama said. "We also will continue to work closely with all of our partners to combat the scourge of terrorism in the region, which has claimed too many innocent lives."

The attack is another reminder of the threat posed by al-Qaeda and other violent extremist groups in North Africa, the president said.

"In the coming days, we will remain in close touch with the government of Algeria to gain a fuller understanding of what took place so that we can work together to prevent tragedies like this in the future," he added.

During a news conference in London today, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said both of their governments remain in close contact with Algerian officials, and are working to establish firm details of the assault, kidnappings and murders that took place at a remote natural gas facility in Algeria.

Panetta confirmed Americans were among those held hostage, but he said the possible number of U.S. deaths remains unclear. He pledged continued close consultation with Algerian authorities, and emphasized the attackers bear full and sole responsibility for all loss of life.

"Just as we cannot accept terrorist attacks against our cities, we cannot accept attacks against our citizens and our interests abroad," he said. "Neither can we accept an al-Qaida safe haven anywhere in the world."

Since 9/11, Panetta said, "We've made very clear that nobody is going to attack the United States of America and get away with it." The nation and its allies and partners have fought terrorists in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, and
will take the fight to North Africa as well, he said.

(Karen Parrish of American Forces Press Service, traveling with Panetta in London, contributed to this report.)

　

EPA FINALIZES CHANGES IN CLEAN AIR STANDARDS FOR STATIONARY ENGINES

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA Finalizes Revisions to Clean Air Standards for Stationary Engines
Updated rule provides extensive public health protections, slashes costs of compliance

WASHINGTON – Today, in compliance with settlement agreements, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized revisions to standards to reduce air pollution from stationary engines that generate electricity and power equipment at industrial, agricultural, oil and gas production, power generation and other facilities.

The final revised rule announced today will reduce the capital and annual costs of the original 2010 rules by $287 million and $139 million, respectively, while reducing harmful pollutants, including 2,800 tons per year (tpy) of hazardous air pollutants; 36,000 tpy of carbon monoxide; 2,800 tpy of particulate matter; 9,600 tpy of nitrogen oxides, and 36,000 tpy of volatile organic compounds.

Pollution emitted from the engines can cause cancer and other serious health effects including: aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease; premature deaths in people with heart or lung disease; neurological, cardiovascular, liver, kidney health effects; and effects on immune and reproductive systems.

EPA estimates annual health benefits of the updated standards to be worth $830 million to $2.1 billion.

The final amendments to the 2010 "National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE)" reflect new technical information submitted by stakeholders after the 2010 standards were issued. The updates will ensure that the standards are cost-effective, achievable, and protective, while continuing to provide significant emission reductions.

SUPPORTING THE 'DEEP FREEZE'

Antarctica-bound Military Sealift Command-chartered container ship MV Ocean Giant departed Port Hueneme, Calif., loaded with supplies on Jan. 17, 2013. U.S. Navy photo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Supply Ships Support 'Deep Freeze' Antarctica Operation
Military Sealift Command

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2013 - Two supply-laden Military Sealift Command-chartered vessels are en route to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, marking the start of resupply efforts in support of Operation Deep Freeze, according to a MSC news release issued today.

The container ship MV Ocean Giant departed Port Hueneme, Calif., Jan. 17, loaded with nearly seven million pounds of food, building supplies, vehicles, and electronic equipment and parts, the release said.

The tanker ship MT Maersk Peary departed the European area of operations in December, carrying more than six million gallons of diesel fuel, jet fuel and gasoline, according to the release. Both ships are participating in the annual Joint Task Force Support mission to resupply the remote scientific outpost.

The MSC-chartered ships will deliver 100 percent of the fuel and about 80 percent of the supplies that researchers and support personnel in Antarctica will need to survive and work over the course of a year, according to the release.

Maersk Peary will arrive in Antarctica first and discharge its fuel cargo, followed by Ocean Giant in mid-February, the release said. Ocean Giant is scheduled to off-load its cargo at a 500-foot ice pier that juts out from the Antarctic coast. The cargo will be off-loaded by members of Navy Cargo Handling Battalion One working around-the-clock for eight days.

Following the off-load, the release said, the Ocean Giant will be loaded with retrograde cargo for transportation off the continent, including ice core samples carried back to the United States in sub-zero freezer containers, as well as trash and recyclable materials for disposal and equipment no longer required on station.

In 2012, unfavorable weather conditions made the ice pier at McMurdo unusable for dry cargo operations, the release said. Members of the Army's 331st Transportation Company constructed a floating dock to ensure cargo operations could be conducted.

"Even though we've been conducting ODF missions for many years, every year we have challenges to face," Tom Brown, MSC Pacific Sealift Prepositioning and Special Mission Team Lead, said in the release. "We try to address as much as possible in the planning phase, but because we are working with Mother Nature, we can't always know what will happen.

"Because of this," Brown continued, "we really have to function as a team, not just within the Navy, but with all the other organizations who participate in this mission to ensure that we get the critical cargo onto the ice and on time to support the people who live and work there."

Due to adverse winter conditions in Antarctica, the ODF mission must take place during a small window of opportunity in the Antarctic summer months of January to March. This can mean tight schedules for everyone involved in the mission, from the ship's crew, to the cargo handlers on the ice, to the mission schedulers in the United States.

"Operation Deep Freeze is a very critical mission for the people who live and work in Antarctica," Navy Capt. Sylvester Moore, commander of MSC Pacific, said in the release. "Without this resupply mission, all operations in Antarctica would end, and the scientific community would lose the opportunity to conduct research and study not only the continent of Antarctica, but its impact on our global climate."

An MSC-chartered cargo ship and tanker have made the challenging voyage to Antarctica, which includes passage through a 15-mile ice channel in places more than 13 feet thick every year since the station was established in 1955.

MSC operates approximately 110 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners, the release said.

PREPARING AN INTERNATIONAL LEGALLY BINDING DOCUMENT ON MERCURY POLLUTION

Graphic:  National Institutes of Health 

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at the Opening of the Fifth Session of the United Nations Environment Programme's Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury

Remarks
Daniel A. Reifsnyder
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
Geneva, Switzerland
January 13, 2013

Let me first thank you, Chair Lugris, and the Government of Switzerland for hosting this crucial fifth session, where we expect to conclude our work. My delegation also extends its appreciation to the Secretariat for the many hours invested in organizing and guiding our efforts.

The United States remains committed to finalizing a robust and effective instrument this week, bringing us one step closer to our shared objective – to reduce global mercury pollution to protect human health and the environment. At home, we have made significant progress in reducing mercury exposure through a number of tools including regulation, policies, voluntary initiatives, and public-private partnerships. For example, over the last 30 years we have reduced mercury emissions significantly in key sectors through the application of pollution control technologies, and we have steadily reduced the availability and use of mercury-added products.

Mr. Chair, I’d like to take a moment to speak to what we see as a significant environmental challenge here – and the largest global source of mercury pollution to be addressed under this Convention -- air emissions.

If this Convention is to achieve our shared objective, all parties must reduce emissions of mercury from a set of defined sources. At past INCs, some have proposed that air emissions be addressed only through voluntary measures. Those proposals seem to reflect two concerns. The first is the need for flexibility in implementation. We believe there is a way to balance clear obligations to reduce emissions with provisions that are inherently flexible in their implementation. We made some progress at INC-4 in this regard. There we worked with other delegations to capture the inherent flexibility of best available techniques (BAT), and we are convinced that here we can build on that foundation to achieve an agreement with clear obligations on air emissions this week with the needed element of flexibility in their implementation.

The second concern is the perception that any obligations with respect to air emission of mercury are somehow inconsistent with development goals, particularly the needs of countries to supply energy to their citizens. Let me be very clear -- we recognize the need for continued growth and development, including the use of coal for power generation. The United States does not advocate an obligation that would require any Party to stop burning coal. But this draft convention does not present a choice between environment and development. Rather, the issue here is whether development will take place sustainably, in a way that protects human health and the environment from mercury pollution. We believe that this convention has no more important purpose than to meet this objective.

Finally, a few words with respect to your text. Like all others, we thank you for your work in putting together this text. At the same time, we have a few concerns. First, we were surprised to see changes to some previously unbracketed, agreed text that went through legal review at INC-4. For example, in paragraph one of Article 20, the nature of the obligation has changed from "should" to "shall." Where the parties have spent much time in reaching an acceptable solution and that solution has been through legal review, we think no changes should be made. We will thus ask to return to previously agreed text there and in other places such as in Article 12. Second, we have concerns with some of the policy choices reflected in the text. For example, we do not think there is consensus that releases to land and water should be addressed in a manner identical to atmospheric emissions. Another example is in Article 15, where the introduction suggests that the Chair’s revision was not intended to eliminate policy options. However several important elements-- a broadened donor base, voluntary resources, and the varying capacities of countries, to name three -- are not adequately captured for consideration in the revised article, and we intend to reinsert them in our deliberations this week. To be clear, we are not seeking to go back to the text from INC4 - my delegation is prepared to negotiate from the basis of your text – but we will need to address these kinds of issues as we go forward.

Mr. Chair, my delegation stands ready to continue to work with you, our many able co-chairs, and all delegations and meeting participants to conclude a comprehensive, balanced and effective new instrument on mercury this week.

And finally, The United States will submit for the record a statement regarding Palestinian status, and we request that the statement be included in the report of the meeting.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

A CITY WORKS TO END VETERAN HOMELESSNESS

Photo:  U.S. Air Force.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

New Orleans Works to End Veteran Homelessness
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 18, 2013 – In 2009, the same year the Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans Veteran’s Transitional Facility opened, President Barack Obama and the Veterans Affairs Department set a goal to end veteran homelessness by 2015.

Lisa Battaglia, wife of the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited the facility here yesterday and spoke to American Forces Press Service after visiting with residents and staff.

"As a woman veteran myself, finding ways in getting our veterans off the streets remains a priority for my husband and me," she said.

The facility arose out of a need for ways to assist homeless veterans transition out of homelessness, said Melissa Haley, director of supportive services for veteran families for Volunteers of America.

Its existence is a sign that people in the greater New Orleans area, as in cities across the country, have taken the president’s call to action to heart, Battaglia said.

Around 400 veterans have come through the transition program since the facility opened, said Gerald Rooks, the program director. About 88 percent successfully completed it, meaning they are permanently off the streets, he said. "We try every day to increase that number," he added.

Veterans arrive at the facility in a number of ways, Rooks said. The staff seeks out veterans at places where the homeless gather, he said, but veterans can either self-refer or be referred by the VA.

Norman Adams, a Navy veteran residing at the facility, said he found the transitional facility through the staff’s outreach program.

"I retired from nursing after 45 years," Adams said. "I lived a pretty good life until it just went off the road."

After several months of homelessness -- during which he made his way to New Orleans -- outreach personnel told him about the transitional facility.

"This is where I belong right now. … I’m going to move on," he said, "but I want to be right when I move on."

The main facility has space to house up to 40 male veterans, while two other locations can house a total of 16 men. Currently, residents range in age from 34 to 68, Rooks said.

"We’re starting to see younger vets," he added, noting that four homeless veterans in their 20’s have sought assistance from the program in the past 12 months.

Rooks said he’s also seen an increase in female veterans with children seeking assistance through the facility’s non-resident programs. He added that there are only 5 beds in all of New Orleans available to female veterans, and they don’t accept children.

The term "homeless veteran" should be an oxymoron, Haley said.

"When you’re a veteran, you have a home," she said. "This is America, this is your community." Her goal, she said, is to ensure veterans are homeless for as short a period of time as possible.

The organization works closely with the city of New Orleans and the New Orleans regional Veterans Affairs office to find funding, educational opportunities, employment and housing for veterans, Rooks said.

Programs for residents include life skills classes like resume writing and money management, peer and group counseling and assistance with obtaining benefits from the VA, he said.

"I get to help fallen heroes get back on their feet," he said.

"We are committed to working with people who hire veterans," Haley said, "because we know that [veterans] have transferrable skill sets."

"I’d hate to see what it would be like if the program wasn’t here for others," said Wayne Duvall, an Army veteran residing at the transitional facility. "I’m prepared to make that transition … and get out."

"When I first came here, it was just a hideout … I’d just get lost in the background," said Adams. But the staff helped him get on track, he said, and he has reconnected with his family and found a place to volunteer his time.

"Those who have served this nation as veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope," VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said when he announced an initiative in 2011 highlighting local services for homeless veterans, their families and those at risk of becoming homeless.

Now Is The Time to Take Action Against Gun Violence | The White House

Now Is The Time to Take Action Against Gun Violence | The White House

FITNESS, AGING AND DIABETES

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Even if we’re healthy, we still lose about 10 percent of our aerobic ability each decade after about age 40 or 50. But diabetes takes an extra toll on our cardiovascular system, and makes it look older than it should. At the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Amy Heubschmann looked at data on people with diabetes:

"There’s been about 20 percent worse fitness levels in adults with diabetes as compared to adults without diabetes. That’s the case in teenagers, middle aged adults and older adults."

However, she says moderate physical activity can raise fitness levels to close to what moderately active people without diabetes should have.

The study presented at a joint meeting of physiology organizations was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

CONGRESSMAN DAVE CAMP COMMENTS ON "PROTECT OUR KIDS ACT OF 2012"

FROM: U.S. CONGRESSMAN DAVE CAMP'S WEBSITE
Protect our Kids Act Signed Into Law
Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI) issued the following statement after the President signed into law the "Protect our Kids Act of 2012," H.R. 6655. The legislation, coauthored by Camp, establishes a commission to study data on child fatalities from abuse and neglect, to review current prevention methods and best practices, and to evaluate the adequacy of current programs in order to recommend a comprehensive strategy to reduce fatalities from child abuse and neglect.


"I want to thank the President for signing the Protect our Kids Act of 2012 into law, and I look forward to working with him and House and Senate leaders to select members of the commission created by this legislation. Once selected, they can begin their important work to reduce child deaths from abuse and neglect."

EPA ANNOUNCES VOLUNTARY CLEAN AIR PROGRAM CALLED 'PM ADVANCE'

FROM: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA launches new voluntary program to help reduce harmful soot pollution

WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a new voluntary clean air program, 'PM Advance,' to help communities continue to meet soot pollution standards, improve air quality and protect public health.

PM Advance focuses on working with communities to develop strategies for reducing harmful fine particle emissions.

Soot, also known as fine particle pollution, can penetrate deep into the lungs and has been linked to a wide range of serious health effects, including premature death, heart attacks, and strokes, as well as acute bronchitis and aggravated asthma among children.

On December 14, 2012, EPA updated the national air quality standards for PM 2.5 by revising the annual standard to 12 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3). Updated last in 1997, the revised annual standard will have major economic benefits with comparatively low costs. EPA estimates health benefits of the revised standard would range from $4 billion to over $9 billion per year.

The PM Advance program is designed to help communities who meet current standards continue to meet the standards. Early work to reduce fine particles, such as PM Advance participation, can be incorporated into required planning. Through the program, participants will commit to taking specific steps to reduce fine particle pollution, such as putting in place a school bus retrofit program or an air quality action day program, while EPA will supply technical advice, outreach information, and other support.

While federal rules are expected to ensure that most areas meet the new standards, areas can participate in PM Advance to help them remain in attainment.

U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK GUARANTEES $87.1 MILLION FOR EXPORT OF SATELLITES TO SPAIN

Credit:  NASA.

FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

Ex-Im Approves $87.1 Million Guarantee to Finance Export
of American-made Satellite to Spain

Washington, D.C. – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has authorized an $87.1 million guarantee of a loan extended by Crédit Agricole and other European lenders to Hispasat Canarias S.L.U., a Hispasat S.A. (Hispasat) subsidiary based in Madrid, Spain, that will finance the assembly and purchase of a satellite to be manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital) of Dulles, Va.

The guarantee, which is Ex-Im Bank’s third transaction with Hispasat, will support approximately 600 U.S. jobs, according to bank estimates derived from Departments of Commerce and Labor data and methodology.


"This transaction is yet another example of our commitment to support high-tech jobs throughout America," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "The ‘Made in America’ brand is second to none, and it is our job to ensure it always has an equal footing with competitors in the international market."

Established in 1989, Hispasat is the fourth largest western European satellite operator and the eighth largest operator in the world. It currently manages a constellation of seven active satellites and plans to expand its fleet.

The Amazonas-4A satellite, a Ku-band satellite equipped with 24 transponders, is expected to launch in 2014 and will occupy the company’s orbital slot over Brazil. It will provide coverage to the Americas and respond to the increasing demand of direct-to-home and high-definition television broadcasts.

Orbital Sciences Corporation was founded in 1982 and specializes in designing, building, testing and operating small- and medium-size satellites, rockets and other space systems. The company provides its space systems products to commercial customers, such as Hispasat, as well as to U.S. government agencies, including NASA, the Department of Defense, and intelligence agencies. Orbital employs almost 4,000 people, primarily in Virginia and Arizona, with other smaller locations around the country.

"Ex-Im Bank has played a critical role in the financing of several high-value commercial satellites built by Orbital," said Garrett Pierce, vice chairman and chief financial officer of Orbital. "Ex-Im Bank's participation has enabled us to compete on a level playing field around the world and win new export-related business. In addition, our success in capturing new orders of state-of-the-art spacecraft provides hundreds of high-tech and high-wage jobs for Orbital's workforce and throughout our extensive network of U.S.-based suppliers."

Ex-Im Bank authorized a record-breaking $1.4 billion to finance exports of American-made telecommunications satellites in FY 2012. In the first quarter of FY 2013, Ex-Im Bank has already authorized $516.9 million.

ABOUT EX-IM BANK:


Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that creates and maintains U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years (from Fiscal Year 2008), Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.6 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.

Ex-Im Bank approved $35.8 billion in total authorizations in FY 2012 – an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6.1 billion directly supporting small-business export sales – also an Ex-Im record. Ex-Im Bank's total authorizations are supporting an estimated $50 billion in U.S. export sales and approximately 255,000 American jobs in communities across the country.

RENEWABLE ENERGY ZONE IN ARIZONA

Photo:  Solar Panels.  Credit:  Wikimedia Commons.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Secretary Salazar Finalizes Plan to Establish Renewable Energy Zone on Public Lands in Arizona
First-ever state-wide plan to identify, set aside previously disturbed lands to encourage wind and solar energy development

WASHINGTON, DC -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that Interior has designated 192,100 acres of public land across Arizona as potentially suitable for utility-scale solar and wind energy development, furthering President Obama’s ‘all-of-the-above’ strategy to expand domestic energy production.

The publication of the Record of Decision (ROD) for this initiative, known as the Restoration Design Energy Project, caps a three-year, statewide environmental analysis of disturbed land and other areas with few known resource conflicts that could accommodate commercial renewable energy projects.

The ROD also establishes the Agua Caliente Solar Energy Zone, the third solar zone on public lands in Arizona and the 18th nationwide. The Solar Energy Zones are part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to facilitate solar energy development by identifying areas in six states in the West with high solar potential, few resource conflicts and access to existing or planned transmission. With the Agua Caliente zone, Interior is delivering on the promise made as part of the Western Solar Plan to identify and establish additional solar energy zones.

"This project is a key milestone in our work to spur smart development of solar and wind energy on public lands across the West," Secretary Salazar said. "Arizona has huge potential when it comes to building a clean energy economy, and this landscape-level plan lays a solid foundation for making sure that it happens in the right way and in the right places. As we advance the President’s energy strategy, we continue to work closely with states, local communities, tribes, industry, conservation and other groups to reduce potential resource conflicts and expedite appropriate projects that will generate jobs and investment in rural communities."

Since 2009, the Obama Administration has approved 34 renewable energy proposals for public lands, including solar, wind and geothermal projects. Together, they could generate 10,400 megawatts of electricity, or enough energy to power more than 3 million homes.

The lands identified in Arizona today include previously disturbed sites (primarily former agricultural areas) and lands with low resource sensitivity and few environmental conflicts. Bureau of Land Management lands in Arizona containing sensitive resources requiring protection, such as endangered or threatened wildlife and sites of cultural and historic importance, were eliminated from consideration. Additionally, the areas selected had to have reasonable access to transmission lines and load centers as well as be situated near areas with high electricity demand.

The ROD also sets standards for projects to avoid impacts to sensitive watersheds, ground water supplies and water quality and establishes a baseline set of environmental protection measures for proposed renewable energy projects. Today’s action does not directly authorize any solar or wind energy projects; any proposal will need to undergo a site-specific environmental review.

"This initiative exemplifies our ‘Smart-from-the-Start’ review process, which puts appropriate pieces in place for responsibly developing renewable energy projects on public lands," said Mike Pool, acting BLM Director. "The Arizona project can really serve as a model for future statewide analyses for responsible energy development in the West."

The new 2,550-acre Agua Caliente Solar Energy Zone is located in Yuma County near Dateland, and the BLM estimates that the zone could generate more than 20 megawatts through utility-scale solar projects. The BLM administers about 12.2 million surface acres of public lands in Arizona.

To implement the ROD, eight BLM resource management plans will be amended to identify Renewable Energy Development Areas and provide guidance on how public lands are to be used. These identified areas are within 5 miles of a transmission line or a designated transmission corridor, and are close to cities, towns, or industrial centers.

THE NEW FOCUS FOR NATO

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta tours the House of Lords with Andrew Robathan, minister of state for the U.K.'s armed forces, in London, Jan. 18, 2013. Panetta is on a six-day trip to Europe to visit with defense counterparts and troops. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Urges New Focus for NATO
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

LONDON, Jan. 18, 2013 - As the International Security Assistance Force transitions to a sustaining role in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, will NATO retreat from its responsibilities, or innovate to develop and share the capabilities needed to meet growing, global security challenges?

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta delivered a speech at King's College here today, built around that question.
The audience included students and faculty members of the school's Department of War Studies and the secretary noted it was "especially these young leaders" he wished to address.

The more than 60-year-old NATO alliance "remains the bedrock of America's global ... partnerships," Panetta said. "But today, after over 11 years of war, I believe we are at another turning point in the history of the transatlantic alliance."

NATO nations came together in 1949 to form a common defense against the monolithic Soviet superpower. Now, Panetta noted, the alliance -- if it is to remain an effective, capable, enduring multilateral security alliance -- must prepare to quickly respond to a wide range of security threats even as member nations, under budget pressures, spend less on their militaries.

"The bottom line is that no one nation can confront the threats ... alone," the secretary said. "We have got to build an innovative, flexible, and rotational model for forward-deployed presence and training."

In transforming its capabilities, NATO must develop innovative alliance cooperation, invest in new frontiers, and build regional partnerships, he said.

Innovative cooperation, Panetta said, involves positioning and equipping forces so they can respond to threats rapidly and effectively. For example, he noted, the Defense Department has moved two heavy Army brigades out of Europe.

"But ... this effort is not primarily about cuts," he said. "We will be supporting new rotational deployments, enhanced training and exercises, and other new initiatives that bolster the readiness of our forces and build their capacity to seamlessly work together."

The secretary listed some of those U.S. initiatives: deploying ballistic missile defense-equipped destroyers to Rota, Spain; establishing a new U.S. aviation detachment in Poland; and deploying U.S. Army battalions on a rotational basis to participate in the NATO Response Force.

"We are making tangible investments in these new forms of cooperation to make the alliance more responsive and more agile," the secretary said. "And we are doing so in a cost-effective way that meets our fiscal responsibilities."

Turning to "new frontiers," Panetta urged NATO commitment to cyber defense.

"For years, I have been deeply concerned by intellectual property theft, by attacks against private sector institutions, and the continued probing of military and critical infrastructure networks," he said. Panetta said cyber- attacks could "paralyze our economies" and potentially destroy national power grids, government systems, financial and banking networks.

"That technology is real and threatening today," Panetta said. "As societies that rely on cyberspace, Europe and the United States have more to gain from stronger cyber security than anyone else. And our economies are so interdependent; failing to act together could leave all of us dangerously exposed."

NATO must consider what its role should be in defending member nations from cyber attacks, the secretary said.

"We must begin to take the necessary steps to develop additional alliance cyber defense capabilities," he said. "To that end, I urge that in the coming year [that] NATO ministers hold a session to closely examine how the alliance can bolster its defensive cyber operational capabilities."

Other key capabilities for the future that require investment, Panetta said, include unmanned systems, surveillance and intelligence platforms, space defense and special operations forces.

"The time has come when nations can share critical capabilities ... that enhance [our common] ability to ... respond to common threats," he said.

Panetta said the third pillar for building the transatlantic alliance of the 21st century "must be a determined and proactive effort to build strong partnerships with nations and security organizations in other regions of the world."

The purpose of such an approach would not be to build a global NATO, Panetta said, but to help other regions provide for their own security and become more capable of partnering with NATO to meet global challenges.

"We see this every day in Afghanistan, where more than 20 non-NATO countries -- Australia, Jordan, others -- work alongside NATO countries in ISAF," he said. "And we saw the benefits of this approach in our Libya [operation] as well, where the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council partnered with Europe and North America under a NATO umbrella to protect the Libyan people. The presence of these regional partners has added credibility and capability to the alliance effort, and laid the groundwork for continued cooperation in the future."

And as NATO confronts other security challenges in Africa and the Middle East, Panetta recommended the establishment of "deeper partnerships with the Arab League [and] the Gulf Cooperation Council and build regular dialogue, exchanges and exercises with African organizations such as the African Union and ECOWAS in Western Africa."

NATO also must broaden the scope of alliance security discussions beyond European and regional issues, the secretary said.

"In particular, I strongly believe that Europe should join the United States in increasing and deepening our defense engagement with the Asia-Pacific region," Panetta said.

The U.S. "pivot" to Asia has caused concern in Europe, he acknowledged.

"But today those concerns should be put to rest," Panetta said. "Global security is not a zero-sum game, but neither are the security commitments of the United States. More importantly, Europe's economic and security future is -- much like the United States' -- increasingly tied to Asia. After all, the European Union is China's largest trading partner, [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations'] second-largest trading partner, and ranks third and fourth with Japan and South Korea."

It is in the interests of both the United States and Europe, the secretary said, for NATO to become more outwardly focused and engaged in strengthening Asian security institutions such as ASEAN.

"It is also in our interest to expand defense dialogue and exchanges with a full range of nations including China, where defense spending, according to one estimate, is projected to exceed the largest eight European nations combined, by 2015," the secretary said.

NATO member nations have a responsibility to demonstrate global leadership and to advance the ideals of peace and prosperity, he said.

"To that end, the United States and Europe should work together and ensure our efforts are coordinated through regular consultations between European and U.S. defense officials focused on Asia-Pacific security issues," Panetta said. "The bottom line is that Europe should not fear our rebalance to Asia, Europe should join it."

In NATO, the world has a model for how nations can come together to advance global peace and prosperity, he said, but the alliance "must be strong enough and bold enough to change."

The secretary said after spending this week in Southern Europe, and continuing to deal with budget uncertainty at home, "I am very clear-eyed about the fiscal pressures nations are facing."

NATO nations are facing a crisis, Panetta said. "But we must never allow any crisis to undermine our collective resolve," he said.

As he prepares to retire from a career in public service, the secretary said he recognizes a generational shift is underway.

"There will probably not be another U.S. secretary of defense with direct memories of World War II," he said. "Many of those entering military service today -- and many of the young students here in this audience -- were born years after the fall of the Berlin wall. Yet across the generations, the transatlantic alliance remains the rock upon which we will build our future security and our future prosperity."

Panetta said his generation's mission was to secure a better and safer life for their children.

"That is now your mission and your responsibility," he told the students in the audience. "History will ultimately define our legacy, for better or for worse. Your job is now to make your own legacy. The future security of nations in the 21st century rests on whether you decide to fight together or fight separately. That decision rests with all of you."

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY
130117-N-PL185-388 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 17, 2013) An F/A-18E Hornet assigned to the Gunslingers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 taxies on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during flight operations. Harry S. Truman is underway conducting composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) in preparation for its upcoming deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lorenzo J. Burleson/Released)

130116-N-YZ751-473 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 16, 2013) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter from the Sea Knights of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 delivers ammunition to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) during an ammunition onload. George H.W. Bush is conducting training and carrier qualifications in the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tony D. Curtis/Released)

EXPEDITION 35/36 SCIENCE BRIEFING

FROM: NASA

Remarks With Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida After Their Meeting

Remarks With Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida After Their Meeting