THE DEATH OF THE ELKHORN CORAL MYSTERY



Photo: Elkhorn Coral Credit: National Park Service-Wikimedia Commons

FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Underwater Whodunit: What's Killing Florida's Elkhorn Coral?
Scientists solve Caribbean coral mystery: human pathogens cause marine invertebrate deaths
Take one wastewater treatment plant and place it anywhere along the Caribbean coast. Then--by a means unknown to science--kill coral reefs near the plant.

"You'd have all the makings of a great mystery novel," says ecologist James Porter of the University of Georgia.

Except that, in this case, the story would be true.

Coral killer on the loose

"Between 1996 and 2012, more than half of all corals in the Florida Keys alone had died," says Porter.

The greatest decline was in elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata). The species disappeared from more than 90 percent of its former habitat.

Elkhorn coral was once the most common coral in the Caribbean. It's now protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

"Most elkhorn coral that died in the Keys had signs of a disease known as white pox before its demise," says Porter.

Hot on the trail of where the white pox was coming from, Porter and other scientists ultimately identified human sewage outflows as the source of a pathogen that causes the disease.

Along with colleagues Kathryn Sutherland of Rollins College and Erin Lipp of the University of Georgia, Porter discovered that the bacterium killing the coral is also found in humans.

The mystery deepens

But where was it coming from? From the land, it turned out, not the sea: in human waste.

"When we first identified the bacterium Serratia marcescens as the cause of white pox," says Sutherland, "we could only speculate that human waste was the source of the pathogen because it's also found in the wastes of other animals."

Serratia marcescens is in the gut of humans and in that of other land-based animals.

To trace the source, the researchers collected and analyzed samples from a wastewater treatment facility in Key West, and samples from animals such as deer and seagulls.

While Serratia marcescens showed up in these non-human animals, genetic analyses demonstrated that only the strain from people matched that found in white pox-diseased corals.

Investigators on the scene

"The final piece of the puzzle," says Porter, "was to determine whether it was pathogenic to corals."

The scientists exposed fragments of elkhorn coral to the strain found in humans to find out if it would cause the disease.

The experiments were carried out in a laboratory in closed seawater tanks to eliminate any risk of infection to wild populations of corals.

"Within five days, the human strain caused the disease in elkhorn coral," says Sutherland. "We then had definitive evidence that people were the source of the pathogen."

Adds Porter, "These bacteria didn't come from the ocean. They came from us."

In humans, Serratia marcescens results in respiratory, wound and urinary tract infections, as well as in meningitis and pneumonia.

Human diseases caused by the bacterium are often linked with hospital-acquired infections in newborn infants and in immune-compromised adults.

Further studies underway

"Humans are affecting the rest of the living world in many ways, including sharing our diseases," says Sam Scheiner, National Science Foundation (NSF) director of the joint NSF-National Institutes of Health (NIH) Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (EEID) Program, which funds the research. "This work demonstrates that such sharing may be happening in ways we would never have predicted."

The five-year NSF-NIH EEID study is supported by NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences. Its focus is on how the coral pathogen is transmitted and the factors that drive the emergence of white pox outbreaks, including water quality, climate variability and human population density.

"We're concerned that disease incidence or severity may increase with rising temperatures," Lipp says, "so it's important to protect near-shore water quality in a changing climate."

Research uncovers new disease pathway

To date, the study has revealed a disease pathway--from humans to wildlife--that's the "opposite" of the traditional wildlife-to-human disease transmission model. The results have been published in the journal PLOS ONE.

The movement of pathogens from wildlife to humans is well-documented--in, for example, bird flu--but the transfer of disease-causing microbes from humans to marine invertebrates has never before been proved.

"This is the first time a human disease has been shown to cause deaths of a marine invertebrate," says Porter. "Bacteria from humans kill corals--that's the bad news. But the good news is that we can resolve it with advanced wastewater treatment facilities."

The Florida Keys region is in the process of upgrading its wastewater treatment plants. The measure, the scientists hope, will eliminate this source of the bacterium.

"We need to address the water quality conditions that favored the establishment and survival of this pathogen in the marine environment," says Porter.

For now, who's the only culprit in the "Caribbean Coral Mystery"? Surprisingly, says Scheiner, "it's none other than ourselves."

LAUNCH OF NATIONAL COMMISSION ON FORENSIC SCIENCE ANNOUNCED

Credit:  U.S. Army.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Friday, February 15, 2013
Department of Justice and National Institute of Standards and Technology Announce Launch of National Commission on Forensic Science

The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced today the establishment of a National Commission on Forensic Science as part of a new initiative to strengthen and enhance the practice of forensic science.

The National Commission on Forensic Science will be composed of approximately 30 members, bringing together forensic science service practitioners, academic researchers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and other relevant stakeholders to develop policy recommendations for the Attorney General. The commission will consider guidance on practices for federal, state and local forensic science laboratories developed by groups of forensic science practitioners and academic researchers administered by NIST.

"Forensic science is an essential tool in the administration of justice and needs to be continually evaluated as science progresses," said Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole. "Forensic science helps identify perpetrators, convict the guilty, exonerate the innocent, and protect public safety. This initiative is led by the principle that scientifically valid and accurate forensic analysis strengthens all aspects of our justice system."

"The Department of Justice and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have a history of successful collaboration," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Patrick Gallagher. "Through this initiative, we will work even more closely with the forensic science community to strengthen the forensic science system."

The commission will have responsibility for developing guidance concerning the intersections between forensic science and the courtroom and developing policy recommendations, including uniform codes for professional responsibility and requirements for training and certification.

The new initiative provides a framework for coordination across forensic disciplines under federal leadership, with state and local participation. The Department of Justice, through its involvement in the commission, will take an active role in developing policy recommendations and coordinating implementation. The NIST-administered guidance groups will develop and propose discipline-specific practice guidance that will become publicly available and be considered for endorsement by the commission and the Attorney General. This coordinated effort will help to standardize national guidance for forensic science practitioners. Additionally, NIST will continue to develop methods for forensic measurements and validate select existing forensic science standards.

Specific criteria for membership will be announced in an upcoming Federal Register notice, and applicants will have 30 days from the publication of the notice to submit their applications.

As a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.

GOTTENMOELLER'S REMARKS ON NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY

Secretary Rose Gottenmoeller.  Credit:  U.S. State Department

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Forging Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities for the NPT
Remarks
Rose Gottemoeller
Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security
Institute for National Security Studies (INSS)
Washington, DC
February 12, 2013
As Delivered

Thank you, Yaiv, and thank you to General (Ret.) Yadlin and all the staff at INSS for hosting me. It is an honor to be here. As you all know, John Kerry was sworn in as the new U.S. Secretary of State just about a week and a half ago. He begins his tenure at State fully seized of the challenges that we face around the globe, including the future of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Under the direction of our new Secretary, the Department of State will continue its efforts to support this vital regime. The title for this conference is apt. We are at a crossroads, but not a dead-end. Over the course of the last 40 years, the NPT has taken some hits, not least this highly provocative act announced by North Korea today. But it is precisely because of those hits that we have acquired the experience needed to deal more effectively with the challenge of nuclear proliferation.

In order to look to the future, it is important to remember the past. It was just over 50 years ago that tension brought on by the Cuban Missile Crisis threatened to turn the Cold War hot. The world watched in fear for those 13 days in October 1962 when Soviet missile placements in Cuba very nearly became the spark that would start a fire we could not possibly control.

As the United States and the Soviet Union teetered on the edge of nuclear war, leaders in Washington and Moscow sought a diplomatic solution. One of the challenges confronting both sides was making sure that their perceptions, objectives, and proposals were getting across to each other clearly. This was not an easy thing to do without email, dedicated phone lines or fifty years of cooperation across many different issues.

Resolute and sober in their determination, leaders in Washington and Moscow stepped back from the brink of a nuclear conflict, using every avenue available to settle the crisis peacefully. After those frightening 13 days, both sides learned ways to reduce the tension in our relationship.

A New Beginning

To say that things have changed dramatically since October 1962 is an understatement. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a turning point. The United States and the Soviet Union came to the edge of the abyss and then started to back away from it. In the months following the crisis, a "Hotline" between the Kremlin and the White House was established, allowing for direct, immediate communications between our leaders.

In the summer of 1963, in a Commencement Address at American University, President John F. Kennedy laid out a bold vision on how we could turn away from what had seemed like an inevitable march towards nuclear catastrophe.

"Peace need not be impracticable," he said, "and war need not be inevitable. By defining our goal more clearly, by making it seem more manageable and less remote, we can help all peoples to see it, to draw hope from it, and to move irresistibly toward it."

I like that concept. Defining goals does make things more manageable. Working step by step, we can slowly fix seemingly intractable, unsolvable problems.

In that particular speech, one of the defined goals was to achieve a ban on nuclear testing. While it was not comprehensive, the Limited Test Ban Treaty went into force just four months later. It outlawed nuclear explosive tests on land, in the sea, in the atmosphere and in space. This was a tremendous step in the right direction and one that helped create political conditions to conclude the NPT, an even more ambitious treaty, several years later.

The Path Before Us

The grand bargain of the NPT, where nuclear weapon states pursue disarmament, non-nuclear weapon states abstain from the pursuit of nuclear weapons and all countries are able to access the benefits of peaceful nuclear energy, sets an enduring standard that is as relevant today as it was at the Treaty’s inception. For over forty years, the regime has bent, frayed and broken in places, but it has never collapsed. It has slowed the tide of proliferation; it has facilitated cooperation among its States Parties; and it has institutionalized the norms of nonproliferation and disarmament.

Despite our past successes, there are very pressing challenges all around us and on the horizon. Most critically, we have grave concerns about the actions of a few countries. North Korea, Iran and Syria violated their NPT obligations, and have failed to take the steps necessary to rectify these violations. The United States is gravely concerned about all of these programs, as I am sure is the case for everyone in this room. These transgressions threaten international security and undermine confidence in the nonproliferation regime. These cases also stand directly in the way of our shared disarmament goals.

Addressing these compliance challenges is essential to preserving the integrity of the nonproliferation regime and we have taken important steps in the past several years to do so. The IAEA found Syria in noncompliance with its safeguards obligations for attempting to build a covert nuclear reactor, and we are continuing to build on the stringent sanctions the UN Security Council adopted against Iran in 2010. That, combined with actions taken before 2010, represent clear reinforcement of the importance of full compliance. NPT Parties must be willing to keep the pressure on countries that violate their obligations. As President Obama has said many times, the international community must stand up to States that violate their nonproliferation obligations. NPT rules must be binding and there must be consequences for those who break them.

There is a continued push for universal adherence to the IAEA safeguards agreements and Additional Protocols. As we have learned from past and present safeguards violations from countries such as Iran and Syria, the Additional Protocol must be the standard for verification of the NPT. Since 2010, 18 states have brought Additional Protocols into force, bringing the total to 119. Another 20 have signed the Protocol but not yet completed the ratification process. That is excellent progress, but we must continue to press for more.

The United States will also work with all Parties to discourage states from abusing the NPT’s withdrawal provision, a priority we share with many of our international partners.

Building on our pledge to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our defense strategy, we are also making progress on nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZ). The nuclear-weapon states, also known as the P5, and ASEAN have agreed on a revised Protocol to the Southeast Asia NWFZ (SEANWFZ) Treaty that resolved outstanding differences. We hope that the Protocol signing can take place soon.

For its part, this Administration sent the protocols to the African and South Pacific NWFZs to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent. The United States also remains committed to consulting with the Central Asia NWFZ (CANWFZ) parties to reach an agreement that would allow us – along with the rest of the P5 – to sign the protocol to that treaty.

A longer term goal is achievement of a Middle East zone free of all weapons of mass destruction. The United States supports this goal and stands ready to help facilitate discussions among states in the region at the proposed Helsinki conference. But we do so recognizing that the mandate for a zone can only come from within the region; it cannot be imposed from outside or without the consent of all concerned states. We regret the Helsinki conference could not be convened last year, but remain committed to working with our partners to create conditions for a successful event.

An immediate concern is securing vulnerable nuclear materials in order to keep them out of hands of terrorists. Under President Obama’s direction, we have held two Nuclear Security Summits, with a third to take place in The Hague next year. In anticipation of the Hague Summit, we will continue to build on pledges that are resulting in more material secured, removed and eliminated. These are real and durable achievements that help protect nations against the threat of nuclear terrorism. We will continue to use the Summits to strengthen the global architecture – the treaties, institutions, norms and rules – that governs nuclear security, and to promote the concept of "assurance;" that is, states execute their sovereign security responsibilities in ways that assure neighbors, allies and rivals that they are doing so effectively. Israel and others here are valued partners in the Summit process, and we look forward to continued cooperation to promote these shared goals.

Regarding the disarmament agenda, there have been successes on both the bilateral and multilateral fronts. The United States is committed to a step-by-step process to reduce the overall numbers of nuclear weapons. The two year anniversary of the New START Treaty’s entry into force has just passed. As many of you know, I was the lead New START negotiator for the United States and it is very satisfying to see how pragmatic, business-like and positive the implementation has been. We are now exploring the possibilities of what a future agreement with Russia would look like – one with reductions in all categories of nuclear weapons – strategic, non-strategic, deployed and non-deployed.

Beyond bilateral treaties, ratification and entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) remains a top priority for the United States.

As we move forward with our ratification process, we encourage all other nations to do the same. We also remain committed to launch negotiations on a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty. It is unfortunate that, to date, the Geneva Conference on Disarmament has been blocked in its efforts to move this agreement forward.

We are also engaging with other P5 states on disarmament-related matters. Following the first meeting in London in 2009, P5 conferences were held in Paris in 2011 and Washington in 2012. At those high-level meetings, we started discussions on key nuclear weapons related issues, including confidence-building, transparency, and verification experiences. Russia announced recently that it will host the next P5 conference in April, just before the second NPT PrepCom.

While some are quick to dismiss the utility of meetings and conferences, they would be forgetting their history. As the United States and Russia approach the lowest levels of deployed nuclear warheads since the 1950’s – and that will happen when the New START Treaty is fully implemented in 2018 – it is important to remember that their success was born out of direct communication. Communication builds trust. Trust paves the way for cooperation. This is the type of process we are cultivating in the P5 setting.

We also support new frameworks for civil nuclear cooperation that reduce the spread of dangerous technologies. Establishment of an IAEA fuel bank represents an important step forward, as it can help assure the reliability of nuclear fuel supply and avoid the unnecessary investment in indigenous enrichment.

Forging Ahead

Having just run through the challenges and opportunities, the road ahead can seem daunting. Some states continue to forsake their freely taken and legally binding obligations. Proliferation is aided by the speed and anonymity provided by the information age. Conflicts around the globe make cooperation difficult or dangerous. Even in the face of these challenges, it is incumbent upon us to find ways to strengthen nonproliferation norms, bolster compliance and quickly adapt to ever-changing circumstances and security needs.

There are some new tools that could aid us in our travels. The United States is and has always been committed to innovation, and the arms control and nonproliferation arenas are no exception. To respond to the challenges we face, we are thinking about creative ways to use technologies – including open source technologies – to tackle long-standing verification and monitoring problems. We hope that other states will join us in this endeavor.

All of what I have discussed will require hard work. However, we are at a crossroads, not a cliff. We are fully able to choose the path that leads us to a safer, more secure world. We have with us the lessons of the Cold War and the knowledge that even in our darkest hours, we found a way forward. In his speech at American University 50 years ago, President Kennedy left the students with a final thought:

"Confident and unafraid, we labor on--not toward a strategy of annihilation but toward a strategy of peace."


We have come a long way since then, but we have a long way to go. We just have to keep moving forward step by step, confident and unafraid.

Thank you and I look forward to your questions.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONNECTIONS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DISA Highlights Increase in Use of Collaboration Tool
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2013 - Use of a Web-based application designed to offer an information exchange environment for Defense Department users has grown markedly as defense spending cuts loom, Defense Information Systems Agency officials said.

Since 2007, Defense Connect Online has been the "go-to" mechanism among several new enterprises within DOD's networks that entrust remote services with a user's data and software through cloud computing.

Defense Connect Online is the designated enterprise tool allowing DOD partners to collaborate on either classified or unclassified networks, said Alfred Rivera, DISA's director of enterprise services.

"It's been the department's way of providing collaborative solutions ... for online meetings, document sharing, white-boarding and voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) capabilities, to include chat," Rivera said.

John Hale, DISA's chief of enterprise applications, said DCO is the Web-based solution fielded within DOD's private cloud so information can be exchanged among mission partners. "It really has been a facilitator of collaboration, ... including the ability to chat live with each other while you're doing it," he said. DCO users should note common access card requirements, with the option for non-CAC holder guest participation, Hale said.

As DOD faces an austere budget climate, DISA officials said, DCO and similar enterprise ventures have shown growth by virtue of cost savings. "We're starting to see a large increase in the use of Defense Connect Online, and in the last 60 to 90 days, there's been unprecedented growth," Hale said.

DISA officials continue to address technology solutions to meet increasing customer demands, Hale said, adding that programmers took necessary steps to ensure data security both at rest and at use within the system.

"The solution was built ... with security in mind, [and] that's one reason it leverages our current DOD private cloud as its native platform, ... because a certain amount of security comes with that environment," Hale said. "As [information technology] increases in complexity and users demand more and more instant capabilities, security is ... at the forefront of everything we do to ensure our nation's defense information is kept safe."

A maximum capacity of 2,000 users in 2007 has since increased to 4,000 concurrent users, Hale noted, but recent demands have accelerated capacity expansion.

"Under normal circumstances, that would be a good model; however, DCO capacity requirements have significantly increased by 33 percent during the last 60 to 90 days," he said.
To address the increased demand, DISA officials expedited a previously planned expansion project, and will double current capacity within the week.

"We will make several system upgrades within six to eight weeks which will allow us to add additional capacity beyond 8,000 in a streamlined fashion, as dictated by mission partner usage," Hale said.

Rivera said Defense Connect Online was DISA's first large endeavor as part of the agency's emergence into enterprise services. Another is enterprise email service. The Army was the first adopter of DOD Enterprise Email (DEE), said Alan Lewis, DISA's program executive officer for enterprise services.

"We currently have over 800,000 users on that system and are growing rapidly," Lewis said. "In the next two months, we'll have 1.5 million users on that system." Users include members of the Army, the Joint Staff and various combatant commands, among other military agencies, Lewis added.

DISA is the main service provider of high-end applications to DOD, its senior leaders said.

"What you're seeing is large growth across the board in terms of the service offerings from DISA to the entire department," Lewis said, noting plans to integrate mobile capabilities into all platforms.

Rivera said collaboration with the Army to determine whether or not the ventures were fiscally sound were worthwhile. "The results indicated that the Army would save around $74 million annually when moving to DEE versus them doing it themselves," Rivera said.

With an expected 1.4 million Army users taking advantage of DEE, other enterprise services such as the DOD Enterprise Portal Service and DCO consolidate common usage applications into large-scale platforms to bring cost savings to taxpayers, Hale said.

"Every organization is trying to save as much as possible to meet their mission needs," Hale said. "By offsetting the cost for these common services that everybody expects [and] using enterprise services, it allows organizations to focus their dollars back into their mission."

Rivera expressed confidence that Defense Connect Online and similar enterprises will weather the fiscal storm.

"It is one of those efficiency applications that the department can recognize as we look at ... strong budget cuts going on," he said. "This is one of our key enterprise applications that will continue to be a critical element as we move forward in this budget-constrained environment."

Rivera said he expects mission partners to use the enterprise not only for meetings, but also for operational discussions, distance learning and other capabilities.

AIR FORCE SPLITS MISSILE-SPACE OFFICER DEVELOPMENT

Minuteman III Missile Launch.  Credit:  U.S. Air Force

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
AF splits space, missile career field for officers

2/15/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Air Force has split the space and missile career field in an effort to ensure more focused development for officers performing these critical missions in increasingly complex operational environments, Air Force officials announced today.

Under the old construct, more than 50 percent of space-coded company grade officers' development time was spent as a missileer, said Col. Joseph Prue, career field manager for space operations officers.

"Space and Missile Operations have become more and more technical in application and execution--each in their own unique ways," said Prue. "This split will enable each career field to continue cultivating technical expertise via separate, yet equally important, avenues in order to be more effective and efficient in meeting current and future AF needs."

This change will allow the Air Force to further strengthen the nuclear enterprise, said Col. Zannis Pappas, the new career field manager for "Nuclear and Missile Operations," or AFSC 13N.

"Over the past four years, we have created distinct training and development tracks for our space and missile officers to further ensure that our Airmen are prepared for the unique challenges of these missions," said Pappas. "The transformation of the career field will allow for deliberate development of specialized skills, technical depth, and experience to prepare for emerging challenges."

The change affects approximately 3,100 officers coded as either "Space Operations" or "Nuclear Missile Operations" within the former 13S career field. Those officers previously coded as "Space Operations" will remain in the 13S career field and those officers previously coded as "Nuclear Missile Operations" will have their AFSCs changed to 13N.

All new Air Force officer accessions headed for careers in the former "Space and Missile Operations" AFSC will be classified as either a "Space Operations" (AFSC 13S) officer or "Nuclear and Missile Operations" (AFSC 13N) officer.

Affected officers should contact their career field managers for more information about how the change will affect them, said Prue.

"The transformation of the career field will give space and missile officers opportunities to develop the depth and breadth they need for command, as well as the opportunity for career-long development in specific mission areas," said Prue.

Weekly Address: Following the President’s Plan for a Strong Middle Class | The White House

Weekly Address: Following the President’s Plan for a Strong Middle Class | The White House

U.S. MILITARY RECRUITMENT CONTINUES STRONG

Photo Credit:  U.S. Navy.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Recruiting Continues Robust Through December

American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2013 - All four active services met or exceeded their target recruiting numbers for the first three months of fiscal 2013, Pentagon officials reported today.

Here are the specific numbers by service so far for the fiscal year, which began Oct. 1:

-- Army: 12,396 accessions, 101 percent of its goal of 12,250;

-- Navy: 7,782 accessions, 100 percent of its goal of 7,782;

-- Marine Corps: 6,073 accessions, 100 percent of its goal of 6,058; and

-- Air Force: 6,516 accessions, 100 percent of its goal of 6,516.

The Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps exhibited strong retention numbers for the third month of fiscal 2013, officials said. While the Navy exhibited strong retention numbers in the mid-career and career categories, the Navy's achievement of 86 percent in the initial category is a result of the transition from a downsizing to a stabilizing posture.

Meanwhile, five of the six reserve components met or exceeded their fiscal 2013 recruiting goals for the first three months of the fiscal year. The Army Reserve finished December 572 short of its goal. Here are the numbers:

-- Army National Guard: 12,412 accessions, 103 percent of its goal of 12,015;

-- Army Reserve: 6,450 accessions, 92 percent of its goal of 7,022;

-- Navy Reserve: 1,281 accessions, 100 percent of its goal of 1,281;

-- Marine Corps Reserve: 2,359 accessions, 109 percent of its goal of 2,163;

-- Air National Guard: 2,170 accessions, 100 percent of its goal of 2,170; and

-- Air Force Reserve: 1,872 accessions, 100 percent of its goal of 1,872.

All reserve components have met their fiscal-year-to-date attrition goals. Officials said that although they expect this trend will continue, attrition numbers for December are not yet available.

THE U.S. NLRB FINDS COMPANY CAN'T FIRE EMPLOYEE FOR DISCUSSING SALARY WITH OTHER EMPLOYEES

FROM U.S. NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD

The National Labor Relations Board has found that a Texas engineering firm unlawfully fired an employee for discussing salary information with co-workers, and ordered the company to offer reinstatement and to pay back wages for the time out of work.

Under the board order, which issued February 8, Houston-based Jones & Carter, Inc. also must rescind its policy of forbidding employee discussion of salaries. The National Labor Relations Act protects the rights of workers to discuss their terms and conditions of employment, including wages.

In the absence of exceptions, the Board adopted the November 26 decision of Administrative Law Judge Margaret G. Brakebusch. During trial, company officials said the employee – a training coordinator - was fired for "harassing" other workers. But the judge noted that the same company officials told state unemployment investigators a different story, including that the employee was fired for discussing salaries with other workers, and that sharing such information was a "pet peeve" of the company.

As a result of the Board action, Jones & Carter offered the employee reinstatement to her former position, which she declined. The employer agreed to make the former employee whole by paying her backpay, 401(k) contributions, medical expenses and interest in the total amount of $107,000, to revise its policy to delete the prohibition on employees of discussing their salaries, and to post a Board Notice describing these actions.

U.S. SUES OIL AND GAS COMPANY FOR ALLEGED UNLAWFUL DISCHARGE OF OIL AND CHEMICAL DISPERSANTS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Monday, February 11, 2013
US Files Lawsuit in Louisiana Against Oil and Gas Company Alleging Unlawful Discharge of Oil and Chemical Dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico

Today the United States filed a civil action against ATP Oil & Gas Corporation and ATP Infrastructure Partners, LP (ATP-IP) for civil penalties and injunctive relief under the Clean Water Act and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. The complaint was filed on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The complaint addresses the defendants’ alleged unlawful discharges of oil and unpermitted chemical dispersants from the defendants’ floating oil and gas production platform, the ATP Innovator, into the Gulf of Mexico.

The ATP Innovator is a production facility operating at Lease Block 711 of Mississippi Canyon in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 45 nautical miles offshore of southeastern Louisiana.

The violations were discovered during a BSEE inspection of the facility in March 2012. Following further investigation by BSEE, the violations were referred to the Department of Justice by BSEE and EPA. The case, United States v. ATP Oil & Gas Corporation et al., was filed in the District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

As alleged in the complaint, ATP failed to properly operate and maintain its wastewater treatment system on the ATP Innovator. As a result, excess oil was discharged into the ocean, and an unauthorized chemical dispersant was added to the oily wastewater discharge to mask the presence of oil on the ocean’s surface. The dispersant was added to the outfall pipe by way of a concealed metal tube that connected a tank of dispersant to the outfall pipe. The connection of the metal tubing to the outfall pipe was located downstream of the sample collection point, making the addition of unauthorized dispersant undetectable in samples that are required to be collected to show compliance with ATP’s Clean Water Act discharge permit.

According to the complaint, the dispersant had been used from at least October 2010 to March 2012. In addition to civil penalties under the Clean Water Act, the complaint also seeks injunctive relief for violations of the Clean Water Act and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY ON EMERGING POWERS

Map:  China.  Credit:  U.S. State Department.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Scholar: Trends, Emerging Powers Bear Watching
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2013 - The nation must sustain awareness of technological and geopolitical trends in allies and emerging powers, a National Defense University senior research fellow told a House subcommittee today.

In a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on intelligence, emerging threats and capabilities, Frank Hoffman stressed the urgency of staying prepared for an ever-broadening array of actors and challenges, rather than a singular one.

"We have to be ready for a broad spectrum of conflicts that range from purely irregular and terrorists at one end to perhaps rising powers with conventional capability to the other," he said.

Hoffman also contested what he called a new "peace theory" circulating throughout Washington in which prominent journals and think tanks have opined that war as most know it has all but disappeared. "There's a pernicious concept ... that the tides of war are receding and that the United States can retrench without risks," he said.

Hoffman acknowledged U.S. successes and the nation's lack of competition from a major power since 1991, but warned against discounting patterns across centuries.

"Great progress has been made in the last decade, but the notion [that] a dramatic change in human nature [can] outweigh 2,000 years of recorded history is tenuous, at best," Hoffman said.
The stability and leadership the U.S. provides the world, a consensus on a Western model based upon rule of law, and global partnerships cause positive assessments in reviewing the last 10 years, he explained.

"We've had extensive peacekeeping support from the international community, to include the [United Nations]," he said. "There's a growth and continued contribution from the conflict-resolution community."

But a number of concerns should give people pause, Hoffman maintained. He described a perceived decline in U.S. capabilities or interest in sustaining its position in the world as emerging powers rise. "History suggests some caution when new, emerging, non-status-quo powers arise," he said.

He also warned of "peace support fatigue" in the international community. "We're going to see a ... lack of domestic support from many allies and other agencies that have been very useful ... in keeping instability down," Hoffman said.

Proxy wars, Hoffman said, also can be catalytic, producing a major war out of what was intended to be a smaller conflict.
He cited resource contention over energy, food, water and rare materials as a "tinderbox for conflicts."

"I see actions in the South China Sea ... and [China's] efforts to secure energy resources and raw assets as something to be taken seriously," he said.

Dwindling incomes and pensions that younger and older demographics will suffer can spur dissent in regions throughout Africa, Asia, the Middle East and southern Europe, Hoffman noted, adding that higher unemployment and subsequent dissent could become the "new normal" in affected nations.

"That will produce more disillusionment and more angry people than ... we've seen in the past, [and] will lead to political instability," he said.

Perhaps one of the more visible and imminent dangers is the divided religions and religious extremism, or "sacred rage," in Islam, which Hoffman said could spur the emergence of other forms of government. "We're creating a lot of fertile ground for al-Qaida and its affiliated movements to take root in some places," he said, "and we're not going to be happy with the results."

Still, the defense scholar noted, the subcommittee's charge is at the cusp of what is emerging in the national security arena and what could generate the greatest risks to the nation's prosperity and security in the next decade.

"Plato had it right: 'Only the dead have seen the end of war,'" Hoffman said. "We may not face another bloody century like the last, ... but the world remains a very dangerous place."

KOSOVO'S NATIONAL DAY

Map:  Kosovo.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Kosovo's National Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
February 15, 2013

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of the Republic of Kosovo as you celebrate your fifth anniversary of independence on February 17.

This past year has been one of great milestones for Kosovo, including the end of Kosovo’s supervised independence, membership of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and progress in the dialogue with Serbia to normalize relations. The United States remains firmly committed to supporting an independent, sovereign, and multiethnic Kosovo. I congratulate Kosovo’s leaders for their dedication to building stronger democratic institutions, advancing new economic opportunities, promoting the rule of law, and reinforcing Kosovo’s European integration path. Continued work in these areas serves to secure lasting regional stability and prosperity for your country.

As you celebrate this special day, know that the United States stands with Kosovo as a partner and friend. I congratulate all the people of Kosovo on this holiday and wish you great success in the year to come.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK


The central Balkans were part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires before ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century. During the medieval period, Kosovo became the center of a Serbian Empire and saw the construction of many important Serb religious sites, including many architecturally significant Serbian Orthodox monasteries. The defeat of Serbian forces at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced the Serbs as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over Kosovo from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War of 1912. After World War II, Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (S.F.R.Y.) with status almost equivalent to that of a republic under the 1974 S.F.R.Y. constitution. Despite legislative concessions, Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s, which led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. At the same time, Serb nationalist leaders, such as Slobodan MILOSEVIC, exploited Kosovo Serb claims of maltreatment to secure votes from supporters, many of whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland. Under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia instituted a new constitution in 1989 that revoked Kosovo's status as an autonomous province of Serbia. Kosovo Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum that declared Kosovo independent. Under MILOSEVIC, Serbia carried out repressive measures against the Albanians in the early 1990s as the unofficial Kosovo government, led by Ibrahim RUGOVA, used passive resistance in an attempt to try to gain international assistance and recognition of an independent Kosovo. Albanians dissatisfied with RUGOVA's passive strategy in the 1990s created the Kosovo Liberation Army and launched an insurgency. Starting in 1998, Serbian military, police, and paramilitary forces under MILOSEVIC conducted a brutal counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians. Approximately 800,000 Albanians were forced from their homes in Kosovo during this time. International attempts to mediate the conflict failed, and MILOSEVIC's rejection of a proposed settlement led to a three-month NATO military operation against Serbia beginning in March 1999 that forced Serbia to agree to withdraw its military and police forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under a transitional administration, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's final status. The negotiations ran in stages between 2006 and 2007, but ended without agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Since then, over 85 countries have recognized Kosovo, and it has joined the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence and in October 2008, it sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality under international law of Kosovo's declaration of independence. The ICJ released the advisory opinion in July 2010 affirming that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate general principles of international law, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, or the Constitutive Framework. The opinion was closely tailored to Kosovo's unique history and circumstances.

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY

The Military Sealift Command joint high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1) pulls into Naval Station Mayport to be inspected by Rear. Adm. Sinclair M. Harris, the commander of U.S. 4th Fleet. Spearhead is the first of of nine Navy joint high-speed vessels and is designed for rapid intra-theater transport of troops and military equipment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Damian Berg (Released) 130214-N-TC587-016

CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 262 take off from the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6). The Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group, on deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility, is taking part in Cobra Gold 2013, a Thai-U.S. co-sponsored multinational joint exercise. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adam M. Bennett (Released) 130214-N-SO729-284

Remarks to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Headquarters

Remarks to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Headquarters

THE 'NIGHT SHINING'

FROM: NASA
Station Crew Sees 'Night-Shining' Clouds

In both the Earth's Northern and Southern Hemispheres polar mesospheric clouds are at the peak of their visibility, during their respective late spring and early summer seasons. Visible from aircraft in flight, the International Space Station and from the ground at twilight, the clouds typically appear as delicate, shining threads against the darkness of space--hence their other names of noctilucent or "night-shining"

On June 13, 2012, when this image was taken from the space station as it passed over the Tibetan Plateau, polar mesospheric clouds were also visible to aircraft flying over Canada. In addition to the still image above, the station crew took a time-lapse image sequence of polar mesospheric clouds several days earlier on June 5, while passing over western Asia. It is first such sequence of images of the phenomena taken from orbit.


Polar mesospheric clouds form between 47 to 53 miles (76 to 85 kilometers) above Earth’s surface when there is sufficient water vapor at these high altitudes to freeze into ice crystals. The clouds are illuminated by the sun when it is just below the visible horizon, lending them their night-shining properties. In addition to the polar mesospheric clouds trending across the center of the image, lower layers of the atmosphere are also illuminated. The lowest layer of the atmosphere visible in this image--the stratosphere--is indicated by dim orange and red tones near the horizon.

Image Credit: NASA

MORTAGE SERVICING COMPANY TO PAY $35 MILLION TO RESOLVE CRIMINAL FRAUD CASE

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Friday, February 15, 2013
Florida-Based Lender Processing Services Inc. to Pay $35 Million in Agreement to Resolve Criminal Fraud Violations Following Guilty Plea from Subsidiary CEO

Agreement Also Follows Closure of Subsidiary DocX Operations
Lender Processing Services Inc. (LPS), a publicly traded mortgage servicing company based in Jacksonville, Fla., has agreed to pay $35 million in criminal penalties and forfeiture to address its participation in a six-year scheme to prepare and file more than 1 million fraudulently signed and notarized mortgage-related documents with property recorders’ offices throughout the United States. The settlement, which follows a felony guilty plea from the chief executive officer of wholly owned LPS subsidiary DocX LLC, was announced today by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Robert E. O’Neill.

The non-prosecution agreement, which LPS entered into today with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, requires the company to make the payment and meet a series of other conditions.

Lorraine Brown, the former CEO of DocX LLC, pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2012, in federal court in Jacksonville to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. During her guilty plea, Brown admitted to her leadership role in the scheme.

LPS has taken a number of remedial actions to address the misconduct at DocX. Among other things, LPS has wound down all of DocX’s operations, re-executed and re-filed mortgage assignments as appropriate and terminated Brown and others. LPS has also demonstrated changes in its compliance, training and overall approach to ensuring its adherence to the law, and has retained an independent consultant to review and report on LPS’s document execution practices; assess related operational, compliance, legal and reputational risks; and establish a plan for reimbursing any financial injuries to mortgage servicers or borrowers.

According to the statement of facts accompanying the agreement, before its wind-down, DocX was in the business of assisting residential mortgage servicers with creating and executing mortgage-related documents to be filed with property recorders’ offices throughout the United States. Employees of DocX, at the direction of Brown and others, falsified signatures on the documents. Through this scheme and unbeknownst to the clients, Brown and subordinates at DocX directed authorized signers to allow other, unauthorized personnel to sign and to have documents notarized as if they were executed by authorized signers. These signing practices were used at DocX from at least March 2003 until late 2009, and were implemented to increase profits.

Also to increase profits, Brown hired temporary workers to sign as authorized signers. These temporary employees would sign mortgage-related documents at a much lower cost and without the quality controls represented to clients. These documents were then falsely notarized by employees at DocX, allowing the fraud scheme to remain undetected.

After these documents were falsely signed and fraudulently notarized, Brown authorized DocX employees to file and record them with local county property records offices across the country. Many of these documents – particularly mortgage assignments, lost note affidavits and lost assignment affidavits – were later relied upon in court proceedings, including property foreclosures and federal bankruptcy actions.

In entering into the non-prosecution agreement with LPS, the Justice Department took several factors into consideration. Soon after discovering the misconduct at DocX, LPS conducted a thorough internal investigation, reported all of its findings to the government, cooperated with the government’s investigation and effectively remediated any problems it discovered. The government’s investigation also revealed that Brown and others at DocX took various steps to actively conceal the misconduct from detection, including from LPS senior management and auditors.

Brown, 51, of Alpharetta, Ga., faces a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Henry Lee Adams Jr. in Jacksonville.

This case is being handled by Trial Attorney Ryan Rohlfsen and Assistant Chief Glenn S. Leon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark B. Devereaux of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The case is being investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the state of Florida’s Department of Financial Services.

FINAL JUDGEMENT ENTERED IN INSIDER TRADING CASE

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Court Enters Final Judgments Against Former Wall Street Banker, Downstream Russian Trader and Trader’s Wife in Insider Trading Scheme


The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on January 14, 2013, the Honorable Alvin K. Hellerstein of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York entered a final judgment by default against defendant Alexander Vorobiev ("Vorobiev") and his wife, relief defendant Tatiana Vorobieva ("Vorobieva") (collectively, the "Vorobievs"), for their role in a serial scheme involving insider trading ahead of numerous health care-related acquisitions, tender offers, and other transactions.

Also, the Commission announced that on October 3, 2012, Judge Hellerstein entered a final judgment against Igor Poteroba ("Poteroba"), formerly an investment banker with UBS Securities LLC ("UBS"), who also had been charged in this matter with insider trading for misappropriating highly confidential inside information from UBS about those health care transactions and tipping that information to his friend, Aleksey Koval ("Koval"), also a financial professional, who, in turn, tipped Vorobiev.

The Commission's complaint, filed on March 24, 2010, alleges that, from at least July 2005 through February 2009, Poteroba, Koval, and Vorobiev participated in an insider trading ring that netted over $1 million in illicit profits. According to the complaint, Poteroba was the source of material, nonpublic information about eleven impending corporate transactions, which he obtained through his work as an investment banker in UBS's Global Healthcare Group. Poteroba misappropriated the material, nonpublic information from his employer and its clients in breach of duties of confidentiality that he owed them. Pursuant to the insider trading scheme as described in the complaint, Poteroba tipped defendant Koval, with the material, nonpublic information, and Koval, in turn, tipped his friend Vorobiev and placed trades through an account maintained by Vorobiev. The Commission's complaint alleges that both Koval and Vorobiev traded securities on the basis of that information. Because Vorobiev conducted some of the trading using his wife’s accounts, Vorobieva was named as a relief defendant.

Poteroba previously had been permanently enjoined from violating Sections 10(b) and 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5 and Rule 14e-3 thereunder (see Litigation Release No. 21681 (Oct. 4, 2010)). On September 28, 2010, the Commission entered an order barring Poteroba from association with any broker, dealer, or investment adviser. In a parallel criminal proceeding, on December 21, 2010, Poteroba pleaded guilty to securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

The final judgment in the civil action against Poteroba found him liable for disgorgement in the amount of $416,336, representing profits obtained as a result of the conduct alleged in the Complaint, together with prejudgment interest in the amount of $49,071. The final judgment deemed these amounts satisfied by Poteroba’s payment of a forfeiture of $465,095 in a parallel criminal proceeding. No civil penalty was imposed on Poteroba in the final judgment. In the criminal proceeding, Poteroba had been sentenced to twenty-two months of imprisonment and ordered to pay a penalty of $25,000.

The Vorobievs failed to respond to the complaint and the Commission moved for entry of judgment by default. The final judgment in the civil action against Vorobiev: (1) permanently enjoined him from violations of Sections 10(b) and 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5 and Rule 14e-3 thereunder; (2) found him liable for disgorgement in the amount of $146,541.20, representing profits obtained as a result of the conduct alleged in the Complaint, together with prejudgment interest in the amount of $21,389.80; and (3) imposed a civil penalty of $1,885,382.12, for a total judgment award of $2,053,313.73. In partial satisfaction of that award, the Court ordered that more than $220,000 in funds held in brokerage accounts in Vorobiev’s name, previously frozen by court order in the SEC’s action, be remitted to the SEC for transfer to the U.S. Treasury.

The final judgment against Vorobieva found her liable for disgorgement in the amount of $481,919.71, representing profits obtained as a result of the conduct alleged in the Complaint, together with prejudgment interest in the amount of $70,343.12, for a total judgment award of $552,262.83. In partial satisfaction of that award, the Court ordered that nearly $125,000 in funds held in brokerage accounts in Vorobieva’s name, also frozen by court order in the SEC’s action, be remitted to the SEC for transfer to the U.S. Treasury.

The Commission's civil action against defendant Koval remains pending before the Court.

TRANSOCEAN PLEADS GUILTY AND WILL PAY $400 MILLION FOR ROLE IN DEEPWATER HORIZON DISASTER

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Transocean Pleads Guilty, Is Sentenced to Pay $400 Million in Criminal Penalties for Criminal Conduct Leading to Deepwater Horizon Disaster

Second Corporate Guilty Plea Obtained by Deepwater Horizon Task Force, Second-largest Criminal Clean Water Act Fines and Penalties in U.S. History

Transocean Deepwater Inc. pleaded guilty today to a violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA) for its illegal conduct leading to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, and was sentenced to pay $400 million in criminal fines and penalties, Attorney General Holder announced today.

In total, the amount of fines and other criminal penalties imposed on Transocean are the second-largest environmental crime recovery in U.S. history – following the historic $4 billion criminal sentence imposed on BP Exploration and Production Inc. in connection with the same disaster.

"Transocean’s guilty plea and sentencing are the latest steps in the department’s ongoing efforts to seek justice on behalf of the victims of the Deepwater Horizon disaster," said Attorney General Holder. "Most of the $400 million criminal recovery – one of the largest for an environmental crime in U.S. history – will go toward protecting, restoring and rebuilding the Gulf Coast region."

"The Deepwater Horizon explosion was a senseless tragedy that could have been avoided," said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. "Eleven men died, and the Gulf’s waters, shorelines, communities and economies suffered enormous damage. With today’s guilty plea, BP and Transocean have now both been held criminally accountable for their roles in this disaster."

Transocean’s guilty plea was accepted, and the sentence was imposed, by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo of the Eastern District of Louisiana. During the guilty plea and sentencing proceeding, Judge Milazzo found, among other things, that the sentence appropriately reflects Transocean’s role in the offense conduct, and that the criminal payments directed to the National Academy of Sciences and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation are appropriately designed to help remedy the harm to the Gulf of Mexico caused by Transocean’s actions. The judge also noted that the fines and five year probationary period provide just punishment and adequate deterrence.

Transocean pleaded guilty to an information, previously filed in federal court in New Orleans, charging the company with violating the CWA. During the guilty plea proceeding today, Transocean admitted that members of its crew onboard the Deepwater Horizon, acting at the direction of BP’s well site leaders, known as "company men," were negligent in failing to investigate fully clear indications that the Macondo well was not secure and that oil and gas were flowing into the well.

The criminal resolution is structured to directly benefit the Gulf region. Under the order entered by the court pursuant to the plea agreement, $150 million of the $400 million criminal recovery is dedicated to acquiring, restoring, preserving and conserving – in consultation with appropriate state and other resource managers – the marine and coastal environments, ecosystems and bird and wildlife habitat in the Gulf of Mexico and bordering states harmed by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This portion of the criminal recovery will also be directed to significant barrier island restoration and/or river diversion off the coast of Louisiana to further benefit and improve coastal wetlands affected by the spill. An additional $150 million will be used to fund improved oil spill prevention and response efforts in the Gulf through research, development, education and training.

Transocean was also sentenced, according to the plea agreement, to five years of probation – the maximum term of probation permitted by law.

A separate proposed civil consent decree, which resolves the United States’ civil CWA penalty claims, imposes a record $1 billion civil Clean Water Act penalty, and requires significant measures to improve performance and prevent recurrence, is pending before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier of the Eastern District of Louisiana.

The charges and allegations pending against individuals in related cases are merely accusations, and those individuals are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The guilty plea and sentencing announced today are part of the ongoing criminal investigation by the Deepwater Horizon Task Force into matters related to the April 2010 Gulf oil spill. The Deepwater Horizon Task Force, based in New Orleans, is supervised by Assistant Attorney General Breuer and led by Deputy Assistant Attorney General John D. Buretta, who serves as the director of the task force. The task force includes prosecutors from the Criminal Division and the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, as well as other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices; and investigating agents from: the FBI; Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigative Division; Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General; Department of Interior, Office of Inspector General; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement; U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

This case was prosecuted by Deepwater Horizon Task Force Director John D. Buretta, Deputy Directors Derek A. Cohen and Avi Gesser, and task force prosecutors Richard R. Pickens II, Scott M. Cullen, Colin Black and Rohan Virginkar.

U.S. Department Of State Daily Press Briefing - February 15, 2013

Daily Press Briefing - February 15, 2013

West Wing Week: 02/15/13 or “You’re a Hero” | The White House

West Wing Week: 02/15/13 or “You’re a Hero” | The White House

U.S. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AWARDS $3 MILLION FOR HURRICANE SANDY RECOVERY AID

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education Awards $3 Million to Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and New York City to Aid in Recovery from Hurricane Sandy

February 14, 2013

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students has awarded $3 million in Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) grants to Connecticut ($250,000), New Jersey ($1.25 million), New York ($500,000) and New York City ($1 million) to assist with recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The widespread damage of the storm was particularly devastating to these communities.

Project SERV grants provide critical support to districts that have experienced a significant traumatic event and need resources to respond, recover, and re-establish safe environments for students. The Office of Safe and Healthy Students has awarded more than $31.5 million to 104 grantees, including Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and New York City, since the grant program began in 2001.

"Project SERV grants provide key support to students and communities as they continue to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "These funds help the learning process continue and make resources available to students and educators who may still be dealing with the trauma of last fall’s devastating hurricane."

The three states—Connecticut, New Jersey and New York—will identify school districts and schools that were hardest hit by the storm. New York state’s funds may go to any district except New York City, as it is receiving a separate grant. All four grantees will use the funds to provide education-related services where the learning environment has been disrupted due to the storm’s effects. These services may include mental-health assessments, referrals and services; leasing of space to substitute for damaged buildings; emergency transportation; temporary security measures; and overtime pay for teachers, counselors, law enforcement and security officers, and other staff. Within 75 days after receiving their funds, the grantees will submit reports to the Department describing the basis for distributing the funds and the activities that are planned