The Chilton County Commission approved to allow the Chilton County Industrial Development Authority to start the bid process to cut trees consisting within a 60 to 80-acre area at the site of the eventual ALFA Farm Center.

The Commission approved the resolution during its meeting on Dec. 8. The IDA will flag off the area that needs to be cut based off of ALFAs latest rendering.

According to IDA Executive Director Whitney Barlow, the area behind the Exit 212 northbound rest area will be the primary focus.

Commission Chairman Joseph Parnell explained to his fellow commissioners that there is a species of migratory bat that root under the bark of a specific type of oak tree that resides on the property.

Were one of their migratory stopping spots, but not their natural habitat, Barlow said.

Barlow stated that the trees can only be cut down between Oct. 1 and March 31, because those are the months when the bats do not visit the area.

If the entire marked-off area is not cleared by March 31, Barlow said that dirt can still be moved and buildings constructed on the portion that has been cut. The remainder would have to be cleared once October rolls back around.

Because of this, Barlow stressed the importance of getting the Commissions approval and getting the process going so that they can clear as much as possible before the end of March.

We dont want to find ourselves in the summer months and not be able to do what we want to do, Barlow said.

Parnell asked that a penalty be placed in the projects contract if the designated area was not fully cut by the March 31 deadline.

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Commission approves clearing future farm center land - The Clanton Advertiser - Clanton Advertiser

Medline, the medical supply giant that sparked political friction in seeking to build a large distribution center south of Covington, is taking the project to Hammond.

Hammond and Tangipahoa Parish worked with the company to rezone two parcels adjacent to Hammond Airport where the company says it will build the $45 million project. The City Council approved it Tuesday, and Medline said it plans to break ground in early 2021 on the one-year construction project.

"Over the last several months, Medline has worked closely with Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller and the parish's economic development and workforce development teams, along with Hammond Mayor Pete Panepinto and the city council, to create the best possible project for the community," the company said.

Medline had initially planned to expand in St. Tammany Parish, where it already has a 200,000-square-foot complex. But nearby residents fought a rezoning request to allow a complex four times that size and filed a lawsuit almost a year ago.

More recently, Parish President Mike Cooper's administration denied the company a land-clearing permit for 47 acres of the almost 70-acre site between Ochsner Boulevard and Interstate 12. Allstate Financial Co., which owns the land, also filed a lawsuit.

Medline spokesman Jesse Greenberg said it will take another four to six months after construction for the Hammond center to be fully operational and for inventory now stored at the St. Tammany location and another in Hammond to be moved. The company has sold its original St. Tammany location and is currently leasing it from the new owner, Greenberg said.

At full capacity, the new distribution center will employ 450 people.

St. Tammany have been fighting the project over concerns that the 800,000-square-foot distribution center would exacerbate flooding and traffic congestion. Too, the proposal became a source of contention between the Parish Council, which badly wants the project, and Parish President Mike Cooper, who has been putting on the brakes.

The council scolded Cooper for almost three hours in November over denial of the land-clearing permit, with speakers pointing to the economic benefits of the expansion: 164 new jobs with a payroll of more than $6 million in the first five years, a $53 million capital investment, $1.9 million in construction payroll taxes and another $1 million in sales taxes on construction materials.

St. Tammany also stands to lose $650,000 a year in sale taxes and $1.2 million in property taxes, St. Tammany Corp. CEO Chris Masingill told the council.

It was unclear Wednesday what Medline's announcement means for the court cases in St. Tammany Parish. The Cooper administration would not comment.

Nancy Wagner, president of Flower Estates Civic Association and a plaintiff in the suit challenging the rezoning, said Bonnie Eades of the Northshore Business Council mentioned the project opponents at the Hammond meeting. "She said St. Tammany lost out to people with short-sighted interests who are against any development in St. Tammany Parish," Wagner said. "We are for responsible, appropriately located development."

On Wednesday, north shore business leaders said they were happy that the project at least stayed in the region.

"We have known for quite some time that Medline would be relocating to an alternative site," Masingill said. "We want to thank Tangiapahoa Economic Development Foundation and community leaders for their efforts to keep this important economic development project on the Northshore."

Lacey Osborne, the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce CEO, called the move a big loss for St. Tammany but said the Hammond location a gain for the region.

Eades said her group had supported the expansion in St. Tammany because of the living wage jobs it would bring. She said that the project hit a brick wall with the permit denial, but that she was happy to see Medline staying in the region.

"Anywhere on the north shore, on the I-12 corridor, is an asset to our region," she said. "We knew either place would have benefits for our area."

Medline did encounter some opposition in Tangipahoa. Eades said that the first public meeting that addressed the Hammond rezoning drew a lot of residents who had concerns about many of the same issues that were raised in St. Tammany. But she said through discussion, compromises were reached and very few people spoke out against the plan on Tuesday.

Medline said it will create a rainwater detention pond on the Hammond site capable of handling a "500-year flood event," have 100-foot setbacks from the street and install a pedestrian path on the west side of Industrial Park Road. It also promised money for a traffic roundabout on U.S. 190 and Hammond drainage improvements.

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Medline gives up on St. Tammany Parish, says it is moving to Hammond - NOLA.com

Fan Milk Plc, a Danone Company and frozen dairy giant, has commenced the clearing of the proposed site allocated by the Ogun State Government, which will host its flagship dairy farm within the Odeda Farm Institute, in the Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Fan Milk Plc is embarking on this project as part of its commitment to improving the local farmer and community participation in dairy farming, which is in alignment with the Central Bank of Nigerias backward integration programme for the improvement of local milk production and reinforcement of the Federal Governments initiative to sustain the economy and achieving food self-sufficiency in the country.

The Managing Director of Fan Milk Plc, Mr Ferdinand Mouko, stated that the company was delighted by the support it has received for the project from the Ogun State Government, which ensured that the land allocation was completed in record time.

We are confident that Fan Milks and Danones dairy backward integration project will enhance the livelihood for dairy farmers in Ogun State who will leverage the support and the relevant experience Danone has developed along its journey in Africa, he said.

He disclosed that the companys project team had already moved to the site to commence land-clearing and other preliminary preparations to ensure an accelerated process for the project implementation.

Fan Milk Plc which has been manufacturing ice cream, as well as other frozen dairy and juice in Nigeria and West Africa for the past 59-years, will receive technical support from its parent company, Danone, a leading multi-local food and beverage company with recognised expertise in Fresh Dairy Products in over 120 markets worldwide. Fan Milk Plc will leverage key learnings for its pilot project in Nigeria from Danone, which has been in existence for over 100 years, actively contributing across stages in the dairy value chain.

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Fan Milk Plc Commences Land Clearing Ahead of Signing Partnership Agreement with Ogun State Government - The Punch

Electric car juggernaut Tesla(NASDAQ:TSLA) is feeling the bite of environmental regulations in Germany... the snakebite, that is. The company has been clearing land in a pine forest in Brandenburg, outside of Berlin, to build its latest Gigafactory. But according to German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, a German court has ordered the company to halt those operations over environmental concerns that snoozing snakes and lizards could be impacted by the work.

Tesla will have to prove that its land-clearing won't harm the hibernating reptiles before it will be allowed to resume. It marks a victory for environmental groups, including the Naturschutzbund (Nature Conservation Association) Brandenburg and the Gruene Liga (Green League).

Image source: Getty Images.

Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory was constructed in less than a year, but that's looking unlikely for the company's first European manufacturing facility. Although the construction of the Gigafactory is broadly popular in Germany, this isn't the first time that the strict European regulatory environment has caused headaches for the company.

In early October, Tesla solicited local feedback about the project. What was expected to last three days instead took eight, as concerned locals questioned, among other issues, whether the company's onsite battery production would tax the local water supply. In response, Tesla agreed to cut the facility's water usage by more than half.

CEO Elon Musk, who has praised German engineering in the past, may have no option but to wait. Meanwhile, rival automakers like Volkswagen continue to roll out competing electric vehicles. Tesla hoped to open its Gigafactory Berlin in July 2021, but if it has to wait out the hibernation season, the opening will almost certainly be pushed to later in the year or beyond.

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Tesla's Elon Musk: Snakes. Why Did It Have to Be Snakes? - The Motley Fool

THE Gympie Koala Action Group has urged local residents to contact their councillors and protest a plan to pull environmental protections on the Southside that are preventing some landowners from subdividing their properties.

The Gympie Times reported late last week the council intended to repeal what it says are flawed amendments to the planning scheme which protected wildlife and the environment by blocking some subdivisions and building plans in one of the regions biggest designated growth corridors.

Pregnant woman saves husband in desperate Teewah rescue

The councils staff have recommended councillors repeal two Temporary Local Planning Instruments it brought in over the last council term relating to Southside development and biodiversity protection.

Eight problems were identified with these new plans.

...its important the Gympie region community know what is coming up in council this week and have opportunity to let their councillors know how they feel about this, a Facebook post from the Gympie Koala Action Gympie Region environmental organisation says.

We are shocked and disappointed to see an agenda item for the GRC meeting this Wednesday, December 9, re the Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI)s with a recommendation to repeal them, it says.

Photo of a koala taken on Gympie's Southside early in 2020.

The TLPIs, voted in by council last year, were vital to regulating vegetation clearing in identified significant environmental areas especially in our growth area, Southside, until Amendment Package 3 was finalised.

The Planning process is that there is a period of public consultation and opportunity for changes to be made. Why is due process not being followed? To remove the TLPIs now will place at risk koala and wildlife habitat and connectivity on the Southside, and the environmental values so many residents want preserved.

To see how the process should work see the council page on a current Amendment (2).

CLICK HERE: https://www.gympie.qld.gov.au/planningschemeamendments

We were waiting for Amendment Package 3, so vital to preserving our regions natural environment as we grow, the group post states.

Our group will write tocCouncillors asking about this and provide points on the mentioned flaws.

If you are a Gympie Region resident concerned about this please let your councillor know. If you have questions or need links to relevant background info, welcome to send us a message.

A koala found out on location.

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Koala Action Group shocked at council land clearing plan - Gympie Times

The demand within the global market for land clearing attachments has been rising on account of key advancements in the constructions industry. The use of land clearing attachments is a prerequisite in beginning work across construction site that has vegetation or old buildings. Land clearing attachments are used to even a surface of land and make it fit for construction. However, the use of land clearing attachments in not restricted to the constructions industry. They are also used in areas where unwanted moss and vegetation needs to be cleared. Hence, the global market for land clearing attachments is expected to attract commendable demand in the years to come.

The wide range of forests that are susceptible to wildfires has made it necessary to store land clearing attachments for emergency use. Moreover, the need for improved clearing equipments that can be used in conjunction with other devices has also played a major role in market growth. There is a high possibility of new growth avenues emerging in the global land clearing attachments market as multiple industries buy and store land clearing attachments. The need to perform clearance activities to rid industrial premises of manufacturing waste has also increased the need for land clearing attachments market.

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On the basis of geography, the demand within the land clearing attachments market in Asia Pacific is expected to rise at a starry rate. This owes to the wide expanse of forest as well construction land across India and China. The market for land clearing attachments in North America is also projected to rise at a starry CAGR.

In the wake of potential safety risks associated with frequent catastrophic wildfire instances, especially in developed countries, appropriate measures in form of land clearing remains of paramount importance. The demand for land clearing equipment with the right set of land clearing attachments is thus projected to sustain over the course of coming years.

Leading Companies Strategize on New Launches in Land Clearing Attachments Market

Besides product innovation and new product launches in the land clearing attachments market landscape, established regional as well as domestic players are focusing on developing strategies that cater to growing demand for custom built land clearing attachments for diverse applications. This according to research will enable land clearing attachments market players to gain a competitive edge over other regional players operating in land clearing attachments market. Rental services is also identified to emerge popular among manufacturers and suppliers in the land clearing attachments market.

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Expanding Applicability in Utility & Land Clearing Is Widening Scope of Land Clearing Attachments Penetration

With noteworthy technological innovation in an extensive range of land clearing equipment including mowers, grubbers, excavators, and bulldozers, the land clearing attachments market is witnessing promising growth opportunities in recent years. With increasing demand for roadside clearing, vegetation clearing, and clearing of invasive plant species, land clearing equipment are more likely to witness growing traction over the coming years subsequently fueling the sales of different land clearing attachments. Land clearing attachments specifically catering to the applications for utility purpose are projected to experience relatively higher demand owing to frequent land clearing projects for utility.

Serious Anti-deforestation Initiatives Are Forestalling brisk Demand Growth

Removal of wood fuels in forests is another prominent application that continues to generate sustained demand for land clearing equipment and thereby, land clearing attachments. However, deforestation prohibitory norms set by local as well as regional governments and non-governmental authorities are projected to restrict rapid demand growth in land clearing attachments in the near future.

Lucrative Opportunities Reside in Silviculture Applications

Silviculture, a popular forest activity of improving and maintaining thinning forest lands, is cited as an important driver to the growth of land clearing attachments market. The process of silviculture involves mulching of standing trees and vegetation as well as logging slash, to eventually prepare the land best suitable for reforestation. This process tends to utilize a variety of mulching and milling attachments, pushing the growth prospects of land clearing attachments market.

Growing demand for land clearing attachments that fall in specific power classes and width categories is projected to favor the revenue growth of land clearing attachments market. Shredding activities that are performed by the various milling and mulching land clearing attachments deliver an ideal soil structure for the establishment of new root systems, and a land surface suitable for decomposition. This is another strong factor likely to elevate the demand for innovative land clearing attachments in the near future.

Segmentation of Global Land Clearing Attachments Market

By attachment type, the global land clearing attachments market is categorized into three key segments

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Land Clearing Attachments Market to Witness Increase in Revenues By Forecast 2018- 2028 - Cheshire Media

The year 2020 has been dominated by COVID-19 and for many, the issues surrounding climate change and transitioning to renewable energy were put on the backburner.

But that was all flipped on its head when iconic documentary-maker David Attenborough released A Life on Our Planet, which outlined why immediate action is required.

Reducing carbon emissions and moving away from fossil fuels are the primary goals being flagged around the world, but there are numerous environmental concerns flagged in A Life on Our Planet and that need to be considered, including here in Australia.

Here are the major environmental issues our country need to worry about outside of carbon emissions and renewable energy:

Deforestation

The bottom line is we are cutting trees down at a much more rapid rate than we are planting them. As late as 2019 1.66Mha of tree cover was lost and there has been a 14 per cent decline in trees in Australia from 2000 to 2019. That is before we even look at the devastating bushfires of 2019-20 which wiped out another 18.6 million hectares.

Agriculture clearing and overgrazing

Since European settlement, around 13 per cent of all vegetation has been lost and this is only increasing as agricultural activities ramp up to feed a rising population around the world. Australia is placed in the top 10 land clearing nations in the world for agricultural purposes.

Overfishing and illegal fishing

Policing our borders for illegal fishing vessels is very difficult due to the size and geography of Australia. But it is not just overseas fishing boats depleting our stock, with government figures showing that 17.5 per cent of our stocks are overfished and the status of a further 16.5 per cent is not known.

Introduction of pests

Invasive species are an ongoing problem for Australia, from the spread of the cane toad from Queensland to other states to domestic feral animals and including new introduced exotic species and diseases which decimate our crops and wildlife stocks every year.

Pollution

Did you know that 5000 Australians die from exposure to air pollution every year? Over 30 per cent of our agricultural land is considered degraded by the impacts of pollution and we are seeing more and more of it because of natural events like bushfires and rising commercial operations that are contributing towards our negative air quality.

Infrastructure development

As we continue to grow as a nation, our infrastructure projects rise as well which results in more land clearing, more native animals and species lost, more emissions and pollution and more impact on our environment. While measures are being put in place to use more recycled materials, manage our land better and reduce emissions, the tides of progress remain a large burden on our environment.

So while COVID-19 has been a major issue, it is important to remember the ongoing environmental problems facing Australia so that we can take action and improve the world around us for generations to come.

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Why carbon is not the only major current environmental issue in Australia - Energy Matters

Upcoming Deadlines/DatesOctober 30: WHIP+ Signup; 2020 Organic Certification Cost Share Program SignupDec. 11: CFAP 2 Signup; Dairy Margin Coverage SignupMarch 15: 2021 ARCPLC Signup

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2USDA announced up to an additional $14 billion for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. Signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) began September 21 and runs through December 11, 2020. CFAP 2 payments will be made for three categories of commodities Price Trigger Commodities (corn soybeans, etc.), Flat-rate Crops (alfalfa, oats, etc.) and Sales Commodities (beef cattle, sheep, pigs, excludes breeding stock).Additional information and application forms can be found at farmers.gov/cfap. Documentation to support the producers application and certification may be requested. All other eligibility forms, such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be downloaded from farmers.gov/cfap/apply. For existing FSA customers, including those who participated in CFAP 1, many documents are likely already on file. Producers should check with FSA county office to see if any of the forms need to be updated.

Dairy Margin Coverage ProgramSignup for the 2021 Dairy Margin Coverage Program is now open and continues through December 11. Coverage levels range from $4.00 to $9.50 per cwt, in $0.50 increments. Coverage percentage of the dairy operations production history ranges from 5 percent to 95 percent, in 5 percent increments. If you locked in during the 2019 signup, your selections stay the same, but you still need to stop in and sign an application each year. If you did not lock in you can make the same elections, new elections, or choose not to participate in 2020. If you decide not to participate in 2021, you can still participate in 2022. You have the flexibility to participate or not each year.

CRP Mid-Contract ManagementSome CRP contract holders received a packet of information detailing the activities that need to be completed in FY21. You can begin those activities as early as October 1, 2020. However, all activities need to be completed by May 14, 2021 unless otherwise indicated on your forms. Now is a great time to line up contractors, if needed. Their schedules fill up quickly. Please stop in or call if you have any questions.

Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland ComplianceLandowners and operators are reminded that to receive payments from USDA, compliance with HEL and WC provisions are required. Farmers with HEL determined soils are reminded of tillage, crop residue, and rotation requirements as specified per their conservation plan. Producers are to notify the USDA Farm Service Agency prior to conducting land clearing or drainage projects to ensure compliance. Failure to obtain advance approval for any of these situations can result in the loss of eligibility and all Federal payments.

Maintaining the Quality of Farm-Stored Loan GrainBins are ideally designed to hold a level volume of grain. When bins are overfilled and grain is heaped, airflow is hindered and the chance of spoilage increases. Producers who take out marketing assistance loans and use the farm-stored grain as collateral should remember that they are responsible for maintaining the quality of the grain through the term of the loan.

Unauthorized Disposition of GrainIf loan grain has been disposed of through feeding, selling or any other form of disposal without prior written authorization from the county office staff, it is considered unauthorized disposition. The financial penalties for unauthorized dispositions are severe and a producers name will be placed on a loan violation list for a two-year period. Always call before you haul any grain under loan.

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What's Up at the USDA Office? | The Standard Newspaper - Waukon Standard

A contractor bidding process is to begin this fall to prepare for the construction of a 344-acre multipurpose reservoir in Caldwell County. This comes after all agencies involved approved the Little Otter Creek Lake to move forward to begin construction after nearly 25 years of planning, design, reviews, and permitting.

The primary purpose of the lake is to provide a source of drinking water to communities in Caldwell County and the surrounding area. The secondary purpose is to provide flood control and recreational opportunities, such as fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, biking, and viewing nature.

Construction plans have been completed and approved. The land for the Little Otter Creek Lake has been acquired. It is to be located about three miles east of Hamilton on the south side of U. S. Highway 36.

A news release notes the lake will be the first water supply lake the Corps of Engineers has approved in more than 25 years in Missouri. Mozingo Lake in Nodaway County was the last community lake to be approved, and it was built in the 1990s.

The federal government has committed more than $16,000,000 and more than $5,500,000 from the state and local government toward the Little Otter Creek Lake project. Caldwell County residents passed a half-cent county sales tax in 2004 for the lake and have contributed more than $4,000,000 of local tax money so far. Most of the funds have been used for land acquisition, surveys, permitting, and other preliminary activities. The state has also provided financial support and assistance from the Department of Natural Resources and other state agencies.

Plans involve starting land clearing of the pool area this winter and beginning construction of the dam and reservoir next summer. As part of the permit approval and lake construction, five low water crossings will be removed and replaced with span structure bridges as part of the mitigation requirements. Other mitigation requirements include purchasing stream credits and wetland credits along with riparian plantings on some of the county-owned lake property. Clearing and construction are estimated to take about two years. It may take up to two years for the lake to fill based on average rainfall.

Additional plans are being developed in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation and other agencies for future land use and recreational opportunities around the Little Otter Creek Lake.

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Contractor bidding process to begin this Fall in preparation to construct Little Otter Creek Lake in Caldwell County - kttn

Eurex Repo has added a new basket of green bonds for use as general collateral (GC) within its repo marketplace, as of 2 November, as part of Deutsche Boerses contribution to the environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives within the EU.

The Green Bond GC Basket encompasses euro-denominated debt securities that are issued in adherence with guidelines for sustainable bonds that include renewable energies, sustainable waste management, the preservation of biodiversity and sustainable land utilisation, as well as social bonds that raise funds for new and existing projects with positive social outcomes.

Included in the basket is the first Green Federal security. The 10-year Green Federal bond was first issued by the German Finance Agency in September and a second issuance is due on 4 November. A total amount of 11.5 billion is expected to be issued through green instruments this year.

Eurex says that by allowing for these debt instruments in a new specific GC basket it enables clients to incorporate ESG factors into their funding and financing activities, a key secondary market activity for trading, clearing and collateral management.

We see the launch of the new Eurex Repo Green Bond GC Basket as a major step forward in the development of a sustainable repo market, says Claus Breternitz, a director on the repo desk at Commerzbank AG. This first Green Bond GC basket shows the repo market is reacting to the increasing number of green bond issuances and the growing importance of the ESG segment.

Frank Gast, managing director at Eurex Repo, adds: The new Eurex Repo Green Bond Basket is bridging the gap between the well-established Green Bond cash bond market and the newly-emerging ESG securities financing industry.

By incorporating green and social bonds into its trading, clearing and collateral management ecosystem, Eurex is contributing to the further development of this market and facilitating the attractiveness of newly issued ESG bonds.

Elsewhere, the baskets go-live follows Eurexs inclusion of the new EU Sure bonds as eligible margin collateral and for repo trading and clearing.

The European Commission released the Sure bonds last month to raise funds to support businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The issuing consisted of two bonds, with 10 billion due for repayment in October 2030 and 7 billion in 2040.

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Eurex Repo introduces a new standardised Green Bond GC Basket - Securities Lending Times