Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

SI Ready Mix has already started clearing ground on Aiken Road near Lake Forest and the company will complete construction if given a permit to do so.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. An Eastern Jefferson County subdivision is pushing back on a concrete plant planning to build across the street.

SI Ready Mix has already started clearing ground on Aiken Road near Lake Forest and the company will complete construction if given a permit to do so.

It's a sight homeowner Jerry McGraw says neither he, nor his neighbors, want to see.

"There are going to be a lot of unhappy people and I think at this point the effort is to push as hard as we can, he said.

McGraw said the neighborhood is concerned about a few things - one is air pollution because of possible dust coming from the plant, which he says can affect property and kids at a nearby school.

McGraw also pointed to noise pollution if trucks enter and leave the site at early hours.

He's also worried about property values.

"Who's going to want to buy a house 500-feet from a concrete plant, McGraw said.

Metro Councilman Anthony Piagentini, R-District 19, said he's concerned about the close proximity the plant would be to some Lake Forest residents and said he wonders why the company chose the site.

"I'm really confused by why some of these local land owners, folks that own this land, folks that own this building, would pick this piece of property at this close proximity to residential area to create what is a manufacturing process that is known to have harmful health outcomes, he said.

Piagentini said SI Ready Mix received unanimous approval from the design committee in March, but it has to get a permit from the Air Control Pollution Board in order to build and operate. Its a process he says that is now going to hear public comment because of emails from Lake Forest residents.

McGraw said thats a step in the right direction.

At least, at this point, weve been able to accomplish a situation where we can go in and we can express our concerns, he said.

Despite concerns, Piagentini said he wants to know more the company's plans.

"Because just like the public has due process rights, so do the property owners, he said.

SI Reaady Mixs lawyer, John Talbott, sent WHAS the following statement:

SI Ready Mixs concrete mixing plant was unanimously approved through a publicly noticed hearing several months ago.The site is on property that has been zoned Industrial (M-3) for several decades, long pre-dating Lake Forest.All air pollution control regulations will be followed or exceeded, with state of the art air filtration systems being employed.Additionally, landscape buffers will be utilized to further shield the primary operations.This industrial area already includes a rock quarry, making the location appropriate to serve the tremendous construction growth in this area of our community.Even though no road improvements were required, SI Ready Mix further agreed to construct a left turn lane to alleviate potential traffic issues on Aiken Road.In obtaining its permits and approvals, SI Ready Mix has not only complied with all relevant regulations, it has exceeded them, which it will continue to do as good neighbor and to provide needed services for the area.

Piagentini said a meeting will be held on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the topic.

Contact reporter Bobbi McSwine atBMcSwine@whas11.comor onFacebookorTwitter.

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'There are going to be a lot of unhappy people:' Louisville subdivision pushes against concrete plant - WHAS11.com

The Elgin chapter of the Izaak Walton League is celebrating its national charters 100thanniversary with a project that will add to its legacy in the city.

Members have adopted Central Park on State Street and have been clearing the site of nonnative plants and trees in cooperation with the citys Parks and Recreation Department, said Bill Jones, a longtime member of the Elgin Ikes chapter.

The steeply sloped 3.5-acre linear park (offers) views of the west edge of the Fox River and was donated to Elgin by the Lord family in 1905, the citys website says.

Its really going to be a neat park for the city, Jones said.

While the Izaak Walton League of America was launched in Chicago in 1922, formed by a group of avid fishermen tired of dirty rivers and peoples failure to pay attention to the environment, most people dont know much about the organization, he said.

The Hanover Township Izaak Walton Center was built by members of the Elgin chapter of Izaak Walton League and features fireplaces made of Fox River stone. (Hanover Township / HANDOUT)

The Elgin chapter was formed in 1931 and has been part of the citys fabric for decades, Jones said.Hanover Township Izaak Walton Center is located at 899 Jay St. in Elgin, and the group sponsors a Cub Pack, Boy Scout Troup and Venturing Crew, its website says.

We volunteer our time to introduce youth and families to conservation, outdoor recreation and land ethics by building nature trails, restoring stream banks, monitoring and cleaning creeks, planting trees and eliminating invasive species, the site said.

Jones said the lack of awareness shows how much the group is still needed.

It just tells you that a lot of people are not that concerned about conservation with their busy lives, but we think its pretty important, Jones said. (Nature) is Gods gift to everyone. It feels good to take care of it.

The Izaak Walton League of America, named for the English philosopher who wrote The Compleat Angler in 1653, played a role in getting the landmark Clean Water Act passed in 1972 and has had a fingerprint on almost every major conservation issue that has come about in our country, he said.

Its taken a while, but (the Clean Water Act) made a huge difference here in Elgin, Jones said.

For many years, we turned our backs on the river. Now, people are enjoying it every day. These are fishermen down there every day. You see American eagles, great blue heron, egrets and all kinds of waterfowl, he said. Its just beautiful to go down there and sit.

One of the groups greatest contributions to the city is Walton Island in the Fox River, which was named after the chapter when it was dedicated in 1937. Members turned what was a mud flat into an island, with much of the work done by hand, Jones said.

Elgin's Central Park on State Street is being cleared of invasive and nonnative plants and trees in a project being undertaken by the Elgin chapter of the Izaak Walton League in commemoration of the national organization's 100th anniversary. (City of Elgin / HANDOUT)

More recently, the chapter gifted its 11-acre Jay Street property to Hanover Township. The lodge on the site was built in 1939 and features multiple fireplaces built with stones from the Fox River.

The township recently completed renovating the site, which is now known as the Hanover Township Izaak Walton Youth Center & Reserve. The league holds its monthly meeting at the lodge every month and has become stewards of the reserve, which includes nature trails and an archery range.

The people who go down there just love it, Jones said.

In honor of the leagues anniversary, Hanover Township and the city of Elgin adopted proclamations lauding the local and national organizations.

Elgins cites the chapters good works, which have been a significant asset to this community by providing conservation and outdoor recreation that have greatly benefitted the area and its citizens.

I urge all citizens to recognize the contributions of the Elgin Chapter of the Izaak Walton League in America has made to our community and commend the chapter for a wonderful heritage and bright future, Mayor David Kaptain said.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.

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Elgin chapter of the Izaak Walton League 'adopts' city's Central Park for national group's 100th anniversary - Chicago Tribune

What major climate action is included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)?

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 [PDF], approved by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in August, is set to deliver the largest investment in climate action in U.S. history. Congress has directed nearly $370 billion over the next decade to rapidly scale up renewable energy production and drive substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

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The historic legislation invests in a variety of efforts, including low-carbon technologies, environmental justice initiatives for disadvantaged communities, and tax credits to promote electric vehicle sales. The IRA pours $27 billion into creating a green bank to finance clean energy technologies and emission-cutting infrastructure, such as residential rooftop solar panels. Billions more go to climate-smart agricultural practices and clean-vehicle manufacturing facilities. Additional funding for consumer programsincluding those that underwrite the use of heat pumps, which are energy-saving systems that help regulate home temperatureswill improve home energy efficiency. The IRA also directs $1.5 billion to reduce methane leaks from natural gas production to support the U.S. commitment to the Global Methane Pledge.

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On the resilience side, Congress will hand out $5 billion in grants to support fire-resilient forests, forest conservation, and urban tree planting. The bill also allocates several billion dollars in funding for drought resilience in western states.

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The bill focuses heavily on emission-cutting solutions to climate change and mostly neglects resilience.

In its aim to make buildings more energy efficient, it misses an opportunity to make sure buildings will withstand the climate-fueled extremes that the nation is already experiencing and will continue to endure. Last year, climate events inflicted more than $152 billion in damages across the country, and this year, climate change has brought flash flooding in California, Kentucky, and Montana as well as wildfires in Alaska, California, and New Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts increased hurricane activity in the coming months. When communities rebuild after disasters, they risk restoring structures doomed to fail in the next catastrophe, since the United States lacks climate-resilient building codes.

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Some measures included in the IRA could inadvertently harm U.S. climate efforts. For example, the bill includes a clean hydrogen tax credit, which is intended to help drive down the cost of hydrogen production. However, recent findings* have cast doubt on hydrogens role in a clean energy future. Scientists have found that hydrogen, which is prone to leaking, contributes to global heating when it escapes into the atmosphere. Using hydrogen to tackle climate change will require effective monitoring of leaks, but current technology only detects amounts high enough to cause explosions.

The legislation also includes a provision that tethers offshore wind leasing to oil and gas extraction. Over a ten-year period, the Interior Department will be prohibited from issuing a lease for offshore wind development unless at least sixty million acresthe size of Michiganhave been leased for oil and gas in the previous year. The bill also requiresthat the Interior Department offer to lease** at least two million acres of public landsmore than double the size of Rhode Islandfor oil and gas drilling as a prerequisite for any renewable energy development on public lands. Experts, such as the Center for Biological Diversitys Brett Hartl, have voiced concern that handcuffing renewable energy development to new oil and gas extraction will fan the flames of climate disasters torching our country.

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Analysts predict that the IRA will result in a 41 percent reduction [PDF] in U.S. emissions by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. While this would be an improvement from the projected 27 percent reduction that would have happened regardless of the bills passage, it falls short of the Biden administrations commitment to reduce emissions by at least 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.

However, additional federal regulatory action or increased state and local climate efforts could make up the difference. And the bills provisions that lower clean energy costs and incentivize investment in renewables will alleviate some of the barriers that have deterred state and local action, which could galvanize the efforts needed to bridge the gap.

The IRA will go a long way toward restoring the United States credibility as a global leader on climate. As the largest emitter historically and the second-largest emitter currently, the United States faces skepticism as it urges other nations to act on climate. By effectively demonstrating a plan to fulfill climate commitments, the IRA will strengthen U.S. legitimacy in international climate negotiations when nations convene in November for the twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties (COP27).

While setbacks to the administrations climate agenda have slowed the pace of other countries emissions-reduction efforts, as U.S. climate envoy John Kerry has said, the United States passage of the biggest climate legislation in its history could inspire other countries to take action to avoid falling behind.

Because the IRA has a decade-long timespan, the risk remains that changes in administration could slow climate investment. Still, since this is a congressional actnot an executive orderit will require legislative or judicial action to undo, thus making it harder to reverse. In addition, courts will likely be less sympathetic to any claims that federal rulemaking pursuant to the bill violates the major questions doctrine recently articulated by the Supreme Court in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Ensuring that the IRAs funding goes to initiatives that actually help combat climate change will pose a challenge. For example, though the bill allocates billions of dollars to support climate-smart agriculture, critics have warned that some of the targeted programs could do more harm than good by funding projects that increase emissions by incentivizing land clearing, fertilizer use, and intensive animal breeding.

*Editors note:Author Alice C. Hill is on the board of the Environmental Defense Fund, which produced this report.

**Editors note: The legislation only requires that land be offered for leasing, not that it actually be leased.

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What the Historic U.S. Climate Bill Gets Right and Gets Wrong - Council on Foreign Relations

THE Selangor government is looking at the possibility of a land acquisition exercise of some 240ha of individually-owned lots at the foothills of Bukit Tabur, Ampang Jaya in an effort to safeguard the environmentally sensitive area.

State tourism, environment, green technology and Orang Asli affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said the proposal would involve identifying replacement land elsewhere for the landowners as part of the exercise.

Bukit Tabur makes up a part of the Gombak Selangor Quartz Ridge, the largest pure quartz dyke in the world.

The state is currently seeking to formally recognise Selangors first unified national geopark, of which the quartz ridge is a prominent feature.

There are about 300 lots that have been identified as privately-owned since 1924 and are currently zoned as agricultural land.

These lots are not forest reserves, and there are owners who are now keen to develop their land.

But this would have an impact on its geology as well as the states plans to seek national geopark status for the Gombak-Hulu Langat Geopark (GHL Geopark), he said after attending a geopark-related event at the Grand Barakah Hotel Ampang on Aug 16.

Hee added that the proposal was one of the long-term solutions being explored following recent reports of land clearing activities at the hill.

The matter was discussed at the Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES) meeting and we have instructed the land office to study the proposal. We will also have to have consultations with the landowners.

In the meantime, I want to remind owners to not carry out any land clearing works without approval.

In July, it was reported that a large area of Bukit Tabur had been cleared for a durian orchard and other eco-tourism activities.

Following residents complaints, the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) confirmed that the land clearing was done without approval.

We have asked the owners to cease any clearing works and new proposals will not be allowed until further notice, MPAJ secretary Julaihah Jamaludin said.

Read the original:
Selangor govt looking to acquire land at Bukit Tabur foothills to protect world's largest pure quartz dyke - The Star Online

Its been a busy July and August for Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) bylaw enforcement officers. In six weeks, they have issued nearly $30,000 in fines with an additional $7,000 worth pending issuance this week.

Its been a busy July and August for Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) bylaw enforcement officers. In six weeks, they have issued nearly $30,000 in fines with an additional $7,000 worth pending issuance this week. That amount compares to $850issued during the same period last year, according to communications manager Aidan Buckley.

An Aug. 16 SCRD press release detailed that $28,000 in fines were issued for offences including unauthorized land alteration and tree cutting. Fines worth $1,000 were issued in relation to short term rentals and $250 in penalties were written up for building infractions. Fines for bylaw offences were issued in every rural SCRD area.

During the summer of 2021, Buckley said the fines issued were not related to land development but foranimal control, fire protection and a building violations.

In the release, general manager of planning and development Ian Hall stated The SCRD always strives first for voluntary compliance, so this amount is quite staggering as our current Board policy is to use fines as a last resortsuch is the lack of compliance that we are issuing tickets daily in one of our bylaw investigations.

The message from the SCRD: call before you dig, clear, build or demolish.

It stresses that its planning, bylaw and building departments are available to answer questions and can advise individuals on permits and applications that are required for work they are planning to do. Contractors carrying out work such as tree cutting or land clearing are also subject to enforcement actions and it is their responsibility to ensure that the property owner has the correct permits in place.

The SCRD points out that there is also the potential for other agencies such as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Ministry of Forestry and Natural Resources to issue fines relating to improper or unpermitted land development activities. It advises that particular attention should be paid to properties that have creeks, wetlands or streams on them, including watercourses that may appear and disappear seasonally.

On top of investigations on bylaw violation files that have progressed to the fine stage, the release states that SCRD staff are also dealing with a high volume of bylaw nuisance reports from the public, which include odour, burning and noise complaints.

In addition to being complex in nature from a local government legislation standpoint, many of those files also involve other agencies such as the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Vancouver Coastal Health, Ministry of Forestry and Natural Resources, the Agricultural Land Commission and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

We understand there are concerns around issues such as unauthorized land clearing and noise. We share your concern and ask the community to please be patient while our hardworking bylaw officers investigate, says a quote in the release from Hall. We are limited to the amount of information we can share with the community because we do not want to compromise our investigations, but please know that our bylaw enforcement officers are actively investigating and issuing fines.

Those complexities also impact the amount of information that can be shared with Coast Reporter.Details requested on subjects including the stop work order at the Gunnars Lodge property in Doriston and a roadside encampment along Garden Bay Road near the Meadow Creek bridge remain outstanding.

When we have enforcement going on, it is quite hard for us to speak to individual files until they are concluded, Buckley stated.

Originally posted here:
SCRD issuing bylaw infraction tickets daily - Coast Reporter

Many farmers have experienced hardship in the recent past, thanks largely to the combined effects of Brexit and the Covid-19. Little wonder then that many are looking to use their land in different ways to boost dwindling profits.

There are several ways you can diversify to make more efficient use of your agricultural land, but as Philip Taylor, agricultural law specialist at Pearsons & Ward Solicitors in Malton explains, before you embark on a diversification project you need to ensure your ambitions will not be thwarted by a restriction on change of use.

Agricultural ties

If you are considering selling a house on your land that has an agricultural tie (or an agricultural occupancy condition), it may make the property harder to sell.

Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, such ties usually require that the occupation of the property is limited to a person solely or mainly employed, or last employed, in the locality in agricultureor in forestry (including any dependents of such a person residing with him) or a widow or widower of such a person.

You can comply with the tie if your prospective buyer has previously worked in agriculture or was wed to someone who was. If this does not apply, you can get the tie lifted by your local council if you can show that no-one using the property has been working in agriculture for the past 10 years.

Failing that, you can get the tie lifted if you can prove there is no longer any requirement for agricultural work on the premises and that there have been no would-be buyers over a specific time period agreed with the council.

Finally, you can ask the council to accept another use to fulfil the tie, such as changing it from agricultural to equestrian use.

Cross-compliance and environmental impact assessments

If you claim for grants such as the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) or a stewardship scheme you need to abide by cross-compliance rules.

Cross-compliance requires you to take steps to safeguard public, animal and plant health, promote biodiversity, protect boundaries, minimize the risk of pollution to water, soil and land, ensure animals are properly registered and that production of food for human consumption is safe.

You may also need to apply for an environmental impact assessment screening or consent decision, as part of cross-compliance, to change rural land use.

The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 are designed to protect uncultivated or semi-natural rural land from changes that might cause damage by increasing productivity or changing field boundaries.

You must apply to Natural England for a screening decision if you propose to affect uncultivated or semi-natural land by disrupting the soil surface or subsoil; increasing the use of fertiliser; sowing seed that will increase grassland productivity; draining land; clearing existing vegetation over a certain land size; or increasing stock density.

Natural Englands screening decision will determine whether your proposal is likely to have a significant effect on the environment. You will need a consent decision, to carry out works if this is the case.

Permitted development

You will often need planning permission if you want to change how you use your agricultural land, but some building projects enjoy permitted development rights which allow change of use to be made more quickly and easily.

If your farm is five hectares or more in size, you can erect, extend or alter a building or carry out excavations and engineering operations needed for agricultural purposes without obtaining planning permission.

The types of permitted development include: temporary uses of land; agricultural buildings below a certain size; forestry buildings; caravan sites and related buildings in some circumstances.

If then, you want to change the use of an agricultural building to residential or commercial use, you can do so without planning permission as long as certain conditions are met and limitations abided by. Any such development will usually require you to apply for prior approval from your planning authority.

Planning permission and protected species

The presence of protected species, such as adders, badgers, Great Crested Newts, bats, otters or common lizards, on your land could affect your planning application for change of use or development of your land.

If there is evidence or a reasonable likelihood of a protected species or priority habitat on the site you want to develop, you need to submit an ecological assessment with your planning application.

If they are present, planning permission is only likely to be granted if any detrimental effects on them can be avoided, mitigated or compensated for.

For more information on agricultural land restrictions, please contact Philip Taylor on Malton 01653 692247 email philip.taylor@pearslaw.co.uk to see how we can assist.

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Don't let your diversification ambitions be thwarted by an agricultural land restriction - Gazette & Herald

But the Canal and River Trust has said that while it understands concerns about the eyesore it does not have the resources to remove the weeds.

Spokesman Zoe Stringer said in a letter to group members: I share and understand your frustration at seeing litter along the waterways, especially collected within or behind the weir boom.

"It is an eyesore. Sadly, this issue is not isolated to the boom above Sprotborough Falls and despite the Trust spending 1million every year on litter removal, we are simply unable to clear every site when problems arise.

"The Trust is a charity with 2,000 miles of waterway and thousands of structures such as locks, bridges and weirs. We must carefully allocate budget as we simply do not have enough funding to resolve every issue as quickly as we, and others, would like to see.

Clearing weir booms is costly due to several factors.

"Access is an issue, requiring specialist contractors.

"Waste disposal is another one, with the debris being a mix of vegetation and plastic waste which needs to be separated before disposal.

"When waste is scooped out it is inevitably wet, which poses an issue of increased weight compared with clearing litter and vegetation on land.

" I appreciate that you have approached the Trust expecting immediate action, however this is simply not possible with our limited budget. With the challenges that we face, it is unfortunately not a simple task, and so would not be possible without external funding.

We are sadly unable to collect litter from every bankside and location along the waterways; in some places it cannot be collected safely, or would incur great expense bringing in specialist contractors. Clearing litter is only a temporary measure. Our preferred approach is to work to tackle the issue at source, to work with other organisations raising awareness of plastic waste and the need to keep litter out of the environment.

"There is no concern that this debris is significantly affecting water flow. I appreciate this is not the answer you were looking for but hope you can understand our position.

Lynne Walker, the groups secretary, said: We are increasingly concerned about the unsightly mess and pollution on the River Don, where the water flows towards the boom, just prior to the weir, known locally as Sprotbrough Falls.

"Over time, debris has gathered in front of the boom and it has continued to gather, so much so, that we now have a land mass of weeds and pollution plastic bottles, wood and logs.

This land mass of weeds, plastic bottles and other debris is a completely disgusting mess, in an area known for its natural, outstanding beauty. I very much doubt that if this location was in Surrey or Berkshire, the Cotswolds - Bath or any other desirable place in the country, it would have been allowed to have become this unsightly mess before the Canal and River authorities would have acted!

The Don Gorge Community Group has concerns that the weeds, debris and pollution piled up in front of the boom will not only hinder the natural flow of the river but, that the debris will only continue to gather unless some action is taken to remove it.

Its unsightly its disgusting and we do not want to see this mess on the river in an area known for its outstanding beauty. Its not acceptable that this is allowed to continue without the Canal & River Trust taking some steps to clear it.

She added: I wonder just how much of a mess it needs to get into before they will take any action?

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Dangerous 'fake' land on Doncaster river won't be cleared due to cost issues - Doncaster Free Press

L

ondon firefighters who have spent weeks tackling grass fires - followed by hundreds of calls to flash flooding on Wednesday - are urging vigilance with more dry weather on the way.

The incredibly busy time has led London Fire Brigades (LFB) assistant commissioner to issue an appeal, urging people to take care with barbecues and cigarettes.

Firefighters saw a huge spike in call-outs after prolonged dry weather led to drought and tinder-dry conditions.

In the first week of August alone, London crews tackled 340 grass and open land fires - more than eight times as many as the same week last year.

In July, on the UKs hottest day on record, LFB saw its busiest 24 hours since the Second World War.

But heavy rain this week didnt improve things for the busy service.

Two women dip their heads into the fountain to cool off in Trafalgar Square

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A police officer givers water to a British soldier wearing a traditional bearskin hat, on guard duty outside Buckingham Palace

AP

People take pictures of the sunset from Greenwich Park view point

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Empty shelves in the water aisle of Sainsbury Nine Elms in London

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A man cools off in a fountain during the hot weather in London

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People sit and lie in the sun and shade backdropped by Tower Bridge

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Children cool off in the Southbank Centre fountain

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A man uses a newspaper as a fan whilst travelling on the Bakerloo line

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Two people under an umbrella in Londons Regents Park

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Sunrise over London

Jeremy Selwyn

Swimmers soak up the sun at Charlton Lido in south east London

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A sign warning passengers of traveling in the heat on the Bakerloo line

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A police officer poring water water on a police horse on Whitehall i

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Western lowland gorilla enjoys an ice lolly at London Zoo

A person holds a thermometer at Oxford Circus station of the London underground

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Commuters on London Bridge feel the heat at 8.30am

Jeremy Selwyn

A young family of Tufted ducks run past a soldier from the Queens Guard on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace during warm weather

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Commuters in London

Jeremy Selwyn

LFB typically takes about 450 calls a day but, on Wednesday, as thunderstorms hit London causing flash flooding, it received 1,290 calls - 40 per cent of which were related to floods.

The intense period of call-outs has sparked a plea from LFB Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne, who said: Its been an incredibly busy time for firefighters and control officers who have been working around the clock with our partners to keep Londoners safe, whether that be from the intense grass fires weve seen or flooding.

When the ground is incredibly dry its harder for water to be absorbed, which is why weve seen flash flooding as the water pools on the surface, but it also means that grasslands are still parched.

In the coming days were expecting more dry weather, so please continue to help us prevent grass fires by not barbecuing on open land, clearing away rubbish and glass and safely disposing of cigarettes.

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From fire to floods to fire: London Fire Brigade warning as more dry weather due - Evening Standard

FDR Park will add a 33-acre wetland area to address regular flooding and pursue a path to a climate-resilient future.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, along with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia International Airport, announced the beginning of construction on Aug. 18, which will create a native forested wetland in the southwest corner of the 348-acre park. Officials say the $30 million project will reclaim high-quality habitat in the park and reintroduce native ecosystems to the land for the first time since the park was completed in 1914.

FDR Park is a home to so many rich Philadelphia communities, from birders and hikers, to youth athletes, cultural institutions and naturalists, said Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. The wetland project and Nature Phase of the Park Plan will deliver for those who love FDR Park today, while building a sustainable, resilient foundation that will allow future generations of South Philadelphia families to enjoy FDR Park for years to come.

The new wetland area will occupy an area that was previously inaccessible to the public. A coastal forested wetland is native to the FDR Park site. It was once the primary landscape along the Delaware River watershed in South and Southwest Philadelphia.

Returning part of FDR Park to wetland is an important step toward creating and maintaining a world-class public park that is built on the Delaware River watershed, said Maura McCarthy, executive director, Fairmount Park Conservancy. The wetland and creek project will make FDR Park a paradise for birds and local birdwatchers, and open up a section of the park that has been inaccessible for decades.

The project will take about 12-18 months. It will rebuild and enhance the riverbank areas adjacent to Shedbrook Creek, reduce flooding, and provide new opportunities to explore both creek and marshland in the park. The wetland will expand habitat for native flora and fauna and will include boardwalks for public access to view the scenic nature.

According to officials, the area will be cleared of current growth to remove invasive species. Then, 7,000 new adapted trees and 1,700 bushes and woody shrubs will be planted. Two new tide gates will be installed to prevent tidal flow to the parks creeks and lagoons. Excavated soil will be preserved on 10.6 acres of the former golf course for future use in elevating the park above sea level. The soil will be planted with natural grasses and wildflowers.

A lot of work has already gone on behind the scenes to get this project to the groundbreaking stage, said Philadelphia International Airport Division of Aviation Interim CEO Keith Brune. We are excited for the work at FDR Park to be underway. When completed, this project will improve the park for the entire community, by removing years of debris, planting thousands of trees and shrubs, improving drainage and clearing clogged pipes.

The wetland creation is the first of 12 projects for the $45 million Nature Phase of FDR Park. Other upcoming projects include the restoration of Shedbrook Creek stream and riparian buffers, 23 acres of Sedge Meadow with boardwalks and overlooks, a kayak and canoe launch, Wildflower Hill, Nature Playground, Two Treehouse Woods projects including a high-quality forest and canopy structure for explorations, 5 miles of soft surface trail network with signage, a plant nursery and land care facility, a trailhead comfort station and meadow and forest restoration.

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Wetland area coming to FDR Park - South Philly Review

In the same way as climate-related performance is material to share price and asset valuations, that is exactly what is going to happen in the nature space, said Will Symons, the Asia-Pacific climate and sustainability leader at Deloitte, which last week issued a report titled Banking on Natural Capital.

The report will help financial institutions focus on quantifying the value of nature, both the hidden risks associated with nature loss and opportunities associated with its replenishment.

The World Economic Forum has estimated more than half of the worlds economic output, or $US44 trillion ($61.7 trillion), is moderately or highly dependent on nature. It is an issue melding into Australias consciousness given bushfires, floods and the degradation of coral reefs.

TNFD obligations will push banks towards being nature positive, requiring them to invest more into nature to offset the impact on biodiversity loss or land clearance from activities within their lending portfolios; the nature equivalent of scope 3 in the emissions space.

This is coming fast. Many organisations will have to start disclosing in a year and many organisations are really early wrapping heads around this, Mr Symons said.

Deloittes Banking on Natural Capital report points out that the destruction of natural ecosystems is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, and that nature plays an essential role in combatting climate change. It also shows that climate change and nature loss are linked and should be tackled concurrently.

We are moving from a state of understanding climate credit risk to actually doing something about it, and for many organisations, some decarbonising will be through nature-based solutions, which can provide a most cost-effective way of taking action now, Mr Symons said.

As well as de-risking existing investments and assets, the TNFD will also help banks create new green lending products and activate new markets, including a push towards trade credits attached to nature.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia, in its inaugural climate report issued last week, cited natural capital as a core focus area for next year.

There is increased interest from customers, regulators, government and investors on the banks approach to climate change, biodiversity and natural capital, the report said.

CBA joined the TNFD this year and said it had designed a high-level road map to guide our approach to natural capital.

In the coming year we aim to set our priorities related to natural capital and explore metrics to measure our progress, the bank said.

For banks, a key challenge is working out where loaned funds are being spent. This will be necessary to determine if customer activity is happening in areas where biodiversity may be impacted. However, many banks dont record the geolocation of lending activity.

Another issue is understanding the precise nature of the activity being conducted with money lent, which may require banks to ask more questions about the purpose of loans. For example, borrowing to buy tree felling machinery could point to land clearing, which may support an agricultural industry but be nature negative from a deforestation perspective.

Deloitte says banks need to begin mapping, measuring and monitoring risks, impacts and dependencies of lending with established risk assessment and disclosure frameworks. It suggests conducting nature-related stress tests of current and projected balance sheets, and integrating biodiversity into sustainable finance policies.

Opportunities will emerge in trading credit attached to protecting and improving the natural environment. Many of these markets, such as those for biodiversity credits in NSW, are fragmented. But Deloitte predicts a coherent, regional market will emerge based around natural capital assets. These could include co-benefits attached to carbon credits.

It suggests banks and other financial institutions collaborate on creating a nature-based equity exchange.

We are inviting the financial services industry to take a role designing and driving that marketplace, The scale of opportunity, and potentially the wave of risk for the sector, is too great to be handled on an institution-by-institution basis, said Guy Williams, Deloittes Asia-Pacific and global nature lead.

Deloitte acknowledges governments play a key role in catalysing and scaling private sector investment in natural capital. But pressure to adopt TNFD will not only come from consultants and regulators, but also financial sector investors.

Deloitte quotes Jessica McDougall, the director of BlackRock Investment Stewardship, in its report, who said careful management of natural capital would become a core component of a resilient, long-term corporate strategy for companies that rely on the benefits that nature provides.

She said investors were increasingly interested in contributing capital to companies that not only mitigate nature-related risks, but consider natural capital opportunities aligned with their strategy.

Mr Williams said recent conversations with European sovereign wealth funds suggest TNFD disclosure is going to move quickly.

Read more here:
Big banks CBA, NAB, Westpac, ANZ and Macquarie in push to disclose the impact of lending on nature - The Australian Financial Review