Leupold Partners with Conservation Visions on Wild Harvest Initiative®

Leupold has renewed its partnership with Conservation Visions’ Wild Harvest Initiative® to determine the comprehensive benefits of sustainable wildlife and fish harvests in the United States and Canada.

ST. JOHN’S, NL, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – Conservation Visions is announcing a renewed partnership with Leupold & Stevens, Inc., provider of the world’s most rugged, lightweight, and clear sports…

Leupold has renewed its partnership with Conservation Visions’ Wild Harvest Initiative® to determine the comprehensive benefits of sustainable wildlife and fish harvests in the United States and Canada.

ST. JOHN’S, NL, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – Conservation Visions is announcing a renewed partnership with Leupold & Stevens, Inc., provider of the world’s most rugged, lightweight, and clear sports optics, in support of the Wild Harvest Initiative®.  The Wild Harvest Initiative®, a science-based program, represents the first attempt to synthesize and evaluate the combined economic, conservation, and social benefits of sustainable wild animal harvests in North American society.  It will consider the value of hunting and fishing in terms of food, livelihoods, human health, wildlife conservation and the environment, and will also extend beyond wild meat and fish, to explore other sustainable wild harvests of natural living resources, including berries and fruits, mushrooms, wild honey, medicinal plants, and more.

«Leupold & Steven’s is proud to partner with Wild Harvest Initiative® in their efforts to quantify the societal benefit of conservation and hunting,» said Bruce Pettet, President & CEO for Leupold & Stevens, Inc. «Our commitment to thoughtful stewardship needs the fact basis research and analysis WHI provides, and we look forward to the positive impacts it will generate for the hunting community.»

Shane Mahoney, President of Conservation Visions and founder of the Wild Harvest Initiative®, is encouraged by both the program’s growing partnership roster and its capacity for partner retention.  «I believe the Wild Harvest Initiative® has the potential to make a real difference, to improve circumstances for people and for nature,» he says.  «With the continued support of partners like Leupold, we will prove the modern relevance and importance of hunting and fishing and other wild harvest activities, not just to hunters and anglers but to everyone, even to those who are opposed to consumptive harvests.»

About Conservation Visions Inc.

Conservation Visions Inc. is a wildlife initiative founded by internationally recognized biologist, conservation advocate, Shane Mahoney.  It is dedicated to a world where conservation matters; where biodiversity is safeguarded, including the diversity of human cultural experience; where conservation and citizenship are viewed as inseparable; where a global responsibility to nature is recognized; where the sustainable use of natural resources is safeguarded through knowledge; and where governments make sound decisions concerning conservation and biodiversity, based on scientific and traditional wisdom.  To learn more about Conservation Visions and the Wild Harvest Initiative®, please visit www.conservationvisions.com.

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SOURCE Conservation Visions Inc.

New Georgia Polls Show a Tight Senate Race, Especially Among Women Voters

NEW YORK, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Non-partisan advocacy group All in Together has teamed up with Lake Research and Emerson College Polling to study women voters in 2020. The third survey of the study looked at 332 registered women voters in Georgia from <span…

NEW YORK, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Non-partisan advocacy group All in Together has teamed up with Lake Research and Emerson College Polling to study women voters in 2020. The third survey of the study looked at 332 registered women voters in Georgia from December 14 – 16th, 2020 with a +/-5.4% margin of error.  The survey reached a total of 605 registered voters in Georgia, with a +/-4% margin of error.

The Republican Senate candidates are slightly ahead in both races. Women are evenly split in both races:  50% say they voted for or plan to vote for Ossoff, while 49% side with Perdue; 50% say they voted for or plan to vote for Loeffler, while 49% side with Warnock. Men are slightly more likely to say they will vote for or they already have voted for the Republican candidates: 53% choose Perdue to 47% for Ossoff; 53% choose Loeffler to 47% for Warnock. Suburban women are a battleground and split in both races. Independent voters lean toward the Democratic candidates in both races.

It is universally important to GA women voters, and voters overall, that this is the election that will determine which party controls the Senate: 87% of women say it is very important to them personally to vote in this Senate election. This is true among both Democratic (87%) and Republican (89%) women.

Nearly three-in-ten (29%) women voters say the ads or mail pieces they have seen about the Senate race have influenced their vote choice. Among the women voters who say they’ve been influenced, a solid majority (70%) are influenced to vote for the Democratic candidates.

Forty-five percent (45%) of GA women say the Presidential Election results make them much more interested in voting in these Senate races. Turnout of young people could make a huge difference, where only 17% are much more interested, and only 10% are very confident that the votes will be counted fairly.

In a forced choice, women are more likely to say that Republican control of the Senate is important for checks and balances on the Democratic President (43%) than they are to say that with Democratic control of both the Senate and the Presidency, we are more likely to get something done on COVID economic relief and getting the economy moving (34%).

Georgia Women voters’ top priority in their vote for Senate is stopping the COVID-19 pandemic (26%) followed by getting the economy going (17%), moving ahead on economic relief (13%), balancing the Democratic President (11%), the candidate’s views reflecting their own moral views on issues (10%), and helping working families (9%).

Nearly two-thirds of both Democratic (64%) and Republican women (63%) say they are encouraging friends and neighbors to vote. Republican women are more likely to be encouraging friends and neighbors to vote in this Senate Runoff Election than they were in the Presidential Election.

Lauren Leader, CEO of All In Together said, «These polls show once again how critical women are to every election but in this important Senate runoff they will play an outsized role.»

Complete polling data is available at www.aitogether.org

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SOURCE All In Together

NextChem and JFE Engineering Corporation Sign an Agreement for the Production of Low Carbon Chemicals Products

ROME, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — NextChem, Maire Tecnimont Group’s subsidiary for the development of projects and technologies for energy transition, and JFE Engineering Corporation, engineering and operative company of Japan Group JFE, have signed a commercial agreement which strengthens the cooperation between the companies.

<a…

ROME, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — NextChem, Maire Tecnimont Group’s subsidiary for the development of projects and technologies for energy transition, and JFE Engineering Corporation, engineering and operative company of Japan Group JFE, have signed a commercial agreement which strengthens the cooperation between the companies.

The agreement aims at developing in cooperation the model which considers waste as a resource to produce advanced fuels, hydrogen, fertilizers and low carbon chemical products. The process of chemical conversion of waste into syngas and the use of this intermediate to produce circular hydrogen, advanced fuels and many other key products for world economies, allows to contribute to the decarbonization of production processes and to reduce the carbon footprint in the final use phase of products.

The alliance between the companies allows an integrated enhancement of plant technologies of JFE and Maire Tecnimont Group for the realization of Waste to Chemical projects, starting from the feasibility study from an economic and technical perspective, up to the turn key construction, including the high qualified training of the staff in JFE plants in Japan. Starting from JFE’s experience Nextchem has defined an integrated Waste to Chemicals technological platform that is ready and willing to license worldwide.

«The recovery of carbon and hydrogen contained in waste allows to reduce the use of fossil sources for the production of fuels and basic chemicals. The collaboration between NextChem and JFE Engineering Corporation enhances the know-how of the Groups. NextChem aims to expand its offer to the global market of technological solutions for the energy transition and circular economy, stimulating the demand. Our technological Waste to Chemical platform is solid, referenced, ready and profitable; it is our response to the forced and virtuous path to a low-carbon economy, to the problem of dependence from abroad of many countries for some basic products of the chemical industry and also to the global problem of recovery of waste fractions currently not recyclable», commented Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Maire Tecnimont Group and NextChem.

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SOURCE NextChem S.p.A

In New National Ad From No Labels, National Co-Chair Larry Hogan Hails Bipartisan House Problem Solvers and Senate Allies For Spurring Passage Of COVID-19 Relief Bill

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, in the wake of the U.S. Congress voting to pass an urgently needed COVID-19 relief bill, No Labels released an ad saluting the bipartisan group of senators and House Problem Solvers Caucus members who revived the negotiations that led to ultimate passage of the bill. The ad features new No Labels national co-chair and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who said, «This is what real bipartisan…

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, in the wake of the U.S. Congress voting to pass an urgently needed COVID-19 relief bill, No Labels released an ad saluting the bipartisan group of senators and House Problem Solvers Caucus members who revived the negotiations that led to ultimate passage of the bill. The ad features new No Labels national co-chair and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who said, «This is what real bipartisan leadership looks like. This relief package will save lives, save businesses, and save jobs. It’s what Americans have been waiting for.»

You can view the full ad here.

For months, leaders in Washington were unable or unwilling to pass a successor bill to the March CARES Act despite a clear and growing need for one. But a bipartisan group of senators and members of the House Problem Solvers Caucus spent months working relentlessly to find common ground and on December 1, they released a compromise $908 billion proposal. The final COVID-19 relief bill that passed today closely tracks both the topline number and many of the particulars of the «908» proposal.

Added Hogan, who was announced as No Labels national co-chair on December 15, «I saw up close the way this bipartisan group of House and Senate members worked through tough issues together and how they just would not give up. They knew the American people needed help and they put their differences aside to deliver relief. This bipartisan agreement must be just the start. As we look toward 2021, this is how our government needs to work, with Democrats and Republicans putting the labels aside and putting country before party.»

No Labels has inspired the creation of the House Problem Solvers Caucus—which in this Congress featured 50 members evenly divided between the parties. And since last year, No Labels has been bringing House and Senate members—from both parties—together to talk about where they could find common ground. These «bicameral» meetings—which have been attended by Governor Hogan—are becoming the place where an entirely new approach to governance is being born. A place where rank-and file-members, frustrated by the breakdown of regular order and the refusal of others to compromise, are taking the initiative to forge their own solutions.

In the wake of the December 1 $908 billion COVID-19 relief proposal, The Hill noted that the power of No Labels’ House and Senate allies could «grow exponentially in the next Congress.»

No Labels is a nationwide movement of Democrats, Republicans and independents working to build the bipartisan governing coalition capable of solving America’s toughest challenges.

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SOURCE No Labels

Sycuan Casino Resort Wins Several Industry Awards in 2020

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Sycuan Casino Resort won several industry awards this year including Best Casino, Best Poker, Best Bingo and Best Casino Resort Pool.

Sycuan was named Best Casino by the San Diego Reader, <a target="_blank"…

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Sycuan Casino Resort won several industry awards this year including Best Casino, Best Poker, Best Bingo and Best Casino Resort Pool.

Sycuan was named Best Casino by the San Diego Reader, San Diego Downtown News and San Diego Uptown News. Each year, these publications release a «Best Of» issue, which puts a spotlight on those who are doing the very best in a variety of categories. San Diego locals vote to select the winners for each category.

Sycuan also took home three different awards from the Southern Californian Gaming Guide including Best Poker, Best Bingo and Best Casino Resort Pool. The Southern California Gaming Guide produces an annual Reader’s Choice Awards that features the best casinos in Southern California. Since 2003, tens of thousands of readers submit online ballots, the votes are tallied and the winners are announced.

Full List of Awards:

  • «Best Casino» – Best of San Diego Reader 2020
  • «Best Casino» – Best of San Diego Uptown News 2020
  • «Best Casino» – Best of San Diego Downtown News 2020
  • «Best Poker» – Southern Californian Gaming Guide Reader’s Choice Awards 2020
  • «Best Bingo» – Southern Californian Gaming Guide Reader’s Choice Awards 2020
  • «Best Casino Resort Pool» – Southern Californian Gaming Guide Reader’s Choice Awards 2020

Additionally, Sycuan was awarded the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Rating for the second consecutive year. To be awarded a Diamond designation, hotel properties must pass AAA’s rigorous in-person professional inspection. AAA evaluates nearly 27,000 hotels throughout the year and only 4.2 percent make the coveted Four Diamond list.

For more information about Sycuan Casino Resort, please visit www.sycuan.com or call 619-445-6002.

About Sycuan Casino Resort

Sycuan Casino Resort began as a humble Bingo Palace in 1983. Now more than 37 years later, it has become a community landmark and one of San Diego’s premier casino and resort destinations. Sycuan recently completed a $260M expansion, which includes a 12-story luxury hotel tower with over 300 guest rooms and 57 suites. Guests can enjoy a wide range of onsite amenities including a variety of new restaurants from fast-casual to fine dining, meeting and event space, a full-service spa, fitness center and a state-of-the-art pool and gardens area with a lazy river and swim-up bar. Sycuan also boasts a newly expanded casino floor for more than 2,300 slot machines and 54 table games in a variety of gaming options. Sycuan is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, please visit www.sycuan.com, Facebook: @sycuancasinoresort, Instagram: @sycuan_casinoresort, Twitter: @sycuancasino and LinkedIn: company/sycuancasinoresort or call 619-445-6002.

 

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SOURCE Sycuan Casino Resort

Congress Protects Patients and Delays Medicare Payment Cuts; Still More Work to Be Done

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Congress voted to protect patients’ access to surgical care by delaying steep Medicare payment cuts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that it included in the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), according to the Surgical Care Coalition.

<a href="https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1192720/SCC_Logo.html"…

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Congress voted to protect patients’ access to surgical care by delaying steep Medicare payment cuts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that it included in the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), according to the Surgical Care Coalition.

«Congress rightly prioritized patients by rejecting CMS’s disastrous Medicare payment cuts,» said John A. Wilson, MD, FAANS, FACS, President of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. «COVID-19 has pushed our health care system to the brink, and physicians fighting on the front lines will not have this misguided policy hanging over their heads. There is still work to do to ensure patients have timely access to surgical care in 2022 and beyond, but this is a significant step in the right direction.»

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, passed by Congress late Monday prevents significant Medicare cuts by increasing all Medicare payment codes by 3.75 percent for 2021 and delaying an add-on code for three years.

If Congress did not make these changes, the MPFS would cut Medicare payments to some surgical specialties by up to nine percent. The cuts were set to take effect on January 1, 2021.

«Congressional leaders recognized it is irresponsible to cut health care in the middle of a pandemic. We applaud them and our legislative champions, Sen. Boozman and Reps. Bera and Bucshon for putting patients first,» said David Hoyt, MD, FACS, Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons. «The Surgical Care Coalition pledges to work with policymakers to find a sustainable fix that ensures patients will have access to quality surgical care — both during and after the pandemic.»

Twelve surgical professional associations formed the Surgical Care Coalition this year to stop the Medicare physician payment cuts, formalizing an existing network that worked collectively for the past several years.

About the Surgical Care Coalition
The Surgical Care Coalition advocates for access to quality surgical care for all Americans. The Surgical Care Coalition is comprised of 12 surgical professional associations that proudly represent more than 150,000 surgeons working across the country with a common goal of improving the quality of care, and quality of life, for all patients. The founding members have worked together for nearly three decades to promote sound policy solutions to the U.S. Congress and federal regulatory agencies to solve the biggest challenges in health care.

media@surgicalcare.org

 

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SOURCE Surgical Care Coalition

Handover Of Costa Firenze, The Ship Inspired By The Beauty Of The Renaissance

GENOA and TRIESTE, Italy, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Costa Cruises, a part of <a target="_blank"…

GENOA and TRIESTE, Italy, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Costa Cruises, a part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), officially took delivery of the new Costa Firenze ship from Fincantieri, designed and built in the Marghera shipyard and inspired by the Florentine Renaissance. The event has taken place in full digital mode today.

With 135,500 gross tonnage and a capacity of more than 5,200 guests, the Costa Firenze is part of the development plan that includes seven new ships to be delivered for the Costa Group by 2023, for a total investment of more than €6 billion. Costa Firenze is the fourth of these new ships to be delivered with three more to come.

Of the 14 ships currently operating in the Costa Cruises fleet, 11 were built by Fincantieri, confirming the solid relationship between the two companies, as well as representing a significant contribution to the Italian economy, including guaranteeing work for thousands of employees in the shipyards and external companies, mainly involved in interiors fittings.

«The handover of the new Costa Firenze is a sign of hope and restart for the whole cruise and tourism ecosystems. This ship represents the most tangible evidence of the will of our group to restart. Our hope is that people will soon be able to travel again and that more ships will set sail and contribute to the revitalization of tourism in Italy, Europe and globally,» stated Michael Thamm, group CEO of Costa Group and Carnival Asia. «Looking beyond the pandemic, Costa’s goal is to design the future of sustainable and zero emission cruising and we hope  that our long-lasting partnership with Fincantieri can bring our companies to work together on a roadmap that can lead to this ambitious yet essential objective.»

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, said: «Costa Firenze is the third cruise ship we have delivered since September and we are pleased that the name of this unit recalls one of the most famous cities of art in Italy and in the world. The delivery is an important moment because it is the concrete demonstration that the company is getting back to its normal production activity. I would also like to underline that the financial and economic situation of Fincantieri has not changed significantly compared to what we communicated in the previous quarters. The company has proven to be very resilient, avoiding the cancellation of orders and strengthening relations with the customers of the cruise sector. We are a growing company, we gained an international reputation and reliability, making further development easier, and we can count on an order book guaranteeing long-term visibility with opportunities to increase efficiency, productivity and profitability.«

«Costa Firenze is a superb ambassador of Italian style, bringing a distinctive Italian taste for beauty to the seas around the world, from Europe to Asiasaid Mario Zanetti, chief commercial officer of Costa Cruises and president of Costa Group Asia. «The concept of the Costa Firenze is inspired by an iconic city, which represents Italian art, taste and refinement in the world’s collective imagination. We have designed this ship to offer our guests a unique experience, especially for the family target, with a specific offer of entertainment and services.»

Costa Firenze’s interior design is a celebration of the Tuscan city, cradle of Renaissance art and culture. The common spaces reflect the harmony of a stroll through a Florentine street or square, even in the choice of colors. Gastronomic offerings are based on the great Mediterranean cuisine, with a wide choice of dining options guaranteed by 13 bars and seven restaurants. The ship is perfect for families, with specific offers and some new features such as a real «adventure park» on board.

The Costa Firenze project also takes sustainability in special regard. Costa Firenze’s excellent environmental performance has been acknowledged by RINA, an international certification organization, with Green Star 3, a voluntary notation covering all the main aspects of a ship’s environmental impact and requiring maximum protection and prevention across areas such as waste, grey water, black water, machinery oil, CO2, ozone, greenhouse gases, particulate matter, sulphur oxides, nitrogen and ballast water, among others. In addition to honoring compliance with a series of environmental sustainability standards, the certification also recognizes the design solutions and operating procedures that Costa has implemented voluntarily, both during construction and navigation, aimed at outperforming the environmental protection requirements of international regulations.

The ship will first sail in the Mediterranean in 2021, providing two different week-long itineraries in the western Mediterranean. The first itinerary, available from Feb. 28, 2021, includes the Italian destinations of Genoa, La Spezia – with excursions also departing to Florence – and Naples, as well as Valencia, Barcelona and Marseille. The second itinerary, available from May to October 2021, includes Genoa and Civitavecchia, with excursions to Rome, as well as Naples, Ibiza, Barcelona and Marseille. After October 2021, the ship will move to Asia to join her sister ship Costa Venezia, also built by Fincantieri, in the Monfalcone shipyard, and in operation since March 2019.

Costa Group is the leading cruise company in Europe and China, with headquarters in Genoa. The 28 ships of its fleet, belonging to Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises and Costa Asia brands, have a total capacity of more than 93,000 total passengers. The fleet will grow further with the arrival of three new ships by 2023. The company has over 30,000 employees, working on board the ships and in 20 offices in 14 countries. The Costa Group is part of Carnival Corporation & plc, which is one of the world’s largest leisure travel companies, with a portfolio of nine of the world’s leading cruise lines.   

Fincantieri is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and number one for diversification and innovation. It is leader in cruise ship design and construction and a reference player in all high-tech shipbuilding industry sectors, from naval to offshore vessels, from high-complexity special vessels and ferries to mega yachts, as well as in ship repairs and conversions, production of systems and mechanical and electrical component equipment, cruise ship interiors solutions, electronic systems and software, infrastructures and maritime constructions as well as after-sales services. With over 230 years of history and more than 7,000 vessels built, Fincantieri has always kept its management offices, as well as all its distinctive engineering and production skills, in Italy. With over 9,500 employees and a supplier network that employs nearly 50,000 people in Italy alone, Fincantieri has enhanced a fragmented production capacity over several shipyards into a strength, acquiring the widest portfolio of clients and products in the cruise business. To hold its own in relation to competition and assert itself at global level, Fincantieri has broadened its product portfolio becoming world leader in the sectors in which it operates.

The Group now has 18 shipyards operating in four continents, nearly 20,000 employees, and is the leading Western shipbuilder; its clients include the world’s biggest cruise operators and the Italian and the US Navy as well as numerous foreign navies. Fincantieri is also a partner of some of the main European defence companies within supranational programs.

Fincantieri’s business is widely diversified by end markets, geographical exposure and by client base, with revenue generated from cruise ship, naval vessel, Offshore and Specialized Vessel construction and from the supply of solutions for electronic systems and software and for maritime infrastructure and works. Compared with less diversified players, such diversification allows it to mitigate the effects of any fluctuations in demand on the end markets served.

www.fincantieri.com

 

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SOURCE Costa Cruises

U.S. Chemical Production Marks Fifth Month Of Growth In November

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) rose 0.4% in November following a 1.1% gain in October and a 0.6% gain in September, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC). During November, chemical output expanded in all regions, with the largest gains occurring in the Gulf Coast and Midwest regions. The U.S. CPRI is measured on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis.

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) rose 0.4% in November following a 1.1% gain in October and a 0.6% gain in September, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC). During November, chemical output expanded in all regions, with the largest gains occurring in the Gulf Coast and Midwest regions. The U.S. CPRI is measured on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis.

In November, chemical production continued to improve in many segments, including fertilizers, synthetic dyes and pigments, chlor-alkali, other inorganic chemicals, and organic chemicals. Production trends eased in coatings, manufactured fibers, consumer products, adhesives, synthetic rubber and crop protection chemicals.

As nearly all manufactured goods are produced using chemistry in some form, manufacturing activity is an important indicator for chemical demand. The manufacturing recovery continued for a fifth straight month in November, with overall factory activity up 0.7% (3MMA). The trend in production rose in nearly all key chemistry end-use industries, with the strongest gains seen in iron and steel, aerospace, rubber products, paper, structural panels, and printing.

Compared with November 2019, U.S. chemical production was off 4.2% on a year-over-year basis, the eighteenth consecutive month of Y/Y declines, but shows continued improvement over the past several months. Chemical production remained lower than a year ago in all regions, with the largest year-ago declines occurring in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and West Coast regions.

U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index, Percentage Change

(Seasonally adjusted, 3-month moving average)

Nov 20/

Oct 20

Nov 20/

Nov 19

Key products

Gulf Coast

1.0%

-2.6%

petrochemicals, inorganics, plastics resins, and synthetic rubber

Midwest

0.4%

-5.2%

agricultural chemicals, plastics, and paints

Ohio Valley

0.3%

-5.4%

organic chemicals, plastics and synthetic materials, and specialty chemicals

Mid-Atlantic

0.1%

-6.0%

consumer products

Southeast

0.3%

-5.2%

inorganic chemicals, fibers, and consumer products

Northeast

0.1%

-5.9%

consumer products and specialty chemicals

West Coast

0.1%

-6.3%

basic chemicals, agricultural chemicals, and consumer products

     U.S. Total

0.4%

-4.2%

The chemistry industry is one of the largest industries in the United States, a $565 billion enterprise. The manufacturing sector is the largest consumer of chemical products, and 96% of manufactured goods are directly touched by chemistry. The U.S. CPRI was developed to track chemical production activity in seven regions of the United States. The U.S. CPRI is based on information from the Federal Reserve, and includes monthly revisions as published by the Federal Reserve. To smooth month-to-month fluctuations, the U.S. CPRI is measured using a three-month moving average. The reading in November reflects production activity during September, October and November.

http://www.americanchemistry.com/newsroom
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry.  ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people’s lives better, healthier and safer.  ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing.  The business of chemistry is a $565 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation’s economy.  It is one of the nation’s largest exporters, representing ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development.  Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure.

 

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SOURCE American Chemistry Council

Reflecting on a Year of Achievements in Our National Parks

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The new year is upon us and it presents the perfect opportunity to reflect on 2020 before we embark on the adventures ahead. Throughout 2020, many found comfort and escape in the wonders of our country and discovered a newfound appreciation for nature and the outdoors. The National Park Foundation (NPF) is proud to help protect the 85 million acres of land and water that encompass the National Park System and to connect people to the natural, historical, and…

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The new year is upon us and it presents the perfect opportunity to reflect on 2020 before we embark on the adventures ahead. Throughout 2020, many found comfort and escape in the wonders of our country and discovered a newfound appreciation for nature and the outdoors. The National Park Foundation (NPF) is proud to help protect the 85 million acres of land and water that encompass the National Park System and to connect people to the natural, historical, and cultural treasures that they offer. Join us in celebrating some of our proudest accomplishments from the past year.

Protected Wildlife

We helped preserve the precious species and habitats that inhabit our national parks, including wolves, golden eagles, and cutthroat trout at Yellowstone National Park, bonneted bats in Everglades National Park, salmon at Olympic National Park, and elk at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. 

We provided financial support to Glacier National Park as they prepare for the potential return of bison to the park for the first time in 150 years. This funding allows the park, Wildlife Conservation Society, U.S. Geological Survey, and the Blackfeet Tribe to evaluate the impact of the bison’s return on the park’s habitat, its diverse species, and its cultural resources. 

Preserved Historic Landmarks

NPF provided funding and support to projects that help preserve and restore historic landmarks that commemorate important moments in our nation’s history.

Pullman National Monument is Chicago’s first National Park Service (NPS) unit and commemorates pivotal moments in the nation’s labor and civil rights history, including the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first African American labor union.

With the support of NPF and our donors, NPS started construction on a new visitor center at the iconic Pullman Administration Clock Tower Building. The new visitor center will have audio and visual exhibits that tell stories of industrial innovation and workers’ struggles for economic and social equity at Pullman. The new visitor center and its exhibits are expected to open to the public in the summer of 2021.

Invested in the Next Generation of Park Stewards

NPF invested more than $3.7 million in service corps programs which give young adults and veterans the opportunity to accomplish critical maintenance projects at national parks while developing technical and leadership skills for future careers. NPF supported service corps programs at parks across the country in 2020, including the all-women Nevada Conservation Corps resource crew at Great Basin National Park and Northwest Youth Corps LGBTQ+ Inclusion Crews in Oregon and Washington.

Shared Untold Stories

Debuting this year, NPF’s Women in Parks initiative supports projects and programs that help NPS tell a more comprehensive and inclusive American narrative, including the stories of Black women, Indigenous women, and all women of color.

In 2020, NPF provided 23 inaugural grants totaling more than $460,000 in funding as part of its Women in Parks initiative to unearth, preserve, and highlight women’s stories at national parks. The grants will help connect people with these stories through physical and digital park exhibits, guided walks, talks and special events, digital content, and more.

As part of the Women in Parks initiative, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park will create an exhibit interpreting and celebrating the life and legacy of Coretta Scott King, a leader for the civil rights movement in the 1960s and advocate for African American equality who worked alongside her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Harpers Ferry Center for Media Services at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park will create an online exhibit that explores equality and the evolution of women’s National Park Service uniforms. This exhibit will encourage viewers to look beyond the fashion statements to see the parallels between women’s experiences in NPS and women’s struggle for equality in the U.S.

Celebrated African American History and Culture

NPF continues to support projects honoring African American history and culture through national parks. In 2020, NPF provided funding to several projects, including an endeavor by the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail and the Montgomery Interpretive Center at Alabama State University. This project will utilize interactive and immersive technologies, oral histories, and historical narrative to enhance visitors’ interpretive experiences while they learn about the 1965 Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March from the point when the marchers left the City of St. Jude to protest at the Alabama State Capitol. 

Connected People to Parks

We helped people experience the beauty and wonder of our national parks from the safety of their homes. From virtual tours and webcams to educational activities and games, virtual experiences like our digital «parkcade» provided crosswords, coloring pages, national parks trivia, and more to the young and young-at-heart national park lovers.

Supported Park Partners

NPS units work closely with their philanthropic partners, oftentimes called friends groups, to raise funds, implement volunteer programs, develop connections with nearby communities, and more. In 2020, NPF helped to build the resiliency and organizational strength of these partners in several ways. We launched our Park Partner Resource Portal, which houses a variety of resources, including communication tools and Resiliency Modules to help organizations strengthen their brand, culture, leadership, strategy, and adapt to times of crisis. Additional modules will be added to the portal next year.

We also produced our Park Partner Report, which provides a comprehensive portrait of the diverse group of partners and their contributions to the National Park System. As part of this endeavor, we gathered and analyzed data, including the total number of park partners in existence, the dollar amount of in-kind support they provide to NPS, and much more.

As always, we thank our dedicated community of park champions who enable us to support NPS year-round. We hope you’re inspired to support important initiatives like these so that our national parks are protected and preserved for future generations.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help protect more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts and connect all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.

 

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SOURCE National Park Foundation

ACEP Applauds Congressional Action to Protect Patients from Surprise Medical Bills

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — In response to the recently passed end-of-year package that includes legislation to protect patients from surprise bills, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) released the following statement:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — In response to the recently passed end-of-year package that includes legislation to protect patients from surprise bills, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) released the following statement:

«ACEP has advocated for more than two years at the federal level to protect patients from surprise medical bills, and we’re pleased Congress has passed a thoughtful solution that should not endanger access to critical, life-saving care.

«Throughout this process, ACEP has been resolute in advocating for an accessible independent dispute resolution (IDR) process that takes patients out of the middle and provides a mechanism to fairly resolve out-of-network disputes between providers and insurers. While we still have concerns that the 90-day ‘cooling off’ period that slows down access to IDR may be detrimental to smaller emergency care practices, many of which are in rural areas, we look forward to working with Congress and the administration as this policy is implemented to ensure that smaller, independent practices are not disadvantaged.

«We are also grateful that the final legislation includes other important provisions to protect patients, including limiting deductibles for out-of-network emergency care to be no higher than in-network; a reasonable payment standard; and the requirement for insurers to print a policyholder’s deductibles on their insurance card—a concept ACEP conceived and requested of Congress at the start of federal efforts to legislate on surprise billing.

«On behalf of the millions of patients we treat each year, we are thankful that the threat of receiving a surprise bill will no longer deter people from seeking the emergency care they need.» 

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org

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SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)