Photo by Kyle T. Perry: an image of the trans-alaskan oil pipeline that carries oil from the northern part of Alaska all the way to valdez. this shot is right near the arctic national wildlife refuge
JPMorgan Chase announces it will not finance oil and gas extraction in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Banking giant JPMorgan Chase announced at its annual Investor Day that it would no longer finance oil and gas extraction in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, nor would it continue financing thermal coal mines and coal-fired power plants worldwide. The bank also announced that it would provide $200 billion in financing across three areas: supporting climate action, clean water, and waste management; increasing access to housing, education, and health care; and advancing infrastructure, innovation, and growth.
The bank is the largest investor in fossil fuels in the United States and has faced years of pressure from environmentalists and Indigenous peoples to drop projects that contribute to climate change. (Sierra Club, 2/25)
Georgia DNR announces over $19 million in outdoor stewardship grants
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced the selection of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program “Conserve Georgia” grants for conservation and outdoor recreation projects, the organization said in a press release. The grants will award $19.86 million of funding to benefit local parks and trail systems and state-owned lands.
The money comes after Georgia voters overwhelmingly passed Amendment 1 to authorize the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act—the state’s first source of dedicated funding for the conservation of priority lands, the stewardship of state parks and wildlife management areas, and the support of local parks and trails. Click here to see the full list of 2019-2020 selected projects.
Forest Service to hold public comment open house for Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest master plan
Mark your calendars! The National Forest Service will hold a series of public comment open houses to give the communities located around Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests the opportunity to talk with master planning team members. An overview of the master plan will be presented at each meeting and then member of the public can speak one-on-one with resource specialists.
The first meeting will be held on March 10 from 5:30- 8:30pm at the Foothills Conference Center in Morganton, N.C. Asheville’s public meeting will take place two days later on March 12 from 5:30-8:30pm at the NC Arboretum Education Center. For a full list of meeting dates and locations, visit the Forest Service website.
