Environment | WPN World People News

The World Bank Wednesday approved a US $250 million credit for the Andhra Pradesh Disaster Recovery Project to restore, improve and enhance the resilience of public services and livelihoods of communities affected by cyclone Hudhud in Andhra Pradesh. The project will also increase the capacity of the state to respond promptly and effectively to an emergency.

The Israeli Ministry of Economy has committed $500,000 to the World Bank Group’s Water Global Practice to enhance water knowledge in developing countries facing complex water security challenges.

Philip Joseph Rivkin, a.k.a. Felipe Poitan Arriaga, 50, Tuesday pleaded guilty to a Clean Air Act false statement and mail fraud as part of his role in a scheme to defraud EPA by falsely representing that he was producing millions of gallons of biodiesel fuel. According to the terms of the plea agreement, Rivkin faces more than 10 years in prison and will be responsible for $51 million in restitution to help reimburse victims.

The government of Bangladesh signed an agreement Tuesday with the Netherlands and the World Bank Group including its private sector arm, International Finance Corporation (IFC) with the 2030 Water Resources Group to strengthen management of the Bangladesh Delta, Asia’s largest and the world’s most populated delta.

EPA Region 7 has reached a proposed administrative settlement with Union Pacific Railroad Company to resolve industrial stormwater violations under the Clean Water Act (CWA) at their railcar maintenance and refurbishing facility in DeSoto, Mo. Under the settlement, Union Pacific will implement a plan to ensure compliance with its industrial stormwater permit, and pay a civil penalty of $58,800.

In May, the Obama administration approved Shell’s plan to drill for oil in the Chukchi Sea in the Alaskan Arctic. Since that approval, both Shell's rigs, the Polar Pioneer and the Noble Discoverer have failed routine inspections. Shell plans to use the Polar Pioneer to drill for oil in the Alaskan Arctic in less than two weeks from now.

In a consent agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the owner and operator of the Central Precision, Inc. sheet metal and machine shop in Boonsboro, Md. will pay a $100,000 penalty and take immediate corrective actions to address alleged violations of federal and state hazardous waste regulations.

Hydrographer Canyon is a diverse habitat for deep-sea corals.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) closed its week-long governing Conference on June 13 with a billion-dollar budgetary boost and a call to renew its efforts towards geographical decentralization – a step that will bring the United Nations agency in closer contact with those populations it is mandated to support.