This long-running lawsuit is the latest dispute over Oklahoma tribal relations

Molly Young, Oklahoman
Tue, July 18, 2023 

Oklahoma's tribal gaming industry paid the state $200 million in exclusivity fees over the last year ending in April. A central agreement between the state and tribes, known as the model gaming compact, spells out how much tribal gaming operations must pay in exchange for exclusive gaming rights in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond wants to take the lead in representing the state in a long-running tribal gaming lawsuit. But Gov. Kevin Stitt’s office says he has no plans to hand over the reins.

Drummond called defending the federal suit a “waste of state resources” and asked for approval to enter the ring and end the case in a June 16 letter to legislative leaders. Stitt’s general counsel told lawmakers in his own July 11 letter that Drummond has no standing.

The legal dispute is the latest clash among Oklahoma’s top elected officials over tribal relations.

Stitt has had rocky relationships with many tribal governments since 2019, when he challenged the central state-tribal gaming compact as unfair. Drummond took office in January and has often split from Stitt on key issues involving tribes, which he has described as economic engines for the state.

Both contend their approach to the federal lawsuit is what’s best for Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in June that he has spent many hours meeting with tribal leaders during the first months of his four-year term, which started in January.

More: Oklahoma tribes urge lawmakers to override governor's latest veto
What to know about the case, and the gaming compacts in Oklahoma

The case currently centers on the legal standing of standalone gaming compacts the governor negotiated with the Comanche and Otoe-Missouria nations. Four other tribes with sizable gaming arms — the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Citizen Potawatomi nations — sued in 2020 to stop the agreements from taking effect outside the model gaming compact.

The model gaming compact sets the framework for Las Vegas-style gaming in Oklahoma and gives tribes exclusive rights to operate those facilities in exchange for paying the state a specific cut of revenues. Oklahoma collected $200 million through the agreement from May 2022 through April.

Oklahoma’s highest court ruled the outside compacts signed by Stitt were invalid. Federal gaming regulators did not directly reject the deals, though, which has prompted the legal fight over their future.

The governor clearly acted outside state law when he signed the deals on behalf of the state, Drummond said in his letter. “The Oklahoma Legislature did not approve of or authorize Governor Stitt to bind Oklahoma to these compacts,” Drummond wrote.

His letter to lawmakers was first reported by the online news outlet NonDoc and later provided to The Oklahoman by the attorney general’s office. It was addressed to House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat. Drummond wrote that he believed legislative sign-off would give him the strongest argument to enter the case on Oklahoma’s behalf.

More: A law pressured tribes to give up land in 1898. It doesn't give Tulsa power today, court rules

McCall replied June 26, saying the attorney general already has the power needed to enter the case. “If you, as attorney general, deem it in the best interest of the state of Oklahoma for you to intercede in this litigation, then I and the citizens would expect you to do so,” McCall wrote. “The House will not interfere in that decision.”

A spokesperson for Treat said he is still reviewing the attorney general’s letter, as well as the July 11 response from Stitt’s attorney, Trevor Pemberton.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt sought to rework the model state-tribal gaming compact in 2019. Courts overruled his effort, but are still sorting out the future of separate deals he signed with some tribes.

Oklahoma’s attorney general cannot “unilaterally assume representation of the governor,” Pemberton wrote. He said professional conduct rules and legal precedence bar Drummond from doing so.

“The Oklahoma Supreme Court long ago made clear that, where the governor and the attorney general are at odds over a litigation objective, the governor’s decision prevails under the state’s constitutional framework,” Pemberton wrote in the letter, which the governor’s office provided to The Oklahoman. A spokesperson for the governor declined to comment further on the legal dispute.

More: McGirt v. Oklahoma, 3 years later: How police work on the Muscogee Nation reservation

In his letter, Pemberton pushed back against Drummond’s description of the lawsuit as protracted, noting that the tribal nations who sued could end the proceedings by dropping the case. He also contested Drummond’s assertion that the governor has hired “several Washington, D.C. and New York City law firms” to defend the case.

Pemberton said one such law firm is now leading the case with help from lawyers from a second law firm in Oklahoma City. Court records show the local firm is Ryan Whaley.

In response to Pemberton’s letter, Drummond said he is not trying to represent Stitt, but the state, to end a costly legal fight. “The Oklahoma Supreme Court has issued two opinions that make it clear the governor had no authority to enter into the compacts he is seeking to enforce,” the attorney general’s office said in a written statement.

Drummond has not said if he will move to enter the case without the formal legislative approval he requested. A spokesperson for McCall said his stance is unchanged after receiving Pemberton’s letter.

A different compact dispute is front and center for lawmakers. The Legislature passed a pair of bills in May to renew the state’s tobacco and car tag compacts with tribal nations through 2024. Stitt vetoed the measures in June. The Senate’s first veto override vote failed. Senators plan to vote again July 24.

More: What tribal leaders in Oklahoma are saying about a key Supreme Court decision

Molly Young covers Indigenous affairs. Reach her at mollyyoung@gannett.com or 405-347-3534.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Gaming lawsuit ignites disagreement over tribal relations in Oklahoma

Trans Mountain pipeline expansion likely to send more Canadian oil to US, not Asia

Story by By Nia Williams •

A pipe yard servicing government-owned oil pipeline operator Trans Mountain is seen in Kamloops© Thomson Reuters

(Reuters) -The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX) was meant to unlock Asian markets for Canadian oil, but analysts and traders said those barrels now will probably land on the U.S. West Coast as Asia gobbles up Russian oil that is cheaper due to sanctions from Western countries after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.


An Indigenous-led rally against the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in Vancouver© Thomson Reuters

Asia's heavy crude refining market is roughly nine times the size of California's, but the geopolitical upheaval means Canada will struggle to reduce its reliance on its No. 1 oil customer, the United States.

The troubled C$30.9 billion ($23.5 billion) TMX project, bought by the Canadian government in 2018 to ensure it got built, is finally nearing completion more than a decade after it was first proposed as an expanded gateway to Asia.

Western sanctions on Russian crude following its invasion of Ukraine have upended those plans. Russia has been flooding Asian markets with cheap Urals and ESPO crudes. Canadian barrels will struggle to compete, analysts and traders said.

TMX next year is due to start shipping an extra 590,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude early from Alberta to British Columbia's Pacific Coast, where it will be loaded onto tankers for export.

"We think a disproportionate amount of those volumes are going actually to PADD 5 (the U.S. West Coast), staying within North America instead of Asia," said John Coleman, principal analyst of North American crude markets at energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

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Chinese oil refiners PetroChina and Sinopec have bought and processed Canadian heavy crude in the past.

Their purchases are based on relative affordability, trade sources said. Russia's Urals crude produces higher volumes of fuel and is significantly cheaper than heavy Canadian barrels, said one Calgary-based crude trader.

Another Canadian trader said regulatory delays and environmental opposition have also made TMX less lucrative for producers than it could have been a few years ago.

"A lot of our lunch has been eaten by the Russians and Middle Eastern countries like Iraq," he said.

HEAVY CRUDE DEMAND

Trans Mountain's original pipeline currently ships around 300,000 bpd of mainly light crude to the U.S. West Coast, with BP's Cherry Point refinery and HF Sinclair Corp's Puget Sound refinery among the main customers for Canadian imports, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data.

The expanded pipeline will transport mostly heavy oil, said Skip York, chief energy strategist at Turner, Mason & Company, and the strongest demand will likely come from refineries in southern California that are set up to process heavy sour crude.

The deep discounts on Russian crude are temporary, said York, and more TMX barrels may head to Asia and displace some Middle Eastern barrels once Western sanctions against Moscow eventually lift.

"Today every crude in Asia is having a hard time competing with Russian crude," York said. "But diluted bitumen ought to compete fairly well against Arab heavy, and will compete against Basra heavy."

($1 = 1.3146 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia, additional reporting by Florence Tan in Singapore; Editing by David Gregorio)

With UPS Teamsters strike looming, union workers to hold 'practice picket' at Worldport

Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal
Tue, June 27, 2023 

With a month left before their contract expires, the union representing more than 340,000 UPS workers is calling for "practice pickets" nationwide.

In Louisville, that means thousands of Teamsters Local 89 members will begin practicing a picket line Wednesday morning at Worldport, the largest sorting and logistics facility in America.

The Louisville action comes days after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien called for practice pickets nationwide after claiming UPS presented an "appalling economic counterproposal" to the Teamsters during national negotiations for a new labor contract.

More on the UPS negotiations: UPS Teamsters union employees pass strike action vote. What that means for you.

"These are being coordinated across the country; we wanted to do it as soon as we could," said Stephen Piercey, the communications director for Teamsters Local 89, which represents roughly 10,000 UPS employees in Louisville.

Despite the nationwide practice pickets, UPS says it remains confident that a new contract will be reached.

"We are making steady progress in our negotiations with the Teamsters on a wide array of issues," said Laura Holmberg, a spokesperson for UPS. "Even so, we are not surprised to see some union members making their voices heard."
Is a 'practice picket' a strike?

It is not a strike.

"It's kind of a mock picket line," Piercey said. It serves as a training exercise and prepares members, many of whom have never been on a picket line. "It also kind of serves as a little bit of a rally," he said.

Union members also hope the practice picket moves UPS to meet some of their negotiating demands.

"A practice picket is one of the most powerful or aggressive job actions you can take, and it is typically ... the last thing you do prior to a potential legal strike," Piercey said. "It's meant to serve many functions, but one of the biggest is it's kind of meant to be a shot across the bow at the company saying, 'This is what's coming if you guys don't get serious and give our members what they want.'"

A strike, unlike a practice picket, is a legal action the union can choose to take only after the contract is expired.

Will the practice picket impact me as a consumer?

No.

Employees who are on the clock during the practice picket are expected to go to work and not participate. Piercey said one of the first things union members are told ahead of the practice picket is, "Do not be late to your shift ... this is a training exercise it's not an actual picket."

Teamsters are explicitly instructed to not interfere with or disturb working operations for employees on the clock, to not disparage the employer, to not tell the public to boycott the company, along with other items. The union members are expected to remain peaceful for the duration of the practice picket.

Teamsters Local 89 anticipates the practice picket, which will start at 10 a.m., to last roughly 45 minutes.
Why are local UPS workers practice picketing?

At midnight on July 31, the contract between UPS and the Teamsters will expire if an agreement is not reached between the two sides.

The two entities have been negotiating for a few months and have reached some tentative agreements on items such as air conditioning measures and heat safety.

After negotiating non-economic components of the contract, Teamsters and UPS have recently shifted to focus on negotiating pay, benefits and other financial elements. On June 22, the Teamsters tweeted their disappointment in UPS' counterproposal to economic negotiations.

On June 27, the Teamsters Twitter indicated that UPS did not return with a revised economic proposal.

Piercey said he hopes the nationwide practice pickets, including the one in Louisville, will encourage "the company to action, to get them to get serious at the table and not play games anymore." The last time the Teamsters held a strike was in 1997.

In a statement to the Courier Journal, Holmberg at UPS said, "We plan and expect to reach agreement on a new contract before the end of July that is a win for our employees, our company and customers and the union."

For you: UPS to change Friday operations in response to reduction in package volume

Union members also say they look forward to reaching a contract agreement.

"Really, all we're trying to accomplish is to activate our members, make sure they're engaged and make sure they know and to send a signal to UPS that if they don't get serious that we are prepared to do whatever it takes for us to win the contract our members deserve," Piercey said. "None of us want to see a strike at UPS."

This story will be updated.

Contact reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on Twitter at @oliviamevans_

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: UPS Teamsters hold 'practice picket' in KY as potential strike looms

Teamsters Slam ‘Appalling’ UPS Contract Proposal


Glenn Taylor
Updated Tue, June 27, 2023 


A potential Aug. 1 strike is still on the table for more than 330,000 UPS workers, with the union behind them stepping up labor contract negotiations with an unwavering message: pay up.

After a Thursday meeting where the International Brotherhood of Teamsters shared their full economic proposal with UPS for a new five-year contract, the union voiced its displeasure with the shipping company’s “appalling” counterproposal, declaring “no more meetings until money gets real.”

“The Teamsters will not bargain or accept any contract that’s cost-neutral,” said Sean M. O’Brien, general president of the Teamsters, during the meeting. “We are not going to sell ourselves short in these negotiations, and we will not buy back terms and conditions to protect our members. We have 39 days to go. This company is wasting time putting forth offensive proposals. If UPS wants to negotiate a contract for 1997 working conditions, they’re going to get 1997 consequences.”

O’Brien didn’t share the full financial details of the Teamsters proposal, but said it was “the biggest economic proposal in labor history.”

The proposal’s priorities included wage increases each year of the contract, “catch-up raises” for part-time employees, additional holidays and more paid time off, pension increases, as well as protection and enhancement of existing health and welfare benefits.

The union also wants to eliminate the two-tier 22.4 job classification, which the Teamsters say penalizes junior workers who perform the same functions as senior workers, and create more full-time jobs created over the next five years.

On Thursday, UPS described the talks’ progress toward a new national master agreement as “strong,” with both parties agreeing on all non-economic issues.

According to O’Brien, the delivery company and the union members have reached 55 tentative agreements addressing a variety of topics within the contract, such as the installation of air conditioners within all vehicles purchased after Jan. 1, 2024.

The parcel giant said the economic proposal will require “serious and detailed discussion” over the next few weeks.

“UPS is prepared to be at the table every day until we reach an agreement that allows us to continue rewarding our people with the best pay and benefits package in the industry while providing the flexibility our business needs to deliver for our customers and consumers,” said UPS in a statement.

The parties have taken different public approaches to the labor negotiations, with UPS and CEO Carol Tomé continually pointing to the progress being made. On the other hand, the Teamsters have been more critical of the opposition, whether it be via social media posts on Twitter or Facebook or commentary from O’Brien himself. On Friday, the union’s Twitter account detailed recent demonstrations outside UPS facilities.

N.Y. Warehouse Worker Protection Act goes into effect

Elsewhere on the logistics labor front, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Monday that legislation protecting warehouse workers from unreasonably demanding work quotas is now in effect.

The Warehouse Worker Protection Act, signed in December, includes new requirements for distribution centers to disclose work speed data to current and former employees to inform them about their job performance and rights in the workplace.

The legislation also protects workers from disciplinary action or firing exclusively because of a failure to meet undisclosed quotas or performance standards, including those that do not allow for proper breaks.

With the Warehouse Worker Protection Act now in effect, employees can request quota information at any time, and are protected from having to work through meals or being limited from using the bathroom to make quota. These workers also can report violations related to quotas, and are immune from employer retaliation.

This law applies to employers and employees at warehouse distribution centers.

Within 30 days of an employee’s start date, employers must share quotas with them through a written description (in their preferred language) of each quota they are expected to meet.

“Warehouse workers suffer serious work-related injuries at a rate more than twice the average for all private industries. These workers routinely spend entire shifts speeding through tasks in an attempt to meet quotas mandated by their employers, all too often suffering musculoskeletal and repetitive stress injuries as a result,” said Mario Cilento, president of the New York State AFL-CIO, saying the act “provides long overdue limits to protect warehouse workers from inhumane quotas, and to protect them from retaliation for asserting their rights under this law.”

Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), also threw his support behind the legislation, calling it “an important step in ensuring that workers are not forced to choose between their job and their safety.”

The RWDSU has represented employees at REI stores in Manhattan and Cleveland, as well as those seeking unionization at Amazon’s Bessemer, Ala. distribution center, where a terminated union leader was recently reinstated.

Teamsters president tells UPS union wants tentative agreement in 1 week

Mark Solomon
Tue, June 27, 2023 

Tentative contract in 1 week, Teamster boss demands. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Teamsters union General President Sean M. O’ Brien told UPS that the union wants a tentative contract agreement within the next week that its leadership can support or that it will demand that the company present its last, best and final contract offer.

The escalating rhetoric, included in a Tuesday statement, comes as UPS (NYSE: UPS) purportedly returned to the bargaining table Tuesday morning in Washington without an updated counteroffer to present to the union. According to union sources, O’Brien harshly reiterated that the Teamsters will not work beyond July 31 without a new contract.

“When we say the current contract expires July 31, that means we want a new contract in place starting August 1. Not in six months. Not next spring. We demand a historic new contract August 1, with more money in our members’ pockets immediately,” O’Brien said in the statement. “UPS has wasted enough time and hoarded these record profits. Our members want what they have earned.”

Any tentative agreement would need to be endorsed by the Teamsters’ national committee before being properly disseminated and voted on by the membership by the end of the current agreement.

UPS was not immediately available to comment.

Before caucusing to review economic proposals, the Teamsters told UPS the union committed to working seven days a week and through the upcoming holiday weekend to get a deal done.

“This is why there’s new leadership at the Teamsters. UPS isn’t working with the union’s prior administration, dragging out the bargaining process and submitting to extensions until finally agreeing to a watered-down deal months after the expiration of the contract,” said General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. “This is what hard bargaining looks like. This is labor’s leverage, and the Teamsters are not afraid to use it.”

Both sides have already concluded talks on noneconomic issues, tentatively agreeing to language covering 55 agreements. The union presented its initial offer to UPS last Wednesday to cover economic issues such as wages, benefits and changes in worker classifications. The union subsequently rejected UPS’ counteroffer as appalling, saying it calls for meager wage increases and takes workers backward on cost-of-living adjustments.

The post Teamsters president tells UPS union wants tentative agreement in 1 week appeared first on FreightWaves.

Teamsters Union Allocates $2M to Aid Members During Writers Strike

Katie Kilkenny
Mon, June 26, 2023 


The International Brotherhood of Teamsters union is allocating $2 million to aid members that are in financial straits amid the ongoing writers’ strike.

The labor organization, which represents drivers, location managers and casting directors, among others in entertainment, will be creating a fund to assist members in need after its general executive board unanimously approved the action. Particular eligibility criteria have yet to be announced, but the fund will be dedicated to all Teamsters that work in the entertainment industry, the union announced on Monday.

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“We can’t rely on employers to protect and support our members,” the union’s general president Sean O’Brien said in a statement. “Teamsters protect Teamsters. This money will go to support hardworking families.”

Fellow entertainment crew union IATSE announced that it was directing the same amount to a series of established industry charities earlier this month in order to help its members facing tough times. The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly the Actors Fund), the Motion Picture & Television Fund, the Inevitable Foundation and Humanitas are just some of the institutions that are likewise offering support to striking writers and/or to other workers in the entertainment industry whose livelihoods have been adversely affected by the work stoppage.

Many members of the Teamsters have been visibly supportive of the writers’ strike since it began on May 2. Empowered by a clause in their contract that shields members from discipline if they respect a picket line, various Teamster-driven trucks have turned around when faced with striking writers at production locations, helping the writers expediently shut down ongoing productions and disrupt day-to-day activities at studios.

Lindsay Dougherty, the director of the union’s motion picture and theatrical trade division and western region vice president said in a statement that studios and tech companies “should be ashamed of themselves for playing games with people’s livelihoods.” She added, “We are committed to making sure our members are protected and getting this money into their hands as soon as possible.”

Yellow running out of options, sues union for $137M

Todd Maiden

FreightWaves
Tue, June 27, 2023 

. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Less-than-truckload carrier Yellow Corp. announced Tuesday that it has filed a $137 million breach of contract lawsuit against the International Brotherhood of Teamsters for blocking proposed changes to modernize how the carrier operates.

Yellow (NASDAQ: YELL) said the union doesn’t have the authority to stop a proposed change of operations, which the company views as the linchpin to its survival. Yellow alleges that union interference has harmed the company to the tune of $137.3 million (“and counting”) in lost adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization as well as at least $1.5 billion for a loss in enterprise value that the company “is sustaining and will sustain.”

Yellow’s enterprise value — market capitalization plus net debt — consists mostly of its debt. Yellow’s market cap has plummeted since the end of 2021 as its share price has fallen from more than $14 to roughly $1.

“We do not take this action lightly, but the Union’s leadership has left us with no choice,” Yellow’s management stated in a news release. “For many months, we have made good faith efforts to meet with the IBT to propose a path forward that works for all parties, but they refuse even to meet, let alone engage in honest talks.”

The carrier is seeking to push through a second phase of operational changes as part of a companywide overhaul called “One Yellow.”

The plan includes the consolidation of its four LTL operating companies, closing excess terminals and redefining work rules for some drivers, among other items. The union has rejected the latest proposal after acquiescing to a similar change last year in the western part of Yellow’s network.

The union has been adamant that the latest proposal would require too many utility positions, which require drivers to work freight on the docks at various locations. It says its member employees at Yellow have given billions in the form of wage, benefits and pension concessions in the past and that it will not bail out the company again. It plans to honor the current contract in place, which expires next year.

“The company is misleading our members and the public,” said Fred Zuckerman, Teamsters general secretary-treasurer, in a news release. “We have a contract with Yellow that expires March 31, 2024, and Teamsters are living up to it. … This lawsuit is a desperate, last-ditch attempt to save face.”

But Yellow says the Teamsters have no right to interfere with the changes it seeks.

“Under the NMFA [National Master Freight Agreement], Yellow has the exclusive right to run its business, effect mergers, consolidate operations, open and close terminals, and the Union cannot interfere with those entrepreneurial decisions — its involvement is limited to determining and resolving the seniority of those Union employees affected by the change,” the lawsuit read.

Yellow contends the changes are required to lower its cost structure and allow it to compete with nonunion carriers, which have less cumbersome rules and often combine the roles of driving and freight handling. The lawsuit said recent market share losses — roughly a 33% decline in tonnage over the last two years — are directly associated with the way it is required to operate.

The company asserts that 1,000 road drivers in total would be required to work the docks. Roughly 400 are already performing the dual functions and the remaining 600 utility positions would be filled by employees with the least seniority.

The complaint alleges Sean O’Brien, Teamsters general president, “has prevented Yellow from meeting with IBT leadership.” Yellow contends that the union has been onboard with Yellow’s restructuring plan but it’s O’Brien’s “militant approach” that has stalled the implementation.

“Now, however, the Union has reversed course and without any justification refuses to comply with its contractual obligations to cooperate with and not impede the implementation of the remaining phases of One Yellow,” the lawsuit said.

Yellow accuses O’Brien of assuming “the role of public agitator for the company’s demise,” referring to some of his social media posts, which it describes as “false, unconstructive and irresponsible.”

“Notwithstanding Yellow’s repeated approaches to the Union and Mr. O’Brien to meet and negotiate, and its repeated offers to accommodate the Union’s purported demands, Mr. O’Brien has refused to permit any cooperation or negotiations, choosing instead to direct profanities at Yellow and its executives and even to gloat at Yellow’s impending demise.”

Yellow alleges the union has breached the collective-bargaining agreement by rejecting the proposed changes and not agreeing to schedule a required hearing on the matter. It says union leadership is blocking the request as a means to “extract wage increases” and that it “had no right to require wage increases from Yellow as a condition of approving CHOPS [a change of operations proposal].”

Yellow said it agreed to “serial extra-contractual demands” throughout the negotiating process, including the union’s demand for a vote by membership, which Yellow said was later refused by union leadership. Instead, Yellow claims union officials insisted the NMFA would have to be reopened to proceed with any changes and that Yellow would have to “come up with sufficient financial improvements” in those negotiations.

“Yellow Corp.’s claims of breach of contract by the Teamsters are unfounded and without merit,” O’Brien said in a news release. “For a company that loves to cry poor, Yellow’s executives seem to have no problem paying a team of high-priced lawyers to wage a public relations battle — all in a failed attempt to mask their incompetence.”
Yellow just weeks away from running out of cash

The lawsuit said Yellow could run out of cash as soon as mid-July, at which time its creditors “will likely force the Company into liquidation.”

The company reported total liquidity of $168 million at the end of the first quarter, which was down $109 million from the year-ago period. However, that change included a $98 million reduction in debt. Cash flow from operations was $13 million in the period.

GOP senator challenges Teamsters boss to MMA fight for charity

Sarah Fortinsky

THE HILL
Mon, June 26, 2023 

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) challenged the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Monday to an MMA fight for charity, reigniting the animosity between them that was on full display during a viral moment at a Senate hearing in March.

“An attention-seeking union Teamster boss is trying to be punchy after our Senate hearing. Okay, I accept your challenge. MMA fight for charity of our choice. Sept 30th in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’ll give you 3 days to accept,” Mullin wrote in a tweet Monday.

Mullin, a former mixed martial arts fighter, responded to a tweet from union president Sean O’Brien, who called Mullin a “clown” and a “fraud” and challenged him to “quit the tough guy act” and find him “any place, anytime.”

“Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made. In reality, just a clown & fraud. Always has been, always will be. Quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy,” O’Brien tweeted several days ago.

In O’Brien’s tweet, he appeared to be mocking Mullin for his height, attaching a photo of Mullin using a step behind a podium and circling the step beneath Mullin’s feet in the photo.

At a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing in March, O’Brien told Mullin — who owned nonunion plumbing companies before selling his majority shares in 2021 — that Mullin was “out of line” for accusing him and other union leaders of “sucking the paycheck” out of union workers to pay for what Mullin described as the union leaders’ “exorbitant” salaries.

Mullin pushed back saying, “Don’t tell me I’m out of line,” and, “You need to shut your mouth.”

The Hill reported O’Brien’s salary was roughly $193,000 in 2019; Mullin, meanwhile had a net worth $31.6 million and $75.6 million in 2020, according to the newspaper Tulsa World.

The latest development, however, seems to come from a moment in a more recent hearing, when Mullin was making a similar argument about union bosses taking money from workers. He mentioned O’Brien as an example, though Mullin appeared to forget O’Brien’s name, calling him O’Malley instead.

“Hey, JohnWayne Mullin..First off, my name’s O’Brien not O’Malley. Secondly, you should get your facts straight because every time you speak in these hearings you’re full of sh*t. The more you run your mouth, the more you show the American public what a moron you are,” O’Brien responded in a tweet with a clip of the hearing.

He followed up with two more tweets directed at Mullin: one to which Mullin responded by challenging O’Brien to a fight and another tweet that said, “What have you done for working people in OK @SenMullin? Last time I checked, your state ranks near the bottom in median wages. Sounds like you need to shut your mouth & get to work for the people of your state. They deserve action, not your phony “man of the people” spiel.”

Yellow continues to record net losses and booked a 100.8% operating ratio (operating expenses expressed as a percentage of revenue) in the first quarter.

It has $1.3 billion in debt that comes due in 2024, with total obligations of $1.5 billion outstanding when including lease financing obligations.

The lawsuit showed Yellow also reached out to the White House and Sen. Bernie Sanders “to no avail” in efforts to broker a deal.

The U.S. Treasury made a $700 million COVID-relief loan to the company in July 2020. That made the U.S. government the largest shareholder in Yellow as it now holds 30.1% of its outstanding stock. That loan matures Sept. 30, 2024.

The company recently asked to defer health and welfare and pension contribution payments for the months of July and August to preserve cash. However, there has been no update on that request.

“By stonewalling Yellow’s implementation of Phase 2, the Union has knowingly and intentionally triggered a death spiral for Yellow,” the lawsuit said. “The harm it has caused and continues to cause Yellow was foreseeable and serious, and the Union has failed and continues to fail to take any reasonable precautions to protect Yellow’s economic interests.”

“The lawsuit by Yellow Corp. is a blatant attempt to undermine the rights of workers and discredit the Teamsters. The Teamsters are fully prepared to defend the union’s position vigorously and utilize all available legal resources to challenge the meritless accusations put forth by Yellow Corp.,” the Teamsters notice said.

Shares of YELL were down 28% at 11:13 a.m. on Tuesday compared to the S&P 500, which was up 0.3%. Shares of other LTL carriers were up between 3% and 7% at the time as investors contemplated Yellow’s potential demise.

First non-binary actors win Tony Awards 

BY LAUREN SFORZA - 06/12/23 
THE HILL

Associated Press images

Broadway performs Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee became the first openly nonbinary actors to win Tony Awards on Sunday evening.

“Thank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black little baby from Massachusetts,” Newell said in their acceptance speech for best featured actor in a musical. “And to anyone that thinks that they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face that you can do anything you put your mind to.”

Newell won for their performance as Lulu in the musical “Shucked,” a comedy that hit the stage in March.

Ghee later won the award for best leading actor in “Some Like it Hot,” a musical that is based on the famous 1959 film. ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ author Elizabeth Gilbert pulling latest book over ‘enormous’ pushback to Russian settingTonys presenter mocks DeSantis: ‘The current grand wizard’ of Florida

Composer Toby Marlow of “Six” became the first nonbinary person to receive a Tony Award last year.

Like other award shows, the Tonys uses gendered categories for best actor and best actress awards, so nominees who identity as nonbinary must choose which category that they want to be nominated in. “& Juliet” performer Justin David Sullivan withdrew their consideration for an award due to this requirement, saying in a statement to Deadline that the award structure does “not hold space for people like me.”

“Because I was told I had no other option but to choose between one of the two gendered categories in which I would be eligible,” Sullivan said in a statement. “I felt that I had no choice but to abstain from being considered for a nomination this season.”

Tonys presenter mocks DeSantis: ‘The current grand wizard’ of Florida

BY JUDY KURTZ - 06/12/23 

THE HILL

A Broadway actor is slamming Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), calling him the “current grand wizard” of the Sunshine State, while appearing at the Tony Awards.

Denée Benton took to the stage Sunday at the 76th annual awards ceremony, which honors productions in New York City’s famed theater district.

“Earlier tonight, [Carnegie Mellon University] and the Tony Awards presented the 2023 Excellence in Theater Education Award,” Benton, the star of Broadway’s “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812,” told the crowd at the ceremony, broadcasted by CBS.

“And while I am certain that the current grand wizard — I’m sorry, excuse me, governor — of my home state of Florida will be changing …” Benton said, before pausing with a laugh as the audience burst into applause at the Ku Klux Klan-inspired slur aimed at DeSantis, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate.

“I’m sure that he’ll be changing the name of this following town immediately,” Benton continued with a grin as she recognized the education award’s winner, a teacher in Plantation, Fla.

A spokesman from the governor’s office didn’t immediately return ITK’s request for comment about Benton’s remark.

Although the Tony-nominated performer didn’t cite the motivation behind the slight, the NAACP has issued a travel advisory for the state of Florida over policies seen as anti-Black.

“Anybody that has been following what’s been happening in Florida understands that it’s essentially become a hostile territory for Black people in the state,” Cliff Albright, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter, said last month.

DeSantis faced criticism earlier this year after his administration rejected an Advanced Placement African American studies course from being taught in Florida schools. DeSantis’s administration said the course’s content was “inexplicably contrary to Florida law” and “significantly [lacked] educational value.”

“We want education, not indoctrination,” DeSantis said in January about the move.

It’s not the first time an entertainer has made headlines with a political attack from the Tonys stage.

In 2018, Robert De Niro received a standing ovation after repeatedly declaring “f— Trump,” in a criticism of the then-president.

Broadway actress Denée Benton takes aim at DeSantis, calls him 'Grand Wizard' of Florida

ByPrapti Upadhayay
Jun 12, 2023 

Broadway actress Denée Benton sparks controversy at Tony Awards, compares Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to a KKK leader in onstage speech.

Sunday night's Tony Awards took an unexpected turn when Denée Benton, a prominent Broadway actress, compared Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to a Ku Klux Klan leader during her onstage presentation. As she presented the Excellence in Theatre Education Award, Benton, a Florida native, made the controversial remark that sparked outrage and applause from the left-leaning crowd.

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at an event held by the Never Back Down PAC in Tulsa, Okla., on Saturday, June 10, 2023.

 (Nathan J. Fish/The Oklahoman via AP)(AP)

Benton, known for her roles in hit Broadway shows like "Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812" and "Hamilton," used the moment to deliver a political attack on DeSantis, drawing attention to his controversial policies and actions. Her comments were made without the assistance of a script, as the Tony Awards proceeded amid an ongoing writers' strike.

While introducing the award winner, Benton took a jab at the Republican governor, saying, "And while I am certain that the current Grand Wizard — I’m sorry, excuse me, governor — of my home state of Florida… I'm sure that he will be changing the name of the following town immediately." The mention of Plantation, Florida, prompted cheers and applause from the audience.

DeSantis, who recently announced his presidential bid, has not yet responded to Benton's remarks on his social media channels. His tenure as governor has been marked by controversy and opposition, particularly from civil rights advocates. In 2019, he signed the highly criticized "Don't Say Gay" bill, and he retaliated against Walt Disney Co. when the company expressed criticism by eliminating a special tax district around Walt Disney World.

The NAACP previously issued a travel advisory for Florida, citing concerns about DeSantis's policies and their impact on marginalized communities. The advisory claimed that the state is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals. It accused Florida of devaluing their contributions and challenges.
Also Read | Florida Governor DeSantis declares war on 'woke' culture - Says, 'woke goes to die' in my state

This is not the first time the Tony Awards have become a platform for personal political attacks. In 2018, Robert De Niro famously yelled "F--- Trump!" during his onstage appearance, receiving thunderous applause.

DeSantis has consistently waded into the culture wars, particularly regarding education and parental rights. He recently signed SB 266, which restricts state funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public universities and grants more authority to university presidents over hiring practices. The bill aligns with his fight against what he perceives as "woke" influences in education.

With his presidential campaign underway, DeSantis has pledged to continue his battle against the so-called "war on woke." As for Benton, her Tony Awards remarks have undoubtedly added fuel to the fiery political discourse surrounding DeSantis and his policies, further highlighting the deep divisions within the country.

Platonic co-parenting offers an alternate model for family building

By LEANNE ITALIE

June 7, 2023

This May 2020 photo shows Tracy Smith in Tulsa, Okla. Smith has been using the mating site Modamily to find a platonic co-parent. 

(Jenny White Photography via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Nick Farrow wanted what a lot of people do: a child, and a parenting partner. At 45, after a long-term romance didn’t work out, he decided to take matters into his own hands, entering into a platonic open arrangement that has flourished for nine years, since daughter Milly was born.

Whether it’s with friends, known sperm donors or co-parenting connections made on so-called mating sites, more families are coming together platonically, without the pain of divorce or the added stress and expense of going it alone.

Choosing to parent together platonically while living separately or under the same roof is an idea that’s been around for years among LGBTQ+ people. It has gained ground more recently among heterosexuals, and interest skyrocketed during the pandemic.
MORE ON PARENTING– 4 ways parents can help kids have a great summer at camp

Farrow and his parenting partner live about 15 miles apart, he in the English seaside town of Brighton. Their daughter, conceived through insemination, shuttles between the two. Not unlike divorced couples with kids, the two come together for Milly’s birthdays, and they sometimes alternate Christmases and other special occasions.

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Explaining their arrangement to loved ones was a process.

“When the time came, we got everybody to meet everybody,” Farrow said of family and friends. “We invited them to ask all the difficult, awkward questions. There was the feeling that what we were doing was a bit odd, that it could be risky, that it could be dangerous. It really, really helped to get everybody on board.”

Farrow met his parenting partner on Modamily, one of a handful of sites and apps aimed at family building, as opposed to the hookup culture and endless swiping of dating services.

Since 2011, about 100,000 people from around the world have registered on Modamily. At least 1,000 babies have been born through partnerships created there, said founder and CEO Ivan Fatovic. About half involved known sperm donors from a database of nearly 10,000 that the site maintains, he said.

“We’re seeing people look at all the different alternate ways of starting a family because they’ve been thinking about it for many years,” Fatovic said. “Whatever they’ve been doing up to this point wasn’t working so they start thinking outside the box.”

There’s no one scenario that defines elective co-parenting. Most, but definitely not all, platonic co-parents live separately. Some who seek out Modamily or similar services are in search of sperm donors they can meet personally, with or without the potential to share their lives once a baby is born.

Other parenting partnerships come together out of need for financial and care support in raising children. Still others involve two friends who want children without romance. And there are those like Farrow, unlucky in love with a burning desire to parent, but not alone.

Last year, TV commentator Van Jones welcomed a baby girl with a longtime female friend. He was already the father of two boys with his ex-wife, Jana Carter. Jones declined an interview request through a spokesman.

And there’s Jones’s CNN colleague, Anderson Cooper. He’s the father of two boys born via surrogacy after he and boyfriend Benjamin Maisani downshifted to close friends. Cooper and Maisani are now parenting together.

The idea of co-parenting is, of course, nothing new among divorced couples, but more divorced women are leaning on each other to make it through.

About six years ago, 39-year-old Ashley Simpo and her son moved in with a friend and her two kids to share expenses and parenting duties in Brooklyn, New York. High rents and low salaries were crushing them both.

“I think that the alternative for both of us would have been homelessness or moving back in with parents and relocating. For parents, that means ripping your kids out of their schools,” she said.

Their “mommune” of five lasted about six months, until their finances stabilized and they amicably ended the arrangement.

“It really opened my eyes in terms of how mothers support each other. I had never really tapped into a mother ship or an intentional community network,” said Simpo, who had been divorced about two years at the time. “It was really healing for me.”

Platonic co-parenting arrangements require thoughtful structure. That can get difficult when multiple parents are involved — after divorce, for instance, or when friendships change.

Many sign parenting agreements with the help of lawyers or family coaches to crystallize rules and lay out what is non-negotiable. There’s religion, but also what happens if either co-parent begins dating or gets married? And there’s the day-to day, like how finances are handled and what disciplinary approach will be taken.

“In platonic co-parenting relationships, I think people forget to plan for all of those little nuances,” said Alysha Price, who owns a firm offering parenting coaches. “It’s not always going to be stars and rainbows and happy days.”

In London, Patrick Harrison co-founded PollenTree.com in 2012 as a resource for people interested in platonic co-parenting. It grew quickly and now serves the U.S. as well. Users are split between people looking to meet and choose sperm donors without the option of co-parenting, and those “really focused on creating their own kind of alternative family,” Harrison said.

“People are looking at family life and thinking, ‘I want some of that, too.’ People have this kind of misconception that it’s all very alternative, but it’s deeply not. A lot of our members are really conventional. They want kids. They just want kids,” Harrison said.

The pandemic sent Pollen Tree’s numbers soaring. Just before lockdowns began, Harrison said, the site had about 40 signups a day. The number shot up to 100 on some days in 2020 and 2021. Things have stabilized for now among its 100,000 members. Costs are in the $30 range monthly.

Tracy Smith, 43, is an immigration attorney in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She found Modamily in 2020 and has been trying to find a platonic arrangement with a stranger.

“I’ve always wanted to become a mother. I’ve always wanted my own biological child,” she said. “But I’ve really not had great luck in relationships. I’d been on the dating apps for 13 years.”

Smith has spoken to male friends about platonically parenting together.

“I haven’t found anybody who’s willing to take that leap. I mean, it’s a big commitment. The No. 1 choice is a romantic relationship that leads to a baby. But I mean, I’m 43 and dating is tough. It’s exhausting.”

___

Oklahoma board approves nation's first state-funded Catholic school

Nuria Martinez-Keel
USA TODAY NETWORK

An Oklahoma school board on Monday approved what would be the nation's first taxpayer-funded religious school despite concerns over the decision’s constitutionality from state officials and advocacy groups.

The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, which oversees all virtual charter schools in the state, voted 3-2 in favor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma establishing St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. The online public charter school would open in 2024, serving students in kindergarten through grade 12 across the state.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond had warned the board that the decision was unconstitutional.

"The approval of any publicly funded religious school is contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers," Drummond said in a statement shortly after the board’s vote. "It’s extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars. In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the state to potential legal action that could be costly."

Archdiocese officials have been unequivocal that the school will promote the Catholic faith and operate according to church doctrine, including its views on sexual orientation and gender identity, raising questions of whether St. Isidore of Seville would abide by all federal non-discrimination requirements.

Despite Drummond’s opposition, the concept of a religious charter school has gained support from other Republican leaders in Oklahoma, including Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt.

"This is a win for religious liberty and education freedom in our great state, and I am encouraged by these efforts to give parents more options when it comes to their child’s education," Stitt said in a statement.

Approval could create 'slippery slope'

In April, the board rejected an application to create St. Isidore of Seville over concerns with the school's governance structure, its plan for special education students, and its ability to keep private and public funds separate. The archdiocese adjusted and resubmitted the application, prompting Monday's vote.

The board approved the school despite a state law requiring public schools to be free of control from any religious sect. Advocates for St. Isidore of Seville say recent Supreme Court rulings state a private entity can't be excluded from public programs, including a state's education system, on religious grounds.

Drummond warned the school would create a "slippery slope" toward state-funded religion. Drummond withdrew an opinion from his predecessor, John O’Connor, who in his final month in office said recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings compelled the state to accept religiously affiliated public charter schools.

O'Connor cited cases that had "little precedential value" to charter school law, Drummond said.

Despite Drummond’s opposition, the concept of a religious charter school has gained support from other Republican leaders in the state, including Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters.
Potential legal fight as groups denounce move

The vote kicks off a potential test case for the Supreme Court on the issue of religious public schools.

Church officials are committed to a yearslong legal effort, said Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, which represents both the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa.

"No matter what happens here, our intention is to see this through," Farley said at a previous board meeting. "We're prepared for that long road. This is a major priority to us."

Americans United for Separation of Church and State criticized the board’s approval Monday.

The advocacy group’s president and CEO Rachel Laser said in a statement that the decision violates the religious freedom of Oklahoma taxpayers and public school communities. Laser said the group will work with state and national partners to pursue possible legal action against the decision.

"State and federal law are clear: Charter schools are public schools that must be secular and open to all students," Laser told USA TODAY in a statement. "No public-school family should fear that their child will be required by charter schools to take theology classes or be expelled for failing to conform to religious doctrines."

Contributing: The Associated Press

Reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel covers K-12 and higher education throughout the state of Oklahoma. Have a story idea for Nuria? She can be reached at nmartinez-keel@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @NuriaMKeel. Support Nuria’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

Quantifying mangroves’ value as a climate solution and economic engine

Findings hold lessons for coastal countries looking for ways to balance climate goals under the Paris Agreement with economic development.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: MANGROVE TREES ALONG THE COAST OF BELIZE. view more 

CREDIT: ©ANTONIO BUSIELLO / WWF

A tiny Central American country is charting a path to slowing climate change, while boosting the economy and making communities safer. A new Stanford-led study quantifies the value of Belize’s coastal mangrove forests in terms of how much carbon they can hold, the value they can add to tourism and fisheries, and the protection they can provide against coastal storms and other risks. Importantly, the findings, published June 1 in Nature Ecology and Evolution, have already provided a basis for Belize’s commitment to protect or restore additional mangrove forests totaling an area about the size of Washington, D.C., by 2030. The approach holds lessons for many other coastal countries.

“The U.S. has one of the largest coastlines in the world, and extensive wetlands,” said study lead author Katie Arkema, a scientist at the Stanford Natural Capital Project at the time of the research, now at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Washington. “This paper offers an approach we could use for setting evidence-based climate resilience and economic development goals.”

Many countries have been struggling to meet their international climate commitments. Nature-based solutions, such as locking up or sequestering carbon in mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, provide a promising solution – they help nations reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and also adapt to climate change. Yet, major coastal countries, including the U.S., have largely overlooked these so-called blue carbon strategies. The oversight is due in part to the complexity of calculating how much carbon wetlands and other coastal ecosystems can sequester, and where to implement these strategies to maximize co-benefits for the economy, flood risk reduction, and other sectors.

Maximizing benefits

Working together with other scientists, as well as Belizean policymakers and stakeholders, the researchers quantified carbon storage and sequestration using land cover data from Belize and field estimates from Mexico. They quantified coastal flood risk reduction, tourism, and fisheries co-benefits by modeling related services – such as lobster breeding grounds – provided by mangroves currently and under future protection and restoration scenarios at various locations.

Among their findings: In some areas, relatively small amounts of mangrove restoration can have big tourism and fisheries benefits. In contrast, total organic carbon sequestration is initially lower when restoring mangrove areas than when protecting existing forests because it takes time for carbon stocks to accumulate in the soil and biomass.

Another key takeaway: The rate of increase for benefits other than carbon storage begins to decrease at a certain point as mangrove area continues to increase. Predicting these inflection points can help stakeholders and policymakers decide how to most effectively balance ecosystem protection with coastal development. Similarly, identifying locations where blue carbon strategies would provide the greatest delivery of co-benefits can help bolster local support.

Based on the findings, Belizean policymakers pledged to protect an additional 46 square miles of existing mangroves – bringing the national total under protection to 96 square miles – and to restore 15 square miles of mangroves by 2030. If realized, the effort will not only store and sequester millions of tons of carbon but also boost lobster fisheries by as much as 66%, generate mangrove tourism worth several million dollars annually, and reduce the risk of coastal hazards for at least 30% more people, according to the researchers’ models.

The numbers are significant for a country with a population smaller than Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a GDP equivalent to about 2% of New York City’s annual budget.

Because the approach addresses both climate and sustainable development goals, it opens new opportunities for financing nature-based solutions in countries like Belize. In the months to come, the Natural Capital Project, the InterAmerican Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank will work with 10 countries, including Belize, to support the mainstreaming of and accounting for such nature-based approaches into policy and investment decision-making processes (read more).

“Belize’s example, illustrating the practical ways nature’s many benefits can be spatially quantified and inform a country’s climate policy and investments, are now primed to be scaled around the world with development banks and country leaders” said study co-author Mary Ruckelshaus, executive director of the Stanford Natural Capital Project.

The study was funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the World Wildlife Fund.

Study co-authors also include Jade Delevaux of the Natural Capital Project; Jessica Silver and Samantha Winder of the Natural Capital Project and the University of Washington; and researchers with Silvestrum Climate Associates, the World Wildlife Fund, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the University of Minnesota, Belize’s National Climate Change Office, and Belize’s Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute.

---

JOURNAL

Nature Ecology & Evolution

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

1-Jun-2023

 

Quantifying mangroves’ value as a climate solution and economic engine

Findings hold lessons for coastal countries looking for ways to balance climate goals under the Paris Agreement with economic development.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: MANGROVE TREES ALONG THE COAST OF BELIZE. view more 

CREDIT: ©ANTONIO BUSIELLO / WWF

\\A tiny Central American country is charting a path to slowing climate change, while boosting the economy and making communities safer. A new Stanford-led study quantifies the value of Belize’s coastal mangrove forests in terms of how much carbon they can hold, the value they can add to tourism and fisheries, and the protection they can provide against coastal storms and other risks. Importantly, the findings, published June 1 in Nature Ecology and Evolution, have already provided a basis for Belize’s commitment to protect or restore additional mangrove forests totaling an area about the size of Washington, D.C., by 2030. The approach holds lessons for many other coastal countries.

 

“The U.S. has one of the largest coastlines in the world, and extensive wetlands,” said study lead author Katie Arkema, a scientist at the Stanford Natural Capital Project at the time of the research, now at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Washington. “This paper offers an approach we could use for setting evidence-based climate resilience and economic development goals.”

Many countries have been struggling to meet their international climate commitments. Nature-based solutions, such as locking up or sequestering carbon in mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, provide a promising solution – they help nations reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and also adapt to climate change. Yet, major coastal countries, including the U.S., have largely overlooked these so-called blue carbon strategies. The oversight is due in part to the complexity of calculating how much carbon wetlands and other coastal ecosystems can sequester, and where to implement these strategies to maximize co-benefits for the economy, flood risk reduction, and other sectors.

Maximizing benefits

Working together with other scientists, as well as Belizean policymakers and stakeholders, the researchers quantified carbon storage and sequestration using land cover data from Belize and field estimates from Mexico. They quantified coastal flood risk reduction, tourism, and fisheries co-benefits by modeling related services – such as lobster breeding grounds – provided by mangroves currently and under future protection and restoration scenarios at various locations.

Among their findings: In some areas, relatively small amounts of mangrove restoration can have big tourism and fisheries benefits. In contrast, total organic carbon sequestration is initially lower when restoring mangrove areas than when protecting existing forests because it takes time for carbon stocks to accumulate in the soil and biomass.

Another key takeaway: The rate of increase for benefits other than carbon storage begins to decrease at a certain point as mangrove area continues to increase. Predicting these inflection points can help stakeholders and policymakers decide how to most effectively balance ecosystem protection with coastal development. Similarly, identifying locations where blue carbon strategies would provide the greatest delivery of co-benefits can help bolster local support.

Based on the findings, Belizean policymakers pledged to protect an additional 46 square miles of existing mangroves – bringing the national total under protection to 96 square miles – and to restore 15 square miles of mangroves by 2030. If realized, the effort will not only store and sequester millions of tons of carbon but also boost lobster fisheries by as much as 66%, generate mangrove tourism worth several million dollars annually, and reduce the risk of coastal hazards for at least 30% more people, according to the researchers’ models.

The numbers are significant for a country with a population smaller than Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a GDP equivalent to about 2% of New York City’s annual budget.

Because the approach addresses both climate and sustainable development goals, it opens new opportunities for financing nature-based solutions in countries like Belize. In the months to come, the Natural Capital Project, the InterAmerican Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank will work with 10 countries, including Belize, to support the mainstreaming of and accounting for such nature-based approaches into policy and investment decision-making processes (read more).

“Belize’s example, illustrating the practical ways nature’s many benefits can be spatially quantified and inform a country’s climate policy and investments, are now primed to be scaled around the world with development banks and country leaders” said study co-author Mary Ruckelshaus, executive director of the Stanford Natural Capital Project.

The study was funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the World Wildlife Fund.

Study co-authors also include Jade Delevaux of the Natural Capital Project; Jessica Silver and Samantha Winder of the Natural Capital Project and the University of Washington; and researchers with Silvestrum Climate Associates, the World Wildlife Fund, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the University of Minnesota, Belize’s National Climate Change Office, and Belize’s Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute.

---

JOURNAL

Nature Ecology & Evolution

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

1-Jun-2023