President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Emergency Declaration for U.S. Virgin Islands
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Emergency Declaration for U.S. Virgin Islands WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance is available to the U.S. Virgin Islands to supplement response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Ernesto beginning Aug. 13, 2024, and continuing. The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe. This assistance is for the
Globe, U.S. had their 2nd-warmest Septembers on record
September Highlights: The release of the September 2024 U.S. and Global Climate Reports was delayed due to significant infrastructure damage near NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) headquarters in Asheville, NC from Hurricane Helene. NCEI is in the process of returning to full operations and anticipates restoration of most data feeds in the near future. Temperatures were above average across much of North and South America as well as Europe, but globally, temperatures averaged cooler than what was observed during September 2023, ending the 15-month record streak of record warm global temperatures. The year-to-date global temperature was the warmest

New Wave Glider will study Earthquake Processes along U.S. Subduction Zones
The SV3 wave glider allows USGS scientists and collaborators to collect seafloor geodetic data, which relies on accurate measurements of the Earth's geometric shape, gravity field, and orientation in space to continuously monitor seafloor movement. The principal scientific objectives are to constrain shallow strain accumulation between large earthquakes and to estimate the amount of strain released during and shortly after large subduction zone earthquakes. Equipped to collect global navigation satellite system and acoustic ranging (GNSS-A) seafloor geodetic data from some of Earths most critical remaining data gaps, the glider can travel faster between sites and operate in high current areas like Alaska, thanks
President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for the U.S. Virgin Islands
President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for the U.S. Virgin Islands WASHINGTON– FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto on Aug. 13-16, 2024. Federal funding is available to territory and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Ernesto on the islands of St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas and Water Island. Federal funding is also available on a
FEMA Commits Additional $3.2 Billion Toward Utility, Road Paving and Education Projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands
FEMA Commits Additional $3.2 Billion Toward Utility, Road Paving and Education Projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands – The recent obligation of $3.2 billion toward projects to rebuild the potable water distribution system and repave roads across St. Croix and replace the utility’s metering infrastructure in the U.S. Virgin Islands, highlights FEMA’s continued partnership with the Government of the Virgin Islands in strengthening critical infrastructure damaged during hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. The St. Croix island-wide potable water distribution system replacement project with a FEMA obligation of $1.25 billion provides the Territory
U.S. propane inventories are well stocked heading into the winter heating season
The United States is well stocked with propane heading into the winter heating season, which runs from November through March, with U.S. propane inventories at the top of the five-year range spanning the winter of 2019–20 to the winter of 2023–24.
Northwest U.S. and western Canadian natural gas prices trade at historic lows in 2024
Monthly average natural gas spot prices at northwestern U.S. and western Canada border pricing hubs reached historic lows in 2024 through October, according to data from Natural Gas Intelligence. Robust natural gas production in western Canada, where output has generally increased over the last two years, and high natural gas inventories in the region contributed to the low prices.
Most U.S. petroleum coke is exported
Annual production of U.S. petroleum coke (petcoke) has remained relatively unchanged over the past 10 years (2014-23), averaging 46 million tons according to our analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Most U.S. petroleum coke is exported. The United States exported approximately 41 million tons in 2023, slightly more than the 10-year average for total petcoke exports of 40 million tons.