Featured Stories
FHLBanks Will Not Issue a Global on September 22, 2026
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- The Federal Home Loan Banks Office of Finance issued the following news release:
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FHLBanks Will Not Issue a Global on September 22, 2026
September 22, 2026
Today, the FHLBank System is announcing that no Global will be issued or reopened on the September 22 calendar date.
The next Global opportunity for the FHLBanks is October 13, 2026, per the Global calendar that is published and available on the Office of Finance website.
On these predetermined dates, the FHLBanks have the option of issuing a new Global, reopening an existing Global, or deferring until the
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- The Federal Home Loan Banks Office of Finance issued the following news release:
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FHLBanks Will Not Issue a Global on September 22, 2026
September 22, 2026
Today, the FHLBank System is announcing that no Global will be issued or reopened on the September 22 calendar date.
The next Global opportunity for the FHLBanks is October 13, 2026, per the Global calendar that is published and available on the Office of Finance website.
On these predetermined dates, the FHLBanks have the option of issuing a new Global, reopening an existing Global, or deferring until thenext scheduled opportunity.
This announcement is neither an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of offers to buy, these securities.
Created by Congress in 1932, the FHLBanks have served as a vital source of liquidity to their members throughout the economic cycles, supporting housing finance and community development across the United States. Please contact Tom Heinle at (703) 467-3646 or theinle@fhlb-of.com for additional information.
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Original text here: https://www.fhlb-of.com/news/fhlbanks-will-not-issue-a-global-on-september-22-2026/
NTSB Calls for Better Protection of Rail Workers During Shoving Movements
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The National Transportation Safety Board issued the following news release:
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NTSB Calls for Better Protection of Rail Workers During Shoving Movements
WASHINGTON (Sept. 21, 2026) -- The National Transportation Safety Board today issued safety recommendations urging the rail industry to end the practice of requiring workers to ride rail equipment to provide point protection during shoving movements.
The recommendations call on railroads and the Federal Railroad Administration to prohibit the practice, require safer alternatives, and identify hazards before operations
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The National Transportation Safety Board issued the following news release:
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NTSB Calls for Better Protection of Rail Workers During Shoving Movements
WASHINGTON (Sept. 21, 2026) -- The National Transportation Safety Board today issued safety recommendations urging the rail industry to end the practice of requiring workers to ride rail equipment to provide point protection during shoving movements.
The recommendations call on railroads and the Federal Railroad Administration to prohibit the practice, require safer alternatives, and identify hazards before operationsbegin.
"Railroad workers deserve a safe workplace and should never have to risk their lives to do their jobs," said NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy. "Our investigations have repeatedly shown that riding moving rail equipment can have deadly consequences. Railroads have safer alternatives, and they should use them."
During a shoving movement, a locomotive pushes railcars while a worker ensures the track ahead is clear. Some railroads allow workers to perform this task while riding on the lead railcar.
Workers riding railcars face numerous hazards, including falls from moving equipment, being struck by vehicles at highway-railroad grade crossings, and being pinned or crushed during collisions or derailments. Employees can also be thrown from equipment or trapped between railcars and nearby structures.
Since October 2020, the NTSB has investigated 16 accidents involving workers riding rail equipment during shoving movements. Fourteen workers were killed and two were seriously injured. Since August, NTSB has opened two additional investigations.
The NTSB found that federal regulations do not adequately address these risks and do not consistently require crews to identify hazards before work begins. Important risk factors can include limited visibility, close clearances, track and walkway conditions, grade crossings, switches, and derails.
Safer alternatives are available, including providing point protection from the ground, using vehicles, cameras, and other technologies that allow crews to monitor the track ahead without riding rail equipment.
"Repeated accidents that seriously injure or kill railroad workers are unacceptable," said NTSB Vice Chairman Michael Graham. "These recommendations provide a safer path forward by reducing unnecessary exposure to hazards and strengthening pre-job hazard assessments."
The NTSB recommends that railroads conduct and document site-specific hazard assessments before work begins. The assessments should evaluate environmental and operational hazards, available alternatives to riding equipment, and the safest method of providing point protection. Findings should be discussed with employees during pre-job safety briefings.
"Railroads can better protect workers during shoving movements by requiring pre-job hazard assessments, safety briefings and alternatives to riding equipment," said NTSB Board Member Tom Chapman. "These measures will help ensure every rail worker goes home safely."
"This report shows that the same safety issues continue to cause rail worker deaths and injuries," said NTSB Board Member John DeLeeuw. "Moving rail equipment safely should not expose employees to unacceptable risk."
As a result of its investigations, the NTSB recommends that the Federal Railroad Administration and Class I railroads:
* Prohibit workers from riding rail equipment to provide point protection during shoving movements and require safer alternatives.
* Conduct, document, and regularly update site-specific hazard assessments before work begins.
* Share hazard assessment findings with employees performing the work.
* Address identified hazards during pre-job safety briefings.
The NTSB is also recommending that the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association:
* Inform its members about the risks associated with riding rail equipment during shoving movements.
The full report (https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/DCA26SR010.aspx) is available on the NTSB website.
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).
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Original text here: https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20260921.aspx
NASA Discovery Reveals Complex Water Systems on Early Mars
PASADENA, California, Sept. 22 (TNSjou) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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NASA Discovery Reveals Complex Water Systems on Early Mars
Sept. 21, 2026
A new study reveals that Jezero Crater's enigmatic 'Margin Unit' was shaped by a complex sequence of ancient lakes, groundwater systems, and hydrothermal fluids.
When NASA's Perseverance rover reached the inner edge of Mars' Jezero Crater in September 2023, mission scientists were surprised by what they found. Called the "Margin Unit," the geologic area stretches along the shoreline of an ancient Martian lake, so
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PASADENA, California, Sept. 22 (TNSjou) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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NASA Discovery Reveals Complex Water Systems on Early Mars
Sept. 21, 2026
A new study reveals that Jezero Crater's enigmatic 'Margin Unit' was shaped by a complex sequence of ancient lakes, groundwater systems, and hydrothermal fluids.
When NASA's Perseverance rover reached the inner edge of Mars' Jezero Crater in September 2023, mission scientists were surprised by what they found. Called the "Margin Unit," the geologic area stretches along the shoreline of an ancient Martian lake, sothey expected sedimentary rocks, which would have formed as layers of sand piled on top of each other over millennia. Composed of clay and silt, sedimentary rocks on Earth are good at preserving past microbial life. The scientists were especially intrigued by strong signals of carbonate minerals detected by Mars orbiters. On Earth, carbonates frequently form in shallow ocean and lake environments capable of supporting life.
Instead, the rover team found igneous rock, which can form deep underground from magma or from volcanic activity at the surface. Igneous rocks are excellent record-keepers, particularly because mineral crystals within them preserve details about the precise moment they formed. In this case, they preserved an astonishingly complex record of water activity on early Mars. In fact, these rocks showed signs of having interacted with water on at least three separate occasions, with each encounter further altering their chemistry and appearance. The findings (https://rdcu.be/AfiPZZe8k18a) were published Monday in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.
The instrument behind the findings is SuperCam, which perches on the rover's mast and determines the mineralogy of geologic features based on the light they reflect. When the science team spots an intriguing rock, they can send commands for SuperCam to fire its laser up to 21 feet (6.5 meters) away. The spectrum of the resulting plasma reveals the target's chemistry. Perseverance has analyzed more than 185 bedrock targets across the unit this way.
"Before we arrived at the Margin Unit, the main hypothesis -- derived from orbital observations -- was that the carbonate seen from orbit formed from interaction with the lake that existed in Jezero Crater," said Candice Bedford, a research scientist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the study's lead author. "But now we know that this location became a sort of crossroads for aqueous systems. The Margin Unit findings are important because Jezero Crater sits inside one of the largest exposures of carbonate on Mars, so what we learn here reaches well beyond this crater."
Slow-cooling underground
Perseverance explored the Margin Unit across approximately 870 feet (265 meters) of elevation. At higher elevations, it found rock that was coarse-grained and crystalline -- hallmarks of the mineral olivine -- with almost no sign that water had ever touched it. Made of magnesium and iron, the area's olivine unit formed in a body of magma deep underground, cooling slowly enough for its grains to grow large, and reached the surface only after the ground above it eroded away. Lower in the unit, on the lakebed, the rock looks transformed, as the olivine grains were fractured with silica between them.
Carbonate and silica minerals are an important signpost in the search for ancient life. When water interacts with olivine on Earth, the reaction can release hydrogen, which can be a food source for some microbes, and it leaves behind carbonate and silica, two minerals that lock in traces of the past existence of those microbes.
Multiple episodes
The Perseverance team can determine the sequence of the Margin Unit's interactions with water, but not their age. On the first occasion water reached the rocks of the Margin Unit, carbon-dioxide-rich groundwater reacted with olivine, resulting in ridges of carbonate that run through the fractures in bedrock at low elevations. Today, these carbonate-filled fractures are left standing as the softer rock around them wears away.
The second time water reached the rocks may have been related to the lake that once existed in the crater.
"Some of the Margin Unit rocks also contain silica," said Eleni Ravanis, a planetary scientist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a coauthor of the study. "Turning olivine into carbonate can leave silica behind, and we see more of that silica in rocks that sat below the water line."
Last came a water event that generated mineral veins at one location in the eastern part of the Margin Unit, about 10 inches (25 centimeters) thick, creating minerals like calcium sulfate and fluorite. Finding fluorite is an important clue because it typically forms when hot water circulates through volcanic rocks, revealing that this area experienced a later, heated underground-water event.
"If there is one thing I have learned after 10 years working with Mars rovers, it is that Mars constantly throws surprises at you," said Bedford. "It is very rare that things are as we expect them to be from orbital data. I hope this work helps reshape how scientists view the history of water in Jezero Crater and across Mars. Ultimately, I hope it helps planetary scientists reconstruct the changing climate and habitability of early Mars."
More about Perseverance
A key objective of Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover characterizes the planet's geology and past climate and collects and stores Martian rock and regolith.
Managed for NASA by Caltech, Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover on behalf of the agency's Science Mission Directorate as part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program portfolio. SuperCam is co-led by Purdue University in Indiana, Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and IRAP (Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology) and CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) in Toulouse, France.
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Original text here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-discovery-reveals-complex-water-systems-on-early-mars/
IDB Supports Misiones With $200 Million in Financing for Investments in Urban Development, Connectivity, and Rural Electrification
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Supports Misiones with $200 Million in Financing for Investments in Urban Development, Connectivity, and Rural Electrification
September 21, 2026
WASHINGTON -- The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved three operations totaling $200 million to promote improvements to Routes 17 and 14, expand access to electricity in rural areas, and improve urban services and housing policy in Misiones, Argentina, thereby contributing to the province's development.
The
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Supports Misiones with $200 Million in Financing for Investments in Urban Development, Connectivity, and Rural Electrification
September 21, 2026
WASHINGTON -- The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved three operations totaling $200 million to promote improvements to Routes 17 and 14, expand access to electricity in rural areas, and improve urban services and housing policy in Misiones, Argentina, thereby contributing to the province's development.
Theoperations reflect the joint efforts of the IDB, the national government, and the provinces to address local development priorities and achieve concrete improvements in the population's quality of life. These projects are part of the IDB Group's Country Strategy with Argentina 2025-2028, which includes among its priorities promoting sustained and resilient economic growth, improving connectivity and competitiveness, and supporting the most vulnerable populations.
"These investments reflect the importance of working in coordination with the provinces to provide solutions to the specific needs of each locality," said Viviana Alva Hart, the IDB Group's representative in Argentina. "In Misiones, we are supporting a comprehensive agenda that combines infrastructure, production and urban development to improve connectivity, create opportunities for the development of regional economies, and contribute to a better quality of life for its residents," she added.
"We are deeply grateful to the IDB and its technical teams for their trust in our province, seriousness in our joint work and sensitivity in understanding the priorities of our people. This support allows us to move forward with concrete projects that improve the lives of the people of Misiones," said Hugo Passalacqua, Governor of the province of Misiones.
One operation, worth $113 million, will support investments under the Strategic Corridors and Route Management Program on Provincial Route No. 17 and National Route No. 14, two critical roads for provincial connectivity. This transaction will also strengthen the management of the Provincial Highway Authority by incorporating criteria for efficiency and resilience.
This operation is part of South Connection, the IDB Group's regional program aimed at strengthening trade, integration and growth in South America.
The second operation--a $40 million loan allocated to the Agricultural Services Program--will finance expanded access to electricity and improved power supply quality in rural areas, as well as upgrades to traffic conditions on Provincial Route 205, thereby facilitating access to Fachinal and strengthening key infrastructure for the economic development of its rural areas.
This is the second individual loan under a Conditional Credit Line for Investment Projects (CCLIP) aimed at improving agricultural productivity and the income of rural households in Argentina.
The latest $47 million operation is destined to the Urban Development and Habitat Improvement Program and will finance investments in public water, energy, and sanitation services; road and pedestrian networks; community facilities and public spaces; the development of experimental and scalable housing prototypes; and the design and implementation of an integrated land management system.
With these three operations, the IDB is deepening its work with Argentina and its subnational governments through an agenda that integrates connectivity, productive development, infrastructure and housing, to create better conditions for economic growth and improving the population's quality of life.
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About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the Bank works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries. Visit our website: https://www.iadb.org/en
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-supports-misiones-200-million-financing-investments-urban-development-connectivity-and-rural
IDB Group Convenes Heads of State and Technology Leaders to Advance AI Agenda
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Group Convenes Heads of State and Technology Leaders to Advance AI Agenda
September 21, 2026
* New IDB analysis estimates that broad AI adoption could raise the GDP of Latin America and the Caribbean by 5.1% in a decade.
* With worker mobility, wages could increase by up to 5.3%, while without it, wages could fall by as much as 20.9%.
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NEW YORK -- The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) today convened heads of state and government officials from The Bahamas, Bolivia,
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Group Convenes Heads of State and Technology Leaders to Advance AI Agenda
September 21, 2026
* New IDB analysis estimates that broad AI adoption could raise the GDP of Latin America and the Caribbean by 5.1% in a decade.
* With worker mobility, wages could increase by up to 5.3%, while without it, wages could fall by as much as 20.9%.
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NEW YORK -- The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) today convened heads of state and government officials from The Bahamas, Bolivia,Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, and Uruguay, alongside senior executives from Google, Anthropic, Microsoft, and Nvidia, to advance a shared roadmap for broad and safe adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Latin America and the Caribbean and help unlock productivity across the region.
Held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, leaders called for the development of a regional mechanism that would embed a common strategy and joint investment guidelines.
They also addressed the foundations required for successful and responsible AI adoption, including institutions and regulation, talent and skills, digital infrastructure and data systems, dissemination of technology across governments, firms, and workers, and potential risks.
The urgency of the discussion was informed by the findings of the forthcoming IDB flagship report, "From Digitalization to Artificial Intelligence: Turning Promises into Productivity," to be published in November. The report is the 2026 edition of the Development in the Americas (DIA) series.
According to the report, broad adoption of AI and large labor-productivity effects could raise regional GDP by 5.1% after a decade. With limited adoption and small productivity effects, GDP would rise by only 0.3%.
The study also examines how worker mobility can shape the distribution of AI's benefits. Wages could increase by 2.3% to 5.3% over a decade if workers move into expanding job areas, but could fall by 13.5% to 20.9% if they cannot, underscoring the importance of policies that help workers adapt.
AI has the potential to transform the region's economies, but any potential gains will depend on policy decisions made today and countries' ability to scale adoption across the public and private sectors, the report argues. AI is already delivering measurable results, including reducing exclusion errors in social protection programs, improving public safety outcomes, and increasing worker productivity.
Participants included the heads of state of Chile, Jose Antonio Kast; the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader; Guyana, Irfaan Ali; Panama, Jose Raul Mulino; Paraguay, Santiago Pena; Suriname, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons; and Uruguay, Yamandu Orsi, as well as Colombian Vice President Jose Manuel Restrepo; Bahamian Minister of Innovation, Sebastian Bastia; Bolivian Minister of the Presidency Fernando Aramayo; Brazilian Minister of Management and Innovation Esther Dweck; and Guatemalan Minister of Planning and Programming Carlos Mendoza Alvarado.
The discussion, organized in partnership with the Americas Society/Council of the Americas and Bicycle Capital, also included Ruth Porat, president and CIO of Alphabet and Google; Kevin Martin, VP and head of global policy of Meta; Mariano-Florentino "Tino" Cuellar, chief global affairs officer of Anthropic; Lisa Monaco, president of Microsoft Global Affairs; Bruce Andrews, chief external affairs officer of Nvidia; Marcelo Claure, co-chair of Brightstar Capital Partners; Shu Nyatta, co-founder and managing partner of Bicycle Capital; Sebastian Kurz, co-founder and co-CEO of Dream; and Garth Sheldon-Coulson, founder and CEO of Panthalassa.
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About the IDB Group
The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) is the leading source of financing and knowledge for improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. It comprises the IDB, which works with the region's public sector and enables the private sector; IDB Invest, which directly supports private companies and projects; and IDB Lab, which spurs entrepreneurial innovation.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-group-convenes-heads-state-and-technology-leaders-advance-ai-agenda
EPA and DOJ Reach $700,000 Settlement with Puerto Rico Sterilizer Over Clean Air Act Violations
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA and DOJ Reach $700,000 Settlement with Puerto Rico Sterilizer Over Clean Air Act Violations
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WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a proposed settlement agreement with commercial sterilization facility operator Steri-Tech, Inc. to reduce ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions at its facility in Salinas, Puerto Rico, by 99.99% and pay a $700,000 fine to resolve past violations of the Clean Air Act. The settlement reduces
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA and DOJ Reach $700,000 Settlement with Puerto Rico Sterilizer Over Clean Air Act Violations
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WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a proposed settlement agreement with commercial sterilization facility operator Steri-Tech, Inc. to reduce ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions at its facility in Salinas, Puerto Rico, by 99.99% and pay a $700,000 fine to resolve past violations of the Clean Air Act. The settlement reducestoxic EtO exposure for nearby residents in Salinas, Puerto Rico.
"EPA is committed to protecting people from hazardous air pollutants such as ethylene oxide, which is widely used to sterilize medical devices that are essential for the care of children, older adults, and other patients," said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Jeffrey Hall. "While these facilities themselves provide a service that protects people, EPA's job is to make sure that the facilities have the proper controls to support safe access to critical medical devices while reducing exposure for communities."
"This proposed agreement resolves Steri-Tech's past violations under the Clean Air Act and ensures the facility in Salinas, Puerto Rico continues to operate in compliance of federal laws," said EPA Region 2 Administrator Michael Martucci. "The nation-leading limit on ethylene oxide emissions will reduce exposure for nearby residents."
"This settlement illustrates the federal government's commitment to protecting local communities from toxic air pollution through tough enforcement against companies that fail to comply with the law," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). "Steri-Tech's commitment to implement control its emission of EtO supports President Trump's effort to protect children from toxic air emissions and to make America healthy again."
Under the proposed consent decree, Steri-Tech would be required to continuously reduce EtO emissions by at least 99.99% from each sterilization chamber vent at the facility. Steri-Tech presently operates in compliance with this requirement under EPA oversight.
The proposed consent decree was filed September 21 with the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and is subject to a 30-day comment period. The complaint and the proposed consent decree are available on the Justice Department's Proposed Consent Decree webpageExit EPA's website.
Background
EtO is a colorless gas that is critical to the medical device supply chain. Commercial sterilization covers the sterilizer processes that use EtO to sterilize or fumigate materials such as medical equipment and supplies, spices, and other miscellaneous products and items. These processes are designed to eliminate microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists from products to ensure they are safe for human use and consumption. Each year, EtO is used to sterilize approximately 20 billion medical devices, or about 50 percent of all U.S. medical devices.
EPA is focused on taking actions that will save lives and protect Americans from exposure to excess EtO emissions. The DOJ-EPA June 2025 complaint in this matter alleged, among other things, that Steri-Tech improperly operated its thermal oxidizer, a pollution control device designed to incinerate hazardous air pollutants such as EtO, since at least June 2019, failing to comply with levels of EtO emission control required by federal regulations and its operating permit issued by Puerto Rico. Since the complaint was filed, Steri-Tech working under EPA oversight has brought its operations into compliance with the law.
Please see EPA's efforts to address EtO for more information.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-and-doj-reach-700000-settlement-puerto-rico-sterilizer-over-clean-air-act
EPA Awards Record $82 Million to Improve Water Quality and Restore Habitat Across San Francisco Bay Watersheds
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Awards Record $82 Million to Improve Water Quality and Restore Habitat Across San Francisco Bay Watersheds
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SAN FRANCISCO (Sept. 22, 2026) - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing its largest-ever investment in the San Francisco Bay and surrounding watersheds through grant funding under the agency's San Francisco Bay Program. EPA is awarding more than $82 million to fund 20 projects that support major water quality improvements and habitat restoration across the
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Awards Record $82 Million to Improve Water Quality and Restore Habitat Across San Francisco Bay Watersheds
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SAN FRANCISCO (Sept. 22, 2026) - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing its largest-ever investment in the San Francisco Bay and surrounding watersheds through grant funding under the agency's San Francisco Bay Program. EPA is awarding more than $82 million to fund 20 projects that support major water quality improvements and habitat restoration across theBay, advancing EPA's mission to provide clean water for every American.
"EPA's San Francisco Bay Program puts federal funding into action to improve water quality, reduce pollution, and restore natural habitat around this iconic American body of water," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Mike Martucci. "Through the long-term investments we are unveiling today, EPA and local partners will work together to safeguard the health of the Bay for the benefit of our local communities."
The following organizations received San Francisco Bay Program grants and will be starting their projects in 2026.
2026 San Francisco Bay Program Projects
* Association of Bay Area Governments ($5.6 million) - This funding will support habitat restoration at Strip Marsh East along Highway 37 in San Pablo Bay by reusing sediment produced from excavating new tidal channels and lowering berms. The project will also deliver a report on how sediment moves through the Bay-Delta estuary to inform long-term plans to restore 100,000 acres of tidal wetlands in the region.
* Bay Area Clean Water Agencies ($7 million) - This funding will support five pilot projects aimed at reducing nutrient inputs to San Francisco Bay. The projects will test biological nutrient removal technologies at wastewater treatment plants, advance nature-based approaches for nutrient management, and develop a regional nutrient trading program.
* City of Oakland ($3 million) - This funding will support the cleanup of legacy polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)-contaminated soil from Arroyo Viejo Creek. Harmful PCBs accumulate in the environment and fish, which can lead to impacts on human health when those fish are consumed. The project will remove 2,500 cubic feet of PCB contaminated sediment from the creek bed, preventing it from entering the Bay.
* City of San Jose ($3.16 million) - This funding will support the City of San Jose's green stormwater infrastructure implementation plan. A new approach will be added under the City's stormwater permit requirements to allow new development projects to pay into an "operations and maintenance" fund for existing green stormwater infrastructure.
* City of San Leandro ($2.49 million) - This funding will help reduce trash and pollutants entering the San Leandro Bay by installing two large trash capture devices in stormwater drains in San Leandro Creek.
* City of San Pablo ($1.26 million) - This funding will support the construction and monitoring of green stormwater infrastructure facilities designed to capture and treat large volumes of stormwater runoff.
* East Bay Regional Park District ($5 million) - This funding will support restoration of tidal marsh habitat at Hayward Marsh. The project will include the installation of approximately 1,200 feet of living shoreline and enhancements of wetlands and marsh habitat to improve ecological complexity and water quality.
* Marin Audubon Society ($5 million) - This funding will help restore 4 acres of tidal marsh along the Marin County shoreline and protect existing marsh through construction of a 2-acre cobble beach. Beaches are a nature-based solution that can protect inland property from erosion and sea level rise.
* Metropolitan Transportation Commission ($9.57 million) - This funding will improve tidal circulation in Tolay Creek and nearby wetlands by expanding the width under the State Route 37 bridge. The project will also reuse excavated sediment to reinforce flood protection levees at nearby facilities.
* Port of Oakland ($5 million) - The funding will support the Port of Oakland's installation of four large trash capture devices which will collect stormwater from 427 acres of port property. The devices will reduce more than 4,700 gallons of trash from entering the San Francisco Bay.
* Richardson Bay Regional Agency ($3.05 million) - This funding will support the removal of legacy marine debris from Richardson Bay to improve subtidal habitat and advance eelgrass restoration efforts. The project will map, remove, and characterize 700 to 900 tons of debris and help restore six acres of eelgrass habitat.
* San Francisco Estuary Institute - The four following grants are awarded to the San Francisco Estuary Institute for separate projects:
* Advancing Eelgrass Restoration ($1.83 million) - This funding will support the development of a regional dataset for subtidal eelgrass habitat in San Francisco Bay. The project will evaluate regionwide eelgrass monitoring options, identify cost-effective strategies, and develop standard operating procedures to support restoration goals.
* Nutrient Management and Wetland Restoration ($4.09 million) - This funding will ensure continued nutrient monitoring in San Francisco Bay and evaluate the results of nutrient-focused wetland restoration projects and wastewater treatment plant upgrades. The project will track harmful algal blooms, collect data on changes in water quality, and inform future nutrient trading programs.
* Protecting Bay Fishers: Management of PFAS, PCBs, and Other Contaminants ($3.18 million) - This funding will support fish monitoring, consumption surveys, and efforts to reduce exposure to contaminants in San Francisco Bay. The project will help update Bay Area fish consumption advisories, inform cleanup plans for mercury, PCBs, and PFAS, and improve public health for Bay fishers and their families.
* Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program ($5.86 million) - This funding will support the Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program by expanding water quality and fish monitoring efforts. The project will provide baseline data, standardize monitoring requirements, and inform decisions on future regional restoration investments.
* San Mateo City/County Association of Governments ($3.8 million) - This funding will support targeted monitoring of PCBs, implementation and evaluation of efforts to control PCB sources, and public outreach in San Mateo County. Removal of PCBs from Bay Area watersheds is required under the stormwater permit to protect Bay fish from bioaccumulation.
* San Francisco Public Utilities Commission ($5 million) - This funding will support construction of green stormwater infrastructure throughout the Outer Mission neighborhood in San Francisco, including planted sidewalk filtration systems, rain gardens, and an underground system that helps water soak into the ground.
* Solano Land Trust ($3.99 million) - This funding will help restore tidal flow to 80 acres of marsh at Rush Ranch as part of the Goat Island Restoration Project. The project will expand high-quality habitat, remove invasive plants, improve public access, and support long-term monitoring of the marsh and special-status species.
* State Coastal Conservancy ($3 million) - This funding will advance the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project by restoring 275 acres of tidal marsh habitat in Pond A1. The project will reconnect Pond A1 to the San Francisco Bay, add shoreline erosion protection, and plant native vegetation to enhance habitat benefits.
* Trout Unlimited ($1.29 million) - This funding will support the planning and permitting needed to remove a fish passage barrier in the Petaluma River watershed. By removing a failed culvert, upper watershed habitat for steelhead and Chinook salmon will be reconnected in Adobe Creek and Petaluma Marsh.
Background
San Francisco Bay is a designated "estuary of national significance" under the Clean Water Act. The Bay and its tributary streams, situated in an urban area with more than seven million people, provide crucial fish and wildlife habitat at the heart of the larger Estuary. EPA's San Francisco Bay Program is a congressionally appropriated Geographic Program and grant program which was established in 2008.
More information:
EPA San Francisco Bay Program Office
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-awards-record-82-million-improve-water-quality-and-restore-habitat-across-san
(TNSmrp)
