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Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation Honors Two STRI Fellows With Prestigious 2026 Awards in Field Biology
PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 19 -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news:
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Field- Biology Awards
Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation honors two STRI fellows with prestigious 2026 awards in field biology
-
Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey were recognized for their innovative research and dedication to field biology with awards from the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) congratulates former postdoctoral fellows Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey, two of the five recipients of the 2026 Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Field Biology, among ... Show Full Article PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 19 -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news: * * * Field- Biology Awards Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation honors two STRI fellows with prestigious 2026 awards in field biology - Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey were recognized for their innovative research and dedication to field biology with awards from the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) congratulates former postdoctoral fellows Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey, two of the five recipients of the 2026 Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Field Biology, amongthe most prestigious honors in field-based natural science research. Somjee is currently a NOMIS Fellow at STRI, and Lucey is now an assistant professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. Announced on Aug. 13, each scientist received an unrestricted $150,000 award recognizing innovative field research that advances understanding of the natural world through direct observation, experimentation, and collaboration.
Likened to the field biology equivalent of a "genius grant," the Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards were launched in 2020 to support researchers whose work demonstrates originality, curiosity and significant potential at important moments in their careers. Awardees are selected through a confidential nomination process and evaluated on the impact of their research, the originality of their ideas and the momentum the award could provide at a critical career stage.
"The success of former STRI fellows reflects the strength of the institute's academic programs and the extraordinary creativity and dedication of the scientists who conduct research here," said Amanda Sesser, STRI's Associate Director for Higher Education and Capacity Building. "We are proud to see Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey recognized for discoveries that deepen our understanding of biodiversity and the changing natural world."
Ummat Somjee: Revealing the Costs and Consequences of Extraordinary Insect Traits
An evolutionary biologist and former Earl S. Tupper Postdoctoral Fellow and NOMIS-STRI Fellow in Animal Behavior at STRI with Staff Scientist, Rachel Page, Somjee has built an international reputation for innovative field experiments that examine the evolution, function and physiological costs of exaggerated insect traits, particularly the elaborate weapons used in male-to-male competition. His work combines natural history observations, behavioral studies, and physiological measurements to understand how these traits influence reproductive success, survival, and evolutionary trade-offs.
After earning degrees at Simon Fraser University and the University of Florida, Somjee conducted research across Central America, Australia, New Zealand and other locations before joining STRI. His studies have demonstrated the energetic costs associated with exaggerated weapons and revealed how animals allocate limited resources among competing demands such as combat, reproduction, and survival. His research has been featured by major outlets including The New York Times, National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine and PBS. The Maxwell/Hanrahan celebration of field studies aligns well with the theme of Somjee's NOMIS-STRI Fellowship, which is focused on direct studies of animal behavior under natural conditions in the wild.
"This much needed funding for field-research was a complete surprise and will allow me to complement the work I plan to do this year with funding from the NOMIS Foundation," said Somjee.
Noelle Lucey: Understanding Climate Threats to Tropical Marine Ecosystems
Marine biologist Noelle Lucey, who served as a postdoctoral fellow at STRI's Bocas del Toro Research Station with Staff Scientist Rachel Collin from 2017 through 2023, has become a leading voice in the study of ocean deoxygenation and its effects on tropical marine ecosystems. Her research integrates physiology, ecology, and oceanography to understand how marine organisms respond to increasingly stressful conditions driven by climate change, including warming waters and declining oxygen levels.
During her time at STRI, Lucey carried out pioneering studies on corals, sea urchins and other marine organisms, helping demonstrate that ocean deoxygenation is a significant but often overlooked driver of coral reef decline in the Caribbean. Her work has advanced understanding of how marine species adapt, persist or disappear under climate stress and has informed broader conversations about resilience in tropical oceans. Following her STRI fellowship, she held positions at Princeton University and is now an assistant professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez.
"I am super excited about this amazing Maxwell/Hanrahan award, which gives me the opportunity to study the forces at play when coral reefs don't have enough oxygen to sustain them," said Lucey.
According to the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, the awards support individuals who "explore and ask questions through fieldwork in natural sciences" and enable researchers to dedicate time to the observation and experimentation that lead to new discoveries. By honoring Somjee and Lucey, the Foundation recognizes two scientists whose careers exemplify the power of field research to illuminate the complexity of life on Earth and address some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
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This media alert was written and reviewed by a public affairs specialist, using AI to assist with editing and generating the summary based on information from the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation.
* * *
About the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, STRI is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. Our mission is to understand tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, to train students to conduct research in the tropics, and to promote conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Watch our video, and visit our website, Facebook, and Instagram for updates.
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Original text here: https://stri.si.edu/story/field-biology-awards
* * *
Field- Biology Awards
Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation honors two STRI fellows with prestigious 2026 awards in field biology
-
Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey were recognized for their innovative research and dedication to field biology with awards from the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) congratulates former postdoctoral fellows Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey, two of the five recipients of the 2026 Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Field Biology, among ... Show Full Article PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 19 -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news: * * * Field- Biology Awards Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation honors two STRI fellows with prestigious 2026 awards in field biology - Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey were recognized for their innovative research and dedication to field biology with awards from the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) congratulates former postdoctoral fellows Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey, two of the five recipients of the 2026 Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards in Field Biology, amongthe most prestigious honors in field-based natural science research. Somjee is currently a NOMIS Fellow at STRI, and Lucey is now an assistant professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. Announced on Aug. 13, each scientist received an unrestricted $150,000 award recognizing innovative field research that advances understanding of the natural world through direct observation, experimentation, and collaboration.
Likened to the field biology equivalent of a "genius grant," the Maxwell/Hanrahan Awards were launched in 2020 to support researchers whose work demonstrates originality, curiosity and significant potential at important moments in their careers. Awardees are selected through a confidential nomination process and evaluated on the impact of their research, the originality of their ideas and the momentum the award could provide at a critical career stage.
"The success of former STRI fellows reflects the strength of the institute's academic programs and the extraordinary creativity and dedication of the scientists who conduct research here," said Amanda Sesser, STRI's Associate Director for Higher Education and Capacity Building. "We are proud to see Ummat Somjee and Noelle Lucey recognized for discoveries that deepen our understanding of biodiversity and the changing natural world."
Ummat Somjee: Revealing the Costs and Consequences of Extraordinary Insect Traits
An evolutionary biologist and former Earl S. Tupper Postdoctoral Fellow and NOMIS-STRI Fellow in Animal Behavior at STRI with Staff Scientist, Rachel Page, Somjee has built an international reputation for innovative field experiments that examine the evolution, function and physiological costs of exaggerated insect traits, particularly the elaborate weapons used in male-to-male competition. His work combines natural history observations, behavioral studies, and physiological measurements to understand how these traits influence reproductive success, survival, and evolutionary trade-offs.
After earning degrees at Simon Fraser University and the University of Florida, Somjee conducted research across Central America, Australia, New Zealand and other locations before joining STRI. His studies have demonstrated the energetic costs associated with exaggerated weapons and revealed how animals allocate limited resources among competing demands such as combat, reproduction, and survival. His research has been featured by major outlets including The New York Times, National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine and PBS. The Maxwell/Hanrahan celebration of field studies aligns well with the theme of Somjee's NOMIS-STRI Fellowship, which is focused on direct studies of animal behavior under natural conditions in the wild.
"This much needed funding for field-research was a complete surprise and will allow me to complement the work I plan to do this year with funding from the NOMIS Foundation," said Somjee.
Noelle Lucey: Understanding Climate Threats to Tropical Marine Ecosystems
Marine biologist Noelle Lucey, who served as a postdoctoral fellow at STRI's Bocas del Toro Research Station with Staff Scientist Rachel Collin from 2017 through 2023, has become a leading voice in the study of ocean deoxygenation and its effects on tropical marine ecosystems. Her research integrates physiology, ecology, and oceanography to understand how marine organisms respond to increasingly stressful conditions driven by climate change, including warming waters and declining oxygen levels.
During her time at STRI, Lucey carried out pioneering studies on corals, sea urchins and other marine organisms, helping demonstrate that ocean deoxygenation is a significant but often overlooked driver of coral reef decline in the Caribbean. Her work has advanced understanding of how marine species adapt, persist or disappear under climate stress and has informed broader conversations about resilience in tropical oceans. Following her STRI fellowship, she held positions at Princeton University and is now an assistant professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez.
"I am super excited about this amazing Maxwell/Hanrahan award, which gives me the opportunity to study the forces at play when coral reefs don't have enough oxygen to sustain them," said Lucey.
According to the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, the awards support individuals who "explore and ask questions through fieldwork in natural sciences" and enable researchers to dedicate time to the observation and experimentation that lead to new discoveries. By honoring Somjee and Lucey, the Foundation recognizes two scientists whose careers exemplify the power of field research to illuminate the complexity of life on Earth and address some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
* * *
This media alert was written and reviewed by a public affairs specialist, using AI to assist with editing and generating the summary based on information from the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation.
* * *
About the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, STRI is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. Our mission is to understand tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, to train students to conduct research in the tropics, and to promote conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Watch our video, and visit our website, Facebook, and Instagram for updates.
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Original text here: https://stri.si.edu/story/field-biology-awards
IDB Report: Caribbean Economies Made Notable Progress in Debt Reduction and Fiscal Sustainability
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (TNSbrep) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Report: Caribbean Economies Made Notable Progress in Debt Reduction and Fiscal Sustainability
Caribbean Economics Quarterly highlights public finance, and tax reforms drive faster, more resilient, and sustainable long-term growth.
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Caribbean economies have achieved notable fiscal consolidation and debt reduction despite the persistence of high global interest rates and volatile energy markets, according to a new Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report.
The new edition ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (TNSbrep) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release: * * * IDB Report: Caribbean Economies Made Notable Progress in Debt Reduction and Fiscal Sustainability Caribbean Economics Quarterly highlights public finance, and tax reforms drive faster, more resilient, and sustainable long-term growth. - Caribbean economies have achieved notable fiscal consolidation and debt reduction despite the persistence of high global interest rates and volatile energy markets, according to a new Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report. The new editionof the Caribbean Economics Quarterly (CEQ), titled "Fiscal Resilience, Debt Reduction and Domestic Resource Mobilization in the Caribbean," examines the fiscal and debt trajectories of six member countries of the IDB's Caribbean Country Department: The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. It finds that half of these countries have successfully reduced their debt-to-GDP ratios below pre-pandemic levels, demonstrating the effectiveness of disciplined fiscal management and credible institutional frameworks.
However, the CEQ warns that the regional fiscal environment remains challenged due to tighter global financial conditions rather than a deterioration in investor perceptions of the Caribbean.
"Caribbean nations have navigated an extraordinarily complex series of global shocks in the recent decade with impressive policy discipline," said Anton Edmunds, IDB General Manager for the Caribbean.
"The data shows that substantial debt reduction is possible when governments maintain credible fiscal frameworks. Moving forward, the priority must be building more productive, fair, and resilient revenue systems that can finance both debt reduction and critical investments, including in disaster risk management," he added
A central finding of the report is that the region collects less revenue than it needs for sustainable development and disaster resilience. Tax revenues in the Caribbean averaged 21 percent of GDP in 2023, below the Latin American average of 22 percent and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 34 percent.
The CEQ highlights several cross-country reform priorities to address this gap, including modernizing tax administration through digital technologies, rationalizing tax incentives and exemptions, and strengthening stable revenue sources such as property taxation. For oil and gas producers, the report stresses the importance of strong fiscal rules and sovereign wealth funds to smooth revenue volatility and preserve wealth for future generations.
The full Caribbean Economics Quarterly report is available for reading on the IDB website (https://publications.iadb.org/en/caribbean-economics-quarterly-volume-16-issue-2-fiscal-resilience-debt-reduction-and-domestic).
The Caribbean Economics Quarterly publication series is a trusted resource for policymakers, academia, and businesses. Previous editions are available here (https://publications.iadb.org/en?keys=Caribbean+Economics+Quarterly).
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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: www.iadb.org/en.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-report-caribbean-economies-made-notable-progress-debt-reduction-and-fiscal-sustainability
* * *
IDB Report: Caribbean Economies Made Notable Progress in Debt Reduction and Fiscal Sustainability
Caribbean Economics Quarterly highlights public finance, and tax reforms drive faster, more resilient, and sustainable long-term growth.
-
Caribbean economies have achieved notable fiscal consolidation and debt reduction despite the persistence of high global interest rates and volatile energy markets, according to a new Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report.
The new edition ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (TNSbrep) -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release: * * * IDB Report: Caribbean Economies Made Notable Progress in Debt Reduction and Fiscal Sustainability Caribbean Economics Quarterly highlights public finance, and tax reforms drive faster, more resilient, and sustainable long-term growth. - Caribbean economies have achieved notable fiscal consolidation and debt reduction despite the persistence of high global interest rates and volatile energy markets, according to a new Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report. The new editionof the Caribbean Economics Quarterly (CEQ), titled "Fiscal Resilience, Debt Reduction and Domestic Resource Mobilization in the Caribbean," examines the fiscal and debt trajectories of six member countries of the IDB's Caribbean Country Department: The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. It finds that half of these countries have successfully reduced their debt-to-GDP ratios below pre-pandemic levels, demonstrating the effectiveness of disciplined fiscal management and credible institutional frameworks.
However, the CEQ warns that the regional fiscal environment remains challenged due to tighter global financial conditions rather than a deterioration in investor perceptions of the Caribbean.
"Caribbean nations have navigated an extraordinarily complex series of global shocks in the recent decade with impressive policy discipline," said Anton Edmunds, IDB General Manager for the Caribbean.
"The data shows that substantial debt reduction is possible when governments maintain credible fiscal frameworks. Moving forward, the priority must be building more productive, fair, and resilient revenue systems that can finance both debt reduction and critical investments, including in disaster risk management," he added
A central finding of the report is that the region collects less revenue than it needs for sustainable development and disaster resilience. Tax revenues in the Caribbean averaged 21 percent of GDP in 2023, below the Latin American average of 22 percent and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 34 percent.
The CEQ highlights several cross-country reform priorities to address this gap, including modernizing tax administration through digital technologies, rationalizing tax incentives and exemptions, and strengthening stable revenue sources such as property taxation. For oil and gas producers, the report stresses the importance of strong fiscal rules and sovereign wealth funds to smooth revenue volatility and preserve wealth for future generations.
The full Caribbean Economics Quarterly report is available for reading on the IDB website (https://publications.iadb.org/en/caribbean-economics-quarterly-volume-16-issue-2-fiscal-resilience-debt-reduction-and-domestic).
The Caribbean Economics Quarterly publication series is a trusted resource for policymakers, academia, and businesses. Previous editions are available here (https://publications.iadb.org/en?keys=Caribbean+Economics+Quarterly).
* * *
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: www.iadb.org/en.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-report-caribbean-economies-made-notable-progress-debt-reduction-and-fiscal-sustainability
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Shared Love of Biodiversity Seeds New Endowment
PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 18 -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news:
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Legacy of conservation
Shared love of biodiversity seeds new endowment
The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment will support future conservation efforts.
Cristian Samper and his late wife Adriana Casas shared a passion for biodiversity and the environment.
Their love was so strong, in fact, that they forewent wedding gifts to create a fellowship fund to train the next generation of conservationists in their native Colombia. Two decades later, their endowment has supported 176 ... Show Full Article PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 18 -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news: * * * Legacy of conservation Shared love of biodiversity seeds new endowment The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment will support future conservation efforts. Cristian Samper and his late wife Adriana Casas shared a passion for biodiversity and the environment. Their love was so strong, in fact, that they forewent wedding gifts to create a fellowship fund to train the next generation of conservationists in their native Colombia. Two decades later, their endowment has supported 176researchers from 42 different universities.
"In some ways, I am building on what we started," said Samper, a tropical biologist and former deputy director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and former director of the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).
Recently, he established the Smithsonian's first international charitable gift annuity, which now benefits his in-laws in Colombia and will later fund The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment to support future work at STRI and NMNH. "It's a way of saying thank you to the Smithsonian, which changed our family's life in so many ways."
During his tenure, Samper also served as Acting Secretary, which he fondly refers to as his "sabbatical in the Castle." He would often open talks with an aerial slide of the National Mall that showed the museums adjoining the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument and White House. "Any nation that can devote its most important real estate to an institution dedicated to knowledge and make it free to anyone from any place in the world--well, that says something about a society."
He first visited the Smithsonian after completing his Master's degree. "My experience tells a story about the Smithsonian--about the nation," Samper reflected. "I came here as an immigrant and had these opportunities, and just 15 years later, I got to lead one of the world's most remarkable organizations."
The role of a museum, as he sees it, is to document a time and place through its collections, use them for science to understand our world, and share it all with millions of visitors. "We often talk about biodiversity extinction, but we don't talk enough about the loss of cultural diversity." The Smithsonian is uniquely positioned to address both issues. "It's really about asking critical questions and then using that knowledge to inform our lives and make different choices as a society."
Samper also values the Smithsonian's long-term commitment to its people and places. When he started at STRI, he said, "It was like going to Mecca. There's no tropical forest better understood than Barro Colorado Island." For over a century, scientists have explored its living collection, yielding pioneering studies and prolific publications. "The Smithsonian looks at the past, present and future of our natural world--and our place in it."
"We are at a critical moment for the planet," said Samper. "We must use scientific knowledge to inform policy and work on the ground. We must also strengthen our connections and partnerships with other organizations that are doing this work across the globe."
Samper is certain that now is the right time to invest in the future of the Smithsonian--and our planet. "I hope that our endowment will extend beyond the knowledge of the moment and translate to real impact on the world."
* * *
About the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, STRI is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. Our mission is to understand tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, to train students to conduct research in the tropics and to promote conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Watch our video, and visit our website, Facebook, X and Instagram for updates.
* * *
Original text here: https://stri.si.edu/story/legacy-conservation
* * *
Legacy of conservation
Shared love of biodiversity seeds new endowment
The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment will support future conservation efforts.
Cristian Samper and his late wife Adriana Casas shared a passion for biodiversity and the environment.
Their love was so strong, in fact, that they forewent wedding gifts to create a fellowship fund to train the next generation of conservationists in their native Colombia. Two decades later, their endowment has supported 176 ... Show Full Article PANAMA CITY, Panama, Aug. 18 -- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute issued the following news: * * * Legacy of conservation Shared love of biodiversity seeds new endowment The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment will support future conservation efforts. Cristian Samper and his late wife Adriana Casas shared a passion for biodiversity and the environment. Their love was so strong, in fact, that they forewent wedding gifts to create a fellowship fund to train the next generation of conservationists in their native Colombia. Two decades later, their endowment has supported 176researchers from 42 different universities.
"In some ways, I am building on what we started," said Samper, a tropical biologist and former deputy director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and former director of the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).
Recently, he established the Smithsonian's first international charitable gift annuity, which now benefits his in-laws in Colombia and will later fund The Cristian Samper and Adriana Casas Endowment to support future work at STRI and NMNH. "It's a way of saying thank you to the Smithsonian, which changed our family's life in so many ways."
During his tenure, Samper also served as Acting Secretary, which he fondly refers to as his "sabbatical in the Castle." He would often open talks with an aerial slide of the National Mall that showed the museums adjoining the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument and White House. "Any nation that can devote its most important real estate to an institution dedicated to knowledge and make it free to anyone from any place in the world--well, that says something about a society."
He first visited the Smithsonian after completing his Master's degree. "My experience tells a story about the Smithsonian--about the nation," Samper reflected. "I came here as an immigrant and had these opportunities, and just 15 years later, I got to lead one of the world's most remarkable organizations."
The role of a museum, as he sees it, is to document a time and place through its collections, use them for science to understand our world, and share it all with millions of visitors. "We often talk about biodiversity extinction, but we don't talk enough about the loss of cultural diversity." The Smithsonian is uniquely positioned to address both issues. "It's really about asking critical questions and then using that knowledge to inform our lives and make different choices as a society."
Samper also values the Smithsonian's long-term commitment to its people and places. When he started at STRI, he said, "It was like going to Mecca. There's no tropical forest better understood than Barro Colorado Island." For over a century, scientists have explored its living collection, yielding pioneering studies and prolific publications. "The Smithsonian looks at the past, present and future of our natural world--and our place in it."
"We are at a critical moment for the planet," said Samper. "We must use scientific knowledge to inform policy and work on the ground. We must also strengthen our connections and partnerships with other organizations that are doing this work across the globe."
Samper is certain that now is the right time to invest in the future of the Smithsonian--and our planet. "I hope that our endowment will extend beyond the knowledge of the moment and translate to real impact on the world."
* * *
About the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, STRI is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. Our mission is to understand tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, to train students to conduct research in the tropics and to promote conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Watch our video, and visit our website, Facebook, X and Instagram for updates.
* * *
Original text here: https://stri.si.edu/story/legacy-conservation
EPA conducts inspections of illegal toxic and polluting imports at Port Houston and sale and distribution of illegal pesticides by Houston area retailers
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA conducts inspections of illegal toxic and polluting imports at Port Houston and sale and distribution of illegal pesticides by Houston area retailers
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DALLAS, TEXAS (August 18, 2026)- Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to conduct inspections and train CBP agents at the Port of Houston, and in parallel EPA inspected Houston-area retailers-all in support of the Trump Administration's continued efforts to crackdown on illegal ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA conducts inspections of illegal toxic and polluting imports at Port Houston and sale and distribution of illegal pesticides by Houston area retailers * DALLAS, TEXAS (August 18, 2026)- Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to conduct inspections and train CBP agents at the Port of Houston, and in parallel EPA inspected Houston-area retailers-all in support of the Trump Administration's continued efforts to crackdown on illegaltoxic pesticides and chemical smuggling operations. The Port of Houston inspection effort follows joint EPA and CBP focused seaport inspections at the Ports of Savannah, Newark, and Los Angeles/Long Beach.
EPA's emphasis on retail sites in the Houston area suspected of selling illegal toxic and polluting imports allows the agency to trace violative products through the supply chain and back to their foreign sources.
The Trump EPA is focused on disrupting the smuggling of banned pesticides, illegal chemicals, and polluting or toxic consumer products that threaten American families and communities, our food supply, and national security.
"With each enforcement push at the ports and now at retail facilities, we learn new ways for our sustained inspection efforts to be more efficient and effective at intercepting and stopping harmful imports," said EPA's Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Jeffrey A. Hall. "We're grateful for the strong partnership with CBP and officials at the ports of Savannah, Newark, Los Angeles/Long Beach, and Houston, who have worked with us this year to improve our targeting, expedite enforcement, and train CBP officers examining imports every day. This continued investment in our enforcement tools and key relationships will multiply our effectiveness as we step up inspections at ports of entry across the country."
"The Port of Houston-the largest port in Texas and one of the largest in the country-drives a significant portion of our economy. By partnering with Customs and Border Protection, EPA ensures the flow of commerce can continue while keeping the American public safe from imports of illegal pesticides and other toxic products," said Region 6 Administrator Scott Mason. "And this week, EPA inspectors from across the country also conducted searches at stores across Houston suspected of selling these products. All along the supply chain, EPA is holding parties accountable for potentially exposing consumers and their families to harmful chemicals."
"The partnership between U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the EPA is vital to our mission of securing the nation's borders," said CBP Acting Port Director John Landry. "By integrating our inspection capabilities at the Port of Houston, we are better equipped to identify and intercept illegal, toxic, and hazardous imports that threaten our communities. This collaboration not only strengthens our enforcement posture against smuggling operations but also reinforces our broader commitment to national security and the integrity of our ports of entry, ensuring that we remain vigilant against all threats, including those related to the illicit movement of prohibited goods."
This coordinated push follows a similar push during the last week of April at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport. In addition to coordinated inspections and CBP training, Assistant Administrator Hall, along with senior Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) officials Craig Pritzlaff and Alan Hanson, visited the seaport and met with Acting Port Director Elva Muneton to discuss further developing efficiencies in inspections and enforcement.
EPA's import inspections are conducted under the statutory authorities granted to EPA by the following:
* American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (Aim Act)
* Clean Air Act (CAA)
* Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
* Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
* Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
EPA's enforcement and compliance assurance program and regional enforcement offices work alongside CBP officers and other federal partners to ensure that imported goods meet established environmental regulatory standards before they enter the United States or put into commerce for sale and distribution. Working collaboratively, CBP facilitates EPA inspectors' access to and identifies potentially harmful products, ensuring inspectors can make a final determination and enforce the law. EPA inspectors worked alongside CBP officers for the Port Houston inspection.
EPA's inspection work at ports, borders, and retail establishments is integral to preventing illegal and potentially harmful products from entering the country and harming our communities. These proactive strategies increase efficiency and accuracy in targeting bad actors, and advance EPA's mission to safeguard public health by preventing harmful products from reaching communities, upholding national security, and maintaining the rule of law.
Information on the inspection at the Port New York/Newport is available from the "EPA Officials Visit Port of New York/Newark During Inspection Activities to Prevent Illegal Imports from Entering U.S." press release.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on FacebookExit EPA's website, XExit EPA's website, InstagramExit EPA's website, or visit our homepage.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-conducts-inspections-illegal-toxic-and-polluting-imports-port-houston-and-sale-and
* * *
EPA conducts inspections of illegal toxic and polluting imports at Port Houston and sale and distribution of illegal pesticides by Houston area retailers
*
DALLAS, TEXAS (August 18, 2026)- Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to conduct inspections and train CBP agents at the Port of Houston, and in parallel EPA inspected Houston-area retailers-all in support of the Trump Administration's continued efforts to crackdown on illegal ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA conducts inspections of illegal toxic and polluting imports at Port Houston and sale and distribution of illegal pesticides by Houston area retailers * DALLAS, TEXAS (August 18, 2026)- Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to conduct inspections and train CBP agents at the Port of Houston, and in parallel EPA inspected Houston-area retailers-all in support of the Trump Administration's continued efforts to crackdown on illegaltoxic pesticides and chemical smuggling operations. The Port of Houston inspection effort follows joint EPA and CBP focused seaport inspections at the Ports of Savannah, Newark, and Los Angeles/Long Beach.
EPA's emphasis on retail sites in the Houston area suspected of selling illegal toxic and polluting imports allows the agency to trace violative products through the supply chain and back to their foreign sources.
The Trump EPA is focused on disrupting the smuggling of banned pesticides, illegal chemicals, and polluting or toxic consumer products that threaten American families and communities, our food supply, and national security.
"With each enforcement push at the ports and now at retail facilities, we learn new ways for our sustained inspection efforts to be more efficient and effective at intercepting and stopping harmful imports," said EPA's Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Jeffrey A. Hall. "We're grateful for the strong partnership with CBP and officials at the ports of Savannah, Newark, Los Angeles/Long Beach, and Houston, who have worked with us this year to improve our targeting, expedite enforcement, and train CBP officers examining imports every day. This continued investment in our enforcement tools and key relationships will multiply our effectiveness as we step up inspections at ports of entry across the country."
"The Port of Houston-the largest port in Texas and one of the largest in the country-drives a significant portion of our economy. By partnering with Customs and Border Protection, EPA ensures the flow of commerce can continue while keeping the American public safe from imports of illegal pesticides and other toxic products," said Region 6 Administrator Scott Mason. "And this week, EPA inspectors from across the country also conducted searches at stores across Houston suspected of selling these products. All along the supply chain, EPA is holding parties accountable for potentially exposing consumers and their families to harmful chemicals."
"The partnership between U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the EPA is vital to our mission of securing the nation's borders," said CBP Acting Port Director John Landry. "By integrating our inspection capabilities at the Port of Houston, we are better equipped to identify and intercept illegal, toxic, and hazardous imports that threaten our communities. This collaboration not only strengthens our enforcement posture against smuggling operations but also reinforces our broader commitment to national security and the integrity of our ports of entry, ensuring that we remain vigilant against all threats, including those related to the illicit movement of prohibited goods."
This coordinated push follows a similar push during the last week of April at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport. In addition to coordinated inspections and CBP training, Assistant Administrator Hall, along with senior Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) officials Craig Pritzlaff and Alan Hanson, visited the seaport and met with Acting Port Director Elva Muneton to discuss further developing efficiencies in inspections and enforcement.
EPA's import inspections are conducted under the statutory authorities granted to EPA by the following:
* American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (Aim Act)
* Clean Air Act (CAA)
* Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
* Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
* Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
EPA's enforcement and compliance assurance program and regional enforcement offices work alongside CBP officers and other federal partners to ensure that imported goods meet established environmental regulatory standards before they enter the United States or put into commerce for sale and distribution. Working collaboratively, CBP facilitates EPA inspectors' access to and identifies potentially harmful products, ensuring inspectors can make a final determination and enforce the law. EPA inspectors worked alongside CBP officers for the Port Houston inspection.
EPA's inspection work at ports, borders, and retail establishments is integral to preventing illegal and potentially harmful products from entering the country and harming our communities. These proactive strategies increase efficiency and accuracy in targeting bad actors, and advance EPA's mission to safeguard public health by preventing harmful products from reaching communities, upholding national security, and maintaining the rule of law.
Information on the inspection at the Port New York/Newport is available from the "EPA Officials Visit Port of New York/Newark During Inspection Activities to Prevent Illegal Imports from Entering U.S." press release.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on FacebookExit EPA's website, XExit EPA's website, InstagramExit EPA's website, or visit our homepage.
***
Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-conducts-inspections-illegal-toxic-and-polluting-imports-port-houston-and-sale-and
Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news:
* * *
Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy
*
Interview conducted by Laura DeStefano
The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and a large portion of those deaths arise from cardiovascular complications. A new report from the National Academies reveals some surprising facts: more than half of maternal deaths occur in the year after the birth, and more than three-quarters of pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths are potentially ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news: * * * Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy * Interview conducted by Laura DeStefano The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and a large portion of those deaths arise from cardiovascular complications. A new report from the National Academies reveals some surprising facts: more than half of maternal deaths occur in the year after the birth, and more than three-quarters of pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths are potentiallypreventable.
We spoke with Michelle Debbink, MD, PhD, an NAM fellow and maternal-fetal medicine specialist based in Utah who contributed to the report. Debbink explains the physiology behind pregnancy-related cardiovascular strain, what pregnancy complications can reveal about a person's long-term health, and how gaps in the US health care system contribute to preventable maternal deaths.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Why does pregnancy cause cardiovascular strain?
A lot of people don't realize that the cardiovascular impacts of pregnancy can start very early in the first trimester. Your blood volume continues to increase up until weeks 32-34 of pregnancy, which means your heart is working harder to move more blood around your body, and to get enough blood flow to the uterus. Because of the extra volume and extra work, there can be a stretch or strain on the heart. There can be arrhythmias where the heart is not beating at a normal rate or rhythm, or there can be damage to the cardiac muscle.
One of the other changes that happens in pregnancy is your peripheral blood pressure (the pressure in your arms and legs) is supposed to drop substantially. So, even though the heart is working harder, it's easier work. The pipes are more open. But if you have high blood pressure or a vascular problem that means your body can't respond to those pregnancy signals as well, and your peripheral blood pressure stays high, you've got a heart that is working harder against pipes that are less open.
Preeclampsia is one of the major cardiovascular complications in pregnancy. Can you explain what that is?
Preeclampsia is a disease that's caused by the placenta. It is unique to pregnancy. We don't understand exactly how it develops, but hormones released by the placenta play a role in making your blood pressure go up, and that creates downstream consequences for other organs, including the kidneys, liver, and lungs. It also causes something called capillary leak, which means the tiniest blood vessels where the arteries and veins connect start to leak plasma and proteins. When that happens, the surrounding organs can get "waterlogged," if you will. An example of this is pulmonary edema, which means "water on the lungs." There can also be consequences for the brain with preeclampsia, including seizures and stroke. But the most common neurologic symptom people report is an unrelenting severe headache, sometimes with vision changes.
Does the health of the male partner play a role? Can I blame my husband because I got preeclampsia?
While the male partner's health may not directly play a role, there are some interesting data around the male partner's contribution to pregnancy, placental function, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. For example, if someone has had several pregnancies with one partner, and then they have a pregnancy with a new partner, their risk for preeclampsia changes and can look more like the risk profile for a first pregnancy.
We do see some placental function as being primarily driven by the male contribution to the pregnancy. But the relationship between male health and cardiovascular problems in pregnancy is not really well understood. It's certainly worth investigating.
What are other possible cardiovascular complications in pregnancy?
Preeclampsia exists on a spectrum that also includes gestational hypertension, HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelets), and eclampsia (which is when preeclampsia has progressed to causing seizures). In addition, changes in pregnancy can induce heart failure, most often as a result of peripartum cardiomyopathy, which is heart failure that starts abruptly during pregnancy (often near the end) or soon after delivery. You can have a stroke, either from preeclampsia or from blood clots in your legs or lungs. Patients can also experience dissections - tears in their arteries - especially in the setting of high blood pressure.
Can these complications be prevented?
Many of them can be, through close attention to symptoms, especially blood pressure. The challenge is that many of the symptoms of heart failure, for instance, can overlap really closely with the symptoms of pregnancy - shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, swelling in your feet. So, providers need to have a high index of suspicion to make sure that the symptoms someone's reporting are not blown off but really interrogated to make sure they aren't cardiac related.
Why do so many deaths occur in the postpartum period? It seems counterintuitive because the additional strain on the body is gone.
Deaths in the postpartum period are less related to physiology, or ongoing changes in how the body works due to pregnancy, and more related to problems with care coordination or loss of care due to lack of coverage, unreliable transportation, or other factors. People with risk factors for cardiovascular problems, or who have pregnancy-related conditions that increase their risk for cardiovascular problems, often have access to stabilizing care around the time of pregnancy and delivery. However, after pregnancy, they can lose coverage, which interrupts continuity of care.
Pregnancy and delivery create a big strain on the body, and patients need eyes on them a little bit more during that first year postpartum, especially if they have developed a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (the spectrum of diseases related to preeclampsia) or have underlying risk factors for cardiovascular disease (such as diabetes or chronic hypertension).
We as obstetric clinicians need to do a much better job with warm handoffs between patients with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and primary care providers or other clinicians who can take care of them throughout that first year postpartum. When patients don't have follow-up and their blood pressure remains high or not treated, or they have an underlying risk factor for heart failure or stroke that goes untreated, that's when we can see deaths in the postpartum period.
Are there implications for health more than 1 year postpartum?
There are some really good emerging data that indicate that for folks who have preeclampsia, lifelong risk is elevated for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues. While the way we assess and study risk for pregnancy-related death ends around 1one year postpartum, the risk for lifelong cardiovascular disease does not.
We need to do a better job of teaching our clinicians that these kinds of health problems in pregnancy are important throughout someone's life and make sure they're getting screenings on time, or sometimes earlier or more frequently than a person who has not had these pregnancy related disorders. Screenings can reduce risk for poor cardiovascular outcomes.
What advice do you have for people concerned about their cardiovascular risk?
It depends on where you are in your reproductive life. If you've never had a pregnancy, it can be hard to predict whether you'll have a complication. For people who start pregnancy with risk factors, like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, I recommend chatting with a high-risk obstetrician to discuss how to mitigate your risks. Just at baseline, the best way to mitigate your risks is to have good control over your existing health conditions. The better controlled they are, the safer a pregnancy will be. If you have a family history of heart disease, early cardiac deaths, or other cardiovascular problems, it's important that your obstetric clinicians know about that as well.
If you're pregnant already and concerned that you may be experiencing cardiovascular issues, you can advocate for yourself or ask someone to advocate for you. Say to your doctor, "I just want to be sure we're not missing something going on with my heart or blood pressure. Can we talk this through in a little more detail?"
If you're postpartum and contemplating another pregnancy, check in with your regular physician or obstetrician to make sure your body is recovering well from pregnancy. Make sure your future providers are aware of your history when you begin your next pregnancy, especially if you experienced complications like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes.
If you're postpartum with cardiovascular risk factors and not planning another pregnancy, keep a really close eye on any cardiac-related symptoms and monitor your blood pressure throughout your life. That doesn't necessarily mean checking twice a day, but checking it once a month or twice a quarter might help you to identify a potential problem earlier because high blood pressure can be a silent problem until it is very high. You can even just stop at Walgreen's and put your arm in the automated blood pressure cuff. To the extent that you are able, maintain good contact with a primary care clinician to ensure you have the needed screenings, and always have a low threshold for checking with your doctor if something feels off with your health.
What does good preventive care look like? What is the state of things now, and where do we want to be?
The state we're in now is generally one of highly fragmented care. Many people pregnant for the first time are young adults who haven't visited a doctor since they last saw their pediatrician. Ensuring that people have access to care throughout their life course can help uncover risk factors like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes that can be managed prior to pregnancy.
Fragmentation after pregnancy is also really problematic. A lot of clinicians don't receive training or education about how pregnancy-related conditions can increase risk for non-pregnancy-related conditions. For example, gestational diabetes is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. About half of people with gestational diabetes will end up with type 2 diabetes within 10 years. We need to do a better job communicating about this within the health care community.
Other contributors to fragmentation are the lack of access to health care or health insurance that many people have, and when information doesn't carry over when people move between health systems or providers. We end up with a "Swiss cheese" approach to post-pregnancy care.
In an ideal world, everyone would have access to preventive care follow-ups after each pregnancy for at least 12 months postpartum, but ideally throughout their reproductive life and beyond. All of their clinicians would know what their risk factors are and how those contribute to lifelong health. Comorbidities like diabetes or high blood pressure would be optimized going into any future pregnancy, and access to the needed tools, medications, support, and care coordination to make that happen would be universally available. Care coordination across systems and across geography would be a lot tighter, so that patients don't have to repeat their histories all the time. Some of these diagnoses are really nuanced and asking patients to hold all of that can be really challenging when they are also living their lives, taking care of families, jobs, school, and all of the other things we take care of in our lives.
How can we get closer to the ideal state of preventive care?
We need to increase education for clinicians and make system changes that allow them to spend as much time as they need with someone who has risk factors going into pregnancy or cardiovascular morbidity (illnesses) in pregnancy. In particular, the National Academies report recommends a focus on increasing capacity within federally qualified health centers to allow for continuity of care. An obvious piece of this puzzle is to increase access to healthcare and decrease barriers to how people use health care, follow up with their providers, and receive treatment for risk factors.
Obstetrician-gynecologists and maternal fetal medicine doctors need to take responsibility and accountability for handoffs in the postpartum period to ensure that high-risk patients get seen by cardiologists or internal medicine specialists as needed. We could also do a better job of utilizing telehealth to reach people in rural areas or even people in urban areas who may be working multiple jobs,lack reliable transportation, or don't have childcare support. Systems- level changes are needed to improve our ability to help provide the depth and continuity of care that would create an ideal preventive care landscape to reduce pregnancy-related cardiac deaths.
Nearly every state in the country has passed 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage - an increase from 60 days. Could this help to address some of the fragmentation?
Absolutely. I had a patient with type 1 diabetes who ended up in the ICU in the first trimester of her pregnancy due to very low blood sugars. Unfortunately, she experienced a pregnancy loss, but because Medicaid coverage was extended for 12 months from the end of her pregnancy, she was able to see an endocrinologist and start getting care for her diabetes, which will improve her health going into her next pregnancy as well as her lifelong health. We have anecdotal evidence and also emerging demographic and epidemiologic evidence that postpartum Medicaid expansions are helpful.
Can the United States learn from other countries that are outperforming us in terms of maternal health outcomes?
Well, comparative research on this issue is actually kind of challenging because other high-income countries have completely different health systems. The vast majority have universal, or nearly universal, health care access. On a foundational level, that's such a different playing field that porting over another country's programs wouldn't necessarily achieve the same outcomes. That said, we desperately need coordinated research efforts to better understand the most effective models for interventions and implementation in the United States.
Download and read the full report.
Laura DeStefano is the Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement at the National Academy of Medicine and a science communicator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
***
Original text here: https://nam.edu/news-and-insights/preventing-deaths-from-cardiovascular-complications-during-and-after-pregnancy/
* * *
Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy
*
Interview conducted by Laura DeStefano
The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and a large portion of those deaths arise from cardiovascular complications. A new report from the National Academies reveals some surprising facts: more than half of maternal deaths occur in the year after the birth, and more than three-quarters of pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths are potentially ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news: * * * Preventing Deaths from Cardiovascular Complications During and After Pregnancy * Interview conducted by Laura DeStefano The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and a large portion of those deaths arise from cardiovascular complications. A new report from the National Academies reveals some surprising facts: more than half of maternal deaths occur in the year after the birth, and more than three-quarters of pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths are potentiallypreventable.
We spoke with Michelle Debbink, MD, PhD, an NAM fellow and maternal-fetal medicine specialist based in Utah who contributed to the report. Debbink explains the physiology behind pregnancy-related cardiovascular strain, what pregnancy complications can reveal about a person's long-term health, and how gaps in the US health care system contribute to preventable maternal deaths.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Why does pregnancy cause cardiovascular strain?
A lot of people don't realize that the cardiovascular impacts of pregnancy can start very early in the first trimester. Your blood volume continues to increase up until weeks 32-34 of pregnancy, which means your heart is working harder to move more blood around your body, and to get enough blood flow to the uterus. Because of the extra volume and extra work, there can be a stretch or strain on the heart. There can be arrhythmias where the heart is not beating at a normal rate or rhythm, or there can be damage to the cardiac muscle.
One of the other changes that happens in pregnancy is your peripheral blood pressure (the pressure in your arms and legs) is supposed to drop substantially. So, even though the heart is working harder, it's easier work. The pipes are more open. But if you have high blood pressure or a vascular problem that means your body can't respond to those pregnancy signals as well, and your peripheral blood pressure stays high, you've got a heart that is working harder against pipes that are less open.
Preeclampsia is one of the major cardiovascular complications in pregnancy. Can you explain what that is?
Preeclampsia is a disease that's caused by the placenta. It is unique to pregnancy. We don't understand exactly how it develops, but hormones released by the placenta play a role in making your blood pressure go up, and that creates downstream consequences for other organs, including the kidneys, liver, and lungs. It also causes something called capillary leak, which means the tiniest blood vessels where the arteries and veins connect start to leak plasma and proteins. When that happens, the surrounding organs can get "waterlogged," if you will. An example of this is pulmonary edema, which means "water on the lungs." There can also be consequences for the brain with preeclampsia, including seizures and stroke. But the most common neurologic symptom people report is an unrelenting severe headache, sometimes with vision changes.
Does the health of the male partner play a role? Can I blame my husband because I got preeclampsia?
While the male partner's health may not directly play a role, there are some interesting data around the male partner's contribution to pregnancy, placental function, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. For example, if someone has had several pregnancies with one partner, and then they have a pregnancy with a new partner, their risk for preeclampsia changes and can look more like the risk profile for a first pregnancy.
We do see some placental function as being primarily driven by the male contribution to the pregnancy. But the relationship between male health and cardiovascular problems in pregnancy is not really well understood. It's certainly worth investigating.
What are other possible cardiovascular complications in pregnancy?
Preeclampsia exists on a spectrum that also includes gestational hypertension, HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelets), and eclampsia (which is when preeclampsia has progressed to causing seizures). In addition, changes in pregnancy can induce heart failure, most often as a result of peripartum cardiomyopathy, which is heart failure that starts abruptly during pregnancy (often near the end) or soon after delivery. You can have a stroke, either from preeclampsia or from blood clots in your legs or lungs. Patients can also experience dissections - tears in their arteries - especially in the setting of high blood pressure.
Can these complications be prevented?
Many of them can be, through close attention to symptoms, especially blood pressure. The challenge is that many of the symptoms of heart failure, for instance, can overlap really closely with the symptoms of pregnancy - shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, swelling in your feet. So, providers need to have a high index of suspicion to make sure that the symptoms someone's reporting are not blown off but really interrogated to make sure they aren't cardiac related.
Why do so many deaths occur in the postpartum period? It seems counterintuitive because the additional strain on the body is gone.
Deaths in the postpartum period are less related to physiology, or ongoing changes in how the body works due to pregnancy, and more related to problems with care coordination or loss of care due to lack of coverage, unreliable transportation, or other factors. People with risk factors for cardiovascular problems, or who have pregnancy-related conditions that increase their risk for cardiovascular problems, often have access to stabilizing care around the time of pregnancy and delivery. However, after pregnancy, they can lose coverage, which interrupts continuity of care.
Pregnancy and delivery create a big strain on the body, and patients need eyes on them a little bit more during that first year postpartum, especially if they have developed a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (the spectrum of diseases related to preeclampsia) or have underlying risk factors for cardiovascular disease (such as diabetes or chronic hypertension).
We as obstetric clinicians need to do a much better job with warm handoffs between patients with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and primary care providers or other clinicians who can take care of them throughout that first year postpartum. When patients don't have follow-up and their blood pressure remains high or not treated, or they have an underlying risk factor for heart failure or stroke that goes untreated, that's when we can see deaths in the postpartum period.
Are there implications for health more than 1 year postpartum?
There are some really good emerging data that indicate that for folks who have preeclampsia, lifelong risk is elevated for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues. While the way we assess and study risk for pregnancy-related death ends around 1one year postpartum, the risk for lifelong cardiovascular disease does not.
We need to do a better job of teaching our clinicians that these kinds of health problems in pregnancy are important throughout someone's life and make sure they're getting screenings on time, or sometimes earlier or more frequently than a person who has not had these pregnancy related disorders. Screenings can reduce risk for poor cardiovascular outcomes.
What advice do you have for people concerned about their cardiovascular risk?
It depends on where you are in your reproductive life. If you've never had a pregnancy, it can be hard to predict whether you'll have a complication. For people who start pregnancy with risk factors, like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, I recommend chatting with a high-risk obstetrician to discuss how to mitigate your risks. Just at baseline, the best way to mitigate your risks is to have good control over your existing health conditions. The better controlled they are, the safer a pregnancy will be. If you have a family history of heart disease, early cardiac deaths, or other cardiovascular problems, it's important that your obstetric clinicians know about that as well.
If you're pregnant already and concerned that you may be experiencing cardiovascular issues, you can advocate for yourself or ask someone to advocate for you. Say to your doctor, "I just want to be sure we're not missing something going on with my heart or blood pressure. Can we talk this through in a little more detail?"
If you're postpartum and contemplating another pregnancy, check in with your regular physician or obstetrician to make sure your body is recovering well from pregnancy. Make sure your future providers are aware of your history when you begin your next pregnancy, especially if you experienced complications like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes.
If you're postpartum with cardiovascular risk factors and not planning another pregnancy, keep a really close eye on any cardiac-related symptoms and monitor your blood pressure throughout your life. That doesn't necessarily mean checking twice a day, but checking it once a month or twice a quarter might help you to identify a potential problem earlier because high blood pressure can be a silent problem until it is very high. You can even just stop at Walgreen's and put your arm in the automated blood pressure cuff. To the extent that you are able, maintain good contact with a primary care clinician to ensure you have the needed screenings, and always have a low threshold for checking with your doctor if something feels off with your health.
What does good preventive care look like? What is the state of things now, and where do we want to be?
The state we're in now is generally one of highly fragmented care. Many people pregnant for the first time are young adults who haven't visited a doctor since they last saw their pediatrician. Ensuring that people have access to care throughout their life course can help uncover risk factors like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes that can be managed prior to pregnancy.
Fragmentation after pregnancy is also really problematic. A lot of clinicians don't receive training or education about how pregnancy-related conditions can increase risk for non-pregnancy-related conditions. For example, gestational diabetes is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. About half of people with gestational diabetes will end up with type 2 diabetes within 10 years. We need to do a better job communicating about this within the health care community.
Other contributors to fragmentation are the lack of access to health care or health insurance that many people have, and when information doesn't carry over when people move between health systems or providers. We end up with a "Swiss cheese" approach to post-pregnancy care.
In an ideal world, everyone would have access to preventive care follow-ups after each pregnancy for at least 12 months postpartum, but ideally throughout their reproductive life and beyond. All of their clinicians would know what their risk factors are and how those contribute to lifelong health. Comorbidities like diabetes or high blood pressure would be optimized going into any future pregnancy, and access to the needed tools, medications, support, and care coordination to make that happen would be universally available. Care coordination across systems and across geography would be a lot tighter, so that patients don't have to repeat their histories all the time. Some of these diagnoses are really nuanced and asking patients to hold all of that can be really challenging when they are also living their lives, taking care of families, jobs, school, and all of the other things we take care of in our lives.
How can we get closer to the ideal state of preventive care?
We need to increase education for clinicians and make system changes that allow them to spend as much time as they need with someone who has risk factors going into pregnancy or cardiovascular morbidity (illnesses) in pregnancy. In particular, the National Academies report recommends a focus on increasing capacity within federally qualified health centers to allow for continuity of care. An obvious piece of this puzzle is to increase access to healthcare and decrease barriers to how people use health care, follow up with their providers, and receive treatment for risk factors.
Obstetrician-gynecologists and maternal fetal medicine doctors need to take responsibility and accountability for handoffs in the postpartum period to ensure that high-risk patients get seen by cardiologists or internal medicine specialists as needed. We could also do a better job of utilizing telehealth to reach people in rural areas or even people in urban areas who may be working multiple jobs,lack reliable transportation, or don't have childcare support. Systems- level changes are needed to improve our ability to help provide the depth and continuity of care that would create an ideal preventive care landscape to reduce pregnancy-related cardiac deaths.
Nearly every state in the country has passed 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage - an increase from 60 days. Could this help to address some of the fragmentation?
Absolutely. I had a patient with type 1 diabetes who ended up in the ICU in the first trimester of her pregnancy due to very low blood sugars. Unfortunately, she experienced a pregnancy loss, but because Medicaid coverage was extended for 12 months from the end of her pregnancy, she was able to see an endocrinologist and start getting care for her diabetes, which will improve her health going into her next pregnancy as well as her lifelong health. We have anecdotal evidence and also emerging demographic and epidemiologic evidence that postpartum Medicaid expansions are helpful.
Can the United States learn from other countries that are outperforming us in terms of maternal health outcomes?
Well, comparative research on this issue is actually kind of challenging because other high-income countries have completely different health systems. The vast majority have universal, or nearly universal, health care access. On a foundational level, that's such a different playing field that porting over another country's programs wouldn't necessarily achieve the same outcomes. That said, we desperately need coordinated research efforts to better understand the most effective models for interventions and implementation in the United States.
Download and read the full report.
Laura DeStefano is the Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement at the National Academy of Medicine and a science communicator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
***
Original text here: https://nam.edu/news-and-insights/preventing-deaths-from-cardiovascular-complications-during-and-after-pregnancy/
GSA IG: 'The Processes FAS Uses to Ensure It Awards and Collects Accurate Product Data Are Ineffective'
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report entitled "The Processes FAS Uses to Ensure It Awards and Collects Accurate Product Data Are Ineffective."
Here are excerpts:
* * *
Why We Performed This Audit
This audit was included in our Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Plan. In prior audits of GSA's pricing tools, we identified: (1) deficiencies in Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) data quality, including the use of inaccurate part numbers; and (2) limited effectiveness of the Price Point Plus Portal. If contracting officers do ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report entitled "The Processes FAS Uses to Ensure It Awards and Collects Accurate Product Data Are Ineffective." Here are excerpts: * * * Why We Performed This Audit This audit was included in our Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Plan. In prior audits of GSA's pricing tools, we identified: (1) deficiencies in Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) data quality, including the use of inaccurate part numbers; and (2) limited effectiveness of the Price Point Plus Portal. If contracting officers donot have fully reliable and effective data to conduct price analysis, federal customer agencies risk overpaying for products and wasting taxpayer dollars.
Our audit objective was to determine if GSA's systems and processes ensure transactional data submitted by the contractor and the contractor's product catalog contains actual manufacturer part numbers in accordance with applicable regulations and GSA policies.
What We Found
Access to accurate and consistent manufacturer names and part numbers is imperative to: (1) maximize the price analysis capability of the GSA Federal Acquisition Service's (FAS's) pricing tools and (2) provide information FAS contracting personnel can use to make fair and reasonable price determinations.
However, we found inaccurate manufacturer names and part numbers for products in the GSA Advantage! catalog and TDR data, including multiple variations for the same product, as well as names and part numbers that did not match those from the manufacturer. We also found that FAS does not standardize part numbers for related product add-ons and base products with options that have a single manufacturer part number for multiple variations, which inhibits identification and comparability across Multiple Award Schedule contracts.
Absent reliable manufacturer name and part number data, FAS's pricing tools cannot identify identical products and provide useful pricing information for contracting officers' use in negotiations, potentially resulting in higher awarded pricing. As a result, federal customer agencies may overpay for products offered on Multiple Award Schedule contracts and waste taxpayer dollars.
What We Recommend
We recommend that the FAS Commissioner:
1. Identify and correct existing manufacturer part number and name inconsistencies in TDR and GSA Advantage! catalog data for products to ensure that identical products use the same part numbers.
2. Develop and implement processes that ensure accurate and consistent part numbers are established upon new contract award and modification approval, while continuing to improve TDR data match rates through the TDR Data Quality Dashboard.
3. Improve the FAS Catalog Platform's automated data quality checks to ensure that incorrect part numbers are flagged and corrected to minimize the need for FAS contracting personnel to perform manual market research.
4. Provide FAS contracting personnel with tools, guidance, and resources that allow for efficient and effective manual market research.
5.Ensure FAS industrial operations analysts verify the accuracy of TDR data, as required, and verify whether part numbers are consistent with manufacturer sources.
6.Implement processes to ensure identical related product add-ons and base products with options that have a single manufacturer part number for multiple variations can be identified and compared.
The Acting FAS Commissioner agreed with Recommendation 4 and partially agreed with Recommendations 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. FAS's written comments are included in their entirety in Appendix C.
* * *
The report is posted at: https://www.gsaig.gov/sites/default/files/audit-reports/A240054-1%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf
Here are excerpts:
* * *
Why We Performed This Audit
This audit was included in our Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Plan. In prior audits of GSA's pricing tools, we identified: (1) deficiencies in Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) data quality, including the use of inaccurate part numbers; and (2) limited effectiveness of the Price Point Plus Portal. If contracting officers do ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (TNSrep) -- The General Services Administration Inspector General issued the following audit report entitled "The Processes FAS Uses to Ensure It Awards and Collects Accurate Product Data Are Ineffective." Here are excerpts: * * * Why We Performed This Audit This audit was included in our Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Plan. In prior audits of GSA's pricing tools, we identified: (1) deficiencies in Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) data quality, including the use of inaccurate part numbers; and (2) limited effectiveness of the Price Point Plus Portal. If contracting officers donot have fully reliable and effective data to conduct price analysis, federal customer agencies risk overpaying for products and wasting taxpayer dollars.
Our audit objective was to determine if GSA's systems and processes ensure transactional data submitted by the contractor and the contractor's product catalog contains actual manufacturer part numbers in accordance with applicable regulations and GSA policies.
What We Found
Access to accurate and consistent manufacturer names and part numbers is imperative to: (1) maximize the price analysis capability of the GSA Federal Acquisition Service's (FAS's) pricing tools and (2) provide information FAS contracting personnel can use to make fair and reasonable price determinations.
However, we found inaccurate manufacturer names and part numbers for products in the GSA Advantage! catalog and TDR data, including multiple variations for the same product, as well as names and part numbers that did not match those from the manufacturer. We also found that FAS does not standardize part numbers for related product add-ons and base products with options that have a single manufacturer part number for multiple variations, which inhibits identification and comparability across Multiple Award Schedule contracts.
Absent reliable manufacturer name and part number data, FAS's pricing tools cannot identify identical products and provide useful pricing information for contracting officers' use in negotiations, potentially resulting in higher awarded pricing. As a result, federal customer agencies may overpay for products offered on Multiple Award Schedule contracts and waste taxpayer dollars.
What We Recommend
We recommend that the FAS Commissioner:
1. Identify and correct existing manufacturer part number and name inconsistencies in TDR and GSA Advantage! catalog data for products to ensure that identical products use the same part numbers.
2. Develop and implement processes that ensure accurate and consistent part numbers are established upon new contract award and modification approval, while continuing to improve TDR data match rates through the TDR Data Quality Dashboard.
3. Improve the FAS Catalog Platform's automated data quality checks to ensure that incorrect part numbers are flagged and corrected to minimize the need for FAS contracting personnel to perform manual market research.
4. Provide FAS contracting personnel with tools, guidance, and resources that allow for efficient and effective manual market research.
5.Ensure FAS industrial operations analysts verify the accuracy of TDR data, as required, and verify whether part numbers are consistent with manufacturer sources.
6.Implement processes to ensure identical related product add-ons and base products with options that have a single manufacturer part number for multiple variations can be identified and compared.
The Acting FAS Commissioner agreed with Recommendation 4 and partially agreed with Recommendations 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. FAS's written comments are included in their entirety in Appendix C.
* * *
The report is posted at: https://www.gsaig.gov/sites/default/files/audit-reports/A240054-1%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf
Amtrak Completes First Phase of East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, Restores Train Service in Line 2
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 -- Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corp.) issued the following news:
* * *
Amtrak Completes First Phase of East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, Restores Train Service in Line 2
*
Download cover photo
#Major modernization work renewed 116-year-old Northeast Corridor infrastructure, strengthening reliability for millions of annual Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT passengers
NEW YORK - Amtrak officially reopened East River Tunnel (ERT) Line 2 this week, completing the first major phase of the ERT Rehabilitation Project and providing key safety and reliability improvements ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 -- Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corp.) issued the following news: * * * Amtrak Completes First Phase of East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, Restores Train Service in Line 2 * Download cover photo #Major modernization work renewed 116-year-old Northeast Corridor infrastructure, strengthening reliability for millions of annual Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT passengers NEW YORK - Amtrak officially reopened East River Tunnel (ERT) Line 2 this week, completing the first major phase of the ERT Rehabilitation Project and providing key safety and reliability improvementsfor thousands of daily Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and NJ TRANSIT customers.
Before Rehab of ERT Line 2
Before Rehab of ERT Line 2
After Rehab of ERT Line 2
After Rehab of ERT Line 2
Amtrak Interim President Byl Herrmann
"This milestone reflects the progress Amtrak is making to rebuild critical infrastructure while maintaining service for the millions of customers who rely on the Northeast Corridor every year. Reopening Line 2 of the East River Tunnel restores a vital transportation link and positions it to serve rail passengers for another 100 years. We appreciate the strong support of the Federal Railroad Administration and close coordination with our partners throughout the project, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration as we begin rehabilitation of the second and final tunnel tube."
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber
"Achieving this milestone required close collaboration between the MTA and Amtrak, and we'll continue to be active partners on all shared infrastructure projects to guarantee the best results for riders. Representing the interest of MTA customers is always our number one priority."
Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews
"This project represents smart engineering and smart construction supported by smart policy, delivered in the best possible approach. America deserves the world's greatest transportation, and that includes the world's greatest trains. Now, after decades, we're finally getting it done...safely, fast, and right. On behalf of the Rail Passengers Association's 127,000 members, donors, and supporters nationwide, congratulations to Amtrak, FRA, MTA, New Jersey Transit, MTA, and the entire team."
WORK COMPLETED: Over the past year, crews completely reconstructed the 116-year-old tunnel's interior systems, including track, power, communications, drainage, and structural elements.
* This work involved demolition, removal, and replacement of significantly deteriorated infrastructure and incorporated construction of new bench walls designed to improve safety, maintenance access, and operational performance.
* In total, more than 24,000 feet of rail, 8,000 tons of ballast, 8,000 wooden rail ties, and 20,000 cubic yards of bench wall concrete were removed and replaced.
ERT Decommissioning
ERT Decommissioning
ERT Bench Wall Demolition
ERT Bench Wall Demolition
View behind the 116-year-old ERT benchealls
View behind the 116-year-old ERT benchealls
ERT Line 2 After Bench Wall Demolition
ERT Line 2 After Bench Wall Demolition
ERT Line 2 New Bench Wall Construction
ERT Line 2 New Bench Wall Construction
ERT Track Installation
ERT Track Installation
ERT Final Commissioning Activities
ERT Final Commissioning Activities
ERT Rehab Project Team Following Construction Completion
ERT Rehab Project Team Following Construction Completion
New ERT Aerial Utility Bridge
New ERT Aerial Utility Bridge
PROJECT OVERVIEW: The East River Tunnel opened in 1910 and is one of the busiest passenger rail tunnels in the Western Hemisphere, serving 450 daily Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT trains. Two of the four tubes required significant repairs and comprehensive reconstruction following damage caused by floodwaters that entered the tunnel during Superstorm Sandy.
* The second and final phase of the project will begin this fall and feature the same scope of work for the Line 1 tunnel. Ahead of the work in Line 1, Amtrak will conduct additional hardening activities to reduce the risk of infrastructure failures, as was done for Line 2.
* The $1.6 billion project remains within budget and on track to finish by the end of 2027.
It is funded primarily by a federal grant administered by the Federal Railroad Administration, along with contributions from Amtrak, MTA, and NJ TRANSIT.
Throughout project construction, three of the four East River Tunnels remained available to ensure continued Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT service. Amtrak is committed to minimizing passenger impacts, and the company's infrastructure hardening investments combined with mitigation actions helped to limit service delays during the Line 2 outage. Those efforts included around-the-clock engineering coverage, more frequent inspections as track access time permits, and strategically positioned rescue equipment.
MILESTONE CELEBRATION: Amtrak and partners celebrated with an event at New York Penn Station and ceremonial train ride through the newly rebuilt tunnel, including Federal Railroad Administrator David Fink, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, LIRR President Rob Free, NJT Acting Senior Vice President and General Manager of Rail Operations Dan Rogust, and other partners.
East River Tunnel Group Photo
ERT Reopening Group Photo
REGIONAL RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSFORMATION: This is one of several megaprojects underway in the New York/New Jersey region that will benefit Amtrak and commuter passengers.
* Earlier this year, NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak opened the first track across the Portal North Bridge in Kearny, NJ.
* The New York Penn Transformation Project is one step closer to having shovels in the ground next year following the recent selection of a Master Developer.
* Other investments like the Hudson Tunnel Project and Penn Station Access are moving forward, making progress every day.
Additional Reactions:
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer
"The East River tunnels are the lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Long Island commuters and the regional economy. After Superstorm Sandy flooded these tunnels with 14 million gallons of corrosive salt water, I was proud to fight for and deliver the $1.3 billion to fix it. Today, Long Islanders can finally see the light at the end of the East River Tunnel, paving the way for safer and faster commutes. Kudos to Amtrak, the MTA, Governor Hochul and the hard-working building trades workers who made this possible."
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
"I applaud Amtrak's progress restoring the East River Tunnel and investing in more reliable, efficient transportation for the thousands of New Yorkers who depend on the Northeast Corridor every day. I am proud to have secured the federal funds for this project, and I will continue fighting to deliver resources to maintain the safe, reliable, and accessible public transportation systems New Yorkers depend on."
APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas
"The reopening of the first East River Tunnel tube marks a major milestone in restoring one of the nation's most vital rail assets. More than a decade after Superstorm Sandy left this century-old tunnel vulnerable, this achievement shows what's possible when federal investment, strong partnerships, and skilled labor come together to rebuild critical infrastructure. Hundreds of thousands of Amtrak, MTA Long Island Rail Road, and NJ TRANSIT riders depend on this tunnel every day, and this progress brings us closer to a safer, more reliable Northeast Corridor for generations to come."
***
Original text here: https://media.amtrak.com/2026/08/amtrak-completes-first-phase-of-east-river-tunnel-rehabilitation-project-restores-train-service-in-line-2/
* * *
Amtrak Completes First Phase of East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, Restores Train Service in Line 2
*
Download cover photo
#Major modernization work renewed 116-year-old Northeast Corridor infrastructure, strengthening reliability for millions of annual Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT passengers
NEW YORK - Amtrak officially reopened East River Tunnel (ERT) Line 2 this week, completing the first major phase of the ERT Rehabilitation Project and providing key safety and reliability improvements ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 -- Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corp.) issued the following news: * * * Amtrak Completes First Phase of East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, Restores Train Service in Line 2 * Download cover photo #Major modernization work renewed 116-year-old Northeast Corridor infrastructure, strengthening reliability for millions of annual Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT passengers NEW YORK - Amtrak officially reopened East River Tunnel (ERT) Line 2 this week, completing the first major phase of the ERT Rehabilitation Project and providing key safety and reliability improvementsfor thousands of daily Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and NJ TRANSIT customers.
Before Rehab of ERT Line 2
Before Rehab of ERT Line 2
After Rehab of ERT Line 2
After Rehab of ERT Line 2
Amtrak Interim President Byl Herrmann
"This milestone reflects the progress Amtrak is making to rebuild critical infrastructure while maintaining service for the millions of customers who rely on the Northeast Corridor every year. Reopening Line 2 of the East River Tunnel restores a vital transportation link and positions it to serve rail passengers for another 100 years. We appreciate the strong support of the Federal Railroad Administration and close coordination with our partners throughout the project, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration as we begin rehabilitation of the second and final tunnel tube."
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber
"Achieving this milestone required close collaboration between the MTA and Amtrak, and we'll continue to be active partners on all shared infrastructure projects to guarantee the best results for riders. Representing the interest of MTA customers is always our number one priority."
Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews
"This project represents smart engineering and smart construction supported by smart policy, delivered in the best possible approach. America deserves the world's greatest transportation, and that includes the world's greatest trains. Now, after decades, we're finally getting it done...safely, fast, and right. On behalf of the Rail Passengers Association's 127,000 members, donors, and supporters nationwide, congratulations to Amtrak, FRA, MTA, New Jersey Transit, MTA, and the entire team."
WORK COMPLETED: Over the past year, crews completely reconstructed the 116-year-old tunnel's interior systems, including track, power, communications, drainage, and structural elements.
* This work involved demolition, removal, and replacement of significantly deteriorated infrastructure and incorporated construction of new bench walls designed to improve safety, maintenance access, and operational performance.
* In total, more than 24,000 feet of rail, 8,000 tons of ballast, 8,000 wooden rail ties, and 20,000 cubic yards of bench wall concrete were removed and replaced.
ERT Decommissioning
ERT Decommissioning
ERT Bench Wall Demolition
ERT Bench Wall Demolition
View behind the 116-year-old ERT benchealls
View behind the 116-year-old ERT benchealls
ERT Line 2 After Bench Wall Demolition
ERT Line 2 After Bench Wall Demolition
ERT Line 2 New Bench Wall Construction
ERT Line 2 New Bench Wall Construction
ERT Track Installation
ERT Track Installation
ERT Final Commissioning Activities
ERT Final Commissioning Activities
ERT Rehab Project Team Following Construction Completion
ERT Rehab Project Team Following Construction Completion
New ERT Aerial Utility Bridge
New ERT Aerial Utility Bridge
PROJECT OVERVIEW: The East River Tunnel opened in 1910 and is one of the busiest passenger rail tunnels in the Western Hemisphere, serving 450 daily Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT trains. Two of the four tubes required significant repairs and comprehensive reconstruction following damage caused by floodwaters that entered the tunnel during Superstorm Sandy.
* The second and final phase of the project will begin this fall and feature the same scope of work for the Line 1 tunnel. Ahead of the work in Line 1, Amtrak will conduct additional hardening activities to reduce the risk of infrastructure failures, as was done for Line 2.
* The $1.6 billion project remains within budget and on track to finish by the end of 2027.
It is funded primarily by a federal grant administered by the Federal Railroad Administration, along with contributions from Amtrak, MTA, and NJ TRANSIT.
Throughout project construction, three of the four East River Tunnels remained available to ensure continued Amtrak, LIRR, and NJ TRANSIT service. Amtrak is committed to minimizing passenger impacts, and the company's infrastructure hardening investments combined with mitigation actions helped to limit service delays during the Line 2 outage. Those efforts included around-the-clock engineering coverage, more frequent inspections as track access time permits, and strategically positioned rescue equipment.
MILESTONE CELEBRATION: Amtrak and partners celebrated with an event at New York Penn Station and ceremonial train ride through the newly rebuilt tunnel, including Federal Railroad Administrator David Fink, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, LIRR President Rob Free, NJT Acting Senior Vice President and General Manager of Rail Operations Dan Rogust, and other partners.
East River Tunnel Group Photo
ERT Reopening Group Photo
REGIONAL RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSFORMATION: This is one of several megaprojects underway in the New York/New Jersey region that will benefit Amtrak and commuter passengers.
* Earlier this year, NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak opened the first track across the Portal North Bridge in Kearny, NJ.
* The New York Penn Transformation Project is one step closer to having shovels in the ground next year following the recent selection of a Master Developer.
* Other investments like the Hudson Tunnel Project and Penn Station Access are moving forward, making progress every day.
Additional Reactions:
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer
"The East River tunnels are the lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Long Island commuters and the regional economy. After Superstorm Sandy flooded these tunnels with 14 million gallons of corrosive salt water, I was proud to fight for and deliver the $1.3 billion to fix it. Today, Long Islanders can finally see the light at the end of the East River Tunnel, paving the way for safer and faster commutes. Kudos to Amtrak, the MTA, Governor Hochul and the hard-working building trades workers who made this possible."
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
"I applaud Amtrak's progress restoring the East River Tunnel and investing in more reliable, efficient transportation for the thousands of New Yorkers who depend on the Northeast Corridor every day. I am proud to have secured the federal funds for this project, and I will continue fighting to deliver resources to maintain the safe, reliable, and accessible public transportation systems New Yorkers depend on."
APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas
"The reopening of the first East River Tunnel tube marks a major milestone in restoring one of the nation's most vital rail assets. More than a decade after Superstorm Sandy left this century-old tunnel vulnerable, this achievement shows what's possible when federal investment, strong partnerships, and skilled labor come together to rebuild critical infrastructure. Hundreds of thousands of Amtrak, MTA Long Island Rail Road, and NJ TRANSIT riders depend on this tunnel every day, and this progress brings us closer to a safer, more reliable Northeast Corridor for generations to come."
***
Original text here: https://media.amtrak.com/2026/08/amtrak-completes-first-phase-of-east-river-tunnel-rehabilitation-project-restores-train-service-in-line-2/