WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressing concerns regarding its "Tool for the Prioritization of Food Chemicals for Post-Market Assessment." This proposed method aims to categorize food substances currently in the food supply to determine the order in which these chemicals will undergo prioritized post-market assessment. The AHPA, which represents member  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Silver Spring, Maryland, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) expressing strong support for the proposal to list the Barrens darter as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The organization, which focuses on wildlife conservation, praised the agency's efforts in addressing the challenges faced by this vulnerable species that is predominantly found in Tennessee's Coll  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release: * * * CAIR Calls on Md. Restaurant to Apologize, Reinstate Fired Employees, Respect Palestinian Cultural Expression * The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on Bunny's Buckets & Bubbles restaurant in Fells Point, Maryland, to publicly apologize and immedia  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard issued the following news release: * * * Draft restriction remains in place on Patapsco River following W-Sapphire incident * BALTIMORE - Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region personnel, in coordination with partner agencies, are actively engaged in salvage planning, Wednesday, to recover the hatch cover that detached during the explosion aboard the motor vessel W-Sapphire in the Baltimore Harbor. A d  more

FAIRFAX, Virginia, Aug. 21 -- George Mason University issued the following research news: * * * Preventing gun violence in Baltimore before it begins By Danielle Hawkins Maryland ranks among the top 10 states with the highest rates of gun-related killings. Although Baltimore accounts for just 9% of Maryland's population, it has historically been responsible for a disproportionate share of the state's gun violence (41% of all gun homicides). Yet across the city, community organizations, publi  more

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Aug. 21 -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service issued the following news: * * * Legacy in Orbit: NOAA Decommissions the POES Satellite Constellation The Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites, also known as POES, have played an extremely important role in monitoring the planet's weather and environment since the launch of the first satellite in the series in 1978. After more   more

BETHESDA, Maryland, Aug. 21 [Category: BizAerospace] -- Lockheed Martin posted the following news release: * * * Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Awarded Army Contract for Black Hawk Modernization Efforts STRATFORD, Conn., Aug. 20, 2025 - Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT) today announced a new U.S. Army contract that will fund Black Hawk modernization engineering efforts. The initial $43 million contract award will focus on foundational capabilities for modernization: enhancement of the  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Marine Mammal Commission, Bethesda, Maryland, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) expressing concerns about the agency's approach to the authorization of Narwhal LLC's proposed incidental take of polar bears and walruses. This proposed taking is associated with shallow hazard surveys, exploratory drilling operations, and cleanup tasks in West Harrison Bay, Alaska. The Commission highlighted significant issues regarding the  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Marine Mammal Commission, Bethesda, Maryland, has issued a public comment letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) addressing potential impacts of the proposed Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities by 8 Star Alaska, LLC (8 Star AK). This project aims to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to construction activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over a five-year period, from January 2026 to December 2030. The Commission's concer  more

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Aug. 21 (TNSjou) -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued the following news: * * * Rare glimpse of a quieter ocean New research explores the impact of reduced shipping on Pacific Ocean soundscapes * The dramatic disruption of commerce and trade caused by the COVID-19 pandemic presented scientists with an unanticipated opportunity to study the decrease of human-generated noise and its impact on ocean soundscapes. An analysis of passive acoustic  more