Dr. Anthony Fauci warned Sunday that more “pain and suffering” is on the horizon as COVID-19 cases climb again and officials plead with unvaccinated Americans to get their shots.

Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, also said he doesn’t foresee additional lockdowns in the U.S. because he believes enough people are vaccinated to avoid a recurrence of last winter. However, he said not enough are inoculated to “crush the outbreak” at this point.

Fauci’s warning comes days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed course to recommend that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the delta variant is fueling infection surges. With the switch, federal health officials have cited studies showing vaccinated people can spread the virus to others.

Most new infections in the U.S. continue to be among unvaccinated people. So-called breakthrough infections can occur in vaccinated people, and though the vast majority of those cause mild or no symptoms, the research shows they can carry about the same amount of the coronavirus as those who did not get the shots.

“So we’re looking, not, I believe, to lockdown, but we’re looking to some pain and suffering in the future because we’re seeing the cases go up, which is the reason why we keep saying over and over again, the solution to this is get vaccinated and this would not be happening,” Fauci said on ABC’s “This Week.”

According to data through July 30 from Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in the U.S. rose from 30,887 on July 16 to 77,827 on July 30. The seven-day rolling average for the country’s daily new deaths rose over the same period from 253 on July 16 to 358 on July 30, though death reports generally lag weeks after infections and even longer after hospitalizations.

Currently, 58% of Americans 12 years and older are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC’s data tracker.

However, people are “getting the message” and more are rolling up their sleeves amid the threat of the delta variant, according to the director of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Francis Collins said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that vaccinations are up 56% in the U.S. in the last two weeks.

Louisiana, which has the newest cases per capita among states in the past 14 days, has seen vaccinations up threefold over that period, Collins said.

“That’s what desperately needs to happen if we are going to get this delta variant put back in its place because right now it’s having a pretty big party in the middle of the country,” Collins said.

Collins also said that even with the prevalence of the delta variant, the shots are working “extremely well” and reduce a person’s risk of serious illness and hospitalization “25-fold.” The guidance for vaccinated people to start wearing masks indoors again in certain places with worsening outbreaks, he said, is mostly meant to protect unvaccinated and immunocompromised people.

The CDC has also recommended indoor mask-wearing for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors at schools nationwide, regardless of vaccination status.

Source: www.click2houston.com

 Country music legend Willie Nelson led more than a thousand spectators in singing “vote them out” Saturday from the steps of the Texas Capitol during a rally wrapping up a four-day march in support of Democratic state legislators who bolted for Washington two weeks ago to block GOP-backed voting restrictions.

Families with lawn chairs spread out across the sprawling Capitol greens in Austin. Clergy, politicians, constituents, and musicians all spoke out about the proposals to impose voter ID requirements, limit ballot drop boxes and mail voting, and strip local officials of their election authority.

The special session that the exodus by Texas Democrats halted is set to expire next week, but Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has pledged to schedule a new one as soon as the lawmakers return to the state.

“If you don’t like who’s in there, vote them out,” Nelson sang, inviting the crowd to join him in singing lyrics he’d previously written about taking a stand at the ballot box.

“I felt like I needed to be here. It is a history-making event that is so necessary right now,” said Brenda Hanson, 75, of Austin. “I am a descendant of slavery and I am not interested in moving back, I want to see this country go forward. I have lived well over three-quarters of a century and I have never seen us go backward like this before.”

Hanson said she is disabled but otherwise would have participated in the nearly 30-mile walk. Instead, she hoped to make a statement with her presence as she sat chanting in support on a bench under a tree.

The march began Wednesday and ended Saturday when participants walked up to the doors of the Texas Capitol building in a rally sponsored by activist group Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. It was led, in part, by Beto O’Rourke, the former Democratic congressman and presidential candidate who has not ruled out a run for Texas governor in 2022. Earlier this week, O’Rourke and marchers shut down the frontage road of Interstate 35 during the morning rush hour, funneled between restaurants, and cut a path from Republican-controlled statehouse districts to Democratic ones.

Marchers compared what the GOP says are measures meant to protect against fraud and restore confidence in American elections to Jim Crow-style restrictions. There has been no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

“I ask you to think about every man and every woman who had the courage in their convictions and did what they needed to do in their own moment of truth in this country’s history,” O’Rourke told the crowd.

More than a dozen people in favor of the voting legislation proposed in Texas gathered at the Capitol building’s front gate behind the rally, waving signs in support of the proposed changes. Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes, who authored the Senate’s version of the voting bill, told The Associated Press that when he heard about the rally, he decided to visit with people around the Capitol grounds to listen to their views and encourage them to read his piece of legislation.

“The right to vote is fundamental and so it has to be accessible and secure, both are important,” Hughes said. “This is America. This free speech— we love this. Whether folks agree with me or disagree with me, I am glad to be here.”

Hughes said “many people have heard generalizations,” and his goal is to discuss with constituents the details of the bill’s language.

Caught in the political crossfire are nearly 2,000 legislative workers who risk losing their paychecks after Abbott slashed funding for their salaries from the state budget in a punitive line-item veto after Democratic lawmakers walked out in May. Lawmakers could restore the funding during the ongoing special session if it weren’t at a standstill with more than 50 Democratic House members in D.C.

A lawsuit filed by Democrats on behalf of the legislative staffers is pending before the Texas Supreme Court. It’s not clear when the court might make a decision.

Renee Conley, 52, said she attended the rally with her daughter, for whom she is fighting against the Texas voting bill. When she goes to vote, Conley said she brings her daughter to the polls so she can learn the process in anticipation of the day she can cast her own ballot. Now, Conley said she fears by the time her daughter goes to college, she won’t be allowed to vote if she only has a university identification card.

“I am here for her rights,” Conley said. “There is no reason she should ever have any threat of not being able to vote.

Acacia Coronado is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Source: www.click2houston.com

Oil and gas producers in Texas are contributing to a positive long-term trend Texas as the rate of flaring in the state continues to fall.

As seen in the chart below, the most recent Railroad Commission production data shows that the percentage of natural gas flared compared to the natural gas produced from oil and gas wells in Texas dropped from a high of 2.29% in June 2019 to 0.65% in May 2021. During the same period, the volume of gas flared decreased by approximately 73%.

The average percentage of natural gas flared has remained below 2% statewide since October 2019, making Texas one of the lowest in flaring rates among all large producing states in the nation.

This means the vast majority of natural gas is being captured and used for beneficial purposes, which is a much-needed fuel for an electric generation; a basis for alternative fuels, LNG, CNG, and LPG; and used in a wide variety of products, such as plastics, synthetic fibers for advanced clothing, paints, fertilizers​, medicines, antifreeze, and more.

“The facts are clear. Texas is seeing significantly reduced flaring rates as a result of improved technologies, infrastructure and regulatory processes,” said RRC Chairman Christi Craddick. “Through hard work and collaboration, Texans are better off with more natural gas available for beneficial use. I am grateful for the efforts of Railroad Commission staff and the commitment from operators to reduce flaring rates and look forward to continued progress.”

“A clean environment and a thriving oil and gas industry are not mutually exclusive,” said Commissioner Wayne Christian. “Technological innovation has allowed operators to reduce waste, without impacting the tremendous impact oil and gas production has on our economy, state budget and our goal of energy independence.”

“The numbers released today are particularly notable given Texas’ outsized contributions to our nation’s energy needs,” said Commissioner Jim Wright. “According to EIA in 2020, Texas produced one-fourth of the nation’s natural gas, and annual production reached a high of more than 10 trillion cubic feet for the second year in a row. These trendlines reaffirm our commitment to utilizing our natural resources safely and efficiently.”

Since spring 2020, RRC has been working to improve its processes to reduce flaring in the state. Actions that the agency’s commissioners have taken, following periods of public input, include:

• On Nov. 4, approved a revamped Form R-32, Application for Exception to Statewide Rule 32, which provides specific guidance on when an exception to flare would be permissible, under which circumstances, and for how long. The new procedures with the form generally tighten up periods for administrative exceptions to flare gas, provides incentives for operators to use technologies that reduce flaring, require operators to provide specific justification for their need for an exception to flare, and provides additional data points to facilitate compliance audits.
• On Feb. 23, approved a revised Form PR, Monthly Production Report, which is being phased in and will be in full effect on Jan. 1. The revised form requires operators to report the amount of gas flared and the amount of gas vented as separate values on the monthly report instead of as a single value for an entire lease, putting RRC in better position to track compliance and correct potential violations.

In addition to the actions by commissioners, RRC launched an online system for requesting exceptions to Rule 32, resulting in better data collection and analysis.

Operators also have a right to request a hearing for requests for an exception to flare, which are ultimately decided upon by commissioners. For those cases, Hearings Division staff have more critically examined long-term hearing requests and have limited the outcomes of these requests.

Source: www.rrc.texas.gov

Hardware Matter is Resolved

BAYPORT TERMINAL PERMIT IS RENEWED AS IMPORTS CONTINUE TO POUR IN AND JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY RECOGNIZED

Truck gate operations have resumed Thursday afternoon at Barbours Cut and Bayport Terminals, following the resolution of computer hardware issues that closed both terminals to truck traffic for two and a half days. “Extended gate times are planned through the weekend – or as long as needed – until the business is caught up,” Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther said.

Guenther expressed regret to customers and partners, including truckers, and appreciation for their patience while resolving the issue. Guenther said, “We will take a strong look to find what caused the problem, and measures will be put in place to help prevent it from happening again.”

In more Port Houston news, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers renewed the federal permit for Port Houston’s Bayport Terminal. This significant milestone was officially announced and applauded during the July meeting of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority held last week.

This crucial permit allows Port Houston to continue its master plan for construction to build out the Bayport Terminal, which includes its current $200 million expansion program to complete Wharf 6, Container Yard 2, and other projects – part of Port Houston continuing efforts to remain ahead of accelerating demand.

Port Chairman Ric Campo also announced Port Houston was on track in the coming weeks to enter into a Project Partnership Agreement or PPA with the Army Corps, a key step in Project 11 widening construction program of the Houston Ship Channel.

Signatures and other final actions began processing this week, and a formal announcement is planned. Container volume recorded a 39% increase over last June, Executive Director Roger Guenther told the commission in his staff report. Port Houston has handled containers totaling more than 1.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) at the midpoint of 2021, reflecting a 13% increase. Underscoring the constant increase in business, he notes “imports continue to pour into Houston as we continue to reach new record highs for gate moves and single vessel moves.”

Further highlighting the escalating momentum of the container business, Guenther shared that for the first time ever, Barbours Cut Terminal outpaced Bayport in loaded container gate moves (15,000 vs. 14,000) during the month of July, as a new record was also set at Barbours Cut with 5,687 single vessel moves working The ONE Matrix.

Emphasizing Port Houston’s sustainable operations efforts, Guenther noted that Bayport had just received five new hybrid-electric rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs), with the next delivery of an additional four RTGs expected in August. He added that that the beginning construction stages for Wharf 6 at Bayport can now be seen. The project began last month and will take nearly two years to complete.

The Port Commission and the Port Commission Citizens Advisory Council were also briefed on Port Houston’s draft Sustainability Action Plan, which includes twenty-seven opportunities for it to lead, partner or supports these initiatives in the region. Making history, the Port Commission unanimously endorsed the observance of Juneteenth as an annual holiday for Port Houston employees.

Chairman Campo praised U.S. Senator John Cornyn and U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee for providing leadership in Congress as the primary sponsors of legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Congresswoman Jackson Lee personally expressed her appreciation for this support of the Juneteenth holiday and underscored her continued support of the channel expansion project as well.

Chairman Campo emphasized that Juneteenth, “is not only important to Texans but is important to all Americans…we are grateful for it becoming law and receiving the recognition it has long deserved.”

The next regular Port Commission meeting will be held on September 28th in person at the Port Houston Executive Office Building located at 111 East Loop North, Houston, TX 77029.

Source: porthouston.com