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U.S. NEWS Thursday 2 June 2022
Harris calls water security a foreign policy priority

By SUMAN NAISHADHAM crease temperatures and
and MICHAEL PHILLIS drive extreme weather,
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice making water access in
President Kamala Harris some regions worse. So far,
said Wednesday the U.S. the world has made mod-
is safer if people in other est, uneven progress to-
countries have sufficient wards improving sanitation
water to drink, grow food and drinking water servic-
and safely dispose of sew- es, the White House said.
age, emphasizing that wa- Inadequate water ac-
ter access is a foreign poli- cess has the most effect
cy priority. on women, who need wa-
Harris said making sure that ter for menstrual hygiene
every country has enough and are often responsible
water will prevent conflicts, for transporting water, the
improve health outcomes plan said.
and boost local econo- The WHO estimates that 2
mies. Working towards billion people worldwide
those goals will make the drink from a water source
world more stable and se- contaminated with feces,
cure, according to a newly which can cause diarrhea
released White House plan and other diseases. The
to address issues facing problem kills an estimated
global water supplies and President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arrive to lay a wreath at The Tomb of the 485,000 people a year, ac-
quality. Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, 2022, in cording to the organiza-
The Biden administration Arlington, Va. tion.
said it will support invest- Associated Press U.S. Agency for Internation-
ments in water infrastruc- al Development adminis-
ture abroad and provide estimates. Harris said that Republicans have criti- Central American coun- trator Samantha Power said
technical expertise to help reality will have a "pro- cized the Biden adminis- tries dealing with extreme Russia's invasion of Ukraine
other countries manage found impact on America's tration over the number weather events. has deprived millions in that
their water resources. interests around the globe." of migrants arriving at the Wednesday's plan states country of clean water.
More than two billion peo- "Water insecurity makes our Southern border. Harris has that gaps in access to ba- "Some leaders are taking
ple around the world live in world less stable," she said, frequently said tackling mi- sic sanitation in Central advantage of water inse-
"water stressed" countries adding that it can lead to gration requires addressing America "contribute to in- curity and actually wield-
where demand for wa- "mass migration, which can "root causes," and previ- equality, drive migration, ing it as a weapon of war,"
ter exceeds supplies, the put significant pressure on ously proposed providing and foment civil unrest." said Power, who also spoke
World Health Organization neighboring communities." short-term relief to some Climate change will in- at the event.q

U.S. agrees to update critical habitat for Florida manatees

By CURT ANDERSON Florida's east coast, where where manatees live will
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — this winter officials success- help put these incredibly
U.S. wildlife officials have fully fed manatees tons of imperiled animals back on
agreed to revise the critical lettuce in an unprecedent- a path to recovery," said
habitat designation for Flor- ed experiment to prevent Ragan Whitlock, an attor-
ida manatees, which have more starvation. ney for the Center for Bio-
been dying in record num- Last year, more than 1,100 logical Diversity. "Protecting
bers because water pol- manatees died largely the habitat of these mag-
lution is killing a main food from lack of food, a Florida nificent creatures is long
source. record. This year, the Flori- overdue, but we're happy
The U.S. Fish and Wild- da Fish and Wildlife Conser- these safeguards will soon
life Service said in a court vation Commission reports be in place."
settlement made public 562 manatee deaths as The broader issue for man-
Wednesday that it will pub- of late May. Dozens more atee survival is improving
lish a proposed revision by manatees have been res- water quality. Their favored
Sept. 12, 2024. The agree- cued and are being cared seagrass food is disappear- Snorkelers and kayakers interact with an aggregation of mana-
tees gathered at the entrance to the Three Sisters Springs during
ment comes in a long-run- for at zoos, marine facilities ing due to chronic pollution a cold morning Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, in Crystal River, Fla.
ning court case involving and aquariums around the from agricultural, sewage Associated Press
the Center for Biological country. and urban runoff, as well
Diversity, Defenders of Wild- The manatee critical habi- as other sources. Efforts only take one algae bloom cal habitat for a decade,
life and the Save the Man- tat designation has not are ongoing to restore the caused by pollution to wipe and now the manatee's
atee Club. been updated since 1976; crucial seagrass beds but out those gains. predicament is so dire that
The rule would bring en- it's something manatee those are long-term proj- Once it happens, manatee revising critical habitat can
hanced federal scrutiny to advocates have been ects. advocates say the critical no longer be put on the
projects that might affect pushing for since 2008. The Florida wildlife officials habitat revision will be an- back burner," said Patrick
the manatee in waterways state wildlife commission were heartened this spring other key piece of the puz- Rose, executive director
in which the marine mam- estimates there are about to find that some seagrass zle for saving these unique of the Save the Manatee
mals are known to con- 7,500 manatees in the wild is growing back naturally and beloved creatures. Club, which was co-found-
centrate. One such area is in Florida. in key habitat areas. But The Fish and Wildlife Service ed by Florida troubadour
the Indian River Lagoon on "Safeguarding the places they cautioned it would "has delayed revising criti- Jimmy Buffet.q