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u.s. news Diasabra 17 september 2022

Treasury recommends exploring creation of a digital dollar

(AP) — The Biden ad- Treasury Secretary Janet Yel- senting more than 95% of
ministration is moving len said one Treasury recom- global gross domestic prod-
one step closer to devel- mendation is that the U.S. uct already are exploring or
oping a central bank digi- "advance policy and techni- have created a central bank
tal currency, known as the cal work on a potential cen- digital currency. The coun-
digital dollar, saying it tral bank digital currency, or cil found that the U.S. and
would help reinforce the CBDC, so that the United the U.K. are far behind in
U.S. role as a leader in the States is prepared if CBDC creating a digital dollar or its
world financial system. is determined to be in the na- equivalent.
tional interest."
The White House said on Treasury, the Justice Depart-
Friday that after President Central bank digital cur- ment, the Consumer Finance
Joe Biden issued an executive rencies differ from exist- Protection Bureau, the Se-
order in March calling on a ing digital money available curities and Exchange Com-
variety of agencies to look at to the general public, such mission and other agencies
ways to regulate digital assets, as the balance in a bank ac- were tasked with contribut- ers have submitted various substantial turmoil in crypto-
the agencies came up with count, because they would be ing to reports that would ad- pieces of legislation to regu- currency markets and these
nine reports, covering cryp- a direct liability of the Federal dress various concerns about late cryptocurrency and other events really highlight how,
tocurrency impacts on finan- Reserve, not a commercial the risks, development and digital assets. without proper oversight,
cial markets, the environ- bank. usage of digital assets. Several cryptocurrencies risk harm-
ment, innovation and other reports will come out in the The director of the National ing everyday Americans' fi-
elements of the economic According to the Atlantic next weeks and months. Economic Council, Brian nancial stability and our na-
system. Council nonpartisan think Deese, told reporters that tional security."
tank, 105 countries repre- On Capitol Hill, lawmak- "we've seen in recent months

BP reaches $2.75M deal over Indiana refinery pollution

(AP) — Oil titan BP reached a $2.75 million ery on the southwestern Lake Michigan shoreline sion ceilings under the federal Clean Air Act. State
settlement Thursday over air pollution from between Hammond, Indiana, and Chicago. Both records show violations dating as far back as 2015,
its largest refinery after environmentalists cases involved releases of sooty “particulate mat- said Schaeffer, who was a former enforcement di-
complained of repeated emissions violations ter,” which is linked to asthma and other respira- rector with the U.S. Environmental Protection
at the Whiting facility in Indiana. tory and cardiovascular illnesses. Christina Aud- Agency. U.S. District Judge Philip Simon ruled
isho, spokeswoman for BP America Inc., said the in April 2021 that three boilers exceeded particle
The agreement is the second in the past year be- company welcomed the agreement. emissions limits and ordered a trial on two others.
tween advocacy groups and BP involving the refin- The settlement Thursday would resolve all the en-
The 133-year-old refinery — the sixth largest in vironmentalists’ claims if it receives court approval.
the U.S. — processes around 440,000 barrels of
crude oil daily, producing a variety of liquid fuels Under the agreement, BP would pay $1.75 million
and 7% of U.S.-made asphalt. in civil penalties to a federal fund used for clean air
monitoring and enforcement.
BP agreed in December 2019 to pay a $512,450 The company also would pay $1 million for proj-
penalty and reduce soot from two large “catalytic ects intended to boost health and quality of life in
crackers” that convert heavy oils into lighter oils the area. They would include $500,000 to the non-
and gases, said Eric Schaeffer, executive director of profit Student Conservation Association for tree
the Environmental Integrity Project, which sued planting around the Whiting refinery and along
on behalf of the Sierra Club. nearby roads.

The deal this week involved industrial boilers that An additional $500,000 would go to local school
provide steam to production units. As with the districts for indoor air filtration devices in class-
catalytic crackers, the boilers are subject to emis- rooms and other areas.

Michigan man gets 5 years in prison for role in Capitol riot

(AP) — A Michigan man In June, a jury convicted Wil- tol through the Senate Wing
was sentenced on Friday to liams of a felony count of doors and joined other riot-
five years in federal pris- obstructing the Jan. 6, 2021, ers in overwhelming police
on for his role in the U.S. joint session of Congress for officers in the Crypt area.
Capitol attack by a mob certifying the Electoral Col-
that disrupted Congress lege vote. Jurors also convict- Williams' attorneys requested
from certifying President ed him of four related misde- a sentence of 15 months of
Joe Biden's 2020 electoral meanor offenses. incarceration.
victory.
Prosecutors had recom- More than 870 people have
Chief Judge Beryl Howell mended a prison sentence of been charged with federal
also sentenced Anthony Rob- five years and four months crimes for the conduct on
ert Williams, 47, of South- for Williams, who was arrest- Jan. 6. More 260 of them
gate, Michigan, to three years ed in Detroit in March 2021. have been sentenced, with
of supervised release after his He added that it "felt like the Outside the Capitol, Wil- roughly half of them receiv-
prison term and ordered him In a Facebook post three founding fathers were smil- liams stole water bottles that ing a term of imprisonment
to pay $2,000 in restitution days after the riot, Williams ing down on us in that room, police intended to use for ranging from seven days to
and a $5,000 fine, according called himself an "Opera- and I guarantee my dad and decontaminating themselves 10 years. Only five other
to a U.S. Justice Department tion Swamp Storm veteran" gramps, both vets, would be from chemical spray, accord- Capitol riot defendants have
news release. and referred to Jan. 6 as the proud." ing to prosecutors. They said been sentenced to a longer
"proudest day of my life." Williams entered the Capi- prison term than Williams.