Month: September 2025

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — With today’s memorial service for Turning Point USA founder and conservative trailblazer Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona, Great American Media pauses to honor his legacy and his contributions to American ideals and culture. Bill Abbott, CEO of Great American Media, shared the following remarks:

“We are deeply saddened by our country’s loss of a true patriot, Charlie Kirk. He stood firmly for the values we hold dear at Great American Media: faith, family, and freedom. Charlie’s vision and his work through Turning Point USA will continue to inspire us to live out and defend those principles with conviction. At Great American Media, our mission remains to share stories that inspire, encourage, and remind us of the strength we find in faith and in one another.”

Five-time Grammy nominee, singer, and songwriter Matthew West responded to these recent events with a powerful new song, “Be Close,” to uplift and encourage Americans to stand firm in their faith. Great American Family is airing the following tribute to honor Charlie and remind us we are all striving to live a life that remembers Matthew 25:23: “Well done, my faithful servant.”

Bill Abbott is President and Chief Executive Officer of Great American Media, home to the portfolio of family-friendly brands, including linear TV networks, Great American Family and Great American Faith & Living; streaming service Great American Pure Flix, and two FAST channels, Great American Adventures and Pure Flix. Great American Family is the company’s flagship network and features original holiday movies, rom-coms, and classic series celebrating faith, family, and country.  Over the past 12 months, the network has been the fastest-growing channel on TV.

A veteran in the television industry with over 30 years of experience, Abbott previously served as president & CEO of Hallmark Media.

About Great American Media & Great American Pure Flix Premium
Great American Media is home to a family-friendly portfolio of brands, including Great American Family, Great American Pure Flix and Great American Faith & Living. As the flagship linear TV network, Great American Family features original Christmas movies, rom-coms and classic series that celebrate faith, family and country. Great American Pure Flix is a leading faith and family streaming service that inspires, uplifts and entertains with content that you can confidently stream with the entire family. Other platforms include Great American Faith & Living, the unscripted companion to Great American Family that celebrates faith, family, and country every day and every season; Great American Adventures and Pure Flix TV, FAST channels (free ad-supporting streaming TV). Great American Media was established in June 2021 by Bill Abbott and a group of U.S.-based family offices.

Great American Pure Flix is your streaming home to the best in quality faith and family entertainment. Through a 2023 merger, Great American Pure Flix became the streaming service of Great American Media, the leading provider of wholesome, family-friendly, and inspiring movies and programs. Add in the best from Pure Flix in faith and inspirational content, and you get a streaming service unlike any other.

Contact: Eden Gordon Hill
hello@edengordonmedia.com
Cell: 202.714.6014

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SOURCE Great American Media

Soloviev Group and Mohegan amend application to deliver an unprecedented response to the housing crisis facing New York City residents.

NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Freedom Plaza, the bold $11.2 billion civic and cultural vision for Manhattan’s East Side led by Soloviev Group and Mohegan, today announced a landmark commitment to make 1,080 residential units on site permanently affordable. Reinforced by a legally binding restrictive declaration, this positions Freedom Plaza to deliver the largest number of newly constructed affordable homes in Manhattan’s Central Core in more than a decade.

“We are prepared to answer the call from elected officials that New York City is in desperate need of affordable housing. The heartfelt testimony of neighbors – particularly young people – and the thoughtful input of community and civic leaders reinforces this decision,” said Michael Hershman, CEO of Soloviev Group. “Soloviev and Mohegan believe a gaming license is a privilege and an opportunity to leverage its full economic power to deliver social, civic, and community benefits that would not otherwise be possible.”

According to Ray Pineault, CEO of Mohegan, “Housing is the foundation of stability, and this commitment represents our unwavering investment in New York’s future. Honoring our values and culture, we are proud to join Soloviev Group in delivering a fully affordable, inclusive community that will enrich Manhattan’s East Side for generations to come.”

“By making every single home affordable, Soloviev and Mohegan are addressing New York City’s housing crisis with meaningful action,” said Jamie A. Smarr, President of the NYC Housing Partnership. “I have spent my career advocating for affordable housing, and I did not think I would ever see this type of commitment from private development. This will ensure that working families, seniors, and future generations will have access to quality housing paired with world-class amenities and public spaces that make neighborhoods thrive.”

As part of its broader community investment, Freedom Plaza recently announced a new partnership with Settlement Housing Fund, a nonprofit that has preserved more than 8,900 homes for low- and moderate-income families since 1969. Soloviev Group and Mohegan have committed $1 million to support the organization’s work at Tanya Towers. Located at 620 East 13th Street, Tanya Towers provides 138 permanently affordable apartments, many of which are home to residents living with disabilities, seniors, or veterans.

Over the past two years, Freedom Plaza leadership has engaged thousands of residents, activists, advocates, and civic leaders to talk about the public benefits that Freedom Plaza will bring together. Recognizing the impact of this once-in-a-generation project, more than 58 percent of those that participated in the two Community Advisory Committee (CAC) public hearings spoke in favor of the project, in addition to more than 5,000 individuals who have submitted written testimony to the CAC.

They join the 10,000 Manhattan residents and 250 local small businesses who previously signed a petition supporting the proposal. A September 2025 Tulchin Research poll further confirms this momentum, finding that nearly two-thirds of Manhattan voters support the project and 58 percent of voters in Midtown East specifically in favor.

About Freedom Plaza
Freedom Plaza is an $11.2 billion mixed-use development from Soloviev Group and Mohegan, spanning 6.3 acres from 38th to 41st Street east of First Avenue on Manhattan’s East Side. The project will deliver 1,080 new permanently affordable homes alongside nearly five acres of public open space, locally oriented retail, and a wide range of shopping and dining options, plus a daycare center, food market, museum dedicated to democracy, and community center. Two world-class hotels from Mohegan and the owners of Banyan Tree will feature retail, dining, and entertainment, including modern gaming for those 21 and over. Built entirely with union labor, Freedom Plaza will support 17,000 high-quality full- and part-time union jobs during construction and operations and nearly 40,000 jobs overall throughout the economy, while generating $3.2 billion in annual economic impact. For more information, visit freedomplaza.nyc.

About Soloviev Group 
Unwavering in its commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility, the Soloviev Group brings four generations of successful development across community-focused verticals, including hospitality, residential and commercial development, agriculture, energy, logistics and philanthropy. The firm’s most recent project, Freedom Plaza, will encompass more than 6 acres on Manhattan’s East Side from 38th to 41st Street east of First Avenue and is committed to helping New York City thrive. The mixed-use development will feature nearly 5 acres of publicly accessible green space; two world-class hotels by global resort leaders Mohegan and the owners of the Banyan Tree hotels and resorts, featuring the option of modern gaming for those 21-and-over; locally oriented retail and an array of shopping and dining options; a museum dedicated to democracy and community center; and two residential towers with 1,080 units of permanently affordable housing. For more information, visit freedomplaza.nyc.

About Mohegan
Mohegan is the owner, developer, and manager of premier entertainment resorts in the United States and Canada. Mohegan’s U.S. operations include resorts in Connecticut and Pennsylvania and Canadian operations are based in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The brand’s iGaming division, Mohegan Digital, provides cutting-edge online gaming solutions to Mohegan’s loyal fan base and meets the digital needs of North American customers. Mohegan is owner and operator of Connecticut Sun, a professional basketball team in the WNBA. For more information on Mohegan and its properties, please visit mohegangaming.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/freedom-plaza-commits-to-100-percent-affordable-housing-302562224.html

SOURCE The Soloviev Group

Legendary artists join millions of supporters to honor Farm Aid’s lasting impact as family farmers face their greatest crisis since the 1980s

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Farm Aid marked its historic 40th anniversary today at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, celebrating a powerful movement born from what was intended to be a one-time concert in 1985. The anniversary coincides with a moment when family farmers are facing the worst economic and environmental pressures in decades, echoing the crisis of the 1980s.

Farm Aid has stood side-by-side with family farmers for four decades — amplifying their voices, connecting them to resources and bringing their stories into the national spotlight. Farm Aid 40 united food producers, artists, advocates and fans to reinvigorate support for America’s family farmers as low prices, high input costs, decreasing global markets, corporate consolidation and climate disruption threaten their survival.

Farm Aid’s leadership and artist board members reflected on all that family farmers do to steward our soil and water while nourishing our communities. Farmers and food producers from Minnesota shared both the triumphs and challenges of family farming, highlighting the state’s powerful role in the farm movement through rural advocacy, sustainable agriculture and forward-thinking policy reform.

Following last week’s local labor strike that put the festival at risk of cancellation, Farm Aid Founder and President Willie Nelson said the overwhelming response from across the state and nation proved just how deeply people care about this long-lived mission. Farmers, workers, artists and music fans and stood together to keep the festival and the organization alive.

“John [Mellencamp], Neil [Young] and I could never have imagined the movement that grew from that first show,” said Nelson. “We’ve stood with our partners all these years to give farmers — the hardest working people in America — the support they need to survive against impossible odds. Their willingness to keep going is why we have to keep going. Farmers need us, and we will always need them.” 

Organizers emphasized that this anniversary is both a celebration and a call to action. Farm Aid reaffirmed its commitment to meeting the current challenges of the farm movement and invited all those who care about fairness, justice, good food and rural America to join the charge alongside the farmers who feed us all.

The anniversary festival featured performances from founders Nelson and Family, Young (with the Chrome Hearts), and Mellencamp, along with artist board members Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds) and Margo Price. The lineup also included Bob Dylan, Kenny Chesney, Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson, Trampled by Turtles, Wynonna Judd, Steve Earle, Waxahatchee, Eric Burton of Black Pumas, Jesse Welles, Madeline Edwards and Wisdom Indian Dancers.

For the first time in Farm Aid’s history, CNN broadcast the festival nationwide, carrying its message to millions of households across the country. SiriusXM and nugs.net also streamed the full event, with coverage that included backstage interviews with artists and farmers.

In collaboration with the University of Minnesota, Farm Aid hosted multiple partner events, including a Farmer Forum that featured a full day of conversations about the work happening within our farm movement. This included a keynote address from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and panels with local leaders.

Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Village engaged festivalgoers in hands-on activities about climate, soil, water, energy, food and farming. Activities included Village scavenger hunts, dried flower button making, checking out soil health with microscopes, local food screen print creation and much more. Attendees also heard from artists and farmers on the FarmYard Stage about pressing issues like food access, climate change, corporate power in agriculture, emerging farmers and supporting farmers through the current farm crisis.  

Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Concessions® served food throughout the venue with ingredients that were produced by family farmers who utilize ecological production practices and received a fair price. A varied menu — all served on compostable serviceware — from diverse farmers offered pork banh mi, wild rice bratwursts with cider sauerkraut, honey ice cream, cheese curds and more. Special kitchen collaborations with Patchwork Family Farms and Owamni Restaurant were featured in Club Cambria. Additionally, the stadium piloted use of r.Cup, a reusable item to reduce single-use cups. Second Harvest Heartland will receive food left over from the event.

Farm Aid 40 was livestreamed on FarmAid.org and Farm Aid’s YouTube channel. The webcast began with the press event featuring Farm Aid artists and farmers from across Minnesota, offering a special opportunity to experience a conversation between farmers and artists.

Sponsors of Farm Aid 40 include McKnight Foundation, Tractor Beverage Co., Explore Minnesota, Horizon Organic, 11th Hour Project, Huntington Bank, Seven Sundays, REI Co-op, Frontier Co-op, Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Collectors and fans have the opportunity to bid on rare, unique items signed by artists at Farm Aid 40. The auction is hosted at farmaid.org/auction and will close on Friday, Oct. 3.

Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $85 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

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SOURCE Farm Aid

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Pivot Bio, one of the world’s most innovative agtech companies, will take center stage during Climate Week in New York City (Sept. 22–24). CEO Chris Abbott will join global business and sustainability leaders to highlight how agriculture is advancing climate solutions, reducing costs and strengthening the economic resilience of rural communities.

On Monday, Sept. 22, he will participate in ringing the Nasdaq Opening Bell, underscoring the growing role of sustainable innovation in capital markets. Later in the week, he will join a high-profile panel, The Future of Planetary Health: Investing for Impact, moderated by Jason Knauf, CEO of The Earthshot Prize and panelists including Anders Spohr, Managing Partner & Head of Planetary Health Investments, Novo Holdings; Laura Turner Seydel, Director, Turner Foundation; and Wawira Njiru, Founder, Food4Education.

During Climate Week, Abbott will also participate in additional panel discussions and investor dialogues, underscoring Pivot Bio’s leadership at the intersection of business, agriculture, and climate.

Recognized by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies and by TIME for three consecutive years as one of the Best Inventions, Pivot Bio’s industry-leading microbial nitrogen-fixing technologies are among the most talked about ag innovations in decades. From moonshot to commercial success, the company’s products have made a difference across the United States, and soon in Brazil. The company has also done some notable work with smallholder farms in Kenya. Pivot Bio’s products provide a weatherproof source of nitrogen directly to plant roots, helping farmers reduce costs, improve yields and strengthen long-term resilience in the face of volatile weather and rising input prices.

Key Results:

• Pivot Bio’s innovative technology platform is:
• 99.5% less capital investment required to construct than conventional fertilizer facilities
• 1/20,000th the shipping volume of traditional nitrogen
• Reducing dependence on volatile global markets
• Eliminating working capital, price spikes and global supply chain constraints that plague growers and partners.
• Science-Backed Innovation
• PROVEN 40 is the most tested microbe on the market, backed by more than a decade of R&D, validation of outcomes on nearly 15 million acres, across 6,147 fields in 34 states, independent studies by 20+ leading universities, and its 200+ patent portfolio protecting American innovation.
• Market Expansion
• The company expanded beyond corn and small grains with CERT-N™, the first gene-edited nitrogen-fixing product for cotton. It replaces 20% of synthetic nitrogen while increasing lint yield by 50 pounds per acre – resulting in a 200% ROI in its first year.
• Measurable Impact Since 2022
• Since 2022, growers using Pivot Bio products have achieved remarkable results equivalent to avoiding emissions from 3.4 gas-fired power plants for one year, 7,200 rail cars of coal, or 270,000 homes’ annual electricity use. Farmers have used more than 129,000 metric tons less synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, conserved more than 665 million gallons of manufacturing water, and avoided more than 102,600 metric tons of nitrate leaching.

About Pivot Bio

Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading innovative agtech companies, delivers to farmers patented crop nutrition technologies that harness the power of nature to reliably and productively grow the food the world needs in the face of increasing volatility.

Currently available in North America and soon in Brazil, the company’s products are a breakthrough innovation and one of the agriculture industry’s most promising climate solutions. Pivot Bio has been recognized three times by TIME magazine on its annual list of best inventions, by Fast Company on its World Changing Ideas and World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies lists, by CNBC on its Disruptor 50 list of private companies, by Fortune on its Impact 20 list of startups driving social good and by MIT Tech Review as one of 15 climate tech companies to watch.

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SOURCE Pivot Bio, Inc

Members of Local 25 Ratify Record Contract as Waste Strike Continues in Georgia

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Republic Services workers represented by Teamsters Local 25 have won an historic strike against the multibillion-dollar waste corporation, ratifying a new contract by a powerful 92 percent margin.

“Republic Services torched tens of millions of dollars to force this unnecessary strike and drag it out in a failed attempt to break our members’ solidarity. Republic forced hundreds of thousands of regular, hardworking people living in Boston to suffer all summer long. But Boston Teamsters don’t break — ever — and we’ve ratified an incredible new agreement,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Republic should be ashamed of its corporate greed. Every Teamster should be proud of their backbone and commitment to fight for what’s right.”

Republic forced more than 400 members of Local 25 out on strike on July 1. After nearly three months on the picket line, Republic Teamsters have now locked in raises of 46 percent over the life of the five-year contract and additional substantial improvements to health benefits.

“I’ve never been prouder of a group of Teamsters in my life. Our members stood strong for 81 days to send a message to Republic and to greedy employers across the country. Never once did the Teamsters waiver in our shared mission to protect one another on the job, increase wages, and improve benefits,” said Tom Mari, President of Local 25. “This is an extremely strong contract, and our members are looking forward to going back to work on Monday. It’s finally time to get back to serving the communities we live in and care about so much. Boston Teamsters thank our city for their love, compassion, and support throughout this fight.”

Dozens of Republic Teamsters in Cumming, Ga., represented by Teamsters Local 728, remain on strike against the waste giant and have extended picket lines to Columbus, Ohio. This has resulted in a work stoppage affecting more than 80 workers. Teamsters in Georgia and Ohio will remain on picket lines against Republic until they are offered a fair new agreement.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Matt McQuaid, (617) 894-0669
MMcQuaid@Teamster.org

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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

• Costa Rica is already making significant progress in collaboration with organizations such as the Country Bran essential COSTA RICA and the Trade & Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER).

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Known for its lush landscapes, paradisiacal beaches, and rich biodiversity, Costa Rica has much more to offer than natural beauty. The country boasts an exceptional business climate, a highly skilled workforce, consolidated agribusiness companies, and a wide variety of agricultural products that nourish the world. Among them, one of its most iconic exports shines through: the banana.

Bananas have been part of Costa Rica’s history since the 19th century. Initially grown for local consumption, the crop soon became one of the country’s top exports. Since then, this fruit has not only been a staple on Costa Rican tables but also on millions of family tables worldwide.

Today, Costa Rican bananas reach more than 45 countries, securing an outstanding position in global markets: Costa Rica is the world’s third-largest banana exporter, the third supplier to the European Union, and the sixth to Canada. In 2024, banana exports totaled USD 1.189 billion, representing 6% of national exports, 1% of GDP, and 33% of all agricultural exports.

“Beyond the numbers, bananas are a pillar of development in Costa Rica’s rural regions. The sector generates around 40,000 direct jobs and about 100,000 indirect jobs, benefiting thousands of families. In the province of Limón, on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, this crop employs approximately 76% of the local workforce, making it a key driver of social and economic stability,” said Laura López, General Manager of the Trade & Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica.

A Model of Responsible Production
The strength of Costa Rican bananas lies not only in their productivity but also in a production model rooted in innovation, traceability, and sustainability. The banana industry has consistently invested in research and farm productivity, while reducing agrochemical use and optimizing natural resource management.

Costa Rica produces bananas in harmony with the environment and with full respect for labor rights. Since 1992, the industry has voluntarily maintained the Banana Environmental Commission (CAB), a multi-stakeholder body that sets environmental standards, ensures compliance with labor laws, safeguards occupational health and training, and fosters social dialogue.

Through this model, Costa Rica has become a global benchmark for responsible production. The CAB has driven initiatives such as recycling plastics used in banana farming, implementing reforestation and forest protection programs, developing drainage and water management systems to minimize consumption and contamination, and monitoring the environmental impact in production areas.

In 2011, Costa Rica’s banana industry earned the Geographical Indication (GI) “Banano de Costa Rica,” the first registered in Latin America. This distinction certifies the origin, quality, and reputation of the product, setting it apart in international markets. Costa Rica remains the only banana-exporting country with a registered GI, reinforcing the industry’s prestige and its commitment to world-class social and environmental standards.

Beyond its economic and social impact, bananas also provide health benefits. According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, bananas help maintain a healthy heart, balanced digestion, and high energy levels.

Innovation and differentiation continue to keep Costa Rican bananas in high demand worldwide. Looking ahead, the industry is focusing on technology, scientific research, and investment in sustainability—areas where Costa Rica is already making significant progress in collaboration with organizations such as the Country Bran essential COSTA RICA, the Trade & Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica and the National Banana Corporation (CORBANA).

Costa Rican bananas are more than just a tropical fruit: they are a symbol of agricultural innovation, a social engine for thousands of families, and a healthy food that travels from the heart of Central America to tables around the globe.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/costa-rican-bananas-stand-out-globally-for-innovation-and-sustainability-302561979.html

SOURCE Promotora del Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica (PROCOMER)

New RMI and Center for Green Market Activation initiative will enable Amazon, Prologis, Meta, and other leading organizations to participate in a first-of-its-kind joint purchase of sustainable concrete attribute certificates, driving investment into cutting-edge production facilities, low-carbon cement blends, and emerging technologies.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In a landmark step for the cement and concrete sector, RMI (founded as Rocky Mountain Institute) and the Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) today launched the Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance (SCoBA), bringing together founding members, including Amazon, Prologis, and Meta, alongside other leading organizations to accelerate adoption of low-carbon cement and concrete for 21^st century buildings and infrastructure. SCoBA is the first buyers group formed to collectively procure environmental attribute certificates for low-carbon concrete, aiming to turn demand into real-world offtake agreements that enable producers to invest at scale in new infrastructure and pioneering technologies.

The cement and concrete sector accounts for around 8 percent of global carbon emissions and is predicted to grow significantly by 2050, but low-carbon options are currently not available at scale. The emissions from construction of factories, warehouses, data centers, and offices are difficult to address due to the embodied carbon from construction materials. SCoBA will leverage an innovative book and claim system to enable companies to purchase the environmental attributes from sustainable concrete and upstream products such as cement and clinker, reducing their associated supply chain emissions, and generating additional revenue to help finance capital-intensive decarbonization projects.

“The cement and concrete sector’s decarbonization challenge is also one of its greatest economic opportunities,” said Jon Creyts, CEO at RMI. “By aggregating demand from major buyers and establishing rigorous standards, we’re creating the market conditions for breakthrough low-carbon cement innovations to scale. RMI is proud to work with GMA and leading organizations to launch SCoBA and enable concrete producers to invest confidently in clean and resilient materials that lead to economic benefits.”

Later this year, SCoBA will begin to connect members with leading producers through a first-of-its-kind competitive procurement process for low-carbon cement and concrete certificates to meet the collective demand of its founding members and spur clean tech innovation. The first request for information (RFI) is open now, seeking information from suppliers about the current availability of low-carbon cement and concrete and its performance characteristics, prospective use cases, and operational approaches for environmental attribute certificates, as well as any opportunities or challenges related to participating in a book and claim system.

“SCoBA builds on proven approaches from other hard-to-abate sectors, bringing aggregated buyer demand to the concrete industry,” said Kim Carnahan, President and CEO at GMA. “By connecting buyers and suppliers through a credible book and claim framework, we can unlock the investments needed to scale next-generation cement and concrete solutions in one of the world’s most emissions-intensive industries.”

Book and claim is a market-based system that allows the environmental benefits of a product, like low-carbon cement and concrete, to be decoupled from its physical delivery. This system enables buyers to financially support sustainable production, regardless of where the materials are used, offering flexibility and scalability in decarbonization strategies. Book and claim is particularly effective in industries with complex supply chains in the beginning phases of technological transformation, allowing companies to make credible emissions reduction claims while accelerating market transformation.

SCoBA is leveraging a draft book and claim framework developed over a year-long stakeholder consultation process facilitated by GMA and RMI. This process featured a 30-member Working Group composed of experts across the cement and concrete value chain that met monthly to align on key design criteria to ensure the book and claim system promotes only high-integrity environmental outcomes. The draft framework is undergoing a comment and revision period and will continue to be refined over time with learnings from early attribute transactions.

“SCoBA represents a significant advancement in how we approach sustainable construction materials,” said Chris Atkins, Director, Worldwide Operations Sustainability at Amazon. “Its innovative procurement process and book and claim framework provide the tools needed to support lower-carbon concrete production at scale. Such efforts are critical in driving the broader market toward the materials needed for a net-zero future.”

RMI and GMA are leveraging their expertise from successful initiatives in other sectors, including the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA), Sustainable Steel Buyers Platform, and GMA Trucking. Through these initiatives, RMI and GMA are encouraging the adoption of sustainable fuels and materials to lower the climate impact of some of the most emissions-intensive industry and transport sectors.

By aggregating and activating demand from major buyers, SCoBA aims to catalyze a transformation in the concrete industry—incentivizing development, deployment, and uptake of low-carbon materials, driving down emissions from the built environment, improving public health, and building a cleaner future from the ground up.

“Low-carbon cement and concrete are essential to decarbonizing the built environment and this alliance will help bring next-generation solutions to scale for the benefit of our customers,” said Keara Fanning, Director of Net Zero and Sustainability at Prologis.

To join SCoBA, please reach out to info@buildscoba.org.
To respond to the RFI, please visit:  https://gmacenter.org/program/cement-concrete/. Submissions are due by October 17^th, 2025.

Media Inquiries, please contact:
Chris Potter, Media Relations Manager, RMI T: 603-831-4189, E: cpotter@rmi.org

Alison Greene, Communications Manager, GMA E: alison.greene@gmacenter.org

About RMI
Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to secure a prosperous, resilient, clean energy future for all. In collaboration with businesses, policymakers, funders, communities, and other partners, RMI drives investment to scale clean energy solutions, reduce energy waste, and boost access to affordable clean energy in ways that enhance security, strengthen the economy, and improve people’s livelihoods. RMI is active in over 60 countries. For more information, please visit rmi.org.

About the Center for Green Market Activation
The Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) is a US-based, globally focused non-profit. Through innovative book-and-claim systems, new and creative procurement approaches, and demand aggregating buyers’ alliances, GMA catalyzes and scales the uptake of low-carbon goods and services within carbon-intensive industries such as aviation, maritime, trucking, cement and concrete, and chemicals. With collective decades of experience in environmental markets and alternative fuels and materials, GMA works to standardize new, green markets and forges mutually beneficial partnerships between climate-focused companies, suppliers, and mission-aligned non-profit organizations to channel funding to critical climate technologies in pursuit of accelerated sectoral decarbonization. For more information, please visit gmacenter.org.

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SOURCE Center for Green Market Activation

State and Community Leaders Gather to Honor Past, Build Future with $1 Million State Appropriation

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla., Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — St. Johns County hosted a historic celebration on Sept. 18 to mark the State of Florida’s $1 million appropriation for the planning and design of the Florida Black History Museum in West Augustine. The event honored the collective efforts of State and County leaders, community members, and advocates who worked tirelessly to make the project a reality. The St. Johns County Office of Public Affairs produced a video to capture this historic moment.

The $1 million appropriation from the State of Florida represents the first step in planning and designing the museum. County officials and community leaders emphasized that the project is the result of teamwork across all levels of government and society, reflecting a shared commitment to ensuring that Black history is remembered, studied, and celebrated.

The Florida Black History Museum will honor the past while inspiring the future, serving as a lasting symbol of resilience, unity, and pride for all Floridians.

The program began with a welcome from St. Johns County Commissioner Sarah Arnold, District 2, followed by a prayer from Pastor Anthony D. Britton of New Mt. Moriah Christian Ministry. The American Legion Post 194 presented the colors, and St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Remarks were delivered by State Rep. Kiyan Michael, District 16; State Sen. Thomas J. Leek, District 7; Commissioner Sarah Arnold, District 2; Walter Weatherington, Chairman of the Florida Memorial University Board of Trustees; and Greg White, Founder of the West Augustine Historical Community Development Corporation.

Rep. Michael and Sen. Leek presented Commissioner Arnold with a large ceremonial check to commemorate the historic step towards the museum being located in St. Johns County.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’d imagined this day many, many times over the last couple of years, as I think many of you have as well,” said Sarah Arnold, District 2 Commissioner for St. Johns County. “Together, we have experienced an incredible journey coming to this place. A wild ride, a roller coaster of emotions with highs and lows, ebbs and flows, but through sheer will, determination, perseverance, a whole lot of faith and prayer… we are here.”

The program also featured cultural performances, including New Mt. Moriah Christian Ministry leading “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” African dance by LaShantz Stevens, and a reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech by West Augustine eighth grader Robbi Nimmons. Rep. Michael closed the ceremony with final remarks and the presentation of a ceremonial check marking the $1 million appropriation.

The celebration took place on the grounds of the former site of Florida Memorial University in West Augustine, where generations of Black Floridians laid the foundation for education, equality, and justice.

The museum will highlight the stories, struggles, and triumphs of Black Floridians as an essential part of the state’s identity. It will stand as a place for learning, reflection, and inspiration.

“I just hope you take away one thing from today, and that is that this is only possible because of all of us,” said Commissioner Arnold. “This is a team effort, a community effort, a regional effort. Today is for everyone. This museum is for everyone. Black history is American history, and we are proud of our Black history in St. Johns County.”

For more information about the Florida Black History Museum, visit www.sjcfl.us/florida-museum-black-history.

Get more St. Johns County news by receiving our e-newsletters and learn how to stay informed with accurate, timely information through a blend of community outreach initiatives by the Office of Public Affairs.

Media Contact: Tyler Jarnagin, Public Affairs Manager
Cell: 904-814-9214
Email: tjarnagin@sjcfl.us

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SOURCE St. Johns County