Agencies

President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Missouri

Published: 23 July 2025
Categories: FEMA News

RSS feed source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

WASHINGTON ­– FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Missouri to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by the severe storms and flooding from May 23-26, 2025.

Public Assistance federal funding is available to the state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding in Dade, Douglas, Ozark, Vernon and Webster counties.

Willie G. Nunn has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

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President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for West Virginia

Published: 23 July 2025
Categories: FEMA News

RSS feed source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

WASHINGTON– FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of West Virginia to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides from June 14-15, 2025. 

The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Marion and Ohio counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. 

Mark K. O’Hanlon has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments. 

Individuals who sustained losses in the designated areas should first file claims with their insurance providers and then apply for assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, provide FEMA the number for that service.

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Statement from NSF Chief of Staff Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF Director, on the White House AI Action Plan

Published: 23 July 2025
Categories: National Science Foundation

RSS feed source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

The White House’s AI Action Plan sends a clear message: the United States is all-in on winning the future of artificial intelligence. This road map removes barriers to American innovation and reaffirms our commitment to seizing the opportunities of AI to advance economic competitiveness and national security. At the U.S. National Science Foundation, we’re proud to have a critical role in realizing this future.

Over the coming weeks, NSF will unveil a series of major initiatives that align with this momentum, including:

New NSF AI Research Institutes to accelerate breakthroughs in foundational AI and the application of AI to health, education, chemistry and materials science.A partnership to create a large language model infrastructure to develop cutting-edge capabilities to drive AI for science.AI Testbeds to evaluate real-world AI systems with transparency and rigor.The next phase of the National AI Research Resource to supercharge AI innovation through access to critical computational resources, data, software and training resources.

These investments will help secure U.S. leadership in AI while ensuring the benefits of this powerful technology reach across America and create more jobs. NSF stands ready to work alongside our partners in government, private industry and philanthropy to keep American innovation on the frontier where it belongs.

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NSF Graduate Research Fellow helps turn ‘forever chemicals’ into valuable resource

Published: 22 July 2025
Categories: National Science Foundation

RSS feed source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

“Forever chemicals” are everywhere — from Teflon pans and dental floss to raincoats and microwave popcorn bags. Known as PFAS, these chemicals (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are noted for their resistance to heat, oil and water. That same staying power makes them a growing concern. PFAS have been linked to a range of serious health risks, including increased risk of certain cancers, fertility issues, immune system dysfunction and developmental problems. Because PFAS remain in water, soil and air for a long time (hence the name “forever chemicals”), removing them from the environment has become a public priority.  

Earlier this year, a team of scientists from Rice University (including U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program alum Kevin Wyss) announced the development of a new method to break down PFAS that is not only extremely effective (removing 99.98% of the most common PFAS pollutant), but also creates the valuable manufacturing material graphene, one of the world’s strongest and lightest materials.  

This pioneering method involves combining PFAS with granular activated carbon and salts, then heating it to over 3,000 degrees Celsius in under a second. The intense heat breaks the chemical bonds in PFAS, turning them into harmless fluoride salts. At the same time, the activated carbon in the mixture is turned into graphene, which is used in industries such as manufacturing, electronics

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