And the threat effects more than just the tourism and fishing industry in Costa Rico. Example: Volusia County, Florida, used to be the ‘fern capital’ of the world, but due to people moving to the area and formerly agricultural land being developed for housing and commercial use, fern growers have moved much of their operations to Costa Rico and now, with the cartel affiliated gangs muscling in, their operations are having to increase security. The fernery business isn’t high profile like tourism or fishing but the threat of being blackmailed or destroyed increases with the lawlessness.
My parents have friends that are big in the fern business and they get occasional info on their friend’s business when they get together. Their friends are currently keeping an eye on how things play out because if it gets worse it could effect their bottom line in Costa Rico.
Not Just Gas Stoves: Biden Admin Rule Would Outlaw Nearly All Portable Gas Generators
Excerpt:
Just months after a Biden-appointed regulator teased a ban on gas stoves, the administration is working to enact a rule that would prohibit the manufacturing of nearly all portable gas generators on the U.S. market.
A proposed Consumer Product Safety Commission rule limits the amount of carbon monoxide a product can emit, with the commission admitting that 95 percent of portable gas generators on the market cannot comply with its new standard. As a result, industry leaders say, the rule will prompt widespread generator shortages, as manufacturers only have six months to design generators that meet the proposed regulation. That process normally takes years, Portable Generator Manufacturers’ Association executive director Susan Orenga told the Washington Free Beacon.
The rule proposal comes just months after Biden-backed commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. teased a similar regulatory ban on gas stoves, which he called a “hidden hazard.” It also comes as many Americans face an increased risk of power outages as the country increasingly relies on green energy to produce its electricity. A whopping two-thirds of North America faces an “elevated risk” of power blackouts this summer, a leading grid watchdog found in May, a vulnerability that stems from America’s increase in green power generation and decrease in fossil fuel power plants. California, for example, saw power outages in the summer of 2022 as electricity demand surged.
Portable gas generators can help those who experience a power outage keep the lights on, and nearly five million households use them. Should the Biden administration finalize its rule, however, the generators could become difficult to obtain. The commission’s rule prohibits manufacturers from stockpiling non-compliant generators prior to the rule’s enactment.