The Economic Perspective 6/27/2025

The Latest Trending Economic, Environmental and Infrastructure News Curated for You by The Balmoral Group

The Balmoral Group provides practical, professional and precise Economics, Data Analytics, and Engineering Consulting services and is part of a globally integrated team.

Happy Friday!

And good afternoon! We are excited to share that The Balmoral Group welcomed three interns to our economics team this week! Madison joined our Winter Park office, and Jullian and Lauren joined our Seattle office. Additionally, the efforts and hard work of the women engineers on our team were celebrated at the International Women in Engineering Day luncheon on June 23rd.              

On Sunday the 29th, Washington State will partner with Orca Network to hold a free public event an hour north of Seattle in honor of Tokitae, the Southern Resident orca who was taken from near Whidbey Island and spent over 50 years in captivity in Miami, FL. This event will be a great way to conclude the festivities for Orca Action Month. 

Additionally, our interns curated articles this week on land acquisition in Manatee County, WDOT's fish barrier removal project, USDA's annulment of the Roadless rule, and more. This week's data visualization covers climate change impact on global agriculture. 

Please feel free to forward this to anyone you think would be interested. If you’d like to view previous editions please click here, or to subscribe please click here!

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

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Large Land Acquisition Along Florida’s Manatee River

Manatee County in Florida recently acquired 68 acres of undeveloped habitat along the Manatee River, which will protect it from commercial and residential development in one of Florida’s fastest-growing counties. The county plans to build trails, kayak launches, and an observation platform so the community can enjoy the abundant wildlife this area has to offer. The Manatee River hosts manatees, alligators, and recreationally and commercially important fish species, so the acres will work to extend quality habitats for these key species along the Manatee River Conservation Corridor. Read more here.

Miami Lakes to Sue Florida Over Mining Blasts

In Miami Lakes, blast mining for limestone has been present for years. Miami Lakes homes have sustained property damage such as cracking walls, rattling foundations, and emotional distress. Miami Lakes Vice Mayor stated upholding property rights and supporting limestone mining shouldn't be exclusive of each other. Trying to find a compromise between the companies mining and residents of Miami Lakes has been difficult. Many paths to reach compromise have been undertaken by residents but have not resulted in success, leading residents to seek resolution through the judicial system. Read more here.

Lyon Creek Fish Barrier Removal 

Beginning June 30th, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will be working on a project located within the Lyon Creek habitat, which flows from Snohomish County into Lake Washington. By improving both road infrastructure along with allowing multiple species of salmon to pass within the 24-foot-wide concrete structure, WSDOT is striving for progress on replacing these structures across the state. A 2013 injunction ruled in favor of Washington tribes, requiring the state to refrain from using culverts that prevent fish passage. Read more here. 

DOI Announces $644.8 Million to Support Services in Communities 

The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) announced that more than 1900 state and local governments across the US will receive a total of 644.8 million from Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program funding. PILT payments are for tax-exempt federal lands administered by DOI's bureaus. These payments support vital services in rural counties and towns, from public safety to infrastructure. For FL the amount announced to receive is around $7.8 million and for WA around $30.5 million.  Read more here.

Sustainable Agriculture Needs Financial Backing

When it comes to sustainable practices, Agriculture is an industry that needs assistance. Responsible for large amounts of deforestation and around a third of total emissions, the industry is severely underfunded receiving around 5% of climate finance. Additionally, rising temperatures and extreme weather have cost farmers $3.8 trillion in lost productivity over the last 30 years. New Research shows that the sector needs approx. $1.1 trillion in annual investments over the next five years to achieve the transition to sustainable and resilient food production models. Read more here.

Innovative Fish Passage on the Sacramento River

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is building a 1.6 mile “double hybrid technical fishway” to protect endangered salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon crossing between the Sacramento River and the Tule Canal. This complex fish ladder features two parallel channels and a bypass transport channel, designed to function even in flood events as models featuring only one channel resulted in water moving too fast for fish to navigate. Flood season in the winter coincides with juvenile salmon migrating downstream and adult sturgeon migrating upstream, so this new fish passage will prevent fish strandings which can be fatal to individuals and detrimental to fish populations as a whole. Read more here.  

2001 Roadless Rule Rescinded

The USDA is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule. The rule was adopted by the U.S. Forest Service to conserve nearly 59 million acres of the national forest system from road construction, reconstruction, and timber harvesting. This rule is being rescinded so fire protection of forests and responsible timber production can take place. 28 million acres of the national forest system are at high or very high risk of wildfire, and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollis claims that the rule being rescinded will allow for easier wildfire management and create jobs across rural America. Read more here.  

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Data Visualization of the Week

Climate Change Impacts on Global Agriculture

This study examines climate change impacts on global agriculture, focusing on six staple crops and accounting for producer adaptations over the next 50 years. Unlike previous studies using modeler-prescribed adaptation scenarios, which consist of specific assumptions, this model incorporates real-world adaptation responses to varying climate and economic conditions. Findings suggest that, except for rice, global yields will likely decline by 2050. Fig. 2 displays maps for each crop, illustrating estimated yield changes, with a percentage change range. Yield gains are projected in cooler, higher-altitude, and higher-latitude regions, contrasting with current major agricultural zones. This highlights the uneven effects of climate change and the potential for regional shifts in agricultural productivity. Other extensive models are found here.