Latest news with #Corps
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Eaton Fire 5 months later: A look at the progress that has been made
LOS ANGELES - It's been nearly five months since the Eaton Fire erupted in Altadena, burning 14,021 acres and killing 18. The fire, which erupted Jan. 7, destroyed over 9,000 structures and damaged another thousand. Nearing the five-month anniversary, Los Angeles County officials are highlighting the progress and work that has been done to rebuild the community. What they're saying According to Supervisor Kathryn Barger, over 5,000 (88%) of fire-damaged properties have been cleared of debris by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Of those 5,000 properties, 3,440 sites (60%) received final sign-off and returned to the county for follow-up. Barger says the Corps currently has 81 active debris removal crews operating in the area, clearing roughly 57 properties per day. To date, they have removed over 1.3 million tons of debris. "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is demonstrating exceptional speed, efficacy, and dedication in their debris removal mission in Altadena. Their tireless work is helping our community heal and rebuild faster than many thought possible. I wholeheartedly appreciate their commitment and am proud to work alongside them as we support Altadena's road to recovery," Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement. In terms of parks and community spaces, Charles White Park is fully cleared, the Eaton Canyon Nature Center is 95% cleared, and Farnsworth Park is halfway complete. Barger said all parks are projected to be fully cleared of debris within two weeks. Work is also underway to clear debris at the Altadena Senior Center, The Bunny Museum, and Lifeline Church. Barger said some of these properties are in various stages of clearance, with some already completed and others pending final contract approvals. Loma Alta Park became the first public park to reopen after the fire. Altadena had a grand re-opening celebration for Loma Alta Park on Saturday, May 10. According to the county, property owners who have fire debris on their property and have opted out of the government-sponsored debris removal program must hire a contractor to complete the work. Those who opted out or did not submit a Right of Entry (ROE) form must now obtain a Fire Debris Removal (FDR) permit and hire a licensed contractor by June 1. PREVIOUS COVERAGE:Eaton Fire survivors struggling with housing, essential supplies 3 months after wildfire County officials say if a permit is not obtained by the June 1 deadline, the property may be declared a Public Nuisance. The Source Information for this story came from the office of Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Army Corps releases environmental review for Line 5 tunnel through Great Lakes
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released a long-awaited draft of its environmental review for Enbridge's Line 5 Tunnel project through the Straits of Mackinac. Although the draft is not an official decision, it gives the an idea of how the agency views the project. The Corps is accepting public comments through June with a decision expected in the fall. The Great Lakes Tunnel Project was fast-tracked earlier this spring as a part of the Trump administration's goal to "unleash" American oil and gas. Canadian-headquartered Enbridge has proposed to build a tunnel to house its Line 5 pipeline through the 4 1/2 mile stretch separating Lakes Michigan and Huron. The Army Corps' Detroit District, which is overseeing the permitting process, said it will not eliminate any steps in the environmental review process. But Great Lakes tribes and environmental groups remain unconvinced that the aged-out pipeline can continue to operate safely through the world's largest surface freshwater system. Several Great Lakes tribes withdrew as cooperating agencies in the review process, saying that the federal agency was not acting in good faith. Tribal leaders claimed the process lacked meaningful dialogue and undermined the federal government's responsibility to protect tribal treaty rights. The draft spans hundreds of pages, evaluating the necessity of the proposed project and examining potential environmental impacts while also reviewing possible alternatives. It considered two main alternatives, which included denying permits and allowing the existing pipeline to operate under the Straits as is, or placing a protective cover over the portions that are currently exposed. It also considered changing the tunnel's design and decommissioning the pipeline entirely. Officials from the Corps concluded that the project is warranted, citing projections that demand for the petroleum products transported by the pipeline will either remain stable or grow over the next 25 years. Over the years in the Straits of Mackinac, Line 5 has experienced anchor strikes, missing supports and coating loss, exposing patches of bare metal. The tunnel became possible after a review by former Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who in his final month of office when he created the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority. The corridor authority signed 99-year lease agreement with Enbridge to continue operations of the Line 5 tunnel. Enbridge has said the Great Lakes Tunnel will nearly eliminate the risks of a pipeline incident. The tunnel will be bored into rock 60 to 250 feet under the lakebed, using a tunnel boring machine that will move the tunnel forward 40 feet per day on average. It will be constructed the south side of the Straits to the northern shores, which Enbridge says minimizes environmental impacts. The tunnel will be owned and operated by Michigan, and leased to the company. The Great Lakes Tunnel Project also needs two state permits, one from Michigan's Public Service Commission and the other from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Enbridge has secured the permit from the public service commission, but must redo the permitting process with the environment and energy agency given new information on nearby wetlands. The permit from the state public service commission was challenged by tribes, but that challenge was struck down earlier this year. On April 2, tribes and environmental groups asked the state Supreme Court to consider overturning the lower court's decision. Line 5 opponents have long worried about the risks the pipeline poses to the Great Lakes. The pipeline, which was built in 1953, was built to last 50 years, and leaked 35 times during its tenure. Environmentalists and Great Lakes tribes warn of risks at the Straits of Mackinac, which is seen as the worst place in the region for an oil spill and sacred to Anishinaabe tribes. They also cite threats to nearby wetlands and explosion risks within the tunnel. The Line 6 oil spill that occurred late last year in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, has heightened these fears. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, an international think tank, released a report earlier this year that said that shutting down the pipeline would be a more cost-effective avenue for the company as that the tunnel will likely cost three times the initial estimate due to inflation and rising costs. More: As Lake Superior wetlands become more vulnerable, tribe fears cultural guideposts could slip away Caitlin Looby is a Report for America corps member who writes about the environment and the Great Lakes. Reach her at clooby@ follow her on X @caitlooby and learn more about how she approaches her reporting. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Army Corps releases environmental review for Line 5 Great Lakes tunnel
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Marine Corps to establish attack drone competition
The Marine Corps is slated to hold a series of events as part of a new attack drone competition the service announced recently. The May 25 Marine Administrative Message, or MARADMIN, outlines that the service is seeking drone teams from across the Corps to participate in the competition. The first event will be held at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia in November, according to the MARADMIN. Before then, the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team will participate in the U.S. Military Drone Crucible Championships. That event is hosted by the U.S. National Drone Association from June 30 to July 3 in Florida. Marine Corps introduces attack drone team The team, established in January, focuses on integrating first-person view drones — aerial vehicles that transmit live bird's-eye view feeds to remote displays — across the Fleet Marine Force. 'Today's battlefield is changing rapidly, and we must adapt just as quickly,' said Maj. Alejandro Tavizon, the Weapons Training Battalion Headquarters Company commander and officer in charge of MCADT. 'The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team will ensure that our warfighters remain at the forefront of precision drone employment, providing a critical advantage in future conflicts.' The attack drone group, which is based out of the Weapons Training Battalion at Quantico, will work to 'develop and refine' armed first-person view drone training, speed up the timeline for the fielding the drones and provide instruction through live training events. The competition, meanwhile, will consist of tactical inserts and mission parameters designed to use the 'hunter-killer method' of employing small drones and FPV drones. Marines will then share lessons learned from the competition to inform updates that the Corps will use to rapidly field the most lethal capabilities across the service, according to the release. At the same time, the team will finalize plans to provide intermediate and advanced armed FPV drone skills to the Fleet Marine Force and Total Force via the Competition-in-Arms Program, or CIAP, similar to the work done by the Marine Corps Shooting Team. The drone outfit will then host regional competition events in Fiscal Year 2026 alongside the shooting team and the CIAP. The Corps wants to use these events to recruit the best drone operators to the team, which will represent the Marines at various events and directly influence the service's procurement and use of armed drones. Units across the Corps must designate drone teams by Sept. 30 to participate in the regional competitions. The final championship and selection event will be held at Quantico in April 2026, in conjunction with the Marine Corps Championships marksmanship event.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Feedback sought on proposed changes to Percy Priest Reservoir
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is seeking input on proposed changes to the J. Percy Priest Dam and Reservoir manual, which could possibly alter the flow and drawdown of the reservoir. According to a release, the Corps is seeking to revise the 1998 manual to include current project operations under existing Congressional authorizations. Potential changes include updating historical data from 1970 to 2025, naming conventions, forecasting methods, structural features, watershed characteristics, communication networks and changes from previously approved EAs, according to the district. Staying safe on Tennessee rivers as outdoor recreation ramps up The Corps claims the revisions are needed for the optimal management of the reservoir as the manual 'contains project data, background information, the plan for day-to-day and emergency water management and the effects of the plan on authorized project purposes.' There are two main proposed changes for the reservoir: J. Percy Priest is currently operating under a seasonal flow regime with fewer releases from January to May during crop season. The seasonal flow was initially implemented to reduce the potential for flooding of farmland downstream. USACE is exploring alterations to this seasonal reduction in releases. Currently J. Percy Priest Reservoir experiences a drawdown to winter pool levels beginning in October and targeted to end in early November. USACE is exploring a delay in the timing of this drawdown through reservoir operations. ⏩ There will be a public meeting at the Hermitage library on James Kay Lane on June 12, 2025 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Corps is seeking comments from public, federal, state, local agencies and officials, Native Americans and any interested parties. Comments can be sent by email to CorpsLRNPlanningPublicCom@ through June 27, 2025. Written comments can be sent to: Attn: CELRM-PMP, Capt. LawsDepartment of the ArmyU.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District110 9th Avenue South, Room A-405Nashville, Tennessee 37203 The Percy Priest Reservoir is one of four major flood risk management reservoirs for the Cumberland River and spreads throughout Cannon, Davidson, Rutherford and Wilson counties within the Stones River Watershed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
20 Recreational Parks in Georgia Forced To Close Until Further Notice
Although the weather is warming up, several recreational parks in the United States have been shut down until further notice. People in Georgia noticed that Tidwell Park had barricades and signs at its entrance on Wednesday. It didn't take long for the Army Corps of Engineers to explain why it was closed off to the public. Due to limited staffing, the Army Corps of Engineers has been left with no choice but to close 20 recreational parks on Lake Lanier. Their main concern at this time is that they can't meet the necessary safety measures. It's unclear when these parks on Lake Lanier will reopen to the public. "With the current hiring freeze to shrink the overall federal workforce we have not been able to bring on summer hires nor backfill employees that took the option for the deferred resignation," Army Corps of Engineers public spokesperson Dustin Gautney told Atlanta News First. Several boat ramps on Lake Lanier were supposed to be closed this Memorial Day weekend, but that won't be the case any longer. "I joined Representative Rich McCormick on a call today with the Army Corps. Congressman McCormick advocated strongly for the re-opening of the sites and encouraged the Corps to reconsider their decision. The Corps leadership said they would discuss internally and see what they could do," Georgia state senator Greg Dolezal said. "They have informed us they will be opening all of the unmanned Lake Lanier boat ramps, and will temporarily close 11 recreation sites, so about half of what was planned. They will continue to assess traffic and adjust as needed through the weekend. He indicated they will be working with the Sheriff's office to help out with traffic management." We'll see if the Army Corps of Engineers can sort this situation before the start of summer. 20 Recreational Parks in Georgia Forced To Close Until Further Notice first appeared on Men's Journal on May 22, 2025
