Latest news with #environmentalconcerns
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Judge allows for completion of Denver Water's controversial Gross Dam construction
The massive enlargement of the Gross Dam in Colorado is back on. A federal judge has pulled back her previous injunction, stating in her decision, "Petitioners have not shown that they would be irreparably harmed if the Gross Dam construction were to be completed." Gross Reservoir CBS It means the completion of the dam is back on, after objections to a prior move by the judge filed by Denver Water, which operates the reservoir and sought the expansion in a process that dates back to 2002. Denver Water has said it needs additional capacity in its northern water system as it faces concerns about climate change and fires that could contaminate supplies. In a ruling out late Thursday, Federal District Court Judge Christine Arguello stated, "A permanent injunction prohibiting further construction of the Gross Dam is not merited due to safety concerns." The petitioners have been a consortium of environmental groups and neighbors of the project in southern Boulder County who filed a lawsuit in 2018 against Denver Water and the Army Corps of Engineers which approved the project, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Their primary objections were to drawing water from the headwaters of the Colorado River on other side of the Continental Divide through the Moffat Water Tunnel, clearing the trees as part of the project to enlarge the reservoir, and effects on wildlife, including elk habitat. Arguello put the completion of the dam, which will be raised by 131 feet to accommodate enlarging capacity of the reservoir by nearly threefold, on hold back in April, then allowed some work to continue. In October Arguello had found the Army Corps of Engineers violated The National Environmental Policy Act as well as the Clean Water Act when it approved permits for the reservoir expansion. And she backed many of the opponents claims. The water to fill the expanded reservoir capacity would be moved from the headwaters of the Colorado River on the opposite side of the Continental Divide via the Moffat Tunnel. Denver Water has maintained that will only draw during periods when the tributaries are flowing well. In Thursday's ruling, Arguello found another kind of potential environmental injury -- in stoppage of the project. "There is a risk of environmental injury and loss of human life if dam construction is halted for another two years while Denver Water redesigns the structure of the dam and gets that re-design approved," she wrote. Gross Reservoir CBS In a statement, Denver Water wrote that it looks forward to finishing the project it called critical. "This added storage is of enormous importance to the 1.5 million people we serve, as well to our West Slope partners who support the environmental benefits to streams and fish habitat associated with the expansion. Denver Water will continue to work through the appellate court to resolve remaining issues and ensure this long-awaited project reaches completion." Those remaining issues also came out in the judge's order Thursday. It's not clear sailing yet for the reservoir expansion. The judge said the Army Corps of Engineers has to re-write environmental permits before the expanded reservoir can be filled to its new capacity.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Federal lawsuit could delay McKinney airport expansion indefinitely
A federal lawsuit has been filed to stop the expansion of the McKinney National Airport over environmental concerns. The North Texas Conservation Association is challenging the environmental study conducted by the City of McKinney related to the airport expansion, which promises to attract commercial passenger service. "We believe the environmental assessment done on the McKinney airport expansion is seriously flawed," NTCA's President, Dr. Paul Chabot, said. "It fails to fully and adequately consider environmental impacts in the vicinity of the airport ... The people of North Texas deserve better." The lawsuit claims that the city and its leaders failed to meet federal environmental policies and the impact on the area surrounding the airport, including the Heard Museum and residential neighborhoods in McKinney and Fairview. "The McKinney City Council seems to have been more interested in meeting the timeline set by some unnamed commercial airlines than listening to voters," said NTCA's General Counsel, Steven E. Ross. McKinney city leaders approved the airport expansion in 2024 The McKinney City Council in December paved the way for the expansion of terminals and infrastructure needed to support airlines to compete with Love Field and DFW Airport. "It is a huge thing," McKinney Mayor George Fuller said previously. "Our airport has been a tremendously successful asset, not just for this community, but for the region. And we are, in essence, completely built out on the west side of the airport. So the only way to continue taking advantage of the asset that we have is to develop the east side." The zoning changes would allow the construction of an approximate 30,000-square-foot passenger terminal as well as a 1,500-space parking garage and room for large jet fuel tanks. The changes would also allow for a water and sewage system on the east side of the airport, which is undeveloped. This expansion plan would give the city of McKinney a huge regional boost and runway expansion work is already underway. The lawsuit could delay the launch of passenger service indefinitely. The North Texas Conservation Association has scheduled town hall meetings in Fairview on June 11 and in McKinney on June 19. CBS News Texas has reached out to the City of McKinney for comment and is waiting to hear back.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Tesla wins council approval for new factory in South Australia despite vocal anti-Musk sentiment
Elon Musk's Tesla is one step closer to opening a factory in an Adelaide suburb despite overwhelming community opposition from 'anti-Tesla and anti-Elon Musk sentiment'. On Tuesday night the City of Marion council voted to seek state government approval to sell the site to a developer who will build the factory. Environmental concerns and worries the site would draw protesters were also cited among the 95% of people who made submissions opposed to the plan for a battery factory. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Many voiced their opposition with words that were censored in the city's official records, such as 'Elon Musk and Tesla are a [redacted] on humanity'. Tesla sales have slumped amid a backlash against Musk for his work with the Trump administration, such as slashing funding for government departments through his department of government efficiency, as well as his ideology and actions such as what some saw as an apparent fascist salute. But Marion's mayor, Kris Hanna, said blocking the sale of the site would have no impact on Musk and would have cost 100 local jobs. Hanna said the soil on the site was contaminated and not safe for recreation, so 'it makes sense to have it sealed over with a renewable technology facility'. 'If we didn't proceed, it would have cost 100 jobs to local residents, but it would have had no impact on Elon Musk,' he said. 'Tesla would almost certainly find somewhere else in Australia to build their factory.' More details soon …
ABC News
19-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Wild winds and big surf batter the Central Coast
Coastal erosion is a concern for people living on the beachfront of Wamberal and The Entrance as a prolonged weather system bears down on the NSW.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Developers told to stop work at Wolborough homes site
Developers have been ordered to stop work at a site in Devon where 1,200 homes are set to be District Council issued a temporary stop notice to Vistry Homes relating to the development at Wolborough, on the edge of Newton said they were concerned that groundworks being carried out at the site - known as NA3 - may have gone beyond agreed planning Homes said it was working with the council "to resolve any concerns". Residents feared excavation work in Stray Park Meadow could damage Wolborough Fen, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).David Knopfler, one of the founder members of the band Dire Straits with his brother Mark, now lives in Wolborough, where his home overlooks the development said he and other residents were "heartbroken" by the start of the said: "These rolling green hills are irreplaceable, and they're full of all kinds of natural wildlife and plants that are native to the area, endangered and so forth."Of course, once you make a huge scar like this, you've done the damage already." Discussions over plans for the site have been going on for more than 10 years and the scheme was give outline approval by the planning inspector in District Council said it had served a temporary stop notice on the developer "for a potential breach of planning control".A spokesperson for Vistry Group said: "We have paused these initial works whilst we work in partnership with Teignbridge Council to resolve any concerns they have relating to the original planning permission."
