CLEANUP RECOMMENDED FOR WATERVLIET SUPERFUND SITE

www.TimesUnion.com

Following an investigation into the hazardous contamination of the former laundry site, the State Department of Environmental Conservation will develop a cleanup plan for the superfund site at 19th Street in Watervliet.

According to a report released earlier, the primary contaminants are “those historically used in dry cleaning solvents and those associated with petroleum.”

Surface and subsurface soil at the site building contained the compounds at “levels warranting mitigation.” The department discovered groundwater to contain similarly hazardous levels of the volatile compounds which have spread to adjacent properties, according to the report. 

The building, which served as the Admiral Cleaners site for nearly 70 years before closing in 2017, was demolished and three underground storage tanks and surrounding soil were removed as interim remedial measures. The investigation fact sheet can be found on the Department of Environmental Conservation’s website.

EVACUATION WARNINGS AMID FLOODING AFTER CALIFORNIA STORM

APNews.com

On January 1, 2023, residents of a Northern California community were ordered to evacuate after a powerful storm brought drenching rain or heavy snowfall to much of the state. After the storm moved through major flooding occurred in agricultural areas 20 miles south of Sacramento where rivers swelled beyond their banks and inundated dozens of cars along State Route 99.

According to Don Quiggle, the deputy fire chief for operations for Cosumnes Community Service District Fire Department, emergency crews found one person dead inside a submerged vehicle near Route 99.

An evacuation order was issued late On January 1, 2023, by Sacramento County Authorities citing imminent and dangerous flooding. Residents of the nearby communities of Glanville Tract and Franklin Pond were told to prepare to leave before more roadways are cut off by rising water and evacuation becomes impossible.

TENANTS DEALING WITH FLOODING, WATER DAMAGE AT APARTMENT COMPLEX

www.LATimes.com

The Williamsburg of Cincinnati complex in Hartwell is facing multiple code violations after residents are dealing with water damage and flooding from leaks. Flooding began on Christmas December 25, 2022 when a water line break left families without water for four days. For some of the units, water covered all the floor and carpet.

The city has found ten code violations upon investigation with documents revealing dozens more violations earlier in the year. City inspectors noticed a “general lack of repair to common areas of the property” and have stated that “It is evident that the condition of the property has been deteriorating for some time.”

SINKHOLE DEVOURS CALIFORNIA ZOO'S ENTRANCE AFTER HISTORIC STORM

www.CBSNews.com

Due to a huge sinkhole the Oakland Zoo was shut down until mid-January in 2022. The sinkhole appeared after a culvert collapsed which ran beneath the zoo’s entrance. The chasm measured 10 feet by 10 feet and is stated to be “impassable to vehicles.”

“With the incredible speed and volume of the water it literally collapsed some of the culvert itself and resulted in a collapse of asphalt over it," said Oakland Zoo CEO Nik Dehejia.

Storm forecast had the possibility to make the sinkhole worse with heavy rains inflicting significant damage to other areas of the zoo’s campus in East Oakland hills.

EMA CONFIRMS DAMAGE IN EAST MONTGOMERY FROM EF1 TORNADO

ww.MontgomeryAdvertiser.com

On the morning of Wednesday, January 4th a tornado touched down in east Montgomery, injuring two and damaging more than 50 homes and businesses according to the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency. On social media Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed stated that there were no fatalities from the tornado.

When the tornado landed there was no tornado warning in effect. However a tornado warning for Montgomery County was issued the same minute the storm touched down and was in effect until 4:45 a.m. The morning the storm hit power was knocked out for about 750 homes.

The city has worked closely with the county to respond to the storm. Reed plans to also work with the community's non-profits as well as the state.

ELEVATORS GROUNDED IN LAGUNA WOODS RESIDENTIAL TOWER SINCE DAMAGED IN LAST STORM

TheTowersAtLagunaWoodsVillage.com

The Tower 2, a 14-story residential buildings was damaged in Laguna Woods after storms struck the region in January. The general manager for the building was quoted saying “[t]he storms created 20,000 gallons of oily water at the bottom of the elevators, and it all shorted”.

Repair technicians have been working up to15-hour days to get the elevators up and running; however, the repairs have only resulted in the elevators being partially operational for emergency use only. It is unknown how long how long it will take to bring the elevators into full working order.

Staff members have been checking in on residents of the tower, delivering meals, and assisting in other ways to accommodate residents while the elevators are down. Once repairs are complete Tower officials intend to look into speeding up and modernizing the building.

LEWISTON RESERVOIR FAILURE: WHERE TO REPORT PROPERTY DAMAGE

www.KREM.com

According to City of Lewiston officials the reservoir located northeast of 16th Avenue and 29th Street failed in the early morning of January 18, 2023. Video and pictures were seen online showing flood damage to homes downhill from the reservoir.

A boil water advisory order has been issued for residents in the City of Lewiston. Residences of Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District are not affected by the advisory order, which has its own reservoir. If your property is damaged, city officials advise you to report it to 208-984-7069.

NEBRASKANS SUFFERED $2 BILLION IN PROPERTY LOSS FROM STORMS IN 2022

JournalStar.com

The result of multiple storms in 2022 has led to higher property damage than previous years. Farmers Mutual of Nebraska, reported $500 million in insure property loss and in total Nebraskans have suffered $2 billion in damages.

According to Mark Waltz, president, CEO and chairman of Farmers Mutual, “[t]he frequency of the loss perils that we experience in Nebraska, and the severity, the size of the loss perils that we’re seeing in the state of Nebraska are going up,” Waltz further sates that the trend is moving upwards.

In addition, rising labor costs, have made property loss claims rise. In 2021, Farmers Mutual only covered $130 million in property loss, as opposed to this year’s $500 million. Furthermore, homeowners “[a]s a result, they should expect insurance rates, as well as deductibles, to most likely be changing as we move forward into 2023 and beyond.” Waltz said. How much the future increase in rates will be is unclear but unless storms calm down rate hikes are practically a given.

GROUPS SUE TO STOP COMPANY'S 'FOREVER CHEMICAL' ASSOCIATED WITH PLASTIC CONTAINERS

PFAsProject.com

Houston based company Inhance Technologies USA is the target of a new lawsuit filed by The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The lawsuit alleges that Inhance Technologies USA is violating the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) during the fluorination of plastic containers used to hold food, personal care items, and many other products.

Inhance Technologies released a statement saying that the company "believes we have been, and continue to be, in full compliance with all relevant regulations and regulatory guidance, and are operating safely, responsibly and lawfully," while claiming it "embraces" EPA efforts "to ensure science-based decision-making as it relates" to PFAS.

This lawsuit follows California’s recent lawsuit against 18 manufactures for harming human health and the environment, and for deceptive practices. Since 2005 there have been more than 6,000 lawsuit filed in the US federal courts involving PFAS-related matters.

DORCHESTER MAN LOSES HOME TO STORM DAMAGE, CANNOT QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

www.Live5News.com

Jeffrey Mikell, a homeowner in the Stratton Capers neighborhood in Dorchester County suffered property damage during Hurricane Ian. He was later told he didn’t qualify for federal assistance, even after his home was destroyed in the storm.

Dorchester County officials informed Mikell that the county did not meet the financial threshold to qualify. A spokesperson for FEMA reported that Dorchester County “was not included in the request for assistance so there are no FEMA disaster relief programs that would apply.” The county determined that Mikell’s home is unsafe and he will most likely sell the property “as is”.

6.4 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE CAUSES INJURIES, DAMAGE ON NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST

www.ChicagoTribune.com

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit the Northern California coastline near Eureka around 2:34 a.m. on Tuesday morning, December 19th. It has been reported that the earthquake caused structural damage, power outages and some injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported at least 13 aftershocks within 45 minutes after the initial 6.4 quake, one of which included a 4.6 magnitude in the town of Rio Dell several miles inland from the coast.

THE FATE OF FTX’S $256 MILLION IN REAL ESTATE

NYPost.com

FTX has a subsidiary called FTX Property Holdings, LLC which holds a $256 million portfolio of real estate in the Bahamas. John Pintarelli, a partner in Pillsbury’s Insolvency & Restructuring practice in New York, recently spoke to Business Insider about its fate.

Former FTX head Sam Bankman-Fried purchased 35 properties in the Bahamas. Those real estate holdings are a part of the bankruptcy case against the crypto exchange as creditors seek to recover billions from the business.

A question is whether the Bahamas should have jurisdiction over the liquidation of those assets. Regulators and judges in the U.S. and the Bahamas should work to secure the biggest possible payout for creditors, but that total payout could change if either wait too long to liquidate the assets.

REAL ESTATE MARKET TO REACH $4,923.3 BILLION, GLOBALLY, BY 2031 AT 5.3% CAGR

www.Entrepreneur.com

Allied Market Research report that the global real estate industry is estimated to generate $28,917.7 billion in 2021 and $4,923.3 billion by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 5.3% from 2022 to 2031. The report is titled, "Real Estate Market By Property (Residential, Commercial, Industrial), By Business (Sales, Rental), By Type (Land, Buildings): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031."

The report details multiple drivers, restraints, and opportunities to expect within the future of the real estate market. After the negative effects of Covid-19, real estate companies have now started operating at their full-scale capacities that is helping the market to recover at a swift pace.

Residential real estate held the largest market share in 2021 and is expected to maintain a prominent growth during the forecast period through 2031. It is likely to exhibit the highest CAGR of 5.7% in 2031. Asia-Pacific was the largest market in 2021 and is expected to show the largest revenue growth during the forecast period. It is likely to grow at the fastest CAGR of 6.4%.

COOKING ACCIDENT CAUSES $300,000 IN DAMAGE TO APARTMENT IN NEAR LINCOLN, NEBRASKA NEIGHBORHOOD

www.1011now.com

Lincoln, Nebraska Fire and Rescue says one person was found outside the building and was injured when the fire broke out. That person was transported to a Lincoln hospital, but the extent of that person’s injuries is unclear.

Battalion Chief Jim Bopp said firefighters arrived to heavy fire coming from the second floor of the apartment building and people living in all four units of the complex have been displaced.

Chief Bopp said the cause of the fire appears to be a cooking accident due to food being left unattended. The fire caused $250,000 in damage to the structure and $50,000 in damage to the contents inside.

FEARS OF CONTAMINATION TO AURORA RESERVOIR VOICED BY AREA RESIDENTS

DenverGazette.com

Angry subdivision residents southwest of the Aurora Reservoir are trying to stop Civitas Resources from drilling up to 191 horizontal well bores on more than 63 square miles of the former Lowry Air Force Base bombing and gunnery range. Two oil and gas companies merged to create Civitas Resources, Inc., one of the biggest operators in Colorado’s DJ Basin.

Kevin Chan, who recently moved to Colorado, started a Facebook page called Save the Aurora Reservoir when he found out about the drilling. The website is intended to inform community residents what Civitas is planning.  Chan started a GoFundMe Nov. 9 to “buy yard signs, print flyers, and inform our community what is happening.”

According to the GoFundMe, “We have seen too many news stories about oil companies contaminating our water. We will not be the next Hinkley or Dimock. We will not have our water contaminated by various oil extraction activities.”

Civitas spokesperson, Rich Coolidge, in a statement to The Denver Gazette said: “There is a wealth of information that consistently dispels any concerns related to water quality.” The information that Coolidge spoke of is on the Colorado Oil and Gas Association’s website www.coga.org.

FORMER COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT IN NEW CASTLE RANKED AMONG NATION’S WORST FOR LEAKING ASH INTO GROUNDWATER

NextPittsburgh.com

The Greater Pittsburgh area has worked diligently to restore and improve areas affected by pollution caused by power plants and steel mills. However, researchers found that groundwater near GenOn’s plant contained arsenic levels 372 times higher than the U.S. EPA’s safety threshold and lithium levels 54 times higher. 70% of coal ash ponds that are close to groundwater are located in communities that are mostly Black or brown. While the New Castle plant is in the top 10 list, it was previously considered the fifth most contaminated coal ash site in the country in 2019.

CONTAMINATION CLEAN-UP PLAN FOR NEW ROCHELLE ARMORY OPEN FOR COMMENT

TalkOfTheSound.com

An environmental cleanup effort will have to come first before plans for a redeveloped New Rochelle waterfront can proceed. State environmental officials have opened a public hearing period on toxic cleanup plans at the New Rochelle Armory site. The public is invited to comment on the suggested remedy currently being reviewed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).

According to the NYSDEC in consultation with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), the primary contaminants of concern at the site are petroleum-related semi-volatile compounds (SVOCs), which are present site-wide in soil and groundwater, and PCBs and metals present in the southern portion of the site in soil and groundwater.

CASES OF TOXIC EXPOSURE FOUND AT MILITARY BASES

www.LegalExaminer.com

In November 2021 a strong petroleum smell was reported by families living at U.S. Navy Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. After an investigation by the Hawaii Department of Health it was revealed that a massive jet fuel leak from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility had contaminated the water throughout Honolulu, releasing petroleum levels 350 times that of safety standards. Officials ordered immediate suspension of all operations at the facility. A year after the event the Navy agreed to defuel and permanently close Red Hill, a process they say is on track for completion by June 2024.

Within water used for drinking, cooking, and bathing toxic chemicals have been found in at least 400 active and closed U.S. military installations. The Environmental Protection Agency has designated 149 of those locations as Superfund sites. Toxins found in the water include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which can cause liver damage, testicular and kidney cancer, changes in cholesterol and thyroid levels, and other issues.

CANADA’S TOP FIVE CONTAMINATED FEDERAL SITES COSTING TAXPAYERS BILLIONS TO CLEAN

www.CTVNews.ca

Canada’s Giant Mine is one of the most contaminated sites in the country and with an estimated cost of $4.38 billion it is projected to be one of the most expensive federal environmental cleanups in the country’s history. The Giant Mine does not stand alone as there are over 20,000 locations listed in the federal contaminated sites inventory which include dumps, mines, and military operations.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the four most expensive cleanups after Giant Mine are the Faro Mine in Yukon, the Port Hope Area Initiative in Ontario, Esquimalt Harbour in British Columbia and Yukon’s United Keno Hill Mine. These five sites have cost taxpayers over $2-billion and are expected to cost billions more in the coming years.

FIRE DAMAGES TWO-STORY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE IN IRVINE

ABC7.com

On November 27, 2022, a fire damaged a two-story multi-family residential structure in Irvine. According to KABC eight people were displaced due to the fire. The fire happened at the 300 block of Deerfield Avenue where firefighters were dispatched at 4 a.m. extinguishing the fire in under an hour and a half. No injuries were reported from the fire and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.