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Hundreds of Superfund sites face flood risks

Hundreds of the nation's most polluted places are at an increasing risk of spreading contamination beyond their borders as a result of more frequent storms and rising seas. Almost 2 million people live within a mile of these at-risk toxic sites. (Dec. 22)

AP

PLAINFIELD Federal environmental experts in the coming months will put the finishing touches on their latest review of a Plainfield Superfund site now home to an energy plant expected to funnel more than $1 million in tax revenue to the town this year.

The former Gallups Quarry property off Route 12 is one of 14 Superfund sites in New England where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will conduct its mandatory five-year reviews aimed at ensuring previous remediation and ongoing monitoring efforts are paying off.

"Ensuring completed Superfund site cleanup work remains protective of human health and the environment is a priority for EPA," said Deb Szaro, the agencys New England acting regional administrator in a press release."By completing reviews of the cleanups every five years, EPA fulfills its duty to remain vigilant so that these communities continue to be protected."

Superfund sites are polluted locations that require long-term hazardous material clean-up efforts and monitoring. At Gallups Quarry, that pollution took the form of barrels of waste and free-liquid chemicals illegally dumped in the 1970s, according to a 2017 EPA report.

For several months beginning in mid-1977, the owner of the former sand and gravel quarry, once used as an asphalt batching plant by the state Department of Transportation, accepted chemical waste without a permit, prompting the 29-acre property to be placed on the EPAs National Priorities List in 1989.

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Chemicals containing volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds and heavy metals were dumped in three areas, including into a seepage bed that was razed during construction of the nearby Plainfield Renewable Energy Plant, a 37.5-megawatt biomass facility that supplies power to Connecticut Light & Power.

In all, more than 1,600 drums, 5,000 gallons of liquid waste and 3,500 tons of contaminated soil were removed by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection beforelong-term monitoring began.

More than 50 contaminants were initially identified on the property and though there is no exposure risk via soil, it was determined the chemicals had the potential of leaching into groundwater.

More: 23 bridges in New London County rated in poor condition. What inspection data tells us.

According to the 2017 federal report, water - both ground-level and surface - has been sampled yearly since 2009 though a series of monitoring wells with soil samples taken every five years. The sampling is done by a contractor hired by 23 of the 40 potentially responsible parties, or individuals or companies found liable for the contamination.

Dan Keefe, the EPAs Superfund New England section chief, said the monitoring is done with agency oversight to ensure EPAs monitored attenuation approach to the site, or one in which residual chemicals are allowed to break down naturally over time, is occurring.

The other remedy is to institute future land-use restrictions, he said. The biggest risk-reduction there was the removal of the chemicals by the state.

Land-use restrictions were placed on six property parcels to prevent soil disturbance and groundwater is not used as a potable supply.

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EPA has completed four Five-year Reviews for the site, and has determined that the cleanup is protective of human health and the environment, the agency found, according to a January status statement. There is no current use of, or exposure to, site media containing contaminants in excess of the applicable State and Federal standards identified for the site.

John Bryant, EPAs remedial project manager for the Plainfield site, called the initialclean-up a success and various static control measures, including fences and signs were placed throughout the property to prevent unauthorized access.

In January 2014, after a decade of planning, the Plainfield Renewable Energy Plant was fired up on a portion of the quarry land on Mill Brook Road south of the main contamination site the only business operating on the property.

The Class 1 plant, a 12-story building lacedwith conveyors, has the potential to power the equivalent of 37,000 homes using a variety of fuel sources, including construction and demolition wood debris, recycled wood pallets and land-clearing materials.

More: Public will have a say on options for Plainfield annex building: Fix it or take it down

First Selectman Kevin Cunningham said since the quarry site is on private property, the town has little to do with the site except tosit back and take in tax revenue.

Officials will let us know when they plan to conduct their reviews, but thats it for us, he said. Its a producer of tax revenue and jobs for the town. And though there are only a few people actually working at the plant, there areother jobs created by the deliveries of materials to the site.

According to the tax collectors office, the plant is due to provide the town this year with roughly $1.4 million in tax revenue from real estate, personal property and other bills.

Keefe said the EPA has been ahead of the curve in the last two decades in pursuing re-use and re-purpose strategies for Superfund sites, like Gallups Quarry.

Whether thats for passive use, like recreation or solar panels, or for more active things, like the bio-mass plant, he said.

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Keefe said the new report, expected to be released in the fall, will incorporate the latest monitoring information, which will be examined for any data trends. He said the five-year reports will continue to be issued in perpetuity.

That happens with any Superfund site on the priority list that doesnt allow for unrestricted access or use, he said.

John Penney can be reached at jpenney@norwichbulletin.com or at(860) 857-6965.

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Gallup's Quarry was so polluted the EPA took over. Here's how much it pays Plainfield now. - Norwich Bulletin

The complexity of a proposed new wetland buffers and drainage ordinance came to light during a Jan. 11 Sussex County Council public hearing. Many who testified during the nearly five-hour hearing said there is no reason to make it complicated.

And the hearing is not over. Council voted to continue the public hearing during its Tuesday, Feb. 22 meeting to allow time for more public comment by those who have not testified.

Several former working group members and members of the public suggested council should delete Section 10G of the ordinance allowing developers to take advantage of buffer options.

The section was added by county staff after a council-appointed working group was disbanded. The working group of stakeholders met nine times between February and August 2019 to develop a new draft ordinance, which was presented Sept. 10, 2019, to county council.

Under the section, developers would have several options which could result in buffer widths narrower than what is required under the old ordinance.

Could a buffer be less than what is in code now? asked District 4 Councilman Doug Hudson.

In certain circumstances, the answer is yes, replied county engineer Hans Medlarz.

The incentives in Section 10G are designed to offer developers more flexibility, including conservation easements for off-site property preservation in the same watershed, and to provide more options to developers who preserve existing forests as buffers.

Vince Robertson, assistant county attorney, presented the final draft to council and outlined amendments approved by the planning and zoning commission, which has recommended approval of the ordinance.

Among those amendments are a requirement to indicate walking trails, and what materials will be used, on a subdivision's final site plan, removal of the selective cutting option in buffers but still allowing control of invasive species, and clarifications stating that isolated wetlands are not considered nontidal wetlands, and agricultural ditches are not subject to the ordinance.

Robertson outlined some of the most significant changes to the old ordinance, including wider and new buffers, a more defined list of what can be placed in a buffer, a requirement for a resource maintenance plan, incentives to preserve existing woodlands, and removal of building lot lines in buffers.

Chris Bason, director of the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays and a member of the working group, commended county officials for updating the ordinance. He said the new buffer widths and many of the other regulations included in the ordinance will provide more protection for the county's wetlands and waterways.

However, he said, there should be no options available to reduce the width of buffers. In addition, he said, because wooded areas are the best buffers, forests should always be retained, and new forests should be required to be planted where they don't exist in buffers.

He said Section 10G should be eliminated from the ordinance. The options would actually allow for no buffers along tidal waterways in some cases. It's not worth trying to fix this section, Bason said.

Bason said, in comparison, even with the proposed amended ordinance, Sussex County's buffer regulations would not match other jurisdictions, including New Castle and Kent counties, New Jersey, and critical areas in Maryland. For example, he said, those jurisdictions all require forested buffers or revegetated forested buffers along wetlands and waterways. The Sussex ordinance allows for meadow, grassland buffers as well as forested buffers.

He said taking all proposed buffer widths into account, the average minimum buffer width in Sussex County would be 53 feet, compared to 116 feet in the other jurisdictions.

Bason said the ordinance would allow developers to retain an existing forest in a buffer and receive a 50 percent buffer-width reduction and a reduction in a development's perimeter buffer. And retaining a forest connected to but not within a buffer also allows for a 50 percent buffer-width reduction.

I'm trying to understand the need for resource buffer options, said Sussex Alliance for Responsible Growth spokesman Rich Borrasso of Milton, another working group member. It's a solution looking for a problem, he said.

Borrasso said SARG supports the following: removal of Section G; requiring reforesting of all meadow buffers and/or prior forest buffers that have been deforested in the past five years prior to the date of an application; approval of the wetland buffers working group recommended water-resource buffer widths with an exception to allow buffer averaging; establishing criteria for posted signs delineating the upland boundary of buffers that clearly state no clearing or disturbance permitted; and establishing a schedule of financial penalties for cutting and/or removal of trees or shrubs within a buffer, filling or hard-surface construction, and all other violations of non-permitted uses.

Borrasso also said if county officials are serious about preserving forests, a separate study is needed for tree conservation throughout the county.

Carol Stevens of Lewes agreed with the removal of Section 10G. It's wide open to interpretation, with loopholes, she said. In addition, she said, the working group should be reconvened to clean up the proposal.

However, environmental scientist Ed Launay, another working group member, said he supported Section 10G with some changes he has proposed to county staff.

He said regulations pertaining to off-site easement areas and conservation easements need more clarification, including what is prohibited and penalties for violations, who is the designated steward of an easement and what role the county has in the easements.

He said it needs to be made clear that farming activities are prohibited in buffers.

Launay said one of the key goals of the new ordinance is to discourage major alterations to land, including forest clear-cutting, before an application is filed. He said adding larger buffer widths for development where major changes to a parcel occur before an application could dissuade that practice.

In addition, Launay said, the working group's recommendations did not include walking trails in Zone A areas of buffers, and that option should be deleted from the ordinance.

Buffer widths have been increased, and areas not previously protected have been added.

Changes include an increase from 50 feet to 100 feet for tidal water and wetlands buffers, and 30 feet for nontidal wetlands and streams. The county currently does not require buffers along nontidal waters and wetlands.

Under the proposal, a buffer is divided in half Zone A, the area closest to the resource with the most protection, and Zone B. A list is provided for what activities and construction are permitted in each zone.

For example, sewage disposal plants, landfills and waste storage, and amenities such as pools and clubhouses would not be permitted in either zone. Anything not listed in the ordinance is prohibited.

Buffer averaging would be permitted, allowing a developer or landowner to reduce buffer width in one area if an increase in buffer width is provided in another area. Averaging would be permitted only in Zone B.

The proposed ordinance includes:

Property lot lines would no longer be permitted as part of a buffer

Tidal waters and tidal wetlands: 100 feet

Perennial nontidal rivers and streams: 50 feet

Nontidal wetlands: 30 feet

Intermittent streams: 30 feet

Tax ditches: no buffers required

Resource buffer management plans in community covenants

Incentives to allow developers more flexibility in design

Preservation of established native forests and non-forested meadows to eliminate clear-cutting.

A better definition of buffers and their function is included in the new ordinance to enhance water quality, provide habitats, and provide flood mitigation and improved drainage.

Jeff Seemans, a retired Milton landscape architect who was a planner in New Castle County, said the ordinance lacks enforcement and penalties.

He said provisions could be made requiring the delineation of buffers with highly visible signs, and fines could be added with a dollar amount for each square foot of violations of tree clearing, fill-in and construction of hard surfaces within buffers. It needs to be high enough to get somebody's attention, he said, adding that fines in Maryland range up to $10,000 with mitigation at a 4-1 ratio for any disturbance in buffers.

In addition, he said, when a new ordinance is adopted, it should go into effect immediately. If not, there will be a flood of applications, resulting in more lost trees, he said.

THE NUMBERS

On average, 51 percent of forested land on parcels was cleared in developments approved from 2017-19.

From 2010 to 2017, Sussex County had the third-highest number of homes built in a 10-year flood risk zone of any ocean coastal county in the United States.

2021 was a record year for fish kills in the Inland Bays, with 15 recorded resulting in the loss of about 2 million fish, mostly menhaden, due to low dissolved oxygen in waterways.

Source: Delaware Center for the Inland Bays

Read the ordinance at: tinyurl.com/2p9fdrfv.

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Buffer ordinance in hands of Sussex council - CapeGazette.com

In the battle to protect their territory in the Amazon rainforest, the indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people really only have one significant weapon in their arsenal: media attention. Without it, landgrabbers will keep penetrating further into their land in the Brazilian state of Rondnia.

The Territory, which just made its world premiere at Sundance, ups the media attention on the Uru-eu-wau-wau and their struggle to a dramatically new level. Shot over a period of several years in collaboration with the Uru-eu-wau-wau, it explores not only what is at stake for the indigenous group but for humanity in general.

The Uru-eu-wau-wau indigenous territory is important for the whole planet, says Neidinha Suru, a defender of the Uru-eu-wau-wau who is one of the main characters in the documentary. Because of its nature and biodiversity and because its fighting climate change its super important.

There are fewer than 190 of the Uru-eu-wau-wau in existence. They are outmanned and outgunned by armed invaders engaged in burning down great swaths of the rainforest for mining, logging, clearing land for cattle and homesteading. The Uru-eu-wau-wau cause got a welcome boost today with the news, reported by Deadline, that National Geographic has acquired The Territory for distribution, guaranteeing a much bigger platform for the Uru story.

We are honored to bring the story of the Uru-eu-wau-wau people to the world, noted Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president of global scripted content and documentary films for National Geographic, and help further the conversation and raise awareness around the endangered Amazon rainforest and its indigenous people.

Bernstein also praised the work of Alex Pritz, who makes his directorial debut with The Territory. Other filmmakers have entered the Amazon rainforest before him and applied a sort of colonial gaze upon the situation. Pritz tells Deadline it was critical to him that the Uru-eu-wau-wau be centrally involved in making The Territory.

It had to feel good every step of the way to everybody involved, Pritz tells Deadline, or it wasnt worth doing at all.

Before the early 1980s, the Uru-eu-wau-wau lived their lives without any contact with the Brazilian government. Explaining the concept of a documentary film, therefore, to community elders who had no frame of reference for such a thing, presented a challenge.

The idea of advocacy and news media, journalism, a lot of these things were really quite foreign, Pritz recalls. And the idea that somebody would follow you around with a camera for a couple of years was like, OK, but what does that mean, really? And then whats the point of it? We really felt in order to proceed with the process of informed consent with this community, we had to open up our toolkit and explain and show and teach and share what film meant to us.

Pritz says younger members of the Uru, like 18-year-old Bitat, intuitively understood the idea.

They kind of came to the elders, Pritz explains, and said, Look, we really think this film is going to be an exciting and important thing. Lets do it.

In short order, Bitat was operating a drone camera, documenting incursions by non-indigenous Brazilians hungry for their land. After the outbreak of Covid, filmmakers feared spreading the coronavirus to the Uru, so they supplied them with camera equipment allowing the Uru to do filming themselves.

The media is a huge tool, Pritz observes, and Im excited that theyve been picking it up for themselves We see this film as the beginning of a much larger collaboration between media and this community.

Pritz and his team also filmed with settlers the ones clearing land that doesnt belong to them, acre after acre. That was at the insistence of the Uru-eu-wau-wau.

They really pushed us, Pritz remembers, and said, Look, if you want to understand this story in a different way or shed some light on the situation more generally, talk to people on the other side who are the ones invading us.

Pritz says many Brazilian settlers are influenced by narratives that come from American Westerns.

They see themselves as the heroes of this story. They are the virtuous pioneers that are creating something out of nothing, in their minds, he observes. Obviously, the rainforest is not nothing and its home to people and animals and all sorts of things. But theyre following this tired Western colonial story that land is nothing, it is a blank slate until it is found, demarcated along these Cartesian coordinates and turned into private property, and only then does it become something. And they see themselves as the first step in that creation of private property.

President Jair Bolsonaro, often compared to Donald Trump, has openly expressed hostility to the interests of indigenous peoples and has blessed the deforestation of huge tracts of the Amazon.

These invaders and farmers, most of them, they feel very supported and empowered by the current government in Brazil, the current president, notes the films Brazilian producer, Gabriel Uchida. So, they were just fine with showing us illegal stuff that they were doing.

The land of the Uru-eu-wau-wau and other indigenous groups is protected under the Brazilian constitution. On paper.

Theres no law enforcement there, Uchida says. In one of the scenes of the film Neidinha and activists go to the guy who works for the federal agency and he says something like, What should I do? Go there and fight the invaders? I can do nothing. Year by year, there are just more and more invaders. Nowadays, its a nightmare because honestly, theres not one single week that we have peace.

Neidinha Suru grew up in the rainforest, her father a rubber tapper at a time before the Uru-eu-wau-wau land came under federal protection. As a prominent defender of Uru-eu-wau-wau interests, her life has been threatened by those who want to take control of Uru land. Deadline spoke with her from her home in Brazil, which she has been compelled to turn into a defensive structure.

Its like a fortress, high, high walls and CCTV, Suru notes, and I had to make it that way because of this genocide agenda that is affecting human rights activists and environmental activists in Brazil.

Bolsonaro is running for reelection later this year. Suru makes it clear what she thinks about the right-wing politician.

His speeches, his agenda and also his supporters theyre supporting deforestation and the death of animals and also the death of indigenous peoples, she says. It is a tragedy for the whole world, not only for Brazil. Hes promoting hate, not love. Hes promoting illegal activities. Its terrible to talk about it I can tell you that I love horror movies. But not a single horror movie would be worse than Bolsonaros axe to the forest I consider him the worst nightmare for the Amazon.

Spectacular photography in The Territory helps reveal the hidden life of the rainforest, and all that is lost when outsiders set fire to it.

I really wanted visually to be able to move between the big and the small, because this story is about the climate and about the planet and these really huge forces, the rise of populist authoritarianism and these huge themes manifest destiny, Pritz comments. But its also about the individual characters and we wanted to make a film that was able to move between the macro level forces and the micro level people and regional conflicts that encapsulates it. Trying to build a visual language where we can move between satellite imagery of the continent where you see, over 30 years, how many trees have been lost and what this really looks like and then go all the way down to like one caterpillar and really just focus on that.

Suru helps sum up the purpose of The Territory.

I hope people can realize how dangerous it is to lose the rainforest and the risks that indigenous peoples and activists are facing here, she says. I hope they understand that this fight is to save the forests and the planet.

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Sundance Doc The Territory Shines Light On Alarming Deforestation Of Protected Land In Brazils Rainforest: Its A Nightmare - Deadline

The Federal Aviation Administration has announced that more planes will be able to land in low-visibility conditions despite the rollout of 5G C-band, including some models of the Boeing 777 aircraft thats used by many international airlines. According to a statement from the regulatory agency, its cleared three more models of radar altimeters as safe and reliable, even in areas where the upgraded cellular technology has been rolled out. This change comes after several international airlines announced on Tuesday that they were suspending flights to some US airports due to the 5G C-band rollout.

According to the FAAs statement, which you can read in full below, it cleared three additional altimeters on Wednesday morning, after clearing two on January 16th. The FAA has been in a back-and-forth with AT&T and Verizon, claiming that the companies cell towers could interfere with equipment needed to safely land planes in low-visibility conditions. Earlier this month the carriers delayed their rollouts to give the FAA more time to test and clear altimeters, and have said theyll limit C-band expansion around certain airports that frequently have low visibility conditions.

With the additional safety buffer that AT&T and Verizon announced on Tuesday, this should clear some models of Boeing 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, MD-10/-11 and Airbus A300, A310, A319, A320, A330, A340, A350, and A380. The FAA says that these new approvals should allow an estimated 62 percent of the U.S. commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports where wireless companies deployed 5G C-band.

While 62 percent of airplanes seems low, its higher than the FAAs previous estimates; when the agency announced its new list of approvals on January 16th, it said they covered around 45 percent of the U.S. commercial fleet. The administration has also said that, despite Wednesdays clearances, flights at some airports may still be affected.

There were hints that this change would be coming earlier on Wednesday, ANA and Japan Airlines announced that they would be resuming normal operations thanks to an FAA notification that cleared the 777 (the FAAs announcement wasnt public at the time). In a statement to The Verge, US-based Southwest Airlines said that it expects minimal disruptions today after the telecomm companies announced their delay in 5G expansion near U.S. airports.

The FAAs full statement:

The FAA issued new approvals Wednesday that allow an estimated 62 percent of the U.S. commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports where wireless companies deployed 5G C-band.

The new safety buffer announced Tuesday around airports in the 5G deployment further expanded the number of airports available to planes with previously cleared altimeters to perform low-visibility landings. The FAA early Wednesday cleared another three altimeters.

Even with these approvals, flights at some airports may still be affected. The FAA also continues to work with manufacturers to understand how radar altimeter data is used in other flight control systems. Passengers should check with their airlines for latest flight schedules.

Airplane models with one of the five cleared altimeters include some Boeing 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, MD-10/-11 and Airbus A300, A310, A319, A320, A330, A340, A350 and A380 models.

For additional 5G information, including the airport list, please visit http://www.faa.gov/5g

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The FAA says some 777s are cleared to fly to airports with 5G C-band - The Verge

In 1675, Mary Walcott, one of the accusers at the Salem witch trials, was born; Domenico II Contarini, the Doge of Venice, died; and, as best as forestry experts can determine, a bunch of gossamer-winged pine seeds landed on a forest clearing in the Adirondack Mountains of what would eventually be designated as the State of New York. Sun, rain, soil, good luck, and (probably) a property-line muddle combined to make this an auspicious landing. Pine trees hate shade, but this was a clearing in the dense Adirondack forest, most likely created by a hearty gust of wind that had toppled the previous overstory, so it was pine-friendly. The Mohawk and Oneida people who lived in the area left them alone. European farmers, who favored a clean-shaven pasture, wouldnt arrive in the area for another century.

By the late eighteen-hundreds, when the region was being farmed and logged, this lucky bunch of trees had grown so big and thick that they were too large for most sawmills to cut, so they were left unmolested, while the smaller, more manageable trees nearby were made into dining-room tables and hope chests. As it happened, the land where the trees stood was near a newly drawn property line, so, most likely, when loggers began clearing the forest, they werent quite sure who owned the stand, and decided to leave it alone rather than get in a pickle over it.

Decades passed. The First World War came and went. The most convincing of the five best-known Anastasia pretenders appeared. Scotch tape was invented. The first Mr. Potato Head was manufactured. Electricity was generated by a nuclear reactor. People danced the Loco-Motion. In nearby Lake Placid, the Winter Olympics were held in 1932 and again in 1980. All the while, the trees on this eight-acre tract kept growing, surpassing fifty, then a hundred feet, and beyond. No other trees in the immediate area matched them in height. No one knows how tall the very tallest of them got, now that many in the grove have fallen, but Tree 103 (1675-2021) topped out at a hundred and sixty feet and nearly five inches, making it likely the tallest tree in New York State at the time of its death, in December.

The pine got its designation as Tree 103 in 2006, when a forestry expert measured the trees in the grove and tagged them in the order in which he measured them. Tree 103 was a mighty beanpole, and yet, by the rules of big-tree classification, it was not the states biggest. Champion trees are scored by combining their height in feet, their circumference in inches, and a quarter of the spread of their crowns. White pines are pointy; their crowns will never challenge the umbrella-like spread of a buckeye or a maple. Most of New Yorks registered biggest trees are species with lush crowns. Moreover, most live pampered lives, getting fat in the luxury of a suburban lawn or a wide-open pasture, with no competition for sun or water. Yes, we see you, red oak of Monroe County! And you, Eastern cottonwood of Clinton, and sycamore of Dutchess! Yeah, well, Tree 103 had a harder life than you, a more rugged North Country life, doing its damnedest in its wilderness thicket of forty or so trees, achieving staggering height without regular visits from TreeDocsRUs and without any sort of nice commemorative plaque and without a historical society attending to it and giving luncheons in its honor. Tree 103 was scarred and scabby; it creaked in the wind; it sagged in the rain. It had lost the dewy glow that it had back in 1675, but havent we all?

Last July, one of Tree 103s neighbors snapped and toppled. Tree 103 broke its fall. The weight was much to bear, and then the autumn winds slapped it around. Hikers who went to visit the tree on December 11th found instead a raggedy broken trunk and a fallen warrior. No one had been around to hear it fall, but, given its size and height, it would have released a huge amount of energy, equivalent to several sticks of dynamite, and it knocked over a number of smaller trees when it went down. Justin Waskiewicz, a forestry professor at Paul Smiths College, which borders the land where Tree 103 stood, says that pine trees rarely live past three hundred and fifty years, so its demise wasnt a surprise. Given the math, the whole grove of these giant pines will probably be gone sometime in the next fifty years. Do not despair: Tree 103 is no longer thrusting into the sky, but it lives on as forest debris, making fungi and bugs happy. Its dead, yes, Waskiewicz said, but I prefer to think that its just not vertical anymore.

Afterword is an obituary column that pays homage to people, places, and things weve lost. If youd like to propose a subject for an Afterword piece, write to us at afterword@newyorker.com.

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The Tallest Known Tree in New York Falls in the Forest - The New Yorker

A sailor stands guard at the Cambodian Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, July 26, 2019. REUTERS/Samrang Pring/File Photo

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WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Dredgers have been spotted off Cambodias Ream naval base, where China is funding construction work and deeper port facilities would be necessary for the docking of larger military ships, a U.S. think tank said on Friday.

The United States, which has sought to push back against Beijing's extensive territorial claims and military expansion in the South China Sea, reiterated its "serious concerns" about China's construction and military presence at Ream.

"These developments threaten U.S. and partner interests, regional security, and Cambodia's sovereignty," a spokesperson for the State Department said.

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The report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank said the dredgers could be seen in photos released this month by the Cambodian government and in commercial satellite imagery.

"Dredging of deeper port facilities would be necessary for the docking of larger military ships at Ream, and was part of a secret agreement between China and Cambodia that U.S. officials reported seeing in 2019," the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at CSIS reported.

It cited a 2019 Wall Street Journal report that said the deal granted China military access to the base in return for funding facilities improvements.

Last June, Cambodian media quoted Defense Minister Tea Bahn as saying China would help to modernize and expand Ream, but would not be the only country given access to the facility.

AMTI said a Jan. 16 commercial satellite image showed two dredgers and barges for collecting dredged sand. It said other images showed both dredgers arriving between Jan. 13 and Jan. 15.

They were also visible in a photo posted on Tea Banhs Facebook page following his Jan. 18 visit to Ream, it said, adding that the work "could mark a significant upgrade in the bases capabilities."

"The shallow waters around Ream mean it is currently only able to host small patrol vessels. A deep-water port would make it far more useful to both the Cambodian and Chinese navies."

AMTI said construction work had continued onshore, with land clearing in several locations in the southwest of the base since fall 2021 and said this and the dredging "indicates that the base is being prepared for significant infrastructure upgrades."

The State Department spokesperson said the United States urged Cambodia "to be fully transparent about the intent, nature, and scope of the project at Ream and the role the PRC military is playing in its construction, raising concerns about the intended use of this naval facility."

PRC stands for the People's Republic of China.

Last year, Washington sanctioned two Cambodian officials over alleged corruption at Ream and imposed an arms embargo and export restrictions on Cambodia over what it said was the growing influence of China's military in the country, as well as over human rights and corruption. read more

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Reporting by David Brunnstrom in WashingtonEditing by Matthew Lewis and David Gregorio

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Dredgers spotted off Cambodian base where China is funding work -U.S. think tank - Reuters

Munlochy Clootie Well: Person who cleaned up didn't have permission Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. Linked In An icon of the Linked In logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo.

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Mystery person who cleared Munlochy Clootie Well didn't have permission from land owners - Press and Journal

Ashtabula County Land Bank Executive Director Eddy Eckart will be leaving the organization on Jan. 26, after working with the organization since 2018, according to a press release from the land bank.

I am very proud of the work we have accomplished since 2018, Eckart said. The land bank has helped stabilize neighborhoods across the county, and we are now in position to help rebuild those communities. It is a bit of a bittersweet moment for me because I have truly enjoyed building the organization and having a positive impact on the county in which I live.

When reached via telephone on Monday, Eckart said he will remember the relationships the land bank was able to foster with communities and county agencies. We couldnt have made the pivot from being a [demolition] only organization, to one that does a lot of different community activities without the collaboration of all those entities, he said.

Eckart said the land bank has two state grants coming this year. I think were very well positioned for the future, Eckart said. One grant will fund demolition of blighted commercial and residential properties, and the other will help clean up and assess county brownfield sites, he said.

Eckart said the land bank is working in partnership with the Ashtabula County Port Authority andthe countys planning departmenton the brownfield grant.

We couldnt have gotten where we are without Eddys help in spearheading all these initiatives, Commissioner J.P. Ducro, vice president of the land bank board, said in the press release. He is truly going to be missed. We wish him the best.

Hardworking and dedicated people with outstanding vision such as Eddys are a true inspiration, Ashtabula County Treasurer andland bank Board Member Angie Maki-Cliff said in the release. He shows a commitment to quality and excellence and is dedicated to the betterment of our community. I count myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to work alongside Eddy. The Ashtabula County Land Bank and the Treasurers Office will miss him and truly appreciate all the work he has done.

Eckart said he is extremely grateful to board members, past and present.

I think any time we talk about the land bank, its important to give credit to [former Ashtabula County County Treasurer] Dawn Cragon for starting it, Eckart said. Its become an integral part of stabilizing neighborhoods in this county.

Eckart also praised Maki-Cliff.

Its been a pleasure working with Treasurer Angie Maki Cliff over the last several months,he said. She understands and supports the role of the land bank in revitalizing Ashtabulas communities and the organization is in good hands in her and the boards stewardship.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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Ashtabula County Land Bank Executive Director leaving organization tomorrow - The Star Beacon

CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) Almost a month into the new year Chattahoochee County is clearing land to prepare for three new businesses that are making their way into town.

The county is clearing land off of Highway 520 for a new travel plaza costing around $2.2 million, a gas station, and a new Family Dollar combined with Dollar Tree costing around $5 million. City Manager Laura Lee Bernstein told News 3 these new stores will be beneficial to the community.

Essentially these developments, especially with them happening all at the same time will really enhance our revenue thats coming into the county. Number one the tax revenue alone coming into the county will almost double as a result of these developments. With the SPLOST and TSPLOST were a part of it will contribute to those as well, so were real excited its a real game-changer for a place like this, Bernstein said.

The new travel plaza will have a mini grocery store inside, Bernstein said this will be a major relief for those in Chattahoochee County and Stewart County.

The addition of some form of a grocery store in this area is so important because folks have to drive to Columbus or any other surrounding county just to get groceries for their family. So this is something thats great for our citizens and it does help the other county south of us because it gives them somewhere closer to come. But also it shows development is starting to occur south of Fort Benning that historically has not been started, Bernstein said.

Berstein said there has always been an interest for potential business opportunities in the general area.

I think the interest has always been that 520 is really a corridor of business opportunities. These roads go and they connect down to Florida into south Georgia and its one of the major four-lane roads to get to those places. So I think development was always a potential here, it was just a matter of time before it began, Berstein said.

Berstein told News 3 shes excited to see the county grow.

Personally its exciting to see the county actually making that corner turn to begin adding some development to the area. For so long they have not had any form of development besides the Dollar General and a couple of gas stations, the grocery store that was here was a locally owned grocery. They decided to retire understandably, they provided a great service to the community and we were very sad to see them go. But its also refreshing to see that there are folks interested in coming in and doing some development in Chattahoochee County and so its exciting to see the residents are going to have other places to go to get their necessities, Berstein said.

The new businesses are scheduled to open in July 2022.

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New businesses making their way to Chattahoochee County - WRBL

Fog clearing out to a few sunny days this week

The fog is finally clearing out later this week, where we'll finally see some sunnybut still briskdays heading into this weekend.

Seattle - Fog continues to be an issue around the region as we push through the middle of the week. Most of us will stay stuck in the low-lying cloud deck and fog through early Thursday morning.

Tuesday starts off chilly as well. Temperatures around the area will hang in the low 30s. Normal morning temps for this time of year usually sit near 38, so with below-freezing temperatures to start the day bridge decks and overpasses may be slick and frozen. Allow for extra time on the roads, not only for the slippery conditions but the fog as well. Keep a decent following distance while driving.

And not only will the fog linger, but stagnant air will also keep some of us in the moderate zone for air quality values in Snohomish, King, Pierce, and Thurston Counties. This primarily will affect those who suffer from respiratory issues already. The "Alert" for Western WA stays in effect through 12pm Wednesday.

High pressure is the key to our dry forecast right now. A nice ridge is acting as a blocker to all weather systems that would potentially come our way. It also is the main factor as to why our air quality has degraded some. High pressure aloft sits over the top of us acting like a hat that doesn't really allow air to mix out and circulate and this why pollutants get stuck near the surface. The higher you go in elevation, like up to the mountains, you will see blue skies and warmer temperatures. This is also known as an inversion. Normally, air temperature decreases with an increase in altitude, but during an inversion warmer air is held above cooler air. An inversion traps air pollution, such as smog, close to the ground.

By late Wednesday into Thursday our ridge breaks down and that will open the door to allow systems to push inland. Foggy conditions may linger into early Thursday before clearing out completely. Highs will land near 50 both days.

By the weekend clouds increase as we shift to a SW flow with the potential for showers to return. Right now, we're forecasting some rain to move in late Saturday night into Sunday with showers hanging around into the start of next week. Highs drop into the mid to low 40s.

Have a great week all! ~Erin Mayovsky, FOX 13 Forecaster

*Beach Forecast

*Mountain Forecast

*Central WA Forecast

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Fog and stagnant air quality continue to drive the forecast through mid-week. - Q13 FOX (Seattle)