Talk about a winter wonderland.

Grass Valley received between 9 inches and a foot of snow Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service. The storm downed trees, knocking out power to thousands of people and shuttering the main highways into and out of western Nevada County.

If you dont have to go somewhere, dont, because most of the state routes are closed, California Highway Patrol Officer Chris West said. If you dont need to come to the area, dont.

The storm system, which started last week, yielded 100 inches of snow at North Star, Sugar Bowl, the Central Sierra Snow Lab and Palisades Tahoe. According to Meteorologist Katrina Hand, those same resorts received 2 to 3 feet in a 24-hour period.

Under a half-inch of snow could fall today in Grass Valley, with another 1 to 2 inches tonight. One to 3 inches could fall Wednesday, forecasts state.

After Wednesday, it clears up a bit, Hand said. With that, though, the temperatures will drop with highs in the 30s and lows in the upper 20s.

The snow was wet and heavy enough to threaten power throughout Sunday night, with lights flickering throughout the Glenbrook Basin.

According to PG&E spokesperson Megan McFarland, 69,000 households were without power as of 2:35 p.m. Monday.

Some of the major outages in the area were in Grass Valley (20,406), Colfax (4,444), Nevada City (7,954) and Placerville (11,914).

PG&Es Sierra Division includes El Dorado, Nevada, Placer and Sierra counties. According to McFarland, 27,000 households have been affected in El Dorado County, 31,000 in Nevada County, 9,800 in Placer and 1,300 in Sierra counties.

This is an all hands on deck situation for PG&E. We are bringing in crews from other areas and working closely with first responders, including Caltrans, to gain access, McFarland said. Access is a major challenge as we are seeing lots of snow, downed trees and road closures, which can make it challenging to reach locations where we need to make repairs.

McFarland said the utility company is in the assessment phases of responding to the crisis, which includes gaining access to all the outages to see what went gone wrong and what kind of solutions are required.

Once our crews make initial contact I will be able to provide more information on estimated times of restoration, MacFarland said.We want customers to know that we are working around the clock to make assessments, make repairs and get the power back on.

MacFarland said with a storm this strong, customers should keep their eyes open for downed power lines.

If you see a line down, please assume its energized and stay away, MacFarland said. Please call 911 and PG&E so we can make the area safe.

Rebecca ONeil is a staff writer with The Union. She can be reached at roneil@theunion.com

Excerpt from:
Snowed in: Authorities advise drivers to avoid the roads and stay home, if possible - The Union

A 443-acre tidal wetland habitat restoration project in Oregons Tillamook Bay designed to reduce flooding and improve salmon habitat also brought a host of other socioeconomic benefits to the community, a new report from Oregon State University researchers shows.

Since the $11.2 million project was completed in 2017, the restoration has led to water quality improvements; flood mitigation; salmon habitat improvements; increased carbon storage; added recreation opportunities; and increased home values, the researchers found.

This study provides strong evidence that ecosystem restoration is beneficial to communities as well as the environment, said Steven Dundas, the reports co-author and an environmental and resource economist in Oregon State Universitys College of Agricultural Sciences and the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station in Newport. The positive impact on housing values near the restored site alone likely justifies the investment in this project.

The reports lead author is Graham Shaw, who recently completed his masters degree in marine resource management at OSU. The Tillamook Estuaries Partnership and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Restoration Center, two of the partners in the restoration project, commissioned the economic impact report.

The primary aim of the wetlands restoration was to reduce severe and disruptive flooding in the city of Tillamook and on U.S. Highway 101 as well as improve habitat for salmon, some species of which are considered threatened or endangered. NOAA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency were the primary funders of the project.

The goal of the new report was to better understand the breadth of economic benefits a tidal restoration project might produce, said Lauren Senkyr, a biologist with the NOAA Restoration Center.

This kind of information helps us to be able to talk about the community benefits of restoration projects, Senkyr said. Projects like this have ripple effects. Not only do they help the fish, they also help people.

A concurrent NOAA economic impact analysis showed that during the four years the restoration work was underway, the project supported 108 jobs and $14.6 million in total economic output for the state of Oregon.

Shaw worked with Dundas to identify and quantify additional socioeconomic benefits of the project. They reviewed data from before and after the restoration, made comparisons to spot changes and conducted an analysis of the housing market to identify changes to home values near the restoration area.

Homes within three-quarters of a mile of the restoration site increased in value by 10%, or an average of $19,000, compared to homes further away. Modeling estimates the total benefit of the project on housing values to be approximately $19.1 million.

Reductions in flooding on Highway 101 in Tillamooks business corridor may lead to reductions in costs associated with travel delays of up to $7,200 per flood event.

The number of juvenile chinook salmon and staghorn sculpin using the affected wetlands has increased since the restoration was completed.

Sediment from the Wilson and Trask Rivers is likely to be trapped in the restoration area, improving water quality in Tillamook Bay and potentially reducing the frequency or need for dredging. That latter impact could save anywhere from $1,500 to $8,000 per year.

The restored wetlands may store as much as 27,000 tons of carbon, at a value of up to $736,000 based on current social costs of carbon.

The publicly accessible restoration site offers increased opportunities for recreation, including walking, fishing, kayaking, birdwatching and educational activities. Activities such as kayaking and wildlife viewing have an estimated value of $60 to as much $471 per person per day.

The restoration project created a large area for increased recreation that wasnt there before, Shaw said. It wasnt accessible for people in the community the way it is now.

Anecdotally, the project so far is meeting its intended goals of improving salmon habit and reducing flooding. Since the restoration project was completed, Tillamook has only experienced two minor, five-year flooding events, and in both cases, the flooding was less severe than previous floods.

In both cases, the amount of flooding was 9 inches less than previous floods. It took two to three hours longer for the city to flood and the floodwaters receded two to three hours sooner than it would have previously, said Kristi Foster, executive director of the Tillamook Estuary Partnership.

More study is needed to better understand the impacts of the restoration project over time, the researchers said. They also suggest engaging in socioeconomic analysis work early in a project, rather than waiting until the project is complete.

There were some challenges associated with trying to study the socioeconomic changes after the fact, Dundas said. Starting earlier in the process would allow researchers to collect more before-and-after data and better understand peoples perceptions about the value of a project in advance.

Follow this link:
Benefits of wetlands restoration extend far beyond the scope of project - Coos Bay World

JOHNSTOWN, Pa (WTAJ) Officials gathered Tuesday to discuss the progress on the Clara Barton house restoration project, which is located on Main Street.

Clara Barton is an American nurse who founded the American Red Cross. Shes recognized for having significant historical ties to Johnstown, delivering supplies and medical equipment days after the 1889 flood. It helped the citizens get a bit of relief after the disaster.

The Main Street building is claimed to serve as the headquarters of Barton following the flood. The restoration project is being led by the Vision Together 2025 capture team members.

The project for the 145-year-old is part of the project to upgrade Main street. The team is almost done with phase one of the restoration project, which stabilizes the home. By that, it means installing a new roof, gutter, and window repairs.

However, the team now faces the problem of raising $10,000 to help complete the phase one renovations. They initiated a campaign to raise $50,000 to match the states $50,000 grant. Treasurer of the Clara Barton Home and Garden organization Bob Eyer said the team is looking to raise the $10,000 by the end of the year.

Once they complete phase one funding, they will begin phase two. Eyer said that phase two is dedicated to the homes interior parts.

The goal is to have the house become a museum also a place where tourists can stay. Eyer has the vision that this restoration will make Johnstown a destination city for its history.

We believe this will be a national destination site, and were going to attract visitors from all over the country, Eyer said. Theyll be wanting to come here and know about the history of Johnstown and live in the building where Clara Barton used as her headquarter in the 1889 flood.

According to Eyer, phase two of the project costs around $500,000. Bartons birthday is on Christmas Day.

Sign up for the WTAJ Newsletter for the latest local news, weather, and community events that matter to you.

More here:
Clara Barton house restoration making progress ahead of her 200th birthday - WTAJ - http://www.wearecentralpa.com

Weve been seeing our homes in a new light since the pandemic started.

Though this year we werent always cooped up inside our four walls, we continued to find projects to work on around the house. They ranged from minor redecorating to major repairs put on hold during the uncertainties of the previous year.

Here are our top eight stories from this year on how to save money on home improvement projects.

1. Organize Your Home Without Overspending

Keeping your home tidy doesnt require a trip to the Container Store to spend hundreds on various organizational tools.

2. Know Which Home Repairs You Need to Address Immediately

It may be financially convenient to put off certain repairs around the house, but ignoring some issues can cause major problems and increase the costs.

3. Keep Up With Routine Home Maintenance

One way to avoid expensive home repairs is to adhere to a schedule of regular maintenance projects. Letting little issues go untreated can lead to a much more serious and more costly problem to address later.

4. Know When to Hire a Pro

Taking on home projects on your own doesnt always save you money. If you take on something you cant handle, you could wind up making a costly mistake thats more expensive than hiring a professional from the start.

This article breaks down what types of home projects are safe to DIY and which you should leave to the experts.

5. Learn How to Hire the Best Contractor

Hiring a professional contractor for a home improvement project can be a significant financial investment. You want to know youre hiring the right person for the job.

6. Remodel Your Bathroom on a Budget

Making your bathroom feel like a sanctuary is important especially when youre spending so much time at home. But bathroom remodels can be expensive.

7. Spruce Up Your Outdoor Space for $100

Big landscaping projects can cost big bucks. But that doesnt mean there arent ways to revamp your outdoor space for less.

8. Spend Less at Restoration Hardware

Love the goods at Restoration Hardware but could do without the high prices?

Nicole Dow is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, a personal finance website that empowers millions of readers nationwide to make smart decisions with their money through actionable and inspirational advice, and resources about how to make, save and manage money.

Read more:
What We Learned in 2021 to Save on Home Improvements - Yakima Herald-Republic

Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced a $40 million allocation of funds to restore the historic Childrens Pool and the former Rose Garden in Prospect Parks Vale of Cashmere. The capital fund is the largest single allocation for maintenance, upkeep, and restoration since 1867, when Brooklyns most historic park first opened to the public.

Prospect Park is Brooklyns backyard, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. Its where I got married and raised my family, and where New Yorkers of all backgrounds come to spend time in nature. This historic $40 million in funding will ensure the Vale is restored to its full glory.

The Vale refers to a 26-acre swath of land in the parks northeast corner and is characterized by dramatic changes in elevation, cliffs, and dense forest.The former 2.5 acre Rose Garden was originally a childrens playground complete with the parks first horse-driven carousel. The area was later converted into a formal rose garden, but quickly fell out of public interest with the opening of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in 1911.

In 2017, Prospect Park Alliance embarked on an intensive community outreach campaign, Reimagine Prospect Park, to identify a new vision for the area. This included an exchange with more than 2,000 members of the community. The team identified several possible amenities for the former Rose Garden including a sensory garden and rustic arbor, a nature play area for families, a landscaped amphitheater, a small building with flexible gathering space, and public restrooms.

The site of the historic Childrens Pool originally featured ornamental trees, shrubs, and a small pond where children sailed miniature boats. In the 1890s, architects McKim, Mead and White installed a marble and granite balustrade at the ponds edge that still exists today. Red-brick walkways, lights, and benches added in the 1960s have since fallen into disrepair.

Conceptual Site Plan for Vale Restoration Prospect Park Alliance

Conceptual rendering of the proposed Vale Restoration Prospect Park Alliance

Conceptual rendering of the proposed Vale Restoration Prospect Park Alliance

Thanks to Mayor Bill de Blasios $40 million investment, the gateway to Prospect Parks treasured Vale, the boroughs last remaining forest, will soon be renewed, restored, and revitalized, said NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff. We are excited to work with our partners at the Prospect Park Alliance who provided the vision and advocated for this multifaceted project. Upon its completion, the Vale will be home to an amphitheater, a pollinator meadow, and so much more.

Restoration of the Vale is the centerpiece of a larger initiative to improve and preserve historic destinations at Prospect Park. Preparation of design documents for the Vale restoration is expected to begin in 2022. The project will then be subject to review by the New York City Parks Department and likely fielded to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and local community groups for feedback and critique.

Once approved, construction is expected to last 12 to18 months.

Our vision of equity for New York City has always been to make all neighborhoods across the five boroughs safer, more welcoming, and, thus, more livable than we found them, said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. As we march on in our fight against COVID, we must prioritize our green spaceswhere loved ones gather to celebrate life and where we often venture alone to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. This investment drives home not only the importance of our parks, but the citys passion for creating and maintaining holistic communities where New Yorkers are proud to live, work, and play.

Subscribe to YIMBYs daily e-mail

Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updatesLikeYIMBY on FacebookFollow YIMBYs Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews

See the original post here:
Mayor Bill de Blasio Announces $40M Fund to Restore the Vale of Cashmere in Prospect Park, Brooklyn - New York YIMBY

APPLETON - There'sgood news ahead for Appleton residents who have water service lines comprised of lead or galvanized steel leading into their homes.

City officials are developing a program that woulduse federal and state money, including $1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA),to cover the cost of replacing those pipes on private property.

The proposed program isn't based on income and would be open to all property owners in the city who are identified as having lead or galvanized service lines.

"It's a good deal," Public Works Director Paula Vandehey told The Post-Crescent. "We're excited. We thought it was a great use of the ARPA funds."

TheAmerican Rescue Plan Actis a $1.9 trillion package designed to facilitate the nation's recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Appleton will receive$14.9 million in ARPA funds, and using $1 million to replace lead service linesdrew widespread support from the Common Council.

The allocation "directly impacts the health and well-being of a broad swath of the citizens of Appleton while serving to improve the infrastructure of the city," council member Sheri Hartzheimsaid in an email to her colleagues.

In addition to the $1 million in ARPA funds, which must be spent by the end of 2024,Appleton is applying for a $500,000 grantfrom the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to enhance itsreplacement program.

RELATED:Appleton pursues outside funding to help cover high cost of library

RELATED:Appleton transfers $750,000to develop Ellen Kort Peace Park

A water service line is a pipe that runs between a property's water meter and the water utility's curb stop, which is a shut-off valve usually located behind the curb on public property. The property owner is responsible for the maintenance and replacement of the service line up to the curb stop, and the water utility is responsible for everything from the curb stop to the water main.

Older water service lines commonly were made of lead, a toxic metalthat can leach into drinking water and accumulate in the body over time, causing serious health problems, including brain damage in children. Other lines were made ofgalvanized steel, which can corrode and alsocontaminate drinking water.

The Environmental Protection Agency has set the goal for the maximum contaminant level of lead in drinking water at zero because lead can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels.

The Appleton council recently passed an ordinance that requires property owners to replace lead or galvanized service lines, at the owner's expense,within one year of written notification by the Appleton Water Utility.The vote was 14-0.

Previously, property owners weren't required toreplace lead service linesunless the lines leaked or failed. Then they had replaced the lines with another materiallike copper or plastic.

The new ordinance might have been a harder sell had the council not set aside the $1 million to pay for a property owner's replacement, which typically costs $3,700to $5,000.

"We will replace the lead service," Vandehey said, "but the property owner will be responsible for any restoration costs such as basement flooring, flower beds, porches, etc."

The program also won't cover the replacement of lead pipes inside a home.

Appleton hired Arcadis, a consulting firm, to help develop the lead service line replacement program. It will be brought to the council for review early next year.

Lead service lines began to be phased out in the 1960s. There is no hard deadline for when their use was discontinued, however.

"We know if your house was built in the 1980s, you do not have a lead service," Vandehey said.

Appleton has about 27,000 residential water service lines. About halfof them have been inspected, identifyingapproximately 100 lead service lines in need of replacement.

Vandehey said the $1 million in ARPA money will be enough to replace all of the known lead service lines.

The remaining service lines in Appleton will be inspected by city staff in the next couple of years to determine how many additional lines must be replaced.

"We know that we're going to find more," Vandehey said. "That's why we're applying for the DNR grant. We'd like to be able to continue a program of financially helping to replace those lead services."

In the past, Appleton has concentrated on replacing lead service lines owned by the water utility. The city has replaced several hundred of them in recentyears and has 11left to replace.

Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com.Follow him on Twitter at@DukeBehnke.

Continued here:
Appleton plans to pay for replacing lead water service pipes on private property, using federal and state funds - Post-Crescent

Musical superstar Nellee Hooper who has produced albums for everyone from Bjrk to U2 turned his hand to home renovation in sympathetically restoring The Old Manor House in West Sussex. Now, he's moving on and is selling this timeless property that benefits from the best of both traditional and modern worlds. Penny Churchill takes a look.

In West Sussex, but still within the National Park, the pandemic has seen music legend Nellee Hooper redirect his considerable creative talents to the restoration and upgrading of Grade II-listed The Old Manor House at Milland, 2 miles from Liphook and seven miles from Haslemere. Hooper who has recorded songs with Madonna, Tina Turner and dozens more stars is now moving on, and his house is for sale at 3.95m.

Although a Roman posting station in ancient times, Milland was a scattered farming community until a handful of council houses were built there in 1948. Nowadays, village life revolves around the Rising Sun gastro-pub, service station, pottery and book exchange.

Having bought the house in a state of progressive disrepair in 2018, Mr Hooper has extensively, but sympathetically renovated the stone and timber-frame house, which carries a date stone of 1651, although its listing suggests that the oldest part is probably 16th century.

It now presents as a period home of great charm and authenticity that, beneath the skin, bristles with the latest technology. Theo James-Wright of Savills quotes a guide price of 3.95m.

With strong ESG credentials evident throughout, the entire house has been stripped down to the bare bones, re-plumbed and rewired and all walls lined with traditional lime plaster. A high proportion of the building materials used have been reclaimed or recycled, including stone from France and Italy, and 16th-century wood panelling from Belgium.

In contrast, modern convenience comes in the shape of smart home-control, internet and security systems, large flat-screen televisions and air-conditioning in the main bedrooms.

Set in 1 acres of landscaped gardens, The Old Manor House (previously known as Mill Cottage) provides 3,072sq ft of atmospheric living space in the main building, including three reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, principal bedroom suite, two/three further bedrooms and two bath/shower rooms.

A former stone barn, rebuilt in 1980, has been redesigned as a self-contained, two-bedroom guest annexe.

The Old Manor House is currently on the market via Savills at a guideprice of 3.95 million see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details.

Location: Near the South Downs National Park in West Sussex on the border of Hampshire, just over 7 miles from Petersfield. The village of Liphook is just 2 1/2 miles away. There are train stations located at Liphook which runs services to London Waterloo and Haslemere.

Atmosphere: The quiet village is home to a primary School plus several shops. Nearby Liphook has a range of further facilities including a large supermarkert, doctors surgery and the well regarded Bohunt School.

Things to do: Thanks to the villages close proximity to the South Downs National Park, running, walking, cycling and riding are all available within the area. Nearby Haslemere is a charming market town with an array of cafes, shops and restaurants to explore.

Schools: Hollycombe Primary School is local to the village whilst Bohunt Secondary School in Liphook is well regarded and rated outstanding by Ofsted.

Catch up on the best country houses for sale this week that have come to the market via Country Life.

Visit link:
A 16th century, Grade II-listed property thats been totally transformed by a music legend, now seeking a new owner - Country Life

Climate change was again a major focus in Flagstaff in 2021 and the region saw the effects firsthand with a summer of extreme wildfires. The community moved forward on critical climate regulations and worked proactively to curb the severity of future issues, with some drawing public criticism.

Here are the top environmental stories of 2021:

Flagstaff signs onto carbon neutrality plan

The Flagstaff City Council passed the Carbon Neutrality Plan in June, pledging to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

The Carbon Neutrality Plan was first prompted in 2020 by a citizen petition urging Council to declare a climate emergency. It only establishes a framework for future action and fine-tuning continued throughout the year.

Projected costs include a one-time investment of $90 million to enhance bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and $5 million annually to support high-frequency bus lines, according to the plan. That is in addition to costs not yet specified for future infrastructures, such as reducing nonrenewable energy use.

People are also reading

The Carbon Neutrality Plan attempts to address and ultimately reduce emissions through multiple areas, including infrastructure improvements that support walking or biking. Most of Flagstaffs 2020 increase was attributed to transportation and waste. The city will also work with Northern Arizona University and the council to craft feasible goals and timelines.

North Rim bison removal

Thousands of hunters applied for one of 12 spots to reduce the number of bison living on the Grand Canyons North Rim.

The herd of bison has been living on the North Rim since the 1990s, resulting in frustration for park managers, scientists and conservationists.Park officials worried the herd of an estimated 800 animals could seriously impact water, vegetation, soils and archeological sites.

Grand Canyon National Park officials said reducing the number of bison will protect the parks ecosystem, resources and values. It marked the first time hunting was allowed within the national park.

Applicants had to pass a shooting test, putting three of five bullets in a 4-inch target from 100 yards. They also had to have a support team, be willing to field-dress and haul out their kill, provide their own camping and hunting gear, and complete several safety and training programs.

But local environmental and conservation groups called for a nonlethal solution. Bison had been relocated to more suitable areas in the past and officials, such as Colorado Gov. Jason Polis, questioned why that couldnt be done again, but park officials said they needed to reduce the size of the herd quickly.

Rafael Fire burns thousands of acres

The Rafael Fire burned more than 78,000 acres southeast of Flagstaff in June. The lightning-caused blaze threatened multiple communities and left hundreds of residents on edge as they waited for a possible evacuation.

Fire crews were spread thin with multiple fires burning across the state. But the Rafael Fire demanded attention, peaking at 600 crews.

Ultimately, they utilized back burns to contain the rapidly-growing northern and western portions of the fires. But the loss of vegetation from the Rafael and Backbone fires increased the risk of post-fire flooding.

Forest closure impacts campers, businesses

The Coconino National Forest again closed due to the high risk of wildfires over the summer, forcing campers out of the woods and impacting outdoor-dependent businesses.

The restriction lasted for weeks and the city saw an uptick in displaced forest dwellers moving their camping equipment within city limits. In one such instance, RV, vans and sedans were given 24 hours to decamp in a Walmart parking lot after the forest closed.

The Flagstaff City Council ultimately denied a citizen petition to repeal the citys public camping ordinance,prompting further conversations about how to better support unsheltered and vulnerable populationsespecially as the seasonal summer closures become the norm.

Some businesses, like Arizona Snowbowl, were forced to close due to the restrictions. Others saw cancellations amid uncertainty and looming evacuation orders during whats typically considered their busiest season.

Wood for Life continues

Throughout the early fall, crews with the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps cut wood from the slopes of the San Francisco Peaks and Bill Williams Mountain aspart of the second annual Wood for Life partnership.

The project has a unique goal of restoring the meadow and riparian areas threatened by growing strands of coniferous trees before then giving the wood to tribal communities in need of firewood. The demand for alternative heating on tribal lands grew significantly with the closure of the Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta Coal Mine, creating a home heating crisis on the Navajo and Hopi nations.

The project resulted in the donation of nearly 2,000 cords of woods with more efforts already lined up for the next few years.

New chapter in Grand Canyon uranium mining

Uranium mining near Grand Canyon National Park again came under controversy this year.

Canada-based Energy Fuels Resources applied for a new aquifer protection permit for the Pinyon Plain Mine. The mine is located 10 miles away from the gates of the Grand Canyon National Parks South Rim.

Environmental groups and the Havasupai tribe pushed the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to deny the application. Activists have worried for years that the mine's proximity to the Grand Canyon means it is contaminating groundwater in the area, with the further potential to poison springs throughout the Grand Canyon -- including the Havasupai tribes sole source of water.

Its just the latest chapter in the ongoing conflict over uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. The tribe and two environmental groups lost their bid to close the mine in 2020 following a lengthy court battle.

Developments for 4FRI

The future of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) looked bleak after Forest Service officialscanceled the Phase 2 contract, citing several challenges that made the project unfeasible.

The project involves treating millions of acres of forested land throughout northern Arizona to reduce the risks of wildfires and improve forest health. Its one of the largest forest restoration projects in the country.

But the announcement left state officials and advocates concerned that this was the end for 4FRI after years of work.

The project found new life though after theU.S. Forest Service pledged $54 million for forest restoration in November. This allowed crews to begin treating approximately 135,000 high-priority acres immediately with a goal of 35,000 acres completed by the end of the 2022 fiscal year.

Fire officials gather for prescribed burn training

Fire officials from across the West gathered in Flagstaff to conduct several city-led burns as part of a training exchange

Flagstaff Forest Health Supervisor Neil Chapman said Flagstaff is a good place to host such an event. For one, the Flagstaff Fire Department has not only had a wildlands fire division for close to two decades but also has been doing a lot of proactive work on the forest, including prescribed burns.

The hope was to bring municipal and federal fire officials together to share ideas and strategies in addition to better preparing local departments to handle wildfires. More attention is being put on the initial response and preventative measures as wildfires grow in size and intensity with each passing season and housing developments encroach more on forested land.

Participants participated in classroom training about managing fire and the importance of long-term fire suppression in addition to tackling prescribed burns firsthand during the training.

Reporter Bree Burkitt can be reached atbburkitt@azdailysun.comor on Twitter at@breeburkitt.

Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.

Read this article:
Environmental Year in Review: Fires, flooding and forest restoration in Flagstaff - Arizona Daily Sun

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After a week of on and off rains, a series of holiday winter storms are forecasted to intensify Sunday night into Monday. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) electric and vegetation crews have restored service to thousands of customers following weather-related outages.

PG&E crews have restored electric service to nearly 50,000 customers since Christmas morning, with 15,000 customers still experiencing outages as of 5 p.m. on Sunday. Crews are also preparing to respond to any outages from the next pulse of the current storm system.

PG&E meteorologists are forecasting low snow levels tonight and tomorrow with heavier snow accumulations in the low to mid elevations. That snow accumulation could lead to increased power outages in some areas.

The wet and unsettled weather pattern looks to continue through Tuesday in certain areasthe National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning through Tuesday morning for the Sierra and northern mountainsbefore drier conditions possibly return, along with potentially very cold temperatures.

Throughout the last week weve been focused on staying ready and keeping the power on for our customers. This weekend, as our customers hopefully enjoy time with their families, the men and women of PG&E continue to work in challenging conditions to power our state, said Wade Smith, PG&Es Senior Vice President, Electric Operations.

Winter storms produce wet and windy conditions that can cause trees, limbs and other debris to fall into power lines, damage equipment and interrupt electric service. In some areas, ground already saturated by previous storms, along with drought-intensified conditions that weakened vegetation, could cause more trees to fall into equipment and cause power outages.

PG&Es meteorology team has developed a Storm Outage Prediction Model that incorporates real-time weather forecasts, historical data and system knowledge to accurately show where and when storm impacts will be most severe. This model enables the company to pre-stage crews and equipment as storms approach to enable rapid response to outages. Those activities are taking place now.

Fall and winter rain and snow in PG&Es service area have been a welcomed occurrence, especially in lieu of drought conditions in the state. Since the start of the weather year on Oct. 1, rain totals have been 206% of normal at the Oakland Airport. Statewide, Californias snowpack has grown from 19% of historic averages on Dec. 10 to 102% as of Dec. 23, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

Among other actions being taken by PG&E:

Keeping Customers Informed

PG&E knows how important it is to keep its customers informed. Customers can view real-time outage information on its website outage center and search by a specific address, by city or by county. This site has been updated to include in-language support for 16 languages.

Additionally, customers can sign up for outage notifications by text, email or phone. PG&E will let customers know the cause of an outage, when crews are on their way, the estimated restoration time, and when power is restored.

Storm Safety Tips

Other tips can be found at http://www.pge.com/beprepared.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

Excerpt from:
PG&E Crews Continue to Restore Power as Winter Storm System Is Forecasted to Bring More Snow, Rain and Wind - Business Wire

Some 2.5 million tons of wasted food in 2020 cost the country NIS 19.1 billion ($6 billion), or the average household NIS 3,600 (US $1,140), according to Leket Israels 6th annual Food Waste and Rescue Report, published in partnership with the Environmental Protection Ministry on Monday.

This waste accounted for 35 percent of the food produced in Israel. Half of it was edible and could have been resold.

The cost to the environment was an additional NIS 3.4 billion ($1 billion), the study found, when waste of land resources, water, waste collection, and processing was taken into account, as well as air pollution and the emission of an estimated 5 million tons of greenhouse gases, accounting for 6 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Israel.

In total, just under one in five (18.7%) of Israeli households suffered from food insecurity last year, equivalent to half a million households, Leket found.

Food insecurity has been defined as the inability to ensure a constant supply of food that contains all the nutritional elements necessary for proper development and health.

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Editionby email and never miss our top stories

An elderly lady receives a meal delivery courtesy of Leket, the National Food Bank. (Courtesy, Leket)

A different report, issued earlier this month by the Israeli aid organization Latet, estimated that around 630,000 households suffer from food insecurity, including some 300,000 experiencing it to a severe extent. These households include close to 800,000 children under 18 years of age.

Mondays study by Leket Israel, which rescues nutritious surplus food and distributes it to needy people via some 200 other nonprofits, found that the COVID-19 crisis did not bring any significant changes in total food waste compared with previous years, but changed the way that waste was distributed.

With more people at home, household food waste increased by NIS 800 million ($255 million) compared to 2019, while in the agricultural sector, it also went up, mainly during the first lockdown, due to a shortage of workers, export restrictions on agricultural produce, and the closure of hotels, restaurants and employee cafeterias.

Volunteers sort produce at the warehouse of Leket Israel, the countrys largest food rescue organization. (Ben Sales/JTA)

In institutions such as hotels and workplaces, waste declined by around half to NIS 2.2 billion ($700 million), compared with the year before.

In April 2020, at the height of the crisis, about 1.2 million workers left the workforce. During the year, some 825,000 workers experienced income loss. After deducting government COVID-19 grants, the reports researchers concluded that an additional 150,000 people joined the ranks of the food insecure, while those already in need suffered even more.

Thanks to lockdowns, the shift to remote school studies in capsules, and the days students spent in isolation, around 60 million fewer meals were distributed at educational institutions.

Soup kitchens were also impacted, particularly during the first lockdown, with NIS 900 million ($285 million) less spent on food than in 2019.

The report takes issue with the previous governments decision to give stipends to the entire population, saying it would have made more sense to focus support on the needy and would have been more economically efficient to fund food distribution programs rather than having every family buy food for itself.

Volunteers for Leket Israel deliver food to needy recipients, September 2020. (Courtesy Leket Israel)

The increase in food waste and the widening of the food-insecurity gap that occurred during the year of the pandemic reinforce the need to use food rescue as one of the national policy tools, the report concludes, calling for the setting of a national target to cut food waste by half by the end of the decade.

Gidi Kroch, CEO of Leket Israel, called on Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to lead the creation of an inter-ministerial food rescue plan.

Chen Herzog, Chief Economist at BDO Consulting and editor of the report, called it economic folly that no national food rescue policy was formulated during a year in which 150,000 people joined the ranks of the food insecure.

Food waste prevention and food rescue are economic, social, and environmental policy tools, he went on, adding, Without formulating a national plan to rescue food and prevent food waste, we will not meet the climate goals and declarations of the (United Nations COP26) Glasgow (Environmental) Conference to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the field of waste.

Youre serious. We appreciate that!

Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.

Thats why we come to work every day - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.

So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.

For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.

Read the original:
Over a third of food produced last year went to waste, costing Israel $6b report - The Times of Israel