Biden approves another offshore wind farm amid industry challenges in 2024
In the final days of the Biden administration, the White House announced its approval of the SouthCoast Wind Project. This offshore wind farm will generate up to 2.4 gigawatts of energy, powering more than 840,000 homes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
“The approval of the SouthCoast Wind Project today demonstrates the strength of our collaborative process to deploy offshore wind,” said Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Elizabeth Klein in a statement. “As we mark this achievement, we look forward to the meaningful economic opportunities the SouthCoast Wind Project will bring to this region, both during construction and throughout the project’s lifetime.”
Spanning nearly 130,000 acres, the project includes the construction of up to 141 wind turbines. To mitigate environmental concerns, six originally planned turbine positions have been removed to reduce potential impacts on marine wildlife.
The SouthCoast Wind Project marks the 11th commercial-scale offshore wind energy development approved under President Joe Biden. His administration gave a green light for 19 gigawatts of offshore wind power. That’s enough power to supply energy to more than 6 million homes.
Despite the sector’s growth under Biden-era policies, offshore wind has faced significant challenges in 2024. Rising material costs and supply chain disruptions have led to project cancellations. These cancellations have eliminated over half of the previously planned installed capacity.
As a result, Siemens Energy, the world’s largest offshore wind turbine manufacturer, is projecting $2.2 billion in financial losses for the year.
Environmental concerns have also increased following a blade failure at the Vineyard Project over the summer. The incident bolstered local opposition to offshore wind in some regions.
With the Trump administration set to take office and the president-elect pledging to end offshore wind energy on day one, the future of this industry in the U.S. remains uncertain.
Hackers demand ransom in cyberattack on Rhode Island’s benefits system
Hundreds of thousands of people could be the victims of a major cyberattack in Rhode Island. Officials confirmed the government benefits system was targeted, revealing the private data of anyone who used a state program within the last eight years.
The hackers behind the leak are demanding a ransom, but authorities haven’t confirmed how much money they are asking for.
The cybercrime group gained thousands of social security and bank account numbers, as well as personal data, which investigators said could be released within the coming week.
Breached programs include:
Medicaid
SNAP
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
The Child Care Assistance Program
Rhode Island Works
Long-term Services and Supports
At HOME Cost Share Program
Health insurance purchased through HealthSource RI
McKee held a press conference on Saturday, Dec. 14, urging the public to proactively protect their information, saying the data could be exposed at any time.
“There are things that can be done right now in advance of when potentially something could happen,” McKee said.
Deloitte, which maintains Rhode Island’s benefits system, said it’s currently in ongoing negotiations with the cybercriminals.
“We know this situation is alarming, and it’s stressful,” McKee said.
The government shut down its RIBridges system and set up a toll-free hotline to help Rhode Islanders protect their information. Those directly impacted will receive a letter in the mail.
Tempers flare over Vineyard Wind incident as debris reaches Long Island
A broken turbine blade from an offshore wind project near Nantucket, Massachusetts, has sparked growing controversy along the East Coast. Debris from the malfunction at the Vineyard Wind project has reportedly crossed state lines, reaching as far as Long Island, New York, raising environmental and safety concerns. Meanwhile, tempers have flared over the incident in affected communities.
During a recent city hall meeting about the situation in Newport, Rhode Island, the conversation over this problem became particularly heated.
The meeting was disrupted several times by a man who yelled at presenters, discarded a bag of Vineyard Wind debris that was being shown to the crowd and grabbed a microphone from someone attempting to speak on the matter.
While the motivations behind the man’s actions have not been officially confirmed, one local news personality speculated that he may be an advocate for offshore wind energy.
Law enforcement officials in Rhode Island are currently working to identify the man involved in the disruption and have asked the public for any information regarding his whereabouts.
Meanwhile, Vineyard Wind has initiated efforts to contain and remove the damaged turbine blade, aiming to prevent further debris from entering the ocean. The company said that these actions will help prevent further debris from falling into the surrounding Atlantic Ocean.
Ørsted faces offshore wind delays after prior project cancellations
The U.S. offshore wind industry is facing another setback as Danish energy company Ørsted announced delays with its Revolution Wind project. This development comes less than a year after Ørsted canceled two planned wind farms off the coast of New Jersey.
Revolution Wind is an offshore wind project intended to supply renewable energy to the coasts of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Originally slated to begin operations sooner, the project’s start date has now been pushed back by a year, with energy production expected to commence in 2026.
The delay is primarily due to soil contamination issues at a former naval base where Eversource Energy is constructing a substation for the Ørsted wind farm. The site requires additional time to address lingering problem, which has hindered the project’s progress.
“While we were aware of the soil contamination at this site given its past use as a Naval disposal facility, the comprehensive analysis from Eversource as part of the early construction work showed that the level of contamination, and its impacts to the project schedule, are more substantial than anticipated,” Meaghan Wims, a spokeswoman for Revolution Wind, said in a statement. “As a result, an update to the site design was required, which has resulted in a delay to the onshore construction activities.”
Once completed, the Revolution Wind facility is expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 350,000 homes, marking a significant contribution to the region’s renewable energy goals. However, residents of Connecticut and Rhode Island will have to wait longer than anticipated to benefit from this clean energy source.
Biden, Harris making first trip together since Biden dropped out of 2024 race
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will make their first trip together since the president dropped out of the 2024 race. And Columbia University’s president becomes the latest Ivy League leader to step down following concerns of antisemitism on college campuses. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024.
Biden, Harris making first trip together since Biden dropped out of 2024 race
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Maryland on Thursday, Aug. 15, for their first joint appearance since Biden dropped out of the 2024 race. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump will be in Bedminster, New Jersey to host another news conference following his rally in the battleground state of North Carolina on Wednesday, Aug. 14.
The Biden and Harris are expected to focus on efforts to lower prescription drug costs Thursday, Aug. 15. On Friday, Aug. 16, Harris will be in North Carolina to lay out her own economic agenda, which is said to include a plan to “tackle inflation” and “lower costs for middle class.”
The economy is taking center stage in the race this week, as Trump also laid out some of his plans for the economy when he was in North Carolina. He told rallygoers he plans to remove taxes on Social Security and claimed his administration would slash energy costs to ease inflation.
With the Democratic National Convention (DNC) starting on Aug. 19 in Chicago, Trump’s campaign said it plans to offer some sort of counter-programming. Harris’ presidential campaign is launching a $90 million advertising effort over the next three weeks. It’ll be her campaigns’ largest-yet investment in messaging to voters with just two and a half months left until Election Day.
Walz agrees to vice presidential debate on Oct. 1
On the vice presidential front, both Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn, and Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, have also been busy. Each hit the campaign trail in solo appearances in rallies and fundraising events across battleground states.
Vance held a rally in Michigan on Wednesday, Aug. 14, and will speak at a veterans event Thursday, Aug. 15 morning in Pennsylvania. Walz held events in Denver and Boston on Wednesday and will be campaigning in Newport on Thursday.
Vance has not formally accepted. He said in an interview he wants to know the debate rules and moderators first to avoid what he called a “fake news media garbage debate” but added he “strongly suspects” he will be there.
Columbia University’s president resigns in wake of recent protests
Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has resigned effective immediately. It comes months after student protests over the Israel-Hamas war turned destructive, leading to multiple arrests and widespread criticism over how the university handled the demonstrations.
In April, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested, and an on-campus tent encampment was removed by New York City police after Shafik gave them the go-ahead. Students pushed back, leading to weeks of protests and widespread tent encampments before students ultimately ended up occupying the university’s Hamilton Hall.
Shafik — who became the first woman and person of color to lead the university in 2023 — is the third Ivy League president to step down in recent months among concern over antisemitism on college campuses.
Hurricane Ernesto heads toward Bermuda after pounding Puerto Rico
A hurricane watch is in effect in Bermuda as Ernesto heads that way after dropping torrential rain on Puerto Rico. That storm also knocked out power to two-thirds of homes and businesses across the U.S. territory.
Ernesto, which is currently a Category 1 hurricane, is strengthening and could become a Category 3 hurricane by Friday, Aug. 16. Its center was expected to pass near Bermuda on Saturday, Aug. 17.
Cisco cuts 7% of workforce amid focus shift
Cisco Systems, one of the world’s largest makers of computer networking equipment, has announced its second round of job cuts this year. The tech company plans to cut about 7% of its workforce, which is expected to affect nearly 6,000 employees.
This comes after the company already laid off around 4,000 workers in February. Cisco said the jobs cuts come as the company pivots its focus to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
Mars to buy Kellanova for $36 billion
The merger that’s shaking up the snack food aisle is now official. Candy giant Mars has acquired the snack food maker Kellanova.
Mars, the company behind M&Ms and Snickers, is buying Kellanova, the maker of Cheez-Its and Pringles, for nearly $36 billion.
The purchase is not expected to close until next year, but analysts have been discussing what’s in it for mars. Bank of America’s Peter Galbo told CNBC the deal gives Mars three things: Additional space in stores beyond the chocolate section, expansion in international markets and innovative new product opportunities.
“Then third and probably the most fun for the consumer, you’re going to get the fun innovation with the salty and sweet what we’ve seen out of Hershey over the past year with things like chocolate covered popcorn.” Galbo said. “Now Mars will have that opportunity with some of the Kellanova brands.”
The Associated Press suggested the deal could lead to possible combinations like Skittles-flavored Pop-Tarts or Snickers-flavored Pringles.
Acting Secret Service director to testify on Trump assassination attempt
The new acting director of the Secret Service is set to answer questions from lawmakers about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. And McDonald’s reports its first sales decline in more than three years. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
Secret Service acting director to testify on Trump assassination attempt
The new head of the Secret Service, Ronald Rowe, will be on Capitol Hill Tuesday, July 30, testifying over the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, as security questions remain to be answered. It comes one week after the former Director Kimberly Cheatle’s testimony that led her to step down from the position.
According to excerpts of Rowe’s testimony reviewed by news outlets in advance, the new acting director is expected to tell lawmakers what he saw in Butler, Pennsylvania made him “ashamed” and that he “cannot defend why the roof where the gunman opened fire was not secured.”
Tuesday’s hearing comes as newly released police text messages show that officers were aware of the gunman, Thomas Crooks, at least 105 minutes before he opened fire. That’s more than half an hour earlier than previously known.
The local SWAT team also said they never spoke to Secret Service until after the assassination attempt.
Trump will sit down with the FBI on Thursday, Aug. 1, for a victim interview where he will describe what he experienced.
It’s been 17 days since the Republican presidential nominee nearly lost his life at that rally. While Congress will look to learn about security lapses in Tuesday’s testimony, there are long-term efforts to obtain answers, as well, including the newly launched House panel which will also have subpoena power.
Arizona voters head to the polls Tuesday; Tennessee holds primary on Thursday
There are still some high-profile primary races taking place in several states. Voters in Arizona will head to the polls on Tuesday, July 30, and Tennessee will hold its primary on Thursday, Aug. 1.
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who switched from being a Democrat to an independent earlier in 2024, is not running for re-election, so there are new candidates for that highly sought after open seat.
The top Democratic candidate is Rep. Ruben Gallego. That means his House seat is up for grabs, along with several other House seats.
On the Republican side of the Senate race, it’s former TV anchor Kari Lake leading over her opponent.
In Tennessee, controversial Republican Rep. Andy Ogles facing a challenge and potentially close race when voters head to the polls Thursday. Ogles secured a major endorsement from former President Trump ahead of the primary.
Biden proposes Supreme Court changes, end to presidential immunity
The ethics code proposal comes after a review of the justices’ undisclosed personal and business dealings, namely those of conservatives Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. It also comes in the wake of some controversial rulings, like the 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the ruling on presidential immunity.
President Biden is also suggesting a constitutional amendment to change that.
Biden gave his case for reform in a speech at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, Texas on Monday, July 29.
“The Supreme Court established in Trump v. The United States a dangerous precedent,” Biden said. “They ruled, as you know, as the president of the United States has immunity from — for potential crimes he may have committed while in office. Immunity. This nation was founded on the principle there are no kings in America. Each of us is equal before the law. No one is above the law. And for all practical purposes, the court’s decision almost certainly means that a president can violate their oath, flout our laws and face no consequences.”
He added, “This decision is a total affront to the basic expectations we have for those who wield the power of this nation. That they are expected to be wholly accountable under the law.”
The amendment would face a difficult path to become a reality. It would first have to be passed by two-thirds of the House and Senate — which is unlikely, given the Republican majority — then ratified by three-quarters of U.S. states.
Park Fire now 6th largest in California’s history
California’s Park Fire has grown into the sixth largest wildfire in the state’s history. According to Cal Fire, it has now scorched more than 370,000 acres across four counties and is still only 12% contained.
It’s forced thousands to abandon their homes and contributed to poor air quality from coast to coast.
Authorities said the fire started when a man pushed a burning car into a dry ravine. He was officially indicted on arson charges Monday, July 29.
McDonald’s reports first sales slump since 2020
McDonald’s is reconsidering its pricing strategy after the fast-food giant reported its first sales slump since 2020 in the second quarter. Experts said budget-conscious Americans are eating at home more often due to higher prices at fast food chains.
This summer, McDonald’s released a $5 meal promotion to drive more foot traffic, though competitors have also launched similar deals.
The McDonald’s CEO said customers can expect more discounts in an effort to bring more people in and stop the sales decline.
Dragonflies swarm Rhode Island beach like “black cloud”
A swarm of dragonflies overtook a Rhode Island beach on Saturday, July 27, with video being posted online. Local media said the beachgoers reported the insects descending all of a sudden like a “black cloud,” forcing some to pack up and leave.
Experts said this is normal, as dragonflies are starting their annual migration south.
U.S. men’s gymnastics wins first Olympic team medal in 16 years
Olympic officials postponed Tuesday, July 30, morning’s men’s triathlon race after they said the Seine River remains contaminated. They said levels of E. coli are too high for the swimming portion of the competition. The event is now tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, July 31.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the big story for Team USA was not about gold medals, but bronze. The U.S. men’s gymnastics team earned the first Olympic team medal in the sport for America in 16 years.
Team USA’s Asher Hong, Paul Juda, Brody Malone, Stephen Nedoroscik and Frederick Richard topped Great Britain for the third spot on the podium. Japan took the gold and China won silver.
The last time the U.S. men’s gymnastics team won a team medal was at the 2008 Beijing games.
Women’s risk of death higher depending on their state: Study
According to a new study, where in the U.S. women live could be a matter of life or death. In its first ever state-by-state analysis of women’s health, the Commonwealth Fund found women are facing a growing number of threats to their overall health and well-being.
The Commonwealth Fund is a private nonprofit that supports independent research and grants with the goal of improving health care.
The researchers used data from multiple sources — including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — to evaluate states on 32 specific metrics across three main areas:
Health outcomes.
Health care quality and prevention.
Coverage, access and affordability.
Researchers that found across the board, women are more likely to die from preventable causes, specifically those linked to reproductive health – like pregnancy-related issues or certain types of cancer. However, they also looked at other preventable causes, including substance use, COVID-19 and treatable chronic health conditions.
The study said life expectancy for U.S. women is the lowest it has been since 2006. Researchers contend that the biggest issues seem to be in states where abortion and contraception laws are stricter.
Straight Arrow News
States in the Northeast scored the highest for women’s health, with Massachusetts coming in on top. Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire rounded out the top five.
The lowest-ranked states are Mississippi, Texas, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The report shows the lowest ranked states tend more toward the southern U.S.
The study also found a link between states with expanded Medicaid coverage and lower mortality rates for women. The rolling back of pandemic-era Medicaid coverage has left millions of women either uninsured or facing significant gaps in their coverage – interfering with their access to care and leaving providers that serve low-income women at risk of closure.
According to the researchers, where a woman lives is becoming a key determinant in how dangerous it is to give birth, or if she’ll die from cancers that considered treatable with proper screening and routine care.
Loopholes in some plastic bag bans increase plastic waste
Do plastic bag bans work? A new report found that some people living in a city or state with a single-use plastic bag ban may still carry their groceries back from the store in plastic.
Environment America recently published a paper titled “Plastic Bag Bans Work.” The paper outlines the impacts of the bans throughout the nation, particularly in relation to litter and pollution.
“Single-use plastic bags, I think have become a poster child for wasteful plastics,” said Beyond Plastic Campaign Director Celeste Meiffren-Swango, an author of the paper and advocate for banning single-use plastic bags. “They’re constantly getting caught in trees, they’re lining our roadways. They’re polluting our waterways where they can harm wildlife. And so cities and states across the country have started taking action to reduce the use of this ubiquitous but kind of unnecessary product.”
According to the report, as of 2021, more than 500 cities across 28 states have a plastic bag ordinance. In 2024, there are 12 states that have some form of statewide ban in effect. Two of the most recent states to enact bans are Colorado and Rhode Island, where single-use plastic bag bans went into effect on Jan. 1.
“Unfortunately, in a set of the places that have passed bans on single use plastic checkout bags, the plastics industry figured out a way to continue to produce and sell wasteful plastic bags,” Meiffren-Swango said. “So our report found that in some places, a loophole actually allowed businesses to replace thin plastic bags with thicker, allegedly reusable ones at checkout for a fee. But a lot of people were only using these thicker bags once, too, before throwing them away.”
Some states actually saw an increase in plastic waste because of the heavier, supposedly reusable plastic bags. This is apparent in a recent Freedonia Group report, which highlighted how plastic waste in states like New Jersey has tripled in the nearly two years since it implemented its ban, despite touting its law as “the strongest bag ban in the nation.”
To close the loophole, some states require alternative grocery bags to be made out of paper or fabric. Rhode Island, for instance, requires bags to have a stitched handle and Colorado sells paper bags for 10 cents apiece at point-of-sale. Both states advocate for the use of fabric reusable bags.
“People across the country are ready to kind of move beyond plastic,” Meiffren-Swango said. “And these plastic bag bans really are a huge step in the right direction.”
On average, a well-constructed plastic bag ban can eliminate almost 300 single-use plastic bags per person per year. Meiffren-Swango’s report also includes a calculator that states and cities can use to figure out how much plastic they could possibly save if they instituted a ban.
“Nothing we use for just a few minutes should be polluting the environment for centuries,” Meiffren-Swango said. “And so the bottom line is that we are encouraging cities and states to continue to pass bag bans so that we can reduce plastic waste, cut down on litter and build a cleaner, greener future for everybody.”
“Drought coverage across the contiguous U.S. remained significant for the second year in a row, with a minimum extent of 44% occurring on Sept. 6 and a maximum coverage of 63% on Oct. 25 — the largest contiguous U.S. footprint since the drought of 2012,” NOAA said Tuesday. “The multi-year western U.S. drought resulted in water stress/shortages across many locations in 2022 as some major reservoirs dropped to their lowest levels on record.”
While the U.S. as a whole did not experience its driest year ever, individual states like Nebraska (fourth) and California (ninth) experienced top-10 years for dryness. Seven states experienced a top-10 warmest year in 2022, including:
California
Connecticut
Florida
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
While part of the country dealt with drought conditions, others had to recover from one of the most expensive years when it comes to extreme weather damage. There were 18 so-called “billion dollar disasters” that led to 474 deaths and more than $165 billion in damage.
“The following 18 events, each exceeding $1 billion, put 2022 in third place (tied with 2011 and 2017) for the highest number of disasters recorded in a calendar year, behind 2021 — with 20 events — and 2020, with a record 22 separate billion-dollar events,” NOAA said. “Damages from these disasters.. makes 2022 the third most costly year on record, only behind 2017 and 2005.”
Highlighting these extreme weather events was Hurricane Ian, which cost the U.S. just under $113 billion. It now ranks as the third most costly hurricane on record behind Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey.
Congress giving $1.1 billion to fix 46,000 broken bridges
Congress is on track to provide an additional $1.14 billion in 2023 to reduce the backlog of structurally deficient bridges. But that’s not even close to what’s needed to fix the problem.
A 2021 report from the American Society of Civil Engineers said 46,154 structurally deficient bridges in the United States are in “poor condition”. Fixing them all would cost an estimated $125 billion.
The ASCE said America would need to spend $22.7 billion on repairs every year, and the country has spent around $14.4 billion annually. The $1 billion for 2023 is being included in the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package Congress is currently negotiating.
D.C. isn’t alone in trying to address the backlog. 37 states have increased or reformed their gas taxes since 2010 to invest in bridge repairs.
The worst state in the country is Rhode Island, where 22 percent of bridges are in poor condition, while just 1.3 percent of Texas bridges are in poor condition. The nationwide average is 7.5 percent. These bridges are used 178 million times per day.
Straight Arrow News produced a four-part report on crumbling bridges in Iowa, which has the third-worst ranking in the country. The director of the Bridges and Structures Bureau for Iowa’s Department of Transportation, James Nelson, said a bridge in poor condition is not dangerous.
“It’s important to note, that a poor bridge is not an unsafe bridge. A poor bridge just means there’s something on it that we would like to repair, rehabilitate or even potentially replace,” Nelson said.
Iowa has 23,799 bridges aging faster than they can be repaired.
