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Power Line Fails; Darkness Returns to San Juan

Fri, 2017-11-10 07:53 — Kathy Gilbeaux

           

A main power line failed Thursday in Puerto Rico, plunging several cities, including San Juan, into darkness. Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo for The New York Times

nytimes.com - by Frances Robles - November 10, 2017

SAN JUAN, P.R. — A main power line that serves the northern half of Puerto Rico failed Thursday, knocking out electricity to seven cities that had only recently regained service and dealing a major setback to the island’s desperate efforts to regain normality.

Seven weeks after Hurricane Maria completely disabled Puerto Rico’s power grid, the island was generating just 18 percent of its electrical capacity, returning service to where it had been two and half weeks ago. On Thursday morning, the island had been at about 43.2 percent of capacity.

The disruption also me ant that many people no longer had running water, because pumping stations are powered by electricity.

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Puerto Rico's Storm of Misery

Wed, 2017-11-08 08:16 — Kathy Gilbeaux
       
 
Devastation in Puerto Rico - CBS News
 
cbsnews.com - by Steve Kroft - November 5, 2017
 
Many Puerto Ricans have endured the longest blackout in American history following a direct hit from Hurricane Maria. Due to a multitude of factors, some say the lights won't be coming back on anytime soon.
 
It's safe to say that of all the places in the country, the one that is suffering the most right now is the hurricane-ravaged island of Puerto Rico . . . For the past 46 days, most of them have been without power, the longest blackout in American history. FEMA says it has distributed more food and water there than any disaster its ever been involved in.
 
 
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US Lawmakers Investigate Firm's Contract to Help Restore Puerto Rico's Power

Fri, 2017-10-27 18:21 — Kathy Gilbeaux

       

Workers from Montana-based Whitefish Energy Holdings help fix Puerto Rico’s power grid. Photograph: Alvin Baez/Reuters

CLICK HERE - NPR - Here's What's In That $300 Million Whitefish Contract

Multiple congressional committees seek information on $300m deal awarded to Whitefish Energy Holdings, tiny company in interior secretary’s hometown

theguardian.com - October 26, 2017

Multiple congressional committees are investigating a $300m contract awarded to a small Montana company in the hometown of the interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, that was tapped to help restore Puerto Rico’s damaged power grid.

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority awarded the contract to tiny Whitefish Energy Holdings to restore transmission and distribution lines damaged or destroyed during Hurricane Maria. The two-year-old company had just two full-time employees when the storm hit last month.

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Federal Harvey Relief Funds Might Take Years, Officials Tell Legislators

Thu, 2017-10-12 10:52 — Kathy Gilbeaux

           

Flood damaged debris piled outside of homes in Port Arthur Texas. The city saw 47 inches of rain during the storm. - Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune

texastribune.org - by Brandon Formby - October 2, 2017

 . . . state lawmakers were told that Housing and Urban Development disaster relief funds, which includes money for extensive home repairs or rebuilds, could take seven to 32 months to work their way through bureaucratic processes and several layers of government agencies . . . Congress approved $7.4 billion in HUD disaster relief funds last month. But that may have to be shared with Florida and Puerto Rico, which have each been hit by hurricanes in the weeks after Harvey battered Texas, unless legislators approve another aid package . . .

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AVMA - Large Animals and Livestock in Disasters

Wed, 2017-09-20 17:42 — Kathy Gilbeaux

submitted by Carrie La Jeunesse

       

There are unique considerations for horses and other livestock during a disaster. Preparing ahead of time and acting quickly are the best ways to keep you and your animals—pets and livestock—out of danger. Protect your whole family when emergencies arise with the proper supplies, veterinary information, animal identification and an evacuation plan that has been practiced. Whether the threat is a hurricane, wildfire​ or other disaster, lives may depend on being ready.​

CLICK HERE - READ COMPLETE ARTICLE - Large Animals and Livestock in Disasters

 

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National Guard Plans Relief Efforts as Hurricane Maria Slams Puerto Rico

Wed, 2017-09-20 13:00 — Maeryn Obley

Puerto Rico Army National Guard members work on clearing Highway 511 from Ponce to Jayuya in Puerto Rico, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Sept. 11, 2017. Today, Hurricane Maria is battering the hard-hit island territory. Puerto Rico Army National Guard photo by Spc. Agustin Montanez

Image: Puerto Rico Army National Guard members work on clearing Highway 511 from Ponce to Jayuya in Puerto Rico, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Sept. 11, 2017. Today, Hurricane Maria is battering the hard-hit island territory. Puerto Rico Army National Guard photo by Spc. Agustin Montanez

defense.gov - Army Sgt. Juanita Philip and Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Barnett - September 20th 2017

National Guard troops and members of federal agencies throughout the Caribbean region are hunkering down and making disaster relief preparations as Hurricane Maria made landfall today in Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm, with winds of 150 mph, weather officials said.

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Hurricane Irma - News and Information Resources

Sat, 2017-09-09 22:31 — Kathy Gilbeaux

AN EXPANDING LIST OF NEWS AND INFORMATION RESOURCES RELATED TO HURRICANE IRMA . . .

CLICK HERE - DisasterAssistance.gov

CLICK HERE - Florida Division of Emergency Management - floridadisaster.org

CLICK HERE - Florida Division of Emergency Management - Hurricane Irma latest information including evacuation zones, evacuation orders, shelters, and much more

CLICK HERE - FEMA - Hurricane Irma

CLICK HERE - The National Institutes of Heath - Moisture and Mold Remediation - Standard Operating Procedures (14 page .PDF file)

CLICK HERE - Texas A&M - Dry out before Rebuilding (2 page .PDF file)

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AEP CEO: Harvey 'devastated' transmission, distribution system in south Texas

Sat, 2017-09-02 17:15 — Maeryn Obley

Flooding during Hurricane Harvey.

Image: Flooding during Hurricane Harvey.

utilitydive.com - Robert Walton - September 1st 2017

Dive Brief:

American Electric Power's transmission and distribution system in its south Texas service territory has been "devastated," CEO Nick Akins told Bloomberg yesterday.

In an interview with the financial news provider, Akins said several transmission lines are down including over 20 miles on one system that is "laying on the ground."

While utilities struggle to bring power back online to affected communities, the operator for most of the state said the grid remains in stable condition and Electric Reliability Council of Texas competitive markets continue to operate.

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Global fuel prices jump as Harvey's impact ripples beyond U.S. Gulf

Thu, 2017-08-31 12:32 — Maeryn Obley

reuters.com - Erwin Seba and Devika Krishna Kumar - August 31st 2017

Tropical Storm Harvey’s impact on the energy industry spread worldwide as flooded U.S. refiners and closed fuel pipelines threatened to squeeze national supply, roiling global fuel markets and rerouting millions of barrels of fuel to the Americas to avert shortages.

The storm, which lashed Louisiana with rain on Thursday, has pummeled the U.S. Gulf Coast, immersing Houston, Texas, and the surrounding area in several feet of water and forcing the closure of about a quarter of U.S. refining capacity.

Benchmark U.S. gasoline prices RBc1 and margins RBc1-Clc1 surged anew on Thursday.

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Port Arthur Faces Harvey Flooding Disaster: ‘Our Whole City Is Underwater’

Thu, 2017-08-31 09:05 — Maeryn Obley

Video: Homes and shelters were flooded and the largest oil refinery in the U.S. was shut down after heavy rains flooded Port Arthur, east of Houston, overnight Tuesday. By MALACHY BROWNE, BARBARA MARCOLINI and CHRIS CIRILLO on Publish Date August 30, 2017. Photo by Beulah Johnson, via Associated Press. 

12newsnow.com - August 31st 2017

nytimes.com - Jonah Engel Bromwich - August 30th 2017

Even as the sun began to show in Houston on Wednesday, signaling a small measure of hope after days of devastating rainfall from Tropical Storm Harvey, a region east of the city faced disaster anew after it was pummeled by rain overnight.

Residents of cities in Jefferson County, Tex., about 100 miles east of Houston, were desperate for help Wednesday morning after rain there caused floodwaters to rise precipitously and lightning made things particularly difficult for those responding to the storm.

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