The CBSA announced over 60 seizures of methamphetamine in British Columbia destined for export to Australia between March and August 2024.
October 8, 2024 Richmond, British Columbia Canada Border Services Agency
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is committed to protecting our communities by preventing harmful drugs from crossing our borders and combating transnational organized crime.
Today, the CBSA announced over 60 seizures of methamphetamine in British Columbia destined for export to Australia between March and August 2024. These seizures include 397 kg of crystal methamphetamine and 1,278 litres of liquid methamphetamine, which combined represents approximately 8 million individual doses.
On March 12, 2024, Border Services Officers from the Metro Vancouver District seized 194 kg of methamphetamine at the Tsawwassen Container Examination Facility.
Between the months of April and August 2024, Border Services Officers at the Vancouver International Mail Centre seized a combined 85 kg of methamphetamine in 54 separate incidents.
Between the months of May and August 2024, Border Services Officers at Vancouver International Air Cargo Operations seized a combined 93 kg of methamphetamine.
In July 2024, Border Services Officers at Vancouver International Passenger Operations seized a combined 25 kg of methamphetamine in two separate incidents.
These significant seizures can be attributed to the collaboration of multiple CBSA units, including teams in the Metro Vancouver District, the Vancouver International Mail Centre, the Vancouver International Airport, the Pacific Region Intelligence Section, along with the collaboration and contributions from our domestic and international law enforcement partners.
The investigation of these seizures was referred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in British Columbia, who worked with the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force.
“International drug smuggling is a threat to the safety and security of our communities. The seizures announced today are examples of how the CBSA works with domestic and international partners to disrupt criminal networks and keep illegal drugs off our streets.”
– The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
“The successful seizures of a combined 397 kg and 1,278 litres of methamphetamine is a testament to the exemplary work and investigative expertise shown by Border Services Officers, intelligence officers, analysts and liaison officers. I want to recognize the collaborative efforts of our partners, including the RCMP and Australian Federal Police, for their hard work and dedication to public safety.”
– Nina Patel, Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Canada Border Services Agency
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Hampshire
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, October 7, 2024
CONCORD – A Northfield woman pleaded guilty today in federal court for diverting fentanyl from an ICU patient at Concord Hospital, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Lisa Richardson, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of Tampering with Consumer Products. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2025.
On December 30, 2022, while working as a nurse at Concord Hospital, Richardson removed a quantity of fentanyl from an intravenous line bag inserted in an Intensive Care Unit patient. She then replaced the fentanyl with saline. The defendant was not assigned to the patient’s care as part of her duties as a nurse.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration jointly led this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the cases.
Law enforcement in the District of New Hampshire has utilized resources to enforce federal laws in connection with the diversion of dangerous narcotics by medical professionals. In July 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office settled a $300,000 civil action with Catholic Medical Center to resolve allegations they violated the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), by failing to keep accurate records of controlled substances, which enabled a nurse anesthetist to steal hundreds of doses of fentanyl over the course of a year. In June 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office settled a $2 million civil action with Cheshire Medical Center for their failure to fulfill obligations under the CSA, which enabled a nurse to steal twenty-three intravenous bags of fentanyl solution from an automatic medication dispensing machine. Also in June 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office settled a $300,000 civil action with PillPack by Amazon, a pharmacy, to resolve allegations that they violated the CSA, which risked the division of drugs that are often abused in our communities.
BNZ is rolling out its latest anti-scam and fraud measure, launching an ‘online banking lock’ feature which gives customers the ability to disable all online banking activity and lock access to their online banking if they suspect a scammer has gained access to their accounts.
“BNZ is continually looking for new ways to enhance protection for customers and combat criminal scammers,” says BNZ’s Head of Financial Crime Ashley Kai Fong.
“While anyone who thinks they’re being scammed should call their bank straight away, this new tool – available in the BNZ app – gives customers the ability to lock their online banking while they’re making the call, potentially speeding up the process to lock their accounts and shut scammers out,” says Kai Fong.
Once the online account lock is activated, it disables all current internet banking and BNZ mobile account activity and locks all access.
To prevent scammers from regaining access, customers will need to verify their identity at a BNZ branch to regain access to their accounts.
Customers will still be able to use their cards online, instore and at ATMs while their account is locked, unless they have also chosen to block their card. To minimise disruption, scheduled payments, like rent or mortgage payments, will still go out as scheduled.
Kai Fong says BNZ invests tens of millions of dollars every year in scam and fraud protection measures.
“While there is no silver bullet in the fight against scammers, this is another tool in the anti-scam and fraud toolbox to help protect our customers. It’s just one of a number of new features, BNZ has introduced, including:
introducing a way for customers to verify their identity through the BNZ app when prompted by a BNZ staff member to confirm it is the bank calling
introducing additional two-factor authentication (2FA) within internet banking for high-risk actions such as changing personal contact details, creating a new payee, editing an existing payee, or making payments to unsaved payees. This is required regardless of whether a customer has already completed 2FA in their current session.
deploying ID readers in branch to help identify fraudulent documents
Kai Fong says customers also have a role to play in keeping themselves safe from scams and fraud:
keeping account details, passwords and pin numbers safe
never clicking on links or attachments sent by someone you don’t know or that seem out of character for someone you do know
keeping your computer and phone security software up to date
contacting your bank as soon as possible if you think you’ve been scammed
Top tips to stay scam savvy – BNZ will never:
email or text you links to online banking and ask you to log in
send you a text message with a link to a website, or link to call us
ask you for information about your PIN number, bank account number, or password
ask you to verbally share the authentication codes sent to you by text or email, even with a BNZ staff member
ask you to transfer money to help catch a scammer or a bank employee who is scamming customers
send you a text message about account issues with a link to log in
ask you to download software to access your Internet Banking remotely
use international phone numbers to call or send you notifications.
A joint Customs and Police operation has swooped on New Zealand’s second largest importation of methamphetamine, concealed in steel beams.
Both agencies descended on a rural Waikato property in darkness early on Friday morning, with two men visiting from Australia being arrested in the process of deconstructing the beams.
Customs earlier located the concealment of 515 kilograms of methamphetamine within the hefty steel beams in early September, after being sent from the United States.
Customs’ intelligence gathering and associated targeting prompted further investigation of the shipment, which uncovered inconsistencies in some of the 42 steel beams.
Customs’ Sea Cargo Inspections Facility officers x-rayed selected items in the consignment and conducted other additional examinations which led to the discovery of the large amount of methamphetamine.
Under Operation Girder, Police’s National Organised Crime Group (NOCG) have worked alongside Customs to identify the group responsible, with warrants being executed across Auckland and the Waikato over recent days.
All up five men, aged between 31 and 51, have been arrested. All initially appeared in the Auckland District Court on Friday, facing charges relating to the importation and supply of methamphetamine.
One of these men has been charged with unlawful possession of firearms after a military-style semi-automatic rifle and ammunition were recovered.
The two men arrested in the Waikato on 4 October are New Zealand passport holders but reside in Australia.
Detective Inspector Colin Parmenter, from the National Organised Crime Group, says the seizure is a significant disruption to the wider drug market operating within New Zealand.
“The significant amount seized in this operation is another demonstration of the Police and Customs partnership and commitment to the disruption and dismantling of transnational organised drug networks.
“It’s estimated that this shipment would have gone on to produce 25.7 million individual doses of this destructive drug, and preventing this harm is a key motivation for our staff.
“The organised criminal groups looking to profit from this type of offending will continue to be a key focus of our attention and resources.
This seizure is yet another example of the work being carried out to make New Zealand more resilient to transnational organised crime, Detective Inspector Parmenter says.
Investigations will continue and further arrests cannot be ruled out.
Customs says the operation shows law enforcement in New Zealand continues to successfully combat transnational organised crime.
“Customs’ intelligence gathering and targeting have played a critical role in detecting this smuggling attempt and identifying people responsible,” Customs’ Group Manager Intelligence, Investigations and Enforcement, Terry Brown, says.
“This joint operation has yielded intelligence that will lead to further enforcement opportunities for Customs and Police and has prevented more than $570 million in harm to New Zealand communities and our economy.
“The method and scale of this smuggling operation clearly illustrate the amount of efforts organised crime groups are willing to go to but our seizure and the arrests Police have made equally show the skill and determination investigations and enforcement teams will apply to detect, disrupt and dismantle these criminal efforts,” Mr Brown says.
Anyone with suspicions about possible smuggling should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or Customs confidentially on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, announced today that New Jersey will receive more than $44 million in federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to replace lead pipes. This funding, which Pallone secured through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help modernize aging water systems and tackle the critical issue of lead contamination in the state.
Lead exposure, particularly for children, has been linked to developmental delays and cognitive issues. This new federal funding will prioritize the removal of hazardous lead service lines, supporting ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of families in schools, homes, and communities throughout New Jersey.
“As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I led the charge to include substantial investments in clean water infrastructure, like the funding being announced today,” said Pallone. “Safe drinking water is a basic human right, yet right now, millions of American families cannot trust the water coming out of their taps. This funding is a major win for New Jersey and a crucial step toward ensuring every community has access to clean, safe drinking water. We’re delivering real results to protect families and improve water quality across the state.”
As part of this initiative, the EPA also announced today the new Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) rule, which requires water systems across the country to identify and replace all lead service lines within 10 years. Additionally, the EPA announced $2.6 billion in funding for drinking water infrastructure projects nationwide. The $44 million investment for New Jersey will strengthen the state’s ability to remove lead service lines, ensuring that communities statewide—especially those most affected by outdated infrastructure—can rely on safe, clean drinking water.
For more information on the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements and funding opportunities available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, visit www.epa.gov/lead-copper-rule.
Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
Lawmakers call for Bureau of Reclamation to help Colorado’s Western Slope priorities through program created by Inflation Reduction Act
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, and U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, Brittany Pettersen, and Diana DeGette, wrote the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) in support of Colorado River Water Conservation District’s (CRWCD) application for federal funding to purchase two of the oldest water rights on the Colorado River mainstem in Colorado, known as the Shoshone Permanency Project.
“Preserving the Colorado River’s historical flow regime as intended by the Shoshone Permanency Project will benefit the Colorado River ecosystem every year, and especially in dry years,” wrote the lawmakers. “We recognize the Shoshone Permanency Project’s complex nature and ongoing technical review, but believe the opportunity to protect historical Colorado River flows deserves your attention.”
The lawmakers offered their support as part of an ongoing BOR funding opportunity to provide environmental benefits in response to drought, which remains open for additional projects in Colorado and the rest of the Upper Colorado River Basin.
Currently, the 1902 Senior and the 1929 Junior Shoshone Water Rights are used by Xcel Energy to generate power at the Shoshone Power Plant and then returned to the river. As part of the Shoshone Permanency Project, CRWCD will seek a change in these rights to include an alternate beneficial use and preserve the historical flow regime. Communities across Western Colorado have already committed over $55 million, and are applying to BOR for funding from the Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation program to help complete the purchase and create stability for communities, water and recreational users, and the environment.
The Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation program is an ongoing BOR funding opportunity to provide environmental benefits in response to drought, which remains open for additional projects in Colorado and the rest of the Upper Colorado River Basin. The lawmakers welcome other applicants to contact their offices on the opportunity to provide support.
The state process for changing these decreed water rights is distinct from any federal funding review or outcome, and will proceed separately. As acknowledged in the letter, data collection and analysis related to the Shoshone water rights’ historic use is ongoing and important to the State of Colorado’s formal review.
Hickenlooper and Bennet fought to include $8 billion for western water infrastructure, $10 billion for forests, $19 billion for agricultural conservation, and $4 billion for drought in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Commissioner Touton:
We write in support of the Colorado River Water Conservation District’s (the River District) application to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation funding opportunity, referred to as Bucket 2E. As you know, the Inflation Reduction Act provided a historic $4 billion to address issues caused by drought, including activities to support environmental benefits, and ecosystem and habitat restoration. If selected, the River District will leverage Bucket 2E funding alongside significant state and local investment to purchase two of the oldest water rights on the Colorado River mainstem in the State of Colorado – the Shoshone Water Rights – to preserve their historical flow regime in perpetuity.
The River District was established in 1937 as a local governing entity to represent water users across 15 counties in Western Colorado – including the headwaters of the Yampa, White, Gunnison, and Colorado Rivers. The Colorado River District’s mission is to promote the protection, conservation, use, and development of the water resources of the Colorado River water basin for the welfare of the State of Colorado.
Now, the River District is pursuing the Shoshone Permanency Project, which aims to preserve the historical Colorado River flow regime created by the 1902 Senior Shoshone Water Right and the 1929 Junior Shoshone Water Right (the “Shoshone Water Rights”). The River District has signed an agreement to purchase the Shoshone Water Rights from Xcel Energy, which currently holds the rights for its Shoshone hydropower plant. Today, the Shoshone Water Rights are decreed as non-consumptive water rights: the water is used to generate hydropower at the Shoshone Power Plant and is returned to the stream. The Shoshone Water Rights’ senior status “pulls” water to Glenwood Canyon, which ensures that water continues to flow and benefits the downstream environment. Preserving the Colorado River’s historical flow regime as intended by the Shoshone Permanency Project will benefit the Colorado River ecosystem every year, and especially in dry years.
Data collection and analysis of Shoshone Water Rights’ historic use is not yet completed, and ongoing–a key step for understanding the historic flow regime on the Colorado River. The Shoshone Permanency Project seeks to change the water rights to include an alternate beneficial use for instream flow purposes, a legally recognized beneficial use in Colorado, to preserve the historical Shoshone flow regime. The proposed decree associated with these flows is still under technical review by the State of Colorado. The River District is actively discussing the proposal with other water users across the state. The Colorado Water Conservation Board and the State of Colorado Water Court will conduct a formal review in the coming months. Ongoing modeling will also help quantify the environmental benefits of the Shoshone Water Rights flows. One potential benefit is to the critical habitat of four fish in the Colorado River listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), known as the 15-Mile Reach, located near Palisade, Colorado.
The State of Colorado and our water users are making their own significant investments to ensure that the historical Shoshone flows can continue in perpetuity. The Colorado River District has allocated $20 million, the State of Colorado has appropriated another $20 million for the acquisition, provided the State’s instream flow requirements are met, and a coalition of Western Slope water users and local governments have formally committed over $15 million. This strong show of funding reflects the local recognition of the Shoshone Water Rights’ importance to the health of western Colorado’s environment and local economies.
We recognize the Shoshone Permanency Project’s complex nature and ongoing technical review, but believe the opportunity to protect historical Colorado River flows deserves your attention. We encourage you to give the River District’s proposal your full and fair consideration consistent with all applicable rules and regulations. Thank you for your review, and please notify our offices of any funds awarded.
On Aug. 18, 2024, pursuant to Sec. 46.1 of the Police Act, ASIRT was directed to investigate a Calgary Police Service officer-involved shooting in Calgary.
The executive director’s full report can be accessed online.
ASIRT’s mandate is to effectively, independently and objectively investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.
This release is distributed by the Government of Alberta on behalf of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.
An 81-year-old woman from Tracadie, N.B., has died following a single-vehicle crash in Hacheyville, N.B.
On October 7, 2024, at approximately 2 p.m., members of the Tracadie RCMP detachment responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash on Route 135 in Hacheyville. An 81-year-old woman, who was a passenger in the vehicle, died at the scene as a result of her injuries. The driver, and only other occupant of the vehicle, was transported to hospital with what is believed to be minor injuries.
The crash is believed to have occurred when the vehicle lost control, drove into the ditch, and struck a culvert.
Members of the Saint-Isidore and Paquetville Fire Departments, and Ambulance New Brunswick attended the scene. A member of the New Brunswick Coroner’s office and an RCMP Collision Reconstructionist are assisting with the ongoing investigation.
The New Brunswick RCMP’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit has charged a 39-year-old man from Saint John, N.B., with possession of child pornography, and transmitting child pornography.
The investigation began in May 2023 when police received information from RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Crime Centre.
On November 2, 2023, members of the ICE Unit, along with the Saint John Police force and the RCMP’s Digital Forensic Services executed a search warrant at a residence in Saint John as part of the investigation. Police seized several electronic devices and a 39-year-old man was arrested at the scene. He was later released on conditions pending a future court appearance.
On October 4, 2024, 39-year-old Jimmy Davis was charged with possession of child pornography and transmitting child pornography. He is scheduled to appear back in court on November 13, 2024.
The New Brunswick RCMP’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit includes members from the Saint John Police Force and the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force.
If you are a victim, or have any information related to similar crimes, please contact your local police. If you have information that may assist an investigation and would like to remain anonymous, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips athttp://www.crimenb.ca.
The Justice Department today sued Fitness International LLC, also called LA Fitness, for discriminating against people with disabilities at its gym and fitness clubs. LA Fitness is the largest chain of owner-operated gym and fitness clubs in the United States, with nearly 700 locations across the country.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges LA Fitness violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits public accommodations, including gym and fitness clubs, from discriminating against people with disabilities. The ADA requires LA Fitness to give people with disabilities equal access to LA Fitness’ services and facilities, remove architectural barriers to make its facilities accessible to people with disabilities and maintain accessible features. The ADA also prohibits LA Fitness from charging extra fees to people with disabilities.
Yet, as the department’s lawsuit alleges, LA Fitness gym and fitness clubs have many barriers that prevent LA Fitness members with disabilities from accessing the clubs or using the clubs’ pools and fitness equipment. Common barriers include broken pool lifts and broken elevators. Sometimes, these issues left people with mobility disabilities unable to get into clubs or pools at all. Other times, people with disabilities have gotten stuck dangling over the water on broken pool lifts, have had to call LA Fitness staff to help them get in and out of pools or have had to crawl out of pools. Even after members with disabilities complained about these issues, LA Fitness did not fix them for long periods of time.
“Access to physical fitness activity is crucial for promoting the health and well-being of all Americans, including those with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “For over 30 years, the ADA has prohibited gyms and fitness clubs like LA Fitness from denying patrons with disabilities the opportunity to use and enjoy facilities enjoyed by patrons without disabilities. Through this lawsuit, the Justice Department seeks to eliminate LA Fitness’s discriminatory barriers and ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to fully participate at their local LA Fitness gym and fitness clubs.”
“Ensuring accessibility is key to safeguarding civil rights for all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Our office is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have access to public accommodations by enforcing the protections afforded by the Americans with Disabilities Act. When we support those with disabilities, our entire community benefits.”
Through the lawsuit, the department asks the court to stop LA Fitness from discriminating against people with disabilities, including by requiring LA Fitness to make its facilities and equipment accessible. The department also seeks monetary damages for people harmed by LA Fitness’ discrimination. This includes people who were directly harmed by LA Fitness’ barriers to access and broken equipment, as well people who need help to use LA Fitness’ clubs and were charged extra fees to have a friend, nurse or personal assistant help them use LA Fitness facilities.
If you or someone you know had trouble accessing an LA Fitness gym or fitness club because of a disability, including due to a broken pool lift or elevator, or if you were charged an extra fee to have someone help you access LA Fitness’ equipment, please call 1-888-392-5417 (toll-free), or email Claims.LAFitness@usdoj.gov. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)
Maine First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today praised the Biden-Harris Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their final rule requiring states to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years—a provision Pingree has long pushed for. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) also require more rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold requiring communities to take action to protect people from lead exposure in water. In addition, the final rule improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes, and plans for replacing them.
Alongside the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, EPA is announcing $2.6 billion in newly available funding to improve drinking-water infrastructure, including $24.9 million in Maine. Made possible through the landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the federal funding will flow through the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (DWSRFs) and will support lead-pipe replacement and other inventory projects in Maine. Communities may also apply directly for an additional $35 million in competitive grant funding for reducing lead in drinking water.
“I’m thrilled that the Biden Administration is delivering on its promise to improve our country’s drinking water and safeguard the American people from dangerous exposure to lead and other harmful contaminants,” Pingree said. “All Americans deserve access to clean, safe, reliable drinking water. Nearly 40 years after lead pipes were banned in the U.S., we’re finally taking the necessary steps to ensure that all outdated systems and pipes are replaced—including right here in Maine. This $24.9 million in funding will help communities across our state make much-needed needed investments to modernize their drinking-water infrastructure. Once again, the transformative Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering real, tangible benefits to the people of Maine—and citizens across the country.”
“We’ve known for decades that lead exposure has serious long-term impacts for children’s health. And yet, millions of lead service lines are still delivering drinking water to homes,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “President Biden is putting an end to this generational public health problem. With the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements and historic investments in lead pipe replacement, the Biden-Harris Administration is fulfilling its commitment that no community, regardless of race, geography, or wealth, should have to worry about lead-contaminated water in their homes.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $50 billion to support upgrades to the nation’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. This includes $15 billion over five years dedicated to lead service line replacement and $11.7 billion of general Drinking Water State Revolving Funds that can also be used for lead service line replacement.
Pingree, who serves as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee, which oversees the EPA, has long pushed for a strong final rule requiring drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead pipes. In September, she and her Congressional colleagues called on the White House Office of Management and Budget to expedite its review of the Biden Administration’s proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements rule, which would lower the lead action level to better protect human health and require water systems to replace old and deteriorating lead pipes within a decade.
Across Maine and the U.S., communities face threats to their drinking water from a number of contaminants, including lead, arsenic, nitrates, volatile organic compounds, PFAS, and others. EPA estimates that up to 9 million homes are served through legacy lead pipes across the country, many of which are in lower-income communities and communities of color, creating disproportionate lead exposure burden for these families.
This Congress, Pingree reintroduced her bipartisan, bicameral Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act, or the Healthy H2O Act, to provide grants for water testing and treatment technology directly to individuals and nonprofits in rural communities.
October 8, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Today, at the 2024 Animal Health Canada Forum, Francis Drouin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced up to $13,343,409 over 5 years to Animal Health Canada (AHC) for three projects through the AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association component, an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
This investment aims to enhance animal health and welfare, while safeguarding Canadians, through improvements to disease surveillance, emergency management, and animal care standards.
AHC will receive up to $3,534,174 to expand its animal health surveillance networks and shift the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System to a One Health approach. AHC aims to minimize the economic, health, and welfare impacts of potential disease outbreaks in Canadian livestock by improving disease surveillance and information sharing.
AHC will also receive up to $5,000,000 for a second project aimed at improving emergency management practices. Project activities include developing comprehensive emergency plans, training industry staff and producers across Canada, conducting educational workshops, and testing industry preparedness.
Finally, AHC will receive up to $4,809,235 to update, amend, and review several Codes of Practice. These Codes are nationally developed guidelines for the care and handling of animals, which help guarantee high standards of animal welfare. AHC will also ensure awareness of the changes to the Codes throughout the sector.
Animal health and disease management are a priority for the Government of Canada. These efforts aim to strengthen sector resilience, confirm Canada’s high standards of animal care, and ensure the health and safety of Canadians.
A One Health system is an approach to disease management and prevention that recognizes the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health. It promotes collaboration across multiple sectors and disciplines to ensure the well-being of all.
The Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System is a distinct division of AHC that is dedicated to promoting a coordinated, national surveillance system through partner engagement and information sharing.
Updates to the Codes of Practice will be made through the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC), a distinct division of AHC.
Enhanced emergency management practices aim to build sector resilience and protect Canada’s agricultural resources through comprehensive planning and training.
AHC previously received over $6 million in funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
Animal Health Canada (AHC) is a national organization that brings together industry, federal, provincial, and territorial partners to provide guidance on a cohesive, functional, and responsive farmed animal health and welfare system in Canada.
The AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association Component, under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, provides funding for national-level projects to help industry develop, verify, and integrate assurance systems to address market and regulatory requirements and to enable industry to make credible, meaningful, and verifiable claims about the health, safety, and quality of Canadian agriculture products.
The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a $3.5-billion, 5-year agreement (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028), between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food, and agri‐based products sector.
Annie Cullinan Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food annie.cullinan@agr.gc.ca
On Leif Erikson Day, we celebrate the history and heritage of Nordic communities in the United States, whose contributions and cultures have helped shape our Nation.
Many believe that roughly a millennium ago, Leif Erikson — a Norse explorer — and his crew were the first Europeans to reach the shores of North America. His spirit of adventure, curiosity, and resilience would inspire generations of Danes, Finns, Icelanders, Norwegians, and Swedes to sail across an ocean and begin new lives in America. These immigrants built bustling homes and enriched their communities, supporting and realizing the American Dream. They fought for our freedoms in the military; built new churches, businesses, and schools; and spearheaded social movements. Today, Nordic communities continue to enrich the fabric of the Nation.
Nordic-American communities in the United States are foundational to our partnership and friendship with our Nordic Allies and their people. These nations share our vision for a world based on freedom, security, and opportunities for all. Together, we are working in lockstep to tackle the climate crisis and pioneer the next generation of technology that will power everyone’s economies. We are also standing with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s brutal assault. I am proud that the United States supported the ratification process for Finland to join NATO, which was the fastest ratification in history. And I was honored to welcome Sweden as NATO’s 32nd Ally earlier this year. Together, I know that we will continue to stand for freedom and democracy for generations to come.
Today, may we celebrate the important contributions and vibrant cultures of Nordic Americans to our Nation. And may we continue the work that so many Nordic communities in this country began: ensuring every American has an opportunity to reach the American Dream.
To honor Leif Erikson, son of Iceland and grandson of Norway, and to celebrate Nordic-American heritage, the Congress, by joint resolution (Public Law 88-566) approved on September 2, 1964, has authorized the President of the United States to proclaim October 9 of each year as “Leif Erikson Day.”
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 9, 2024, as Leif Erikson Day. I call upon all Americans to celebrate the contributions of Nordic Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
ABERDEEN – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Wakpala, South Dakota, woman convicted of Child Abuse. The sentencing took place on September 30, 2024.
Sheyenne Cadotte, 28, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. One of her conditions of supervised release prohibits Cadotte from living with children or contacting her own children unless approved in writing by her probation officer.
Cadotte was indicted for Child Abuse by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. She pleaded guilty on May 16, 2024.
In 2021, Cadotte lived with her four-year-old daughter in Kenel, South Dakota, which lies within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. Cadotte’s daughter is a profoundly delayed non-verbal child who requires a feeding tube for sustenance. During the summer and fall of 2021, Cadotte starved her daughter, routinely skipping scheduled feedings and swapping whole milk for formula. Due to this neglect, the girl’s weight dropped from 34 pounds in May to 25 pounds in December, when she was removed from Cadotte’s care. The child is currently thriving in an institutional setting.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain serious crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs- Office of Justice Services and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Cadotte was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
ABERDEEN – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on September 30, 2024.
Johnathan Guggolz, 48, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Guggolz was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2023. He pleaded guilty on July 8, 2024.
On the afternoon of August 29, 2023, in McLaughlin, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, a 62-year-old man pulled into the school driveway to pick his wife up from work. Guggolz pulled up next to the man and confronted him about his driving, mocking and belittling him. The man eventually exited his car, secured a pair of duct-taped homemade nunchucks to protect himself, and squared up with Guggolz, a former amateur boxer. After a few moments of posturing, the man thrust the nunchucks towards Guggolz’ hip. Guggolz then punched the man in the face, knocking him unconscious. The man fell backwards and struck his head on the concrete. Guggolz glanced down at the man, now lying helpless on the driveway, then returned to his pickup and drove away. The man subsequently died of a traumatic brain injury incurred in the assault.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services, and the Mobridge Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Guggolz was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on October 4, 2024, Anthony Brown, Jr. (age: 50), a former resident of Keshena on the Menominee Indian Reservation, received an eight-year federal prison sentence following convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Brown will also face five years of supervised release once he completes his sentence. The sentence, imposed by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach, was the result of a guilty plea entered by the defendant on June 14, 2024.
According to court records, during the early morning hours of January 1, 2024, investigators with the Menominee Tribal Police Department observed the defendant in his vehicle as he engaged in a hand-to-hand drug transaction in the parking lot of a business on the Menominee Indian Reservation. After a brief interaction, the defendant was arrested and searched. Law enforcement recovered over 15 grams of cocaine and approximately $4400 in U.S. currency from his person and recovered a loaded .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun from the vehicle. The firearm had the defendant’s DNA on it.
Also, according to court records, law enforcement had an additional contact with Brown on January 15, 2024. Brown was arrested after being found passed out at the wheel of a car stopped in Keshena. Brown had cocaine on his person. Officers applied for and obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s residence, which led to the discovery of 380 grams of cocaine, paraphernalia associated with drug use and packaging, ammunition, a ledger containing names, amounts, and prices, and a Glock 21 .45 caliber handgun.
Investigators seized numerous items which the defendant agreed were proceeds or facilities of illegal drug activity, including $7000 in cash, a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette, a 1999 Porsche Boxster, a 2019 Ford F250 pickup, a 2014 Jeep Wrangler, and a 2017 Kawasaki sport bike style motorcycle. Investigators also seized 216 pairs of luxury shoes. These items were ordered forfeited as part of his sentence.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach noted the seriousness of the crime and the need to deter those who might consider similar actions to protect the community from the destructive effects of controlled substance abuse. Judge Griesbach also observed the need to incapacitate the defendant for a lengthy period, particularly considering Brown’s previous convictions for drug dealing.
The Menomonee Tribal Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations investigated the case as part of the Safe Trails Task Force (STTF) and the Native American Drug and Gang Initiative (NADGI). NADGI and STTF partner federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement to combat drug trafficking and violent crime on the Menominee Indian Reservation. STTF members are deputized federal officers who identify and target for prosecution individuals who are involved in distribution of dangerous drugs on the Menominee Indian Reservation. Coordination of state resources through NADGI permits efficient communication and evidence processing, which are essential to swift and fair prosecution of offenders. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier prosecuted the case.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on October 2, 2024.
Lionel Morrison, age 53, was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Morrison was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on June 7, 2024.
In May of 2023, Morrison, who was intoxicated, was driving a vehicle just north of Pine Ridge when he lost control of the vehicle. After losing control of the vehicle, Morrison overcorrected the path of the vehicle causing it to roll three times causing the front passenger to be ejected from the vehicle. The victim ultimately succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe – Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department today sued Fitness International LLC, also called LA Fitness, for discriminating against people with disabilities at its gym and fitness clubs. LA Fitness is the largest chain of owner-operated gym and fitness clubs in the United States, with nearly 700 locations across the country.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges LA Fitness violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits public accommodations, including gym and fitness clubs, from discriminating against people with disabilities. The ADA requires LA Fitness to give people with disabilities equal access to LA Fitness’ services and facilities, remove architectural barriers to make its facilities accessible to people with disabilities and maintain accessible features. The ADA also prohibits LA Fitness from charging extra fees to people with disabilities.
Yet, as the department’s lawsuit alleges, LA Fitness gym and fitness clubs have many barriers that prevent LA Fitness members with disabilities from accessing the clubs or using the clubs’ pools and fitness equipment. Common barriers include broken pool lifts and broken elevators. Sometimes, these issues left people with mobility disabilities unable to get into clubs or pools at all. Other times, people with disabilities have gotten stuck dangling over the water on broken pool lifts, have had to call LA Fitness staff to help them get in and out of pools or have had to crawl out of pools. Even after members with disabilities complained about these issues, LA Fitness did not fix them for long periods of time.
“Access to physical fitness activity is crucial for promoting the health and well-being of all Americans, including those with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “For over 30 years, the ADA has prohibited gyms and fitness clubs like LA Fitness from denying patrons with disabilities the opportunity to use and enjoy facilities enjoyed by patrons without disabilities. Through this lawsuit, the Justice Department seeks to eliminate LA Fitness’s discriminatory barriers and ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to fully participate at their local LA Fitness gym and fitness clubs.”
“Ensuring accessibility is key to safeguarding civil rights for all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Our office is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have access to public accommodations by enforcing the protections afforded by the Americans with Disabilities Act. When we support those with disabilities, our entire community benefits.”
Through the lawsuit, the department asks the court to stop LA Fitness from discriminating against people with disabilities, including by requiring LA Fitness to make its facilities and equipment accessible. The department also seeks monetary damages for people harmed by LA Fitness’ discrimination. This includes people who were directly harmed by LA Fitness’ barriers to access and broken equipment, as well people who need help to use LA Fitness’ clubs and were charged extra fees to have a friend, nurse or personal assistant help them use LA Fitness facilities.
If you or someone you know had trouble accessing an LA Fitness gym or fitness club because of a disability, including due to a broken pool lift or elevator, or if you were charged an extra fee to have someone help you access LA Fitness’ equipment, please call 1-888-392-5417 (toll-free), or email Claims.LAFitness@usdoj.gov. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit http://www.ada.gov. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit http://www.justice.gov/crt.
The United States continues to be in a heightened threat environment, and the FBI is fully engaged to detect and stop any potential threats to the American people. As we mark one year since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East calls for vigilance by the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and members of the public.
Conspiracy to Commit Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Computers; Intentional Damage to a Protected Computer; Transmitting a Demand in Relation to Damaging a Protected Computer; Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
The FBI is seeking to identify individuals involved in the violent activities that occurred at the U.S. Capitol and surrounding areas on January 6, 2021. View photos and related information here. If you have any information to provide, visit tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)
HOUSTON – A Mexican national illegally residing in Houston and a relative have been sentenced following their convictions of several sex trafficking crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Maria Botello-Morales, 57, and her son Edgar Adrian Botello, 31, Houston, pleaded guilty in 2023.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now imposed a 280-month-term of imprisonment for Botello-Morales, while Botello received a total of 180 months. Restitution will be determined at a later date. Not a U.S. citizen, Botello-Morales is expected to face removal proceedings following her imprisonment, while Botello will serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Both will also be ordered to register as sex offenders.
“Cantina cases shine a light on a unique form of trafficking where mostly undocumented women are sexually exploited for the financial benefit of the traffickers,” said Hamdani. “These individuals stole the American dream from the victims. This form of trafficking takes advantage of the fear these victims live in and we are grateful for the hard work of the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in bringing them justice.”
“TABC is proud to work with the Office of the U.S. Attorney and our other partners in the effort to end human trafficking in Texas,” said TABC Chairman Kevin J. Lilly. “We join our fellow Texans in denouncing this heinous crime and reaffirming our pledge to help free the victims of human trafficking.”
At the time of the pleas, Botello-Morales admitted to sex trafficking with force, fraud or coercion and conspiracy to do so as well as sex trafficking of a minor. Botello pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking with force, fraud or coercion, two counts of sex trafficking of adults as well as possession of child pornography.
In 2007, Botello-Morales recruited a minor female from Mexico. She caused the minor to engage in commercial sex and took payment directly from the commercial sex buyers.
Botello-Morales ran Puerto Algre with Botello and others from 2015 to 2020. Puerto Algre was a cantina where numerous females were forced to engage in commercial sex in backrooms built specifically for that purpose. Botello-Morales, Botello and others threatened and intimidated these victims with violence to manipulate them into engaging in commercial sex for their own financial benefits.
The victims reported they started at the bar as waitresses. However, Botello-Morales soon told them they had to engage in commercial sex. If they refused, she threatened them with violence.
Some witnessed violence and weapons at the bar and in the back area where the sex acts occurred. Each described how they had to take customers to the backrooms through a door and hidden from view of the bar. They were given a condom wrapped in a paper towel, were to spend no more than 15 minutes in the room and charge approximately $70. On the way out, they had to turn the money over to whoever was guarding the room.
During the investigation, one victim also explained when she refused to come to work, Botello-Morales sent someone to physically assault her.
The victims explained that Botello, who regularly carried a weapon, was the enforcer. He would also pass out the condoms and collect the money. During the execution of a search warrant at the home Botello-Morales and Botello shared, law enforcement found several loaded firearms in his room along with a computer containing child pornography.
Another co-conspirator, Esteban Toribio, 65, Houston, pleaded guilty June 17 and held the liquor license for the bar. Toribio reported the conduct to authorities in an attempt to help him gain control of the cantina. Also convicted in relation to the conspiracy was Arian Botello, 26, the nephew of Botello-Morales.
Both will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
TABC and HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department (HPD) as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack prosecuted the case.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of the HPD; FBI; HSI; Texas Attorney General’s Office; IRS-Criminal Investigation; Department of Labor (DOL); DOL – Wage and Hour Division; Department of State; Federal Air Marshals; TABC; Texas Department of Public Safety; Texas Rangers; Texas Parks and Wildlife; Social Security Administration – OIG; Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as well as police departments in Houston Independent School District (ISD), Conroe ISD and Missouri City; Harris County constables offices – Precincts one and four; sheriff’s offices in Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Waller counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend and Galveston counties. They work in coordination with victim service providers such as YMCA, United Against Human Trafficking and Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners.
Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona woman has been charged by indictment on multiple counts of abandonment and abuse of a child for allegedly placing three girls in a dangerous situation earlier this year.
Avedale Johnson, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge last week and was placed on conditions of release pending trial.
According to the indictment, on May 4, 2024, Johnson is accused of putting Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, and Jane Doe 3—three children under the age of 18—at significant risk of harm by placing them in a situation that could have endangered their lives and health.
If convicted, Johnson faces up to three years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The United States continues to be in a heightened threat environment, and the FBI is fully engaged to detect and stop any potential threats to the American people. As we mark one year since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East calls for vigilance by the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and members of the public.
Conspiracy to Commit Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Computers; Intentional Damage to a Protected Computer; Transmitting a Demand in Relation to Damaging a Protected Computer; Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
The FBI is seeking to identify individuals involved in the violent activities that occurred at the U.S. Capitol and surrounding areas on January 6, 2021. View photos and related information here. If you have any information to provide, visit tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Bob Dean Jr. and several companies that he owned and operated have agreed to an $8.2 million consent judgment to resolve allegations that they violated the National Housing Act of 1934 (NHA), by misappropriating and misusing the assets and income of four nursing homes in Louisiana before and after Hurricane Ida’s landfall in August 2021. The four nursing homes, all of which were owned and operated by Dean and his companies, and had loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), are Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Houma; Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Harvey; Maison Orleans Healthcare in New Orleans; and West Jefferson Health Care Center in Harvey.
The FHA, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides mortgage insurance on loans that cover residential care facilities, such as nursing homes, pursuant to the NHA. To encourage lenders to make loans to such facilities, FHA mortgage insurance provides lenders with protection against losses that result from borrowers defaulting on their mortgage loans. To obtain such FHA-insured loans, loan recipients must enter into regulatory agreements with the FHA that provide, among other requirements, that the assets and income of an FHA-insured nursing home may only be spent on goods and services that are reasonable and necessary to the operation of the nursing home. The NHA permits the United States to recover twice the amount of any assets and income of FHA-insured nursing homes that were improperly distributed or misspent.
In 2023, the government filed a complaint against Dean and his corporate entities alleging that they misspent the nursing homes’ assets and income. The United States alleged that in the five years leading up to Hurricane Ida, Dean funneled money that should have been used to prepare an evacuation site for nursing home residents to his personal bank accounts, leaving his nursing homes — and, more importantly, the nursing homes’ residents — unprepared for a hurricane. As a result, when Hurricane Ida made landfall in August 2021, the residents of Dean’s nursing homes had to ride out the storm in an overcrowded and ill-prepared industrial warehouse Dean owned through a corporate entity. The United States alleged that at Dean’s evacuation center, his nursing homes’ residents languished in squalor and did not receive adequate care, leading to the Louisiana Department of Health evacuating the nursing home residents from Dean’s warehouse and revoking Dean’s nursing homes’ licenses. The United States further alleged that, following the hurricane, Dean did not use the homes’ income and assets solely to operate or maintain the nursing homes, but instead to purchase personal goods and services, including antiques, firearms and cars.
“This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to holding accountable those who put their own financial gain over the needs of our nation’s seniors,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to take action to protect the integrity of federal programs designed to ensure that nursing home residents, who are among our most vulnerable citizens, receive appropriate care.”
“As the residents of Louisiana well know, hurricanes and natural disasters can devastate people’s lives,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr for the Middle District of Louisiana. “Nursing home operators like Mr. Dean have an obligation to protect their residents during such events, particularly if they are going to rely on federal programs to support or sustain their businesses. This settlement will ensure that those individuals charged with caring for our community’s most vulnerable residents take seriously their duty to have proper safeguards and plans in place to avoid tragedies like the one we saw in Independence, Louisiana, after Hurricane Ida.”
“Nursing home providers have obligations to protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents entrusted to their care,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “Owners of FHA-insured nursing homes should be on notice that we will hold them accountable when we learn of allegations that they have failed to meet those obligations.”
“By the time Hurricane Ida bore down on the vulnerable nursing home residents at properties operated by Mr. Dean, he illegally skimmed funding from those facilities and failed to maintain sanitation and adequately equip the warehouse he designated as the evacuation site,” said HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “He unfairly enriched himself while residents under his charge endured horrid conditions including insufficient food and medical care. HUD OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold accountable those who misappropriate funds at the expense of vulnerable populations.”
The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the case, with substantial assistance from HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer and Samuel Robins of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Davis Rhorer Jr. and Chase Zachary for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the matter.
The United States’ complaint stemmed from an investigation that the Justice Department initiated as part of its Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
10.08.24
Senator Worked to Advance New Capability Supporting North Dakota as Most Advanced UAS Ecosystem in The Nation, Strengthens NAS Integration & Counter-UAS Development
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – At the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Summit today, Senator John Hoeven announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Northern Plains UAS Test Site have reached agreement to share the FAA’s unfiltered radar data feed to support UAS integration efforts. North Dakota’s test site will be the first in the nation to receive this capability, which will:
Maintain the state’s position as the most advanced UAS ecosystem in the nation.
Strengthen the test site’s detect-and-avoid capabilities, which allows unmanned aircraft operating under the test site to safely fly where other state’s test sites could not.
Empower the test site to detect malicious or unlawful UAS traffic, helping make North Dakota the premiere location for counter-UAS technology development.
Countering threats from the misuse of unmanned aircraft is a critical Department of Defense (DoD) priority.
This issue was at the heart of Hoeven’s recent discussions with Air Combat Command (ACC) Commander Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown.
Accordingly, Hoeven is advancing Project ULTRA as the funding vehicle to support counter-UAS development. Hoeven worked to establish the initial contract valued at up to $18.25 million for efforts like this, and the project is eligible for additional funding in subsequent years.
Hoeven is working with additional federal agencies, including the DoD and the Department of Justice (DOJ), to secure their approval of the agreement as soon as possible.
Currently, FAA radars collect more data than can be shared outside of federal government agencies, due to technical challenges and security concerns. By working to unlock this capability for North Dakota, the state will be positioned to continue leading the future of unmanned aviation research, development and operations. Hoeven’s two guests at the UAS Summit are leading these important priorities:
FAA Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson, a key figure in FAA’s efforts to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace (NAS).
Gen. David Stewart, Director of the Joint Counter-Small UAS Office (JCO), who is leading the DoD’s efforts to protect against the misuse of drone technology.
“This agreement between the FAA and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to share unfiltered radar data adds a new tool to our vast toolkit in North Dakota, ensuring we remain the most advanced UAS ecosystem in the country,” said Hoeven. “We’ve worked for nearly two decades to build up our state’s talent, infrastructure and legal authorizations to make North Dakota the premiere location for all aspects of the UAS industry. As a result, our test site has more firsts and more partnerships than any other test site. Between this new capability and Project ULTRA, which will help fund many of the upcoming efforts, including counter-UAS development, we are positioned to continue leading the pack.”
Advancing Project ULTRA
Hoeven worked to establish and fund Project ULTRA to advance the development of practical UAS applications like supply delivery, base inspections and installation security, benefitting Grand Forks Air Force Base and military installations across the country. The senator recently announced that the DoD has tasked Project ULTRA with conducting demonstration flights using unmanned aircraft to move cargo between Grand Forks Air Force Base and Cavalier Space Force Station.
Enhancing Counter-UAS Capabilities
Hoeven stressed how initiatives like Project ULTRA can be utilized to strengthen the nation’s counter-UAS capabilities. Currently, threats such as drone swarm attacks against Israel and Ukraine, as well as UAS incursions into airspace near U.S. military bases, require significantly more expensive counter measures from the U.S. and its allies. This comes in addition to legislation Hoeven helped introduce and pass to support the development of counter-UAS technology and protect important facilities from potential misuse of unmanned aircraft. Hoeven is now sponsoring a bill to renew and expand upon the authorities created under this law.
Strengthening ND’s Missions
Following the fireside chat, Hoeven introduced a video from Dr. William LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, who the senator has invited to the state to see its UAS ecosystem firsthand. Hoeven, who serves as a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, has been working with LaPlante to advance the range of missions in North Dakota, from nuclear missions in Minot to the unmanned missions in the Red River Valley. LaPlante’s remarks reinforced the discussion between Hoeven, Thomson and Stewart, further driving home the importance of UAS and counter-UAS to future DoD operations.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Senior Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University
It might seem surprising today in the era of Donald Trump, but Republicans in the United States once championed immigration and supported pathways to citizenship for undocumented Americans.
Contrast this with Trump, who has normalised dehumanising rhetoric and policies against immigrants. In this year’s presidential campaign, for instance, he has referred to undocumented immigrants as “animals” who are “poisoning the blood of our country”.
Both Trump and his vice presidential running mate, JD Vance, also repeated a false story about Haitian “illegal aliens” eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.
Perhaps most troubling, Trump has pledged to launch “the largest deportation operation in the history of our country”, if he’s elected.
Immigration policies throughout history
Nativism, or anti-immigrant sentiment, has a long history in American politics.
In 1924, a highly restrictive immigration quota system based on racial and national origins was introduced. This law envisaged America as a white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant nation.
However, there was no restriction on immigrants from the Western Hemisphere. The agricultural and railroad sectors relied heavily on workers from Mexico.
In 1965, the quota system was replaced by visa preference categories for family and employment-based migrants, along with refugee and asylum slots.
Then, as violence and economic instability spread across Central America in the 1970s, there was a surge in undocumented immigration to the US.
Scholar Leo Chavez argues that in the late 1980s and early 1990s, an alarmist “Latino threat narrative” became the dominant motif in media discussions of immigration.
This narrative was frequently driven by Republicanpoliticians in states on the US-Mexico border, who derived electoral advantage from amplifying voter anxieties.
The growing popularity of this negative discourse coincided with a significant increase in income inequality – a byproduct of neo-liberal policies championed by Reagan and other Republicans.
In the early-to-mid 20th century, Democrats were often the party that supported restrictive immigration and border policies.
However, most Republicans at the national level – strongly supported by business – tended to endorse policies that encouraged the easy flow of workers across the border and increased levels of legal immigration.
Prominent conservative Republicans also rejected vilifying rhetoric towards undocumented Americans. They presented all immigrants as pursuing opportunities for their families, a framing that emphasised a shared vision of the American dream. In this telling, their labour contributed to the economy and America’s growth and prosperity.
George H. W. Bush And Ronald Reagan debate immigration in a Republican primary debate in 1980.
Reagan also strongly supported bipartisan immigration reform. In 1986, Congress passed an immigration act that increased border security funding, but also ensured 2.7 million undocumented immigrants, primarily of Latino background, were able to gain legal status.
Twenty years later, President George W. Bush and Republican Senator John McCain lobbied for a bipartisan bill that would have tightened border enforcement while simultaneously “legalising” an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants. It was narrowly defeated.
This vocal support for immigrants by leading Republicans was striking because for much of the period between the late 1980s and the early 2000s, a majority of Americans actually wanted immigration levels reduced.
Then, around 2009, a dramatic shift in political rhetoric took place. The Tea Party movement brought border security and “racial resentment” towards immigrants centre stage, challenging conservative Republicans from the populist right.
As a result, more and more Republicans began to voice restrictionist and xenophobic rhetoric and support legislation aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.
What’s surprising, though, is the number of undocumented immigrants in the US was actually declining at this time, from 12.2 million in 2007 to 10.7 million in 2016.
Donald Trump and the new nativism
In this worsening anti-immigrant climate, Trump descended a golden escalator in mid-2015 to launch his presidential campaign.
In his speech that day, immigration was front and centre. Trump vowed to “build a great wall” and accused Mexico of sending “rapists” and “criminals” to America.
His speeches during the presidential campaign were marked by frequent anti-Mexican assertions and calls for Islamophobic visa policies. This hostile stance on immigration was central to his victory in both the Republican primaries and the general election against Hillary Clinton.
Once in office, Trump then adopted a “zero tolerance” stance towards undocumented immigration. His administration pursued a heartrending family separation policy that split children and their undocumented parents at the border. This approach was celebrated on conservative media outlets such as Fox News.
During his presidency, he also reduced legal immigration by almost half, drastically cut America’s refugee intake, and introduced bans on people from Muslim-majority countries.
Policy expert David Bier concluded the goal of Republican lawmakers had shifted:
It really looks like the entire debate about illegality is not the main issue anymore for Republicans in both chambers of Congress. The main goal seems to be to reduce the number of foreigners in the United States to the greatest extent possible.
Indeed, Trump’s vision of the nation had overtly racial overtones.
In one 2018 meeting, he asked why America should accept immigrants from “shithole countries” like Haiti, El Salvador or the African continent. His preference was for Norwegian migrants.
Immigration as a major election theme
From 2021–2023, undocumented US-Mexico border crossings surged due to natural disasters, economic downturns and violence in many Latin American and Caribbean nations. Many of the recent arrivals are asylum seekers.
Though the numbers have fallen sharply in 2024, immigration and the border are still one of the top issues for voters across the political spectrum. The issue is particularly important in the key swing state of Arizona.
In 2024, Trump’s central immigration promise was encapsulated by the beaming delegates waving signs calling for “Mass Deportations Now” at the Republican National Convention.
The Trump-Vance ticket has blamed undocumented immigrants for almost everyeconomic and socialproblem imaginable. The two candidates present them as a dangerous and subversive “other” that cannot be assimilated into mainstream American culture.
Yet Trump, as both president and candidate, has worked to prevent the passage of border security legislation. Turmoil on the border benefits him.
And his nativism now encompasses all forms of immigration – he has pledged to curb legal channels for people to enter the country, as well.
All of this rhetoric has had a dramatic impact on public opinion. Between 2016 and 2024, the number of people supporting the deportation of undocumented immigrants jumped from 32% to 47%.
In July 2024, 55% of Americans also said they wanted to see immigration levels decrease, a 14-point increase in one year.
Many Americans do not perceive immigration as a source of vitality and renewal as they had in the past. Instead, reflecting Trump’s language, they are viewing immigrants as an existential threat to the country’s future.
Prudence Flowers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Bob Dean Jr. and several companies that he owned and operated have agreed to an $8.2 million consent judgment to resolve allegations that they violated the National Housing Act of 1934 (NHA), by misappropriating and misusing the assets and income of four nursing homes in Louisiana before and after Hurricane Ida’s landfall in August 2021. The four nursing homes, all of which were owned and operated by Dean and his companies, and had loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), are Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Houma; Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Harvey; Maison Orleans Healthcare in New Orleans; and West Jefferson Health Care Center in Harvey.
The FHA, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides mortgage insurance on loans that cover residential care facilities, such as nursing homes, pursuant to the NHA. To encourage lenders to make loans to such facilities, FHA mortgage insurance provides lenders with protection against losses that result from borrowers defaulting on their mortgage loans. To obtain such FHA-insured loans, loan recipients must enter into regulatory agreements with the FHA that provide, among other requirements, that the assets and income of an FHA-insured nursing home may only be spent on goods and services that are reasonable and necessary to the operation of the nursing home. The NHA permits the United States to recover twice the amount of any assets and income of FHA-insured nursing homes that were improperly distributed or misspent.
In 2023, the government filed a complaint against Dean and his corporate entities alleging that they misspent the nursing homes’ assets and income. The United States alleged that in the five years leading up to Hurricane Ida, Dean funneled money that should have been used to prepare an evacuation site for nursing home residents to his personal bank accounts, leaving his nursing homes — and, more importantly, the nursing homes’ residents — unprepared for a hurricane. As a result, when Hurricane Ida made landfall in August 2021, the residents of Dean’s nursing homes had to ride out the storm in an overcrowded and ill-prepared industrial warehouse Dean owned through a corporate entity. The United States alleged that at Dean’s evacuation center, his nursing homes’ residents languished in squalor and did not receive adequate care, leading to the Louisiana Department of Health evacuating the nursing home residents from Dean’s warehouse and revoking Dean’s nursing homes’ licenses. The United States further alleged that, following the hurricane, Dean did not use the homes’ income and assets solely to operate or maintain the nursing homes, but instead to purchase personal goods and services, including antiques, firearms and cars.
“This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to holding accountable those who put their own financial gain over the needs of our nation’s seniors,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to take action to protect the integrity of federal programs designed to ensure that nursing home residents, who are among our most vulnerable citizens, receive appropriate care.”
“As the residents of Louisiana well know, hurricanes and natural disasters can devastate people’s lives,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr for the Middle District of Louisiana. “Nursing home operators like Mr. Dean have an obligation to protect their residents during such events, particularly if they are going to rely on federal programs to support or sustain their businesses. This settlement will ensure that those individuals charged with caring for our community’s most vulnerable residents take seriously their duty to have proper safeguards and plans in place to avoid tragedies like the one we saw in Independence, Louisiana, after Hurricane Ida.”
“Nursing home providers have obligations to protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents entrusted to their care,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “Owners of FHA-insured nursing homes should be on notice that we will hold them accountable when we learn of allegations that they have failed to meet those obligations.”
“By the time Hurricane Ida bore down on the vulnerable nursing home residents at properties operated by Mr. Dean, he illegally skimmed funding from those facilities and failed to maintain sanitation and adequately equip the warehouse he designated as the evacuation site,” said HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “He unfairly enriched himself while residents under his charge endured horrid conditions including insufficient food and medical care. HUD OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold accountable those who misappropriate funds at the expense of vulnerable populations.”
The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the case, with substantial assistance from HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer and Samuel Robins of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Davis Rhorer Jr. and Chase Zachary for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the matter.
The United States’ complaint stemmed from an investigation that the Justice Department initiated as part of its Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
October 8, 2024
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board fact-checked Democrats, including Jones, calling their abortion ads “fiction.”
“This is embarrassing for Mondaire Jones and his D.C. Democrat friends. The only thing they can do is lie, but their lies aren’t sticking because New Yorkers know Congressman Lawler is a commonsense advocate for NY-17.”— NRCC Spokeswoman Savannah Viar
CHARLESTON, WV — Gov. Jim Justice has activated approximately 40 members of the West Virginia National Guard to support response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Milton, which is projected to make landfall in Florida on October 9, 2024.
Approximately 10-12 Airmen from the 130th Airlift Wing headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia, will deploy to assist the State of Florida with potential search and recovery operations.
Additionally, approximately 30 engineers from the 821st Engineer Construction Company headquartered in Summersville, along with support equipment such as skid steers and front loaders from the 601st Engineer Support Company headquartered in Buckhannon, will also deploy to assist with debris removal and management Operations.
Both groups will initially stage in northern Florida under the command of the Florida National Guard and will deploy to impacted communities as determined by state and local officials. They are expected to spend approximately 12 days on the ground in a State Active Duty status.
“When our neighbors put out the call for help, time and time again, we answer,” Gov. Justice said. “We supported our friends in Kentucky last year, and now we’re running to the fire in Florida. That’s what we do in West Virginia–we pull the rope together and help our neighbors. So, I’m proud we can join forces with the Florida National Guard in their response efforts. My thoughts and prayers are with our amazing men and women traveling south, all the first responders in the area, and everyone dealing with this challenging hurricane season. Let’s continue to take care of each other.”
“With the devastation of Hurricane Helene still present, Florida is now under threat of a storm with even deadlier potential,” Maj. Gen. Bill Crane, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, said. “Our Soldiers and Airmen will be there to help support response and relief efforts as needed, support first responders and officials, help citizens survive, and help stabilize communities in the aftermath of Milton. One of the most important missions of our National Guard is neighbors helping neighbors. With the strong support of Gov. Jim Justice, we are ready to provide any and all assistance we can render.”
West Virginia National Guard assistance was formally requested through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC process. EMAC is a mutual aid agreement among states and territories of the United States that enables states to request resources during naturaland man-made disasters, complementing the national disaster response system. The requesting state is responsible for covering the costs of the provided aid.
Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay region of Florida late Wednesday evening as a Category 3 storm. Milton is forecast to bring potentially catastrophic storm surges along the western coast of Florida, torrential rains and flash flooding, damaging hurricane-force winds, tornadoes, and massive power outages as it makes its way across the state before reemerging as a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. Currently wavering between a Category 4 and Category 5 storm as it churns in the Gulf of Mexico, Milton is forecast to bring ashore rainfall in excess of 15 inches and coastal surges of more than 10-15 feet.
Milton will impact Florida communities still reeling from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which battered the southeastern United States, killing at least 225 people. Fifty-one of 67 counties in Florida are now under emergency warnings as Milton approaches, and massive mandatory evacuations are underway.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Barbara Lee 13th District of California
October 08, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) along with co-chairs of the U.S. House Get the Lead Out Caucus Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), and Co-founders of the U.S. Senate Lead Task Force Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today lauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to finalize the Biden Administration’s proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), which would lower the lead action level to better protect human health and require water systems to replace old and deteriorating lead pipes within a decade. In addition to the LCRI, the EPA also announced $2.6 billion in newly available drinking water infrastructure funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to support lead-related activities, including lead pipe replacement projects. The finalized rule comes ahead of the October 16th finalization deadline to not only help ensure these important improvements are implemented as quickly as possible, but also prevent water systems from being forced to temporarily comply with the prior rule proposed by the Trump Administration—also known as the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR)—which would put public health at risk.
“Today, EPA estimates that nearly 9 million homes are served through lead pipes across the country – and disproportionally, many of these homes are located in low-income communities and communities of color,” said Rep. Barbara Lee. “Clean and safe drinking water is a human right, and we must treat it that way. I am proud of the work of my colleagues and I in Congress to achieve our goal of removing every lead pipe in the United States over the next ten years and thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their work in fighting to ensure that communities across our country have access to lead-free water.”
“Today’s announcement from the Biden-Harris Administration is a win-win for our communities because it delivers on our shared commitment to replace all lead pipes across the country within 10 years and protect public health,” said Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, co-lead of the congressional Get the Lead Out Caucus. “I am proud to have helped push for the swift finalization of the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements with my colleagues in Congress. Thanks to our advocacy, and with the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, we are closer than ever to actualizing a 100% lead-free future.”
“As the founder of the Get the Lead Out Caucus, I know that clean drinking water is a human right,” said Rep. Tlaib. “We must move urgently to replace all lead pipes in our country within the next 10 years, and I’m glad to see the EPA announce the final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements to continue the critical work toward this objective. Congress must continue to work to appropriate the funding necessary to help all of our communities identify, remove, and replace every lead pipe over this next decade.”
“Clean and safe drinking water is a basic human right, and the science is clear – no amount of lead is safe. There are millions of people across the country who don’t even know if they are drinking lead, and I’ve had parents come up to me with tears in their eyes, worried for the wellbeing of their children because of lead in the water at school,” Rep. Dingell said. “I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their continued commitment to replacing every lead service line in our country to guarantee access to safe water for every community and finally give peace of mind to families.”
” Every American, no matter their zip-code, deserves access to safe drinking water,” said Senator Duckworth, “We’ve been working hard in Congressto achieve our goal of removing every elad pip in America over the next decade, and this historic rule from the Biden Administration and billions in new funding will help us make it a reality whilve preventing Trump-era policies that would harm human health from going into effect, This is a win-win for all Americans.”
“The EPA’s bold leadership in finalizing this critical rule will help us eliminate lead pipes within a decade and put a stop to lead exposure that continues to threaten the health of far too many families and children in our nation today,” said Senator Booker. “Every American deserves access to clean and safe drinking water, and by modernizing our aging water infrastructure we are investing in a future where every family can turn on the tap and know their water is clean. I am proud to have helped lead the call in Congress for a strong final rule, and I thank the Biden-Harris administration for their commitment to environmental justice and public health.”
The finalized rule also improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes and plans for replacing them. Exposure to lead is harmful to health, especially for young children. In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing and impaired formation and function of blood cells.