Oregon
Oregon just got its first offshore wind energy areas with 2.4 GW of potential
In a first, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has finalized two offshore wind energy areas (WEAs) off Oregon’s coast.
BOEM said the WEAs total around 195,012 acres and have 2.4 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy potential.
The Coos Bay WEA is 61,204 acres and 32 miles from shore. The Brookings WEA, near the California border, is 133,808 acres and is about 18 miles from shore:
BOEM also stated that they avoid 98% of the areas recommended for exclusion “due to their importance as commercial fishing grounds.”
Anne Reynolds, vice president for offshore wind at The American Clean Power Association, said:
Designating commercially suitable, environmentally sound areas of the Pacific Ocean for offshore wind energy moves the region one step closer to a clean energy future.
We applaud BOEM for listening carefully to Oregonians while ensuring that Oregon offshore wind can be responsibly developed.
But not everyone’s happy with this announcement – the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians unanimously passed a resolution expressing opposition to offshore wind energy development off the Oregon Coast in November but says it remains open to working with BOEM.
And Heather Mann, director of the Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, said that “authentic engagement with BOEM has been nonexistent.” Mann asserted that “BOEM will stop at nothing until our oceans are littered with wind turbines and all just to meet an arbitrary political deadline.”
The next step in BOEM’s process involves preparing an environmental assessment of potential impacts in those areas. This notice initiates a 30-day public comment period, and another public comment period will be launched if BOEM decides to move forward with a lease sale in either of the WEAs.
The state of Oregon has set a goal of achieving 3 GW of offshore wind by 2030.
Read more: World’s first semi-submersible floating offshore wind farm beats expectations in the face of extreme storms
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Oregon
Oregon Ducks Safety Target Elijah Butler Nearing Crucial Point in Recruitment
The Oregon Ducks are set for one of the biggest timelines of their recruiting cycle, as many top targets are nearing commitments. This time around, the Ducks have a ton of top targets still remaining on their board compared to past seasons, as the Ducks have eight total commitments at this time.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his staff still need to land a safety commitment, but three-star safety Elijah Butler out of Maryland recently included the Ducks in his final six schools.
Oregon Target Elijah Butler Makes Exciting Recruiting Announcement
Butler announced his top six schools ahead of a crucial part of his recruitment, according to a graphic by Leyton Roberts. The Ducks made the cut alongside the Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies, Auburn Tigers, Florida Gators, and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The talented prospect would be a great addition for any of these teams, as they could all use a safety prospect at this point in the recruiting timeline.
Butler is from the state of Maryland, which makes the Terrapins one to watch.
It is also worth noting that he has been labeled as one of the best players in the state of Maryland, as he currently ranks as the state’s No. 9 prospect, according to Rivals. This is important as the Terrapins have always made solid attempts to land their in-state stars, including last season when they landed one of the better players in the state’s history, Zion Elee.
As of now, the prospect hasn’t been predicted to land with any of these schools, which means it is likely still a tight race entering the official visit schedule. He has yet to schedule an official visit with all of the schools he has listed in his top six, as he is still missing three key official visits. Butler has scheduled official visits with Alabama, Auburn, and Florida, according to 247Sports. This means he still needs to set one with Oregon, Virginia Tech, and Maryland if he wants to take one to each school.
If the Ducks are able to get Butler on a visit, then they would likely be in a more favorable position to land his commitment, as it currently. seems they are one of the trailing teams from this list. It seems highly unlikely that the Ducks will gain his commitment unless they get him on an official visit, which is still possible at this point, as plenty of top prospects across the nation are still scheduling their official visits.
As of now, the Ducks have 27 prospects set to take an official visit, according to 247Sports. Among all of the prospects who have scheduled a visit thus far, only one of the players is listed as a safety. That player is a three-star target, Junior Tu’upo. This leads one to believe that the Ducks could try to get Butler on a visit, or at a minimum, pitch their program to the prospect from St Frances Academy.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.
Follow
Oregon
Oregon work zones see record high in crashes and fatalities
Oregon
Small Oregon town residents’ trust shaken as state sues disaster nonprofit founder
BLUE RIVER, Ore. (KATU) — The founder of a former disaster relief nonprofit is being sued for allegedly diverting nearly $837,000 in donations and grants for personal gain.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed the lawsuit Thursday against the founder and executive director of Cascade Relief Team (CRT), Marcus Brooks. In the complaint, Rayfield calls CRT “a sham.”
Brooks is accused of stealing donations and government grants meant for disaster relief following wildfires and flooding in 2020, and using it for personal expenses including casino visits, travel, vehicles, and more.
CRT was founded in 2020 and was hired for cleanup and relief services following the Labor Day Wildfires that burned over 1 million acres across Oregon.
In Blue River, an unincorporated community in the McKenzie River Valley, the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire destroyed nearly 800 homes and burned more than 173,000 acres.
I am angry that my community was taken advantage of
Just months after the fire, long-time Blue River resident Melanie Stanley said CRT stepped in and promised help to the community.
“For us, it was…like a savior at that point,” Stanley said.
Stanley was the manager for the Blue River Resource Center and worked for Brooks to help facilitate recovery efforts. She said CRT operations slowly became questionable.
“None of us knew the level at which all of this stuff that finally came out was at,” Stanley said. “We knew that there was some stuff that had started to look hinky or feel hinky, or there was just some lack of communication that was happening. There were some other things that were happening, and so we just all were kind of guarded.”
In fall of 2023 the nonprofit was reported to have run out of money, and Brooks allegedly fired staff without disclosing the organization’s financial conditions and did not notify donors or beneficiaries. Stanley was one of those people fired.
The state now claims the funds that were meant to go towards communities like Blue River, never made it out of Brooks’ hands, including donations given by Blue River neighbors.
“I am angry that my community was taken advantage of, and I am angry that they now have to worry about trusting when something else happens, because we know something else is going to happen,” Stanley said. “We hope to God it’s never anything as big or as bad as what has happened, but you know, we also have learned that groups like Locals Helping Locals…they are our foundation, and they are because they’re us.”
The state is seeking to recover the money, permanently bar Brooks from serving in a leadership role at a charitable organization and dissolve the nonprofit.
Stanley said Brooks’ actions have tainted reputations.
“We as a community and as the people from the community who helped kind of put all of these things together, we did what was asked of us,” Stanley said. “We did help clean things, and we did help get things to provide, you know, more progress and get things moving forward, and we did good work, and so I just really hope that this is not overshadowed.”
According to Stanley, Blue River’s recovery now stands at 50%.
“We will be very picky from here on out about who and what groups gets let in to help with anything,” Stanley said. “And sadly, it may be to our detriment, but he did more damage now, as far as reputations go, and for that I’m angry. I’m very angry.”
-
Ohio6 minutes agoOhio Secretary of State Democratic primary pits outsider vs. insider – Signal Ohio
-
Oklahoma12 minutes agoPutnam City West moves to virtual learning after student incident
-
Oregon18 minutes agoOregon Ducks Safety Target Elijah Butler Nearing Crucial Point in Recruitment
-
Pennsylvania24 minutes agoOfficials react to Pennsylvania abortion ruling, Medicaid ban struck down
-
Rhode Island30 minutes agoNothing Bundt Cakes opens first RI bakery
-
South-Carolina36 minutes agoSLED issues Blue Alert for armed, dangerous woman in Midlands
-
South Dakota42 minutes ago
SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for April 20, 2026
-
Tennessee48 minutes agoTennessee Senate passes ‘CVS bill,’ reshapes pharmacy business as CVS threatens closures