BERLIN (AP) — A huge aquarium in Berlin burst, spilling debris, water and hundreds of tropical fish out of the AquaDom tourist attraction in the heart of the German capital early Friday.

Police said parts of the building, which also contains a hotel, cafes and a chocolate store, were damaged as 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) of water poured from the aquarium shortly before 6 a.m. (0500 GMT). Berlin's fire service said two people were slightly injured.

The company that owns the AquaDom, Union Investment Real Estate, said in a statement Friday afternoon that the reasons for the incident were “still unclear.”

Mayor Franziska Giffey said the tank had unleashed a “veritable tsunami” of water but the early morning timing had prevented far more injuries.

“Despite all the destruction, we were still very lucky,” she said. “We would have had terrible human damage” had the aquarium burst even an hour later, once more people were awake and in the hotel and the surrounding area, she said.

The website of the AquaDom described it as the biggest cylindrical tank in the world at 25 meters tall (82 feet tall), although Union Investment Real Estate clarified Friday that the tank portion of the attraction had a height of 14 meters (46 feet).

There was speculation freezing temperatures that got down to minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight caused a crack in the acrylic glass tank, which then exploded under the weight of the water. Police said they found no evidence of a malicious act.

Nearly all of the 1,500 fish that were inside at the time of the rupture died, the Berlin Mitte district government confirmed via Twitter, adding “a few fish at the bottom of the tank” could still be saved. Among the 80 types of fish it housed were blue tang and clownfish, two colorful species known from the popular animated movie “Finding Nemo.”

Veterinarians, fire service officers and other officials spent the afternoon working to rescue 400 to 500 smaller fish from a separate set of aquariums housed under the hotel lobby. Without electricity, their tanks were not receiving the necessary oxygen for them to survive, officials said. They were evacuated to other tanks in the neighboring Sea Life aquarium that were unaffected.

“It's a great tragedy that for 1,500 fish there was no chance of survival,” said Almut Neumann, a city official in charge of environmental issues for Berlin's Mitte district. “The focus in the afternoon was clearly on saving the fish in the remaining tanks.”

Various organizations, including the Berlin Zoo, offered to take in the surviving fish.

Aquarium operator Sea Life said it was saddened by the incident and trying to get more information from the owners of the AquaDom. It said what happened with the AquaDom was “unique and unprecedented” and that Sea Life's exhibits were not in danger of similar damage.

Sea Life Berlin is located in the same building and visitors can tour it and the AquaDom on a single ticket.

About 300 guests and employees had to be evacuated from the hotel surrounding the aquarium, police said.

Sandra Weeser, a German lawmaker who was staying in the hotel, said she was woken up by a large bang and thought there might have been an earthquake.

“There are shards (of glass) everywhere. The furniture, everything has been flooded with water," she said. "It looks a bit like a war zone.”

Police said a Lindt chocolate store and several restaurants in the same building complex, as well as an underground parking garage next to the hotel, sustained damage. A fire service spokesman said building safety experts were assessing the extent to which the hotel had sustained structural damage.

Hours after the incident, trucks began clearing away the debris that had spilled out onto the street in front of the hotel. Brightly colored Lindt chocolate wrappers were scattered in front of the building where the chocolate shop was damaged. A small crowd of tourists and onlookers snapped photos from behind the police line across the street.

Animal rights group PETA tweeted Friday that the aquarium became a “death trap” for the fish housed in it. “This man-made tragedy shows that aquariums are not a safe place for fish and other marine life," the group wrote.

The aquarium, which was last modernized in 2020, is a major tourist magnet in Berlin. The 10-minute elevator ride through the tropical tank was one of the highlights of the attraction.

Iva Yudinski, a tourist from Israel who was staying at the hotel, said she was shocked by the incident

“Just yesterday we watched it and we were so amazed (by) its beauty," she said. "Suddenly it’s all gone. Everything is a mess, a total mess.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671220116399.png" alt="Mayor Franziska Giffey said the tank had unleashed a “veritable tsunami” of water but the early morning timing had prevented far more injuries.Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Mayor Franziska Giffey said the tank had unleashed a “veritable tsunami” of water but the early morning timing had prevented far more injuries.Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>BERLIN (AP) — A huge aquarium in Berlin burst, spilling debris, water and hundreds of tropical fish out of the AquaDom tourist attraction in the heart of the German capital early Friday.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsealifeberlin1%2Fphotos%2Fa.2144091485815577%2F2157834637774595%2F%3Ftype%3D3&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="333" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Police said parts of the building, which also contains a hotel, cafes and a chocolate store, were damaged as 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) of water poured from the aquarium shortly before 6 a.m. (0500 GMT). Berlin's fire service said two people were slightly injured.The company that owns the AquaDom, Union Investment Real Estate, said in a statement Friday afternoon that the reasons for the incident were “still unclear.”Mayor Franziska Giffey said the tank had unleashed a “veritable tsunami” of water but the early morning timing had prevented far more injuries.“Despite all the destruction, we were still very lucky,” she said. “We would have had terrible human damage” had the aquarium burst even an hour later, once more people were awake and in the hotel and the surrounding area, she said.The website of the AquaDom described it as the biggest cylindrical tank in the world at 25 meters tall (82 feet tall), although Union Investment Real Estate clarified Friday that the tank portion of the attraction had a height of 14 meters (46 feet).There was speculation freezing temperatures that got down to minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight caused a crack in the acrylic glass tank, which then exploded under the weight of the water. Police said they found no evidence of a malicious act.Nearly all of the 1,500 fish that were inside at the time of the rupture died, the Berlin Mitte district government confirmed via Twitter, adding “a few fish at the bottom of the tank” could still be saved. Among the 80 types of fish it housed were blue tang and clownfish, two colorful species known from the popular animated movie “Finding Nemo.”Veterinarians, fire service officers and other officials spent the afternoon working to rescue 400 to 500 smaller fish from a separate set of aquariums housed under the hotel lobby. Without electricity, their tanks were not receiving the necessary oxygen for them to survive, officials said. They were evacuated to other tanks in the neighboring Sea Life aquarium that were unaffected.“It's a great tragedy that for 1,500 fish there was no chance of survival,” said Almut Neumann, a city official in charge of environmental issues for Berlin's Mitte district. “The focus in the afternoon was clearly on saving the fish in the remaining tanks.”Various organizations, including the Berlin Zoo, offered to take in the surviving fish.Aquarium operator Sea Life said it was saddened by the incident and trying to get more information from the owners of the AquaDom. It said what happened with the AquaDom was “unique and unprecedented” and that Sea Life's exhibits were not in danger of similar damage.Sea Life Berlin is located in the same building and visitors can tour it and the AquaDom on a single ticket.About 300 guests and employees had to be evacuated from the hotel surrounding the aquarium, police said.Sandra Weeser, a German lawmaker who was staying in the hotel, said she was woken up by a large bang and thought there might have been an earthquake.“There are shards (of glass) everywhere. The furniture, everything has been flooded with water," she said. "It looks a bit like a war zone.”Police said a Lindt chocolate store and several restaurants in the same building complex, as well as an underground parking garage next to the hotel, sustained damage. A fire service spokesman said building safety experts were assessing the extent to which the hotel had sustained structural damage.Hours after the incident, trucks began clearing away the debris that had spilled out onto the street in front of the hotel. Brightly colored Lindt chocolate wrappers were scattered in front of the building where the chocolate shop was damaged. A small crowd of tourists and onlookers snapped photos from behind the police line across the street.Animal rights group PETA tweeted Friday that the aquarium became a “death trap” for the fish housed in it. “This man-made tragedy shows that aquariums are not a safe place for fish and other marine life," the group wrote.The aquarium, which was last modernized in 2020, is a major tourist magnet in Berlin. The 10-minute elevator ride through the tropical tank was one of the highlights of the attraction.Iva Yudinski, a tourist from Israel who was staying at the hotel, said she was shocked by the incident“Just yesterday we watched it and we were so amazed (by) its beauty," she said. "Suddenly it’s all gone. Everything is a mess, a total mess.”

World's largest cylindrical tank aquarium with 1500 fish explodes 

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era policy requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas stayed the termination until legal challenges by Texas and Missouri are settled but didn't order the policy reinstated. The impact on the program wasn't immediately clear.

“It’s a common sense policy to prevent people from entering our country illegally,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted after the ruling. “Texas wins again, for now.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680.178.0.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;could prove to be a temporary setback for the Biden administration, which may appeal.

An email requesting comment from the Department of Homeland Security wasn't immediately returned.

Under President Donald Trump, about 70,000 asylum-seekers were forced to wait in Mexico for U.S. hearings under the policy introduced in January 2019. President Joe Biden — who said it “goes against everything we stand for as a nation of immigrants” — suspended the policy on his first day in office.

That sparked a long and tortured legal and administrative path.

Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee in Amarillo, ordered that the policy be reinstated in 2021. The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-joe-biden-mexico-texas-missouri-1eb0b6dd1d0676e33702aec7f07e75ac">complied</a>&nbsp;with the order after agreeing to changes and additions demanded by Mexico. But it didn't enforce the policy widely and only a few thousand people were sent back to wait in Mexico.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in June that Biden had the ability to end what technically are known as Migrant Protection Protocols. But it threw back to Kacsmaryk one main issue: determining whether the administration’s action was “arbitrary and capricious” and thus violated federal law for crafting regulations.

In his 35-page ruling, the judge said it was likely an October 2021 memo that was the administration's latest effort to nail down termination of the policy did indeed appear to violate the law.

Among other things, the administration failed to consider the benefits of the policy, including reducing illegal immigration and “unmeritorious asylum claims,” the ruling said.

Trump made the policy a centerpiece of border enforcement, which critics said was inhumane for exposing migrants to extreme violence in Mexico and making access to attorneys far more difficult.

Kacsmaryk said the Biden administration memo mentioned conditions that migrants might face while in Mexico but not the hardships they face “when making the dangerous journey to the southern border” in the first place.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317716965.png" alt="The&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680.178.0.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;could prove to be a temporary setback for the Biden administration, which may appeal.-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>The&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680.178.0.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;could prove to be a temporary setback for the Biden administration, which may appeal.-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era policy requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court.U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas stayed the termination until legal challenges by Texas and Missouri are settled but didn't order the policy reinstated. The impact on the program wasn't immediately clear.“It’s a common sense policy to prevent people from entering our country illegally,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted after the ruling. “Texas wins again, for now.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680/gov.uscourts.txnd.346680.178.0.pdf">ruling</a>&nbsp;could prove to be a temporary setback for the Biden administration, which may appeal.An email requesting comment from the Department of Homeland Security wasn't immediately returned.Under President Donald Trump, about 70,000 asylum-seekers were forced to wait in Mexico for U.S. hearings under the policy introduced in January 2019. President Joe Biden — who said it “goes against everything we stand for as a nation of immigrants” — suspended the policy on his first day in office.That sparked a long and tortured legal and administrative path.Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee in Amarillo, ordered that the policy be reinstated in 2021. The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-joe-biden-mexico-texas-missouri-1eb0b6dd1d0676e33702aec7f07e75ac">complied</a>&nbsp;with the order after agreeing to changes and additions demanded by Mexico. But it didn't enforce the policy widely and only a few thousand people were sent back to wait in Mexico.The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in June that Biden had the ability to end what technically are known as Migrant Protection Protocols. But it threw back to Kacsmaryk one main issue: determining whether the administration’s action was “arbitrary and capricious” and thus violated federal law for crafting regulations.In his 35-page ruling, the judge said it was likely an October 2021 memo that was the administration's latest effort to nail down termination of the policy did indeed appear to violate the law.Among other things, the administration failed to consider the benefits of the policy, including reducing illegal immigration and “unmeritorious asylum claims,” the ruling said.Trump made the policy a centerpiece of border enforcement, which critics said was inhumane for exposing migrants to extreme violence in Mexico and making access to attorneys far more difficult.Kacsmaryk said the Biden administration memo mentioned conditions that migrants might face while in Mexico but not the hardships they face “when making the dangerous journey to the southern border” in the first place.

US judge blocks Biden bid to end 'Remain in Mexico' policy

One person has been arrested following a hit-and-run with a Nebraska State Trooper, a pursuit, and an hour-long standoff on Interstate 80.

The incident began at approximately 5:10 p.m., after NSP had received information regarding a semi pulling a flatbed trailer that was driving recklessly on Interstate 80 near Lincoln. A trooper observed the semi driving recklessly and attempted a traffic stop near mile marker 409.

After the vehicle pulled over to the shoulder, it accelerated in reverse, striking the trooper’s patrol unit, disabling his unit, and injuring the trooper. The vehicle then fled westbound on Interstate 80. A short time later, a Seward County Sheriff’s Deputy located the semi and also attempted a traffic stop. The semi driver refused to stop and a pursuit was initiated.

Troopers took over the pursuit as the semi entered York County. As the semi passed the Grand Island interchanges, stop sticks were deployed to slow the vehicle. The semi lost multiple tires, but it continued driving westbound on Interstate 80. During the pursuit, the semi driver attempted to strike multiple patrol vehicles.

Troopers were able to bring the semi to a stop near mile marker 252 at approximately 7:45 p.m. The driver of the semi refused to exit the vehicle or respond to repeated commands from troopers. After approximately one hour of attempting to have the driver exit voluntarily, an NSP K9 was deployed into the cab of the semi. The driver then exited immediately and was taken into custody.

The driver has been identified as Kasey Martinson, 56, of Sanborn, North Dakota. Charges are pending. The injured trooper was transported to Bryan Health Center West Campus by another trooper and has been treated for minor injuries and released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671186752787.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NEBRASKA STATE PATROLOne person has been arrested following a hit-and-run with a Nebraska State Trooper, a pursuit, and an hour-long standoff on Interstate 80.The incident began at approximately 5:10 p.m., after NSP had received information regarding a semi pulling a flatbed trailer that was driving recklessly on Interstate 80 near Lincoln. A trooper observed the semi driving recklessly and attempted a traffic stop near mile marker 409.After the vehicle pulled over to the shoulder, it accelerated in reverse, striking the trooper’s patrol unit, disabling his unit, and injuring the trooper. The vehicle then fled westbound on Interstate 80. A short time later, a Seward County Sheriff’s Deputy located the semi and also attempted a traffic stop. The semi driver refused to stop and a pursuit was initiated.Troopers took over the pursuit as the semi entered York County. As the semi passed the Grand Island interchanges, stop sticks were deployed to slow the vehicle. The semi lost multiple tires, but it continued driving westbound on Interstate 80. During the pursuit, the semi driver attempted to strike multiple patrol vehicles.Troopers were able to bring the semi to a stop near mile marker 252 at approximately 7:45 p.m. The driver of the semi refused to exit the vehicle or respond to repeated commands from troopers. After approximately one hour of attempting to have the driver exit voluntarily, an NSP K9 was deployed into the cab of the semi. The driver then exited immediately and was taken into custody.The driver has been identified as Kasey Martinson, 56, of Sanborn, North Dakota. Charges are pending. The injured trooper was transported to Bryan Health Center West Campus by another trooper and has been treated for minor injuries and released.

Semi driver arrested after hit-and-run with Neb. trooper

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense passed the Senate on Thursday and now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

The bill provides for about $45 billion more for defense programs than Biden requested and roughly 10% more than last year’s bill as lawmakers look to account for inflation and boost the nation’s military competitiveness with China and Russia. It includes a 4.6% pay raise for servicemembers and the Defense Department’s civilian workforce.

The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week.

To win GOP support for the 4,408-page bill, Democrats agreed to Republican demands to scrap the requirement for service members to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill directs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-4cf7451267919302de4a7b591508e80c">August 2021 memorandum</a>&nbsp;imposing the mandate.

Before approving the measure, the Senate voted down a couple of efforts to amend it, including a proposal from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to speed the permitting process for energy projects. The effort had drawn fierce opposition from some environmental advocacy groups who worried it would accelerate fossil fuel projects such as gas pipelines and limit the public’s input on such projects.

Manchin, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, secured a commitment from Biden and Democratic leaders last summer to support the permitting package in return&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-budget-agreement-7b0ee6e3e0b70357288fd69f44473b9b">for his support</a>&nbsp;of a landmark law to curb climate change.

Machin’s legislation sets deadlines for completion of National Environmental Policy Act reviews for major energy and natural resource projects. It would require courts to consider litigation involving energy project permits on an expedited basis. It also directs federal agencies to permit the completion of a natural gas pipeline in his home state and Virginia “without further administrative or judicial delay or impediment.”

“We’re on the verge of doing something unbelievable, but let me tell you, most of it will be for naught. Because without permitting reform, the United States of America is more litigious than any nation on earth,” Manchin told colleagues.

Biden voiced his support for Manchin’s legislation a few hours before Thursday’s vote. He said far too many projects face delays and described Manchin’s amendment “as a way to cut Americans’ energy bills, promote U.S. energy security, and boost our ability to get energy projects built and connected to the grid.“

Not only did some environmental advocacy groups bash Manchin’s proposal, but so did many Republicans. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it didn’t go far enough, calling it “reform in name only.”

The amendment fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage, 47-47.

An amendment from Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also went down to defeat. It would have allowed for the reinstatement of those service members discharged for failing to obey an order to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and compensate them for any pay and benefits lost as a result of the separation.

“People serving our military are the finest among us. Over 8,000 were terminated because they refused to get this experimental vaccine, and so I’m urging all of my colleagues to support Senator Cruz’s and my amendment,” Johnson said.

But opponents worried about the precedent of rewarding members of the military who disobeyed an order. Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said orders are not suggestions, they are commands.

“What message do we send if we pass this bill? It is a very dangerous one,” Reed said. “What we’re telling soldiers is, ‘if you disagree, don’t follow the order, and then just lobby Congress, and they’ll come along and they’ll restore your rank, or restore your benefits, or restore everything.’”

The amendment failed, with 40 senators supporting it and 54 opposing it.

The defense bill sets policy and provides a roadmap for future investments. Lawmakers will have to follow up with spending bills to bring many provisions to reality. It’s one of the final bills Congress is expected to approve before adjourning, so lawmakers were eager to attach their top priorities to it.

The directive to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-lloyd-austin-united-states-government-and-politics-ef76a0da58520cacbbfce003d66ed183">rescind the</a>&nbsp;vaccine mandate for service members proved to be among the most controversial provisions, but Democrats agreed to it to allow the bill to advance.

As of early this month, about 99% of the active-duty troops in the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps had been vaccinated, and 98% of the Army. Service members who are not vaccinated are not allowed to deploy, particularly sailors or Marines on ships. There may be a few exceptions to that, based on religious or other exemptions and the duties of the service member.

The vaccination numbers for the Guard and Reserve are lower, but generally all are more than 90%.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629972789785.png" alt="The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week. photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week. photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense passed the Senate on Thursday and now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.The bill provides for about $45 billion more for defense programs than Biden requested and roughly 10% more than last year’s bill as lawmakers look to account for inflation and boost the nation’s military competitiveness with China and Russia. It includes a 4.6% pay raise for servicemembers and the Defense Department’s civilian workforce.The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week.To win GOP support for the 4,408-page bill, Democrats agreed to Republican demands to scrap the requirement for service members to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill directs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-4cf7451267919302de4a7b591508e80c">August 2021 memorandum</a>&nbsp;imposing the mandate.Before approving the measure, the Senate voted down a couple of efforts to amend it, including a proposal from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to speed the permitting process for energy projects. The effort had drawn fierce opposition from some environmental advocacy groups who worried it would accelerate fossil fuel projects such as gas pipelines and limit the public’s input on such projects.Manchin, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, secured a commitment from Biden and Democratic leaders last summer to support the permitting package in return&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-manchin-budget-agreement-7b0ee6e3e0b70357288fd69f44473b9b">for his support</a>&nbsp;of a landmark law to curb climate change.Machin’s legislation sets deadlines for completion of National Environmental Policy Act reviews for major energy and natural resource projects. It would require courts to consider litigation involving energy project permits on an expedited basis. It also directs federal agencies to permit the completion of a natural gas pipeline in his home state and Virginia “without further administrative or judicial delay or impediment.”“We’re on the verge of doing something unbelievable, but let me tell you, most of it will be for naught. Because without permitting reform, the United States of America is more litigious than any nation on earth,” Manchin told colleagues.Biden voiced his support for Manchin’s legislation a few hours before Thursday’s vote. He said far too many projects face delays and described Manchin’s amendment “as a way to cut Americans’ energy bills, promote U.S. energy security, and boost our ability to get energy projects built and connected to the grid.“Not only did some environmental advocacy groups bash Manchin’s proposal, but so did many Republicans. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it didn’t go far enough, calling it “reform in name only.”The amendment fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage, 47-47.An amendment from Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also went down to defeat. It would have allowed for the reinstatement of those service members discharged for failing to obey an order to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and compensate them for any pay and benefits lost as a result of the separation.“People serving our military are the finest among us. Over 8,000 were terminated because they refused to get this experimental vaccine, and so I’m urging all of my colleagues to support Senator Cruz’s and my amendment,” Johnson said.But opponents worried about the precedent of rewarding members of the military who disobeyed an order. Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said orders are not suggestions, they are commands.“What message do we send if we pass this bill? It is a very dangerous one,” Reed said. “What we’re telling soldiers is, ‘if you disagree, don’t follow the order, and then just lobby Congress, and they’ll come along and they’ll restore your rank, or restore your benefits, or restore everything.’”The amendment failed, with 40 senators supporting it and 54 opposing it.The defense bill sets policy and provides a roadmap for future investments. Lawmakers will have to follow up with spending bills to bring many provisions to reality. It’s one of the final bills Congress is expected to approve before adjourning, so lawmakers were eager to attach their top priorities to it.The directive to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-lloyd-austin-united-states-government-and-politics-ef76a0da58520cacbbfce003d66ed183">rescind the</a>&nbsp;vaccine mandate for service members proved to be among the most controversial provisions, but Democrats agreed to it to allow the bill to advance.As of early this month, about 99% of the active-duty troops in the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps had been vaccinated, and 98% of the Army. Service members who are not vaccinated are not allowed to deploy, particularly sailors or Marines on ships. There may be a few exceptions to that, based on religious or other exemptions and the duties of the service member.The vaccination numbers for the Guard and Reserve are lower, but generally all are more than 90%.____

Bill to rescind COVID vaxx mandate for troops passes Senate

MORRIS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating individuals allegedly disposing of baby calves and goats off of the Elm Creek Bridge on S 1400 Road just south of Helmick Road, approximately 7 miles southeast of Council Grove, according to a media release from the Morris County Sheriff.

The crime of unlawful disposal,&nbsp;per K.S.A. 47-1219, includes "anyone who put any dead animals, carcasses of such animals or domestic fowl, or any part thereof, into any well, spring, brook, branch, river, creek, pond, road, street, alley, lane other than the person's own private driveway, lot not owned or leased by such person, field not owned or leased by such person, meadow not owned or leased by such person or commonly-owned or public property shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in a sum not exceeding $500."

The sheriff’s office is requesting the public’s help with information on individuals involved in the alleged crime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671138999650.png" alt="Google map" />
 <figcaption>Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>MORRIS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating individuals allegedly disposing of baby calves and goats off of the Elm Creek Bridge on S 1400 Road just south of Helmick Road, approximately 7 miles southeast of Council Grove, according to a media release from the Morris County Sheriff.The crime of unlawful disposal,&nbsp;per K.S.A. 47-1219, includes "anyone who put any dead animals, carcasses of such animals or domestic fowl, or any part thereof, into any well, spring, brook, branch, river, creek, pond, road, street, alley, lane other than the person's own private driveway, lot not owned or leased by such person, field not owned or leased by such person, meadow not owned or leased by such person or commonly-owned or public property shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in a sum not exceeding $500."The sheriff’s office is requesting the public’s help with information on individuals involved in the alleged crime.

Sheriff: Dead goats, calves thrown off Kansas bridge

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is once more making some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-to-get-usps-government-covid-tests-64a4e2cc86c501187a5bb401c1552188">free COVID-19 tests</a><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Summary%20=%20The%20Biden%20administration%20is%20once%20again%20making%20some%20free%20COVID-19%20tests%20available%20to%20all%20American%20households,%20as%20it%20unveils%20its%20contingency%20plans%20for%20potential%20coronavirus%20surges%20this%20winter.After%20a%20three%20month%20hiatus,%20the%20administration%20is%20making%20four%20rapid%20virus%20tests%20available%20to%20all%20U.S.%20households%20through%20covidtests.gov%20starting%20Thursday,%20a%20senior%20administration%20official%20said%20on%20the%20condition%20of%20anonymity%20to%20discuss%20the%20program.%20COVID-19%20cases%20have%20shown%20a%20marked%20increase%20after%20the%20Thanksgiving%20holiday%20and%20further%20increases%20are%20projected%20from%20indoor%20gathering%20and%20travel%20around%20Christmas%20and%20New%20Years.%20Body%20=%20SOCIAL%20MEDIA:%20Ahead%20of%20potential%20coronavirus%20surge,%20Biden%20administration%20to%20again%20make%20free%20COVID-19%20tests%20available.%20EMBARGOED%20UNTIL%205am%20The%20Biden%20administration%20is%20once%20again%20making%20some%20free%20COVID-19%20tests%20available%20to%20all%20American%20households,%20as%20it%20unveils%20its%20contingency%20plans%20for%20potential%20coronavirus%20surges%20this%20winter.%20After%20a%20three%20month%20hiatus,%20the%20administration%20is%20making%20four%20rapid%20virus%20tests%20available%20to%20all%20U.S.%20households%20through%20covidtests.gov%20starting%20Thursday,%20a%20senior%20administration%20official%20said.%20The%20official%20spoke%20on%20the%20condition%20of%20anonymity%20to%20discuss%20the%20program.%20COVID-19%20cases%20have%20shown%20a%20marked%20increase%20after%20the%20Thanksgiving%20holiday%20and%20further%20increases%20are%20projected%20from%20indoor%20gathering%20and%20travel%20around%20Christmas%20and%20New%20Years.%20The%20administration%20is%20putting%20personnel%20and%20equipment%20on%20standby%20should%20they%20been%20needed%20to%20help%20overwhelmed%20hospitals%20and%20nursing%20homes,%20as%20was%20necessary%20in%20earlier%20waves%20of%20the%20virus.%20So%20far%20there%20have%20been%20no%20requests%20for%20assistance,%20but%20surge%20teams,%20ventilators%20and%20personal%20protective%20equipment%20are%20ready,%20the%20official%20said.%20The%20Biden%20administration%20is%20also%20encouraging%20states%20and%20local%20governments%20to%20do%20more%20to%20encourage%20people%20to%20getU%20the%20updated%20bivalent%20COVID-19%20vaccines,%20which%20scientists%20say%20are%20more%20effective%20at%20protecting%20against%20serious%20illness%20and%20death%20from%20the%20currently%20circulating%20variants.%20The%20administration%20is%20also%20reiterating%20best%20practices%20to%20nursing%20homes%20and%20long-term%20care%20facilities%20for%20virus%20prevention%20and%20treatment,%20and%20encouraging%20administrators%20as%20well%20as%20governments%20to%20encourage%20vulnerable%20populations%20to%20get%20the%20new%20shots.%20The%20planning%20comes%20as%20the%20administration%20has%20struggled%20to%20convince%20most%20Americans%20to%20get%20the%20updated%20boosters%20as%20cases%20and%20deaths%20have%20declined%20from%20pandemic%20highs%20and%20most%20people%20have%20embraced%20a%20return%20to%20most%20of%20their%20pre-pandemic%20activities.%20The%20official%20said%20funding%20for%20the%20new%20tests%20has%20been%20reallocated%20from%20other%20virus%20programs%20while%20the%20White%20House%20struggles%20to%20get%20congressional%20buy-in%20for%20additional%20COVID-19%20emergency%20funding.%20The%20official%20declined%20to%20detail%20how%20much%20is%20being%20spent%20on%20the%20new%20tests%20or%20from%20which%20programs%20they%20were%20diverted%20from."></a>&nbsp;available to all U.S. households as it releases its contingency plans with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;cases ticking upward this winter.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/15/fact-sheet-biden-administration-announces-covid-19-winter-preparedness-plan/">Click here to read </a>the plan details

After a three-month hiatus, the administration is making four rapid virus tests available per household through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.covid.gov/tests">covidtests.gov</a>&nbsp;starting Thursday. COVID-19 cases have shown a marked increase after the Thanksgiving holiday, and further increases are projected from indoor gathering and travel around Christmas and New Year's.

Cases are up across 90% of the country, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said Thursday during a briefing. Deaths and hospitalizations are also on the rise, with nearly 3,000 deaths reported last week. Most of those have been concentrated in people age 65 and older, Jha said.

“We don’t want this winter to look like last winter or the winter before,” Jha said.

As cases begin to rise again, much of the United States is also dealing with other respiratory viruses heading into this winter with an influx of flu and RSV, or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-pandemics-072e11e5e3af77aac19fe95773a69610">respiratory syncytial virus</a>. Jha told reporters he is confident that the worst of RSV -- which hit young children particularly hard -- is over, but that flu cases are only just spiking.

The administration is putting personnel and equipment on standby should they be needed to help overwhelmed hospitals and nursing homes, as was necessary in earlier waves of the coronavirus. So far, there have been no requests for assistance, but surge teams, ventilators and personal protective equipment are ready, the White House said.

The administration is also urging states and local governments to do more to encourage people to get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-omicron-booster-shot-227514678d25a99b65b7ee092735fb03">the updated bivalent COVID-19 vaccines</a>, which scientists say are more effective at protecting against serious illness and death from the currently circulating variants. The administration is reiterating best practices to nursing homes and long-term care facilities for virus prevention and treatment and is urging administrators as well as governments to encourage vulnerable populations to get the new shots. Less than half of all nursing home residents have received the latest booster shot, Jha said.

The planning comes as the administration has struggled to persuade most Americans to get the updated boosters as cases and deaths have declined from pandemic highs and most people have embraced a return to most of their pre-pandemic activities. Less than 14% of people in the U.S. older than have gotten the most recent booster.

The White House said the new tests would come from the national stockpile, which still has reserves even after the administration shut off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-lifestyle-only-on-ap-57e63ac3d5c508f3d41afdedbdc2aaea">the at-home testing program</a>&nbsp;in September, citing a lack of money from Congress. The administration is still asking Congress for billions more dollars for the virus response.

The pause on free at-home testing program this summer allowed the administration to save some free at-home tests for the surge in cases this winter, Jha said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642088735613.png" alt="Funding for the new tests has been reallocated from other virus programs while the White House struggles to get congressional buy-in for additional COVID-19 emergency funding-White House Photo" />
 <figcaption>Funding for the new tests has been reallocated from other virus programs while the White House struggles to get congressional buy-in for additional COVID-19 emergency funding-White House Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is once more making some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-to-get-usps-government-covid-tests-64a4e2cc86c501187a5bb401c1552188">free COVID-19 tests</a><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/Summary%20=%20The%20Biden%20administration%20is%20once%20again%20making%20some%20free%20COVID-19%20tests%20available%20to%20all%20American%20households,%20as%20it%20unveils%20its%20contingency%20plans%20for%20potential%20coronavirus%20surges%20this%20winter.After%20a%20three%20month%20hiatus,%20the%20administration%20is%20making%20four%20rapid%20virus%20tests%20available%20to%20all%20U.S.%20households%20through%20covidtests.gov%20starting%20Thursday,%20a%20senior%20administration%20official%20said%20on%20the%20condition%20of%20anonymity%20to%20discuss%20the%20program.%20COVID-19%20cases%20have%20shown%20a%20marked%20increase%20after%20the%20Thanksgiving%20holiday%20and%20further%20increases%20are%20projected%20from%20indoor%20gathering%20and%20travel%20around%20Christmas%20and%20New%20Years.%20Body%20=%20SOCIAL%20MEDIA:%20Ahead%20of%20potential%20coronavirus%20surge,%20Biden%20administration%20to%20again%20make%20free%20COVID-19%20tests%20available.%20EMBARGOED%20UNTIL%205am%20The%20Biden%20administration%20is%20once%20again%20making%20some%20free%20COVID-19%20tests%20available%20to%20all%20American%20households,%20as%20it%20unveils%20its%20contingency%20plans%20for%20potential%20coronavirus%20surges%20this%20winter.%20After%20a%20three%20month%20hiatus,%20the%20administration%20is%20making%20four%20rapid%20virus%20tests%20available%20to%20all%20U.S.%20households%20through%20covidtests.gov%20starting%20Thursday,%20a%20senior%20administration%20official%20said.%20The%20official%20spoke%20on%20the%20condition%20of%20anonymity%20to%20discuss%20the%20program.%20COVID-19%20cases%20have%20shown%20a%20marked%20increase%20after%20the%20Thanksgiving%20holiday%20and%20further%20increases%20are%20projected%20from%20indoor%20gathering%20and%20travel%20around%20Christmas%20and%20New%20Years.%20The%20administration%20is%20putting%20personnel%20and%20equipment%20on%20standby%20should%20they%20been%20needed%20to%20help%20overwhelmed%20hospitals%20and%20nursing%20homes,%20as%20was%20necessary%20in%20earlier%20waves%20of%20the%20virus.%20So%20far%20there%20have%20been%20no%20requests%20for%20assistance,%20but%20surge%20teams,%20ventilators%20and%20personal%20protective%20equipment%20are%20ready,%20the%20official%20said.%20The%20Biden%20administration%20is%20also%20encouraging%20states%20and%20local%20governments%20to%20do%20more%20to%20encourage%20people%20to%20getU%20the%20updated%20bivalent%20COVID-19%20vaccines,%20which%20scientists%20say%20are%20more%20effective%20at%20protecting%20against%20serious%20illness%20and%20death%20from%20the%20currently%20circulating%20variants.%20The%20administration%20is%20also%20reiterating%20best%20practices%20to%20nursing%20homes%20and%20long-term%20care%20facilities%20for%20virus%20prevention%20and%20treatment,%20and%20encouraging%20administrators%20as%20well%20as%20governments%20to%20encourage%20vulnerable%20populations%20to%20get%20the%20new%20shots.%20The%20planning%20comes%20as%20the%20administration%20has%20struggled%20to%20convince%20most%20Americans%20to%20get%20the%20updated%20boosters%20as%20cases%20and%20deaths%20have%20declined%20from%20pandemic%20highs%20and%20most%20people%20have%20embraced%20a%20return%20to%20most%20of%20their%20pre-pandemic%20activities.%20The%20official%20said%20funding%20for%20the%20new%20tests%20has%20been%20reallocated%20from%20other%20virus%20programs%20while%20the%20White%20House%20struggles%20to%20get%20congressional%20buy-in%20for%20additional%20COVID-19%20emergency%20funding.%20The%20official%20declined%20to%20detail%20how%20much%20is%20being%20spent%20on%20the%20new%20tests%20or%20from%20which%20programs%20they%20were%20diverted%20from."></a>&nbsp;available to all U.S. households as it releases its contingency plans with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus</a>&nbsp;cases ticking upward this winter.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/15/fact-sheet-biden-administration-announces-covid-19-winter-preparedness-plan/">Click here to read </a>the plan details<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1071570614242015%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=56" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>After a three-month hiatus, the administration is making four rapid virus tests available per household through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.covid.gov/tests">covidtests.gov</a>&nbsp;starting Thursday. COVID-19 cases have shown a marked increase after the Thanksgiving holiday, and further increases are projected from indoor gathering and travel around Christmas and New Year's.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">COVID cases are going up across the country. But we have the tools, infrastructure, and know-how we need to manage this moment. Today, we announced our Winter COVID-19 Preparedness Plan to ensure we stay ahead of increases in cases this winter. Take a look: <a href="https://t.co/qULXMZYD4Z">pic.twitter.com/qULXMZYD4Z</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1603464920888184846?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Cases are up across 90% of the country, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said Thursday during a briefing. Deaths and hospitalizations are also on the rise, with nearly 3,000 deaths reported last week. Most of those have been concentrated in people age 65 and older, Jha said.“We don’t want this winter to look like last winter or the winter before,” Jha said.As cases begin to rise again, much of the United States is also dealing with other respiratory viruses heading into this winter with an influx of flu and RSV, or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-pandemics-072e11e5e3af77aac19fe95773a69610">respiratory syncytial virus</a>. Jha told reporters he is confident that the worst of RSV -- which hit young children particularly hard -- is over, but that flu cases are only just spiking.The administration is putting personnel and equipment on standby should they be needed to help overwhelmed hospitals and nursing homes, as was necessary in earlier waves of the coronavirus. So far, there have been no requests for assistance, but surge teams, ventilators and personal protective equipment are ready, the White House said.The administration is also urging states and local governments to do more to encourage people to get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-omicron-booster-shot-227514678d25a99b65b7ee092735fb03">the updated bivalent COVID-19 vaccines</a>, which scientists say are more effective at protecting against serious illness and death from the currently circulating variants. The administration is reiterating best practices to nursing homes and long-term care facilities for virus prevention and treatment and is urging administrators as well as governments to encourage vulnerable populations to get the new shots. Less than half of all nursing home residents have received the latest booster shot, Jha said.The planning comes as the administration has struggled to persuade most Americans to get the updated boosters as cases and deaths have declined from pandemic highs and most people have embraced a return to most of their pre-pandemic activities. Less than 14% of people in the U.S. older than have gotten the most recent booster.The White House said the new tests would come from the national stockpile, which still has reserves even after the administration shut off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-lifestyle-only-on-ap-57e63ac3d5c508f3d41afdedbdc2aaea">the at-home testing program</a>&nbsp;in September, citing a lack of money from Congress. The administration is still asking Congress for billions more dollars for the virus response.The pause on free at-home testing program this summer allowed the administration to save some free at-home tests for the surge in cases this winter, Jha said.___

🎥White House winter COVID-19 plan includes more free tests

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/15/its-time-to-deal-with-this-kansas-water-authority-wants-to-save-ogallala-aquifer/">Kansas Reflector</a>

COLBY — Kansas should scrap its de facto policy of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/29/western-kansas-economy-threatened-by-reliance-on-irrigating-crops-with-ogallala-aquifer/">draining the Ogallala Aquifer</a>, a state board decided Wednesday.

Instead, the board said, the Kansas government should take steps to stop the decline of the aquifer, which supplies water to one-sixth of the world’s grain supply, and save it for future generations.

“It has taken decades for this to be said formally in writing by an official state body,” said Connie Owen, director of the Kansas Water Office. “… This is nothing less than historic.”

Saving the water source that supports Western Kansas’ economy and communities may seem like an obvious stance to take, but for about 70 years, the state’s policies and management decisions have reflected the idea that eventually, the Ogallala would dry up, said Earl Lewis, Kansas’ chief engineer.&nbsp;

The Kansas Water Authority, which is made up of agricultural and industrial water users and utilities, wants to chart a new course. It voted almost unanimously Wednesday to recommend that the state scrap the policy of “planned depletion.”

“It’s time to deal with this while we still have some choices,” said John Bailey, a member of the Kansas Water Authority from Pittsburg. “If we don’t, we’re going to find ourselves in a very bad situation.”

The Ogallala Aquifer, one of the world’s largest underground sources of fresh water, stretches across parts of eight states from South Dakota to Texas. After World War II farmers started pumping water from it to irrigate crops in arid western Kansas, establishing the region as a booming farming economy. For decades, the water was used with little thought of ensuring enough remained for future generations.&nbsp;

But now, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/16/why-an-ambitious-effort-to-overhaul-kansas-water-management-fell-short/">water is running out</a>. Some&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/09/nonrenewable-resource-as-western-kansas-dries-up-legislature-revisits-water-policy/">parts of the aquifer have half the water they had before irrigation</a>&nbsp;on the aquifer began. Parts of western Kansas have an estimated 10 years of water left. There’s little surface water since streams that reliably flowed through the area in 1961 all but disappeared, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/HighPlains/HPA_Atlas/index.html">Kansas Geological Survey</a>.

Draining the aquifer would fundamentally change life in western Kansas. Farm properties would lose their value if there’s no water to grow a crop. Families could lose their livelihoods and communities could disappear.

But while it’s widely accepted that the Ogallala is essential to western Kansas, Kansas Water Authority chairwoman Dawn Buehler said many farmers have been waiting on the government to tell them it’s time to do something.&nbsp;

“We’ve heard that over and over from people —&nbsp;that, ‘Well, you know, we’re not at a dangerous zone yet because they’ll let us know when it’s time,’ ” Buehler said.

She continued: “I think the importance of today was saying, ‘It’s time.’ ”

The Kansas Water Authority, which meets roughly every two months in different locations around the state, voted Wednesday to place language in the body’s annual report to the governor and legislature saying the “policy of planned depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer is no longer in the best interest of the state of Kansas.”

The report will also recommend the state create a formal process to establish goals and actions to “halt the decline of the Ogallala Aquifer while promoting flexible and innovative management within a timeframe that achieves agricultural productivity, thriving economies and vibrant communities —&nbsp;now and for future generations of Kansans.”&nbsp;

It had wide support among the authority members.&nbsp;

“My opinion of this is that it should have been done 15 years ago or 20,” said Lynn Goossen, a farmer from Colby who serves on the Kansas Water Authority and the board of the groundwater management district in northwest Kansas.&nbsp;

Goossen said there are parts of Kansas where the aquifer still has abundant water left but that people are “sticking their heads in the sand” rather than saving it.&nbsp;

Some water users have pursued a longshot idea to draw water from the Missouri River via an aqueduct to southwest Kansas. They&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/21/officials-plan-to-truck-6000-gallons-of-water-from-missouri-river-across-kansas/">trucked 6,000 gallons of water from northeast Kansas</a>&nbsp;across the state as a “proof of concept.”&nbsp;

The goal to “halt” the decline of the aquifer gave pause to one member of the authority who asked that the statement instead say officials should “address” the decline of the aquifer.&nbsp;

Randy Hayzlett, a farmer and rancher from Lakin who serves on the authority, was the lone vote against the language, though the subsequent vote to send the full annual report to policymakers was unanimous.&nbsp;

Hayzlett said he couldn’t support establishing the goal without details about what it would mean to “halt” the decline of the aquifer.&nbsp;

“That’s a pretty strong word, and it’s going to affect a lot of people,” he said.

Hayzlett said he wanted to do everything possible to remedy the decline of the Ogallala but didn’t want to throw a word out there without a plan to achieve it.

“Is it going to halt declining the aquifer? Is it going to halt the economy of western Kansas?” he said. “Just what’s it going to put a cap on and then how are we going to get there?”

Lewis said Kansas has talked about the issue of the Ogallala Aquifer for 50 years. If authority members wait for a plan, he said, they’ll get bogged down in the details.&nbsp;

“What you’re doing is really setting a course,” Lewis said. “You’re saying, ‘I want to go in that direction. … I don’t know how I’m going to get there and it’s going to take a lot of us working together to get there.’ ”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671114142211.png" alt="Dawn Buehler, chairwoman of the Kansas Water Authority, presides over a meeting Wednesday in Colby. The authority voted to adopt language saying Kansas should not deplete the Ogallala Aquifer. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Dawn Buehler, chairwoman of the Kansas Water Authority, presides over a meeting Wednesday in Colby. The authority voted to adopt language saying Kansas should not deplete the Ogallala Aquifer. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/15/its-time-to-deal-with-this-kansas-water-authority-wants-to-save-ogallala-aquifer/">Kansas Reflector</a>COLBY — Kansas should scrap its de facto policy of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/29/western-kansas-economy-threatened-by-reliance-on-irrigating-crops-with-ogallala-aquifer/">draining the Ogallala Aquifer</a>, a state board decided Wednesday.Instead, the board said, the Kansas government should take steps to stop the decline of the aquifer, which supplies water to one-sixth of the world’s grain supply, and save it for future generations.“It has taken decades for this to be said formally in writing by an official state body,” said Connie Owen, director of the Kansas Water Office. “… This is nothing less than historic.”Saving the water source that supports Western Kansas’ economy and communities may seem like an obvious stance to take, but for about 70 years, the state’s policies and management decisions have reflected the idea that eventually, the Ogallala would dry up, said Earl Lewis, Kansas’ chief engineer.&nbsp;The Kansas Water Authority, which is made up of agricultural and industrial water users and utilities, wants to chart a new course. It voted almost unanimously Wednesday to recommend that the state scrap the policy of “planned depletion.”“It’s time to deal with this while we still have some choices,” said John Bailey, a member of the Kansas Water Authority from Pittsburg. “If we don’t, we’re going to find ourselves in a very bad situation.”The Ogallala Aquifer, one of the world’s largest underground sources of fresh water, stretches across parts of eight states from South Dakota to Texas. After World War II farmers started pumping water from it to irrigate crops in arid western Kansas, establishing the region as a booming farming economy. For decades, the water was used with little thought of ensuring enough remained for future generations.&nbsp;But now, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/16/why-an-ambitious-effort-to-overhaul-kansas-water-management-fell-short/">water is running out</a>. Some&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/09/nonrenewable-resource-as-western-kansas-dries-up-legislature-revisits-water-policy/">parts of the aquifer have half the water they had before irrigation</a>&nbsp;on the aquifer began. Parts of western Kansas have an estimated 10 years of water left. There’s little surface water since streams that reliably flowed through the area in 1961 all but disappeared, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/HighPlains/HPA_Atlas/index.html">Kansas Geological Survey</a>.Draining the aquifer would fundamentally change life in western Kansas. Farm properties would lose their value if there’s no water to grow a crop. Families could lose their livelihoods and communities could disappear.But while it’s widely accepted that the Ogallala is essential to western Kansas, Kansas Water Authority chairwoman Dawn Buehler said many farmers have been waiting on the government to tell them it’s time to do something.&nbsp;“We’ve heard that over and over from people —&nbsp;that, ‘Well, you know, we’re not at a dangerous zone yet because they’ll let us know when it’s time,’ ” Buehler said.She continued: “I think the importance of today was saying, ‘It’s time.’ ”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671114592256.png" alt="Kansas Geological Survey at the University of Kansas is embarking on a two-year study of playas that hold water during wet periods in Scott County and elsewhere to better understand their role in recharge of the underground Ogallala aquifer. (Bill Johnson/Kansas Geological Survey)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Geological Survey at the University of Kansas is embarking on a two-year study of playas that hold water during wet periods in Scott County and elsewhere to better understand their role in recharge of the underground Ogallala aquifer. (Bill Johnson/Kansas Geological Survey)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A vote to change course</h2>The Kansas Water Authority, which meets roughly every two months in different locations around the state, voted Wednesday to place language in the body’s annual report to the governor and legislature saying the “policy of planned depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer is no longer in the best interest of the state of Kansas.”The report will also recommend the state create a formal process to establish goals and actions to “halt the decline of the Ogallala Aquifer while promoting flexible and innovative management within a timeframe that achieves agricultural productivity, thriving economies and vibrant communities —&nbsp;now and for future generations of Kansans.”&nbsp;It had wide support among the authority members.&nbsp;“My opinion of this is that it should have been done 15 years ago or 20,” said Lynn Goossen, a farmer from Colby who serves on the Kansas Water Authority and the board of the groundwater management district in northwest Kansas.&nbsp;Goossen said there are parts of Kansas where the aquifer still has abundant water left but that people are “sticking their heads in the sand” rather than saving it.&nbsp;Some water users have pursued a longshot idea to draw water from the Missouri River via an aqueduct to southwest Kansas. They&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/21/officials-plan-to-truck-6000-gallons-of-water-from-missouri-river-across-kansas/">trucked 6,000 gallons of water from northeast Kansas</a>&nbsp;across the state as a “proof of concept.”&nbsp;The goal to “halt” the decline of the aquifer gave pause to one member of the authority who asked that the statement instead say officials should “address” the decline of the aquifer.&nbsp;Randy Hayzlett, a farmer and rancher from Lakin who serves on the authority, was the lone vote against the language, though the subsequent vote to send the full annual report to policymakers was unanimous.&nbsp;Hayzlett said he couldn’t support establishing the goal without details about what it would mean to “halt” the decline of the aquifer.&nbsp;“That’s a pretty strong word, and it’s going to affect a lot of people,” he said.Hayzlett said he wanted to do everything possible to remedy the decline of the Ogallala but didn’t want to throw a word out there without a plan to achieve it.“Is it going to halt declining the aquifer? Is it going to halt the economy of western Kansas?” he said. “Just what’s it going to put a cap on and then how are we going to get there?”Lewis said Kansas has talked about the issue of the Ogallala Aquifer for 50 years. If authority members wait for a plan, he said, they’ll get bogged down in the details.&nbsp;“What you’re doing is really setting a course,” Lewis said. “You’re saying, ‘I want to go in that direction. … I don’t know how I’m going to get there and it’s going to take a lot of us working together to get there.’ ”

‘It’s time’: Kansas Water Authority wants to save Ogallala Aquifer

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia's Foreign Ministry warned Thursday that if the United States confirms reports that it plans to deliver sophisticated air defense missiles to Ukraine, it would be "another provocative move by the U.S." that could prompt a response from Moscow.

Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a weekly briefing that the U.S. had "effectively become a party" to the war in Ukraine, following reports that it will provide Kyiv with Patriot surface-to-air missiles, the most advanced the West has yet offered to help repel Russian aerial attacks.

Growing amounts of U.S. military assistance, including the transfer of such sophisticated weapons, "would mean even broader involvement of military personnel in the hostilities and could entail possible consequences," Zakharova added.

She did not specify what the consequences might be.

U.S. officials said Tuesday that Washington was poised to approve sending a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine, finally agreeing to an urgent request from Ukrainian leaders desperate for more robust weapons to shoot down incoming Russian missiles that have crippled much of the country's vital infrastructure. An official announcement is expected soon.

Operating and maintaining a Patriot battery requires as many as 90 troops, and for months the U.S. has been reluctant to provide the complex system because sending American forces into Ukraine to operate the systems is a nonstarter for the administration of President Joe Biden.

Even without the presence of U.S. service members to train Ukrainians on use of the system, concerns remain that deployment of the missiles could provoke Russia or risk that a fired projectile could hit inside Russia and further escalate the conflict.

Before reports emerged on the delivery of Patriot systems, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia's Security Council, which is chaired by President Vladimir Putin, warned that if Patriots enter Ukraine "along with NATO personnel, they will immediately become a legitimate target for our armed forces."

Asked Wednesday whether the Kremlin backs that threat, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov answered yes, but added in a conference call with reporters that he would refrain from more detailed comment until the U.S. officially announces the Patriot delivery to Ukraine.

Ukraine has so far been cautious in reacting to the reports. Hanna Maliar, Ukraine's deputy defense minister, told reporters Thursday in Kyiv that the delivery of such weaponry remains "sensitive not only for Ukraine, but for our partners," and that only President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov would make any official announcement on such an agreement.

White House and Pentagon leaders have said consistently that providing Ukraine with additional air defenses is a priority, and Patriot missiles have been under consideration for some time. As the winter closed in and the Russian bombardment of civilian infrastructure escalated, official said, the idea became a higher priority.

Ukraine's electricity provider said Thursday that the country's energy system had a "significant deficit of electricity," and that emergency shutdowns had been applied in some areas as temperatures hover around or below freezing.

The state-owned grid operator Ukrenergo warned in a statement on Facebook that damage caused to energy infrastructure by Russian attacks is being compounded by harsh weather, including snow, ice and strong winds.

Maximum temperatures in the capital were forecast to barely climb above freezing heading into the weekend, with even colder weather expected early next week.

The southern Ukrainian city of Kherson was left completely without power following Russian shelling on Thursday, according to Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian president's office, who wrote on Telegram. He added that two people were killed in the attacks.

Heavy shelling of the city's Korabelny district was still underway in the afternoon, and Russian shells hit 100 meters (yards) from the regional administration building, he said.

Amid the infrastructure attacks and power outages across the country, seven civilians were killed and 19 wounded on Wednesday and Thursday, according to a report issued by the Ukrainian president's office.

The head of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk province, Pavlo Kyrylenko, reported that Russian strikes the previous day had killed two civilians and wounded seven.

Kremlin-backed authorities in the region, which was illegally annexed by Moscow in September, announced that Russia had taken control of 80% of the city of Marinka, seen as critical to Ukrainian hopes of retaking the Russian-held regional capital, Donetsk.

The Moscow-installed mayor of Donetsk, Aleksei Kulemzin, said Thursday that the city center had been hit by "the most massive strike" since the area came under the control of Russian-backed separatists in 2014.

Writing on Telegram, Kulemzin said 40 Ukrainian rockets struck Donetsk on Thursday morning, noting that multistory residential buildings were hit and that fires broke out at a hospital and university campus.

— Russia continued to build up its military presence in Belarus, a senior Ukrainian military official said. According to Brig. Gen. Oleksiy Hromov, Russian units "are undergoing training and combat coordination" in Belarus, with the Kremlin using Belarusian officers and training grounds to improve the combat capability of existing units, as well as to train newly created units.

Speaking at a press briefing, Hromov said the probability of a Russian offensive from Belarus "remains low," but he highlighted that the transfer of Russian weapons to Belarus is ongoing, including three hypersonic missile-carrying aircraft, a set of tanks and a long-range radar-detection aircraft.

— Russia's Foreign Ministry says the Vatican has apologized for a statement Pope Francis made in a recent interview in which he singled out two Russian ethnic minorities — the Chechens and the Buryats — as being "the most cruel" participants in the war in Ukraine.

At a briefing on Thursday, Zakharova quoted from what she said was a message from the Vatican that "apologizes to the Russian side" for the pope's comments. Zakharova praised the message, saying that it showed the Vatican's "ability to conduct dialogue and listen to interlocutors." A Vatican spokesman would say only that there had been diplomatic contacts on the matter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin via AP" />
 <figcaption>Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin via AP</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMEY KEATEN Associated PressKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia's Foreign Ministry warned Thursday that if the United States confirms reports that it plans to deliver sophisticated air defense missiles to Ukraine, it would be "another provocative move by the U.S." that could prompt a response from Moscow.Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a weekly briefing that the U.S. had "effectively become a party" to the war in Ukraine, following reports that it will provide Kyiv with Patriot surface-to-air missiles, the most advanced the West has yet offered to help repel Russian aerial attacks.Growing amounts of U.S. military assistance, including the transfer of such sophisticated weapons, "would mean even broader involvement of military personnel in the hostilities and could entail possible consequences," Zakharova added.She did not specify what the consequences might be.U.S. officials said Tuesday that Washington was poised to approve sending a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine, finally agreeing to an urgent request from Ukrainian leaders desperate for more robust weapons to shoot down incoming Russian missiles that have crippled much of the country's vital infrastructure. An official announcement is expected soon.Operating and maintaining a Patriot battery requires as many as 90 troops, and for months the U.S. has been reluctant to provide the complex system because sending American forces into Ukraine to operate the systems is a nonstarter for the administration of President Joe Biden.Even without the presence of U.S. service members to train Ukrainians on use of the system, concerns remain that deployment of the missiles could provoke Russia or risk that a fired projectile could hit inside Russia and further escalate the conflict.Before reports emerged on the delivery of Patriot systems, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia's Security Council, which is chaired by President Vladimir Putin, warned that if Patriots enter Ukraine "along with NATO personnel, they will immediately become a legitimate target for our armed forces."Asked Wednesday whether the Kremlin backs that threat, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov answered yes, but added in a conference call with reporters that he would refrain from more detailed comment until the U.S. officially announces the Patriot delivery to Ukraine.Ukraine has so far been cautious in reacting to the reports. Hanna Maliar, Ukraine's deputy defense minister, told reporters Thursday in Kyiv that the delivery of such weaponry remains "sensitive not only for Ukraine, but for our partners," and that only President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov would make any official announcement on such an agreement.White House and Pentagon leaders have said consistently that providing Ukraine with additional air defenses is a priority, and Patriot missiles have been under consideration for some time. As the winter closed in and the Russian bombardment of civilian infrastructure escalated, official said, the idea became a higher priority.Ukraine's electricity provider said Thursday that the country's energy system had a "significant deficit of electricity," and that emergency shutdowns had been applied in some areas as temperatures hover around or below freezing.The state-owned grid operator Ukrenergo warned in a statement on Facebook that damage caused to energy infrastructure by Russian attacks is being compounded by harsh weather, including snow, ice and strong winds.Maximum temperatures in the capital were forecast to barely climb above freezing heading into the weekend, with even colder weather expected early next week.The southern Ukrainian city of Kherson was left completely without power following Russian shelling on Thursday, according to Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian president's office, who wrote on Telegram. He added that two people were killed in the attacks.Heavy shelling of the city's Korabelny district was still underway in the afternoon, and Russian shells hit 100 meters (yards) from the regional administration building, he said.Amid the infrastructure attacks and power outages across the country, seven civilians were killed and 19 wounded on Wednesday and Thursday, according to a report issued by the Ukrainian president's office.The head of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk province, Pavlo Kyrylenko, reported that Russian strikes the previous day had killed two civilians and wounded seven.Kremlin-backed authorities in the region, which was illegally annexed by Moscow in September, announced that Russia had taken control of 80% of the city of Marinka, seen as critical to Ukrainian hopes of retaking the Russian-held regional capital, Donetsk.The Moscow-installed mayor of Donetsk, Aleksei Kulemzin, said Thursday that the city center had been hit by "the most massive strike" since the area came under the control of Russian-backed separatists in 2014.Writing on Telegram, Kulemzin said 40 Ukrainian rockets struck Donetsk on Thursday morning, noting that multistory residential buildings were hit and that fires broke out at a hospital and university campus.In other developments Thursday:— Russia continued to build up its military presence in Belarus, a senior Ukrainian military official said. According to Brig. Gen. Oleksiy Hromov, Russian units "are undergoing training and combat coordination" in Belarus, with the Kremlin using Belarusian officers and training grounds to improve the combat capability of existing units, as well as to train newly created units.Speaking at a press briefing, Hromov said the probability of a Russian offensive from Belarus "remains low," but he highlighted that the transfer of Russian weapons to Belarus is ongoing, including three hypersonic missile-carrying aircraft, a set of tanks and a long-range radar-detection aircraft.— Russia's Foreign Ministry says the Vatican has apologized for a statement Pope Francis made in a recent interview in which he singled out two Russian ethnic minorities — the Chechens and the Buryats — as being "the most cruel" participants in the war in Ukraine.At a briefing on Thursday, Zakharova quoted from what she said was a message from the Vatican that "apologizes to the Russian side" for the pope's comments. Zakharova praised the message, saying that it showed the Vatican's "ability to conduct dialogue and listen to interlocutors." A Vatican spokesman would say only that there had been diplomatic contacts on the matter.___

Russia warns of 'consequences' if US defense missiles go to Ukraine

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-15/not-just-any-oil-spill-the-keystone-pipeline-dumped-notoriously-hard-to-clean-dilbit-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

Each day that passes, the hundreds of thousands of gallons of sludgy 
oil coating Mill Creek in north-central Kansas become harder to clean 
up.

That’s because the pipeline that busted just outside the town of Washington on Dec. 7 doesn’t carry conventional crude
 oil. It carries a product of the Canadian tar sands called diluted 
bitumen that changes dramatically in chemical composition and behavior 
soon after escaping from pipes.

A <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/21834/chapter/1" target="_blank">National Academies of Sciences</a> study found that transformation means the crude oil can start sinking below the water’s surface in a matter of days.

The Kansas spill occurred <a href="https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2022-12/TC%20Oil%20CAO.3-2022-074.pdf" target="_blank">eight days ago</a> and is now the second-largest spill of tar sands crude on U.S. soil.

The
 Environmental Protection Agency acknowledged Thursday morning that the 
crude was diluted bitumen, also known as dilbit. But the agency wouldn’t
 respond to questions about the implications of that fact for cleaning 
and containing the notoriously elusive crude oil.

And it wouldn’t 
disclose what methods were being used to verify the material is truly 
contained, even as Mill Creek continues to flow downstream.

TC Energy won’t answer those questions either.

The same 2016 National Academies of Science study of diluted bitumen —
 a deep dive ordered by Congress in the wake of the nation’s largest 
inland spill of the stuff in Michigan in 2010 — found that bitumen’s 
peanut butter-like consistency poses special risks to the environment.

“When
 a significant fraction of the spilled crude oil” sinks below the 
water’s surface, the scientists concluded, “the response becomes more 
complex because there are few proven techniques in the responder ‘tool 
box’ for detection, containment, and recovery.”

Once it escapes its pipe, diluted bitumen also becomes far stickier than other types of crude oil.

In
 Michigan, the gunk proved so gluey that it was easier to haul rocks 
away that had been coated with it along the Kalamazoo River than to 
scrub the bitumen off of them, said Steve Hamilton, a biologist who 
advised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the cleanup.

“It’s
 almost impossible to clean from surfaces,” said Hamilton, a professor 
at Michigan State University and member of the National Academies of 
Sciences committee that wrote the 2016 report on diluted bitumen. “We 
tried hot water sprays and detergent and so on. … It’s extremely sticky 
once it has been exposed to air for a while.”

Of the estimated 
14,000 barrels that spilled — nearly 600,000 gallons — out of the 
three-foot-wide Keystone pipeline, most has not yet been recovered.

In
 the 2016 report, scientists concluded that once the bitumen starts 
sinking, detecting it and retrieving it becomes very difficult. So does 
containing it.

“It ultimately took four years to clean up the 
Kalamazoo River spill,” Hamilton said Wednesday, “And you could argue 
that three and three-quarters of those years were all about (removing) 
submerged oil.”

One silver lining: The 2016 report suggests that 
although bitumen spills may harm water quality more than conventional 
crude oil spills, as the substance weathers, it may pose less risk of 
contaminating groundwater (as opposed to surface water such as creeks) and drinking water.

On
 Tuesday, the Kansas News Service asked TC Energy which specific 
detection techniques the company is using to verify whether the crude 
oil spilled in Kansas has been entirely contained within a four-mile 
stretch of Mill Creek.

The News Service also asked which specific 
cleanup techniques are being used to address the concerns of scientists 
that traditional crude oil cleanup approaches have limited success on 
diluted bitumen spills.

“We
 have the people, expertise, training and equipment to mount an 
effective response and clean-up, and that’s what we’re doing,” the 
company said in an email.

It repeated previous public statements 
that it has deployed booms at the site and said it sees “no indication” 
that the oil is passing its barriers.

“Our approach in any 
incident is to respond and clean up the site as quickly as possible,” it
 said, “reducing the opportunity for any type of crude oil, including 
diluted bitumen, to have a lasting impact on the environment.”

It also noted that its containment efforts were monitored by the EPA.

The
 EPA says the spill has been contained to the 4 miles of creek that lie 
downstream from the pipeline break, and that the spill didn’t affect 
drinking water supplies, including wells.

The agency has coordinators at the site to oversee the cleanup.

Two
 underflow dams have been built, but they allow the stream to keep 
flowing under the water’s surface, where dilbit could already be 
present.

In 2007, the U.S. Department of Transportation decided it
 would allow the stretch of Keystone pipeline that runs from Nebraska 
through Kansas to Oklahoma to eventually operate at a higher pressure 
than is otherwise allowed because it would be made of stronger steel. It
 <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-588.pdf" target="_blank">gave the final go-ahead</a> a decade later.

On
 Thursday, the EPA said workers had pulled about 5,600 barrels of fluid 
from Mill Creek, though that fluid is a combination of oil and water. It
 says 5,000 cubic yards of oil-contaminated soil have been removed, and 
nine cubic yards of oily solids.

Tar sands oil, or bitumen, is far
 too thick to travel through pipelines. So companies in Canada force it 
into a more moveable state by mixing it with lighter volatile compounds.

But
 if a pipe breaks and the oil escapes, the diluted bitumen soon reverts 
to its original, sludgier consistency. The additives largely evaporate, 
leaving the ultra sticky, thick bitumen residue.

Bitumen doesn’t 
float on water, the way crude oil does. And that leaves a short time to 
capture diluted bitumen from the surface of rivers, creeks and lakes 
before the sludge disappears from view.

“This situation is highly 
problematic for spill response,” the National Academies report 
concluded, because “there are few effective techniques for detection, 
containment, and recovery of oil” once it has begun sinking.

And 
once it reaches the bottom of the water body, finding and cleaning it 
remains complicated. Retrieving generally involves dredging.

“Given
 these greater levels of concern,” the report concluded, “spills of 
diluted bitumen should elicit unique, immediate actions.”

The 
scientists expressed concern that federal policies that govern spill 
planning and response fell short of properly considering the special 
conundrums posed by diluted bitumen.

“Broadly, regulations and 
agency practices do not take the unique properties of diluted bitumen 
into account, nor do they encourage effective planning for spills of 
diluted bitumen,” the report said.

Most methods for trying to detect sunken bitumen don’t seem to work well, the report said.

The
 cause of the pipeline break in Kansas remains unknown, and a 
third-party analysis of the matter could take up to three months, 
according to the <a href="https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Transportation administration</a> that regulates oil pipelines.

The
 Michigan spill involved upward of 840,000 gallons (20,000 barrels) of 
oil. That contaminated more than 30 miles of the Kalamazoo River, plus 
nearby woodlands and wetlands. The sheer scale of the disaster was 
exacerbated by heavy rains.

It took four years and <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/2016/07/kalamazoo_river_oil_spill_time.html#:~:text=Enbridge%20completes%20its%20cleanup%20and,on%20the%20total%20cleanup%20effort." target="_blank">more than $1.2 billion</a>
 to retrieve as much of the oil as was deemed feasible. Some amount was 
left because getting at the sludge is itself so damaging to the affected
 ecosystems.

Thousands of animals coated in oil were caught, treated and released.

In Kansas, TC Energy has said one beaver has been caught and is being treated.

The
 EPA added Thursday morning that four dead mammals and 71 dead fish have
 been found. It says biologists from the Kansas Department of Wildlife 
and Parks are assessing injured and dead animals.

TC Energy has put its initial estimate of the Kansas spill at about 588,000 gallons.

The
 region saw some rain this week, but TC Energy says it built a second 
earthen underflow dam in recent days to brace the initial containment 
dam for the anticipated rain, and that containment remains successful.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671117354594.png" alt="A dark streak of spilled oil in Washington County, Kansas, near the Nebraska border where the Keystone pipeline ruptured last week. Tyler Kersting / Nebraska Public Media" />
 <figcaption>A dark streak of spilled oil in Washington County, Kansas, near the Nebraska border where the Keystone pipeline ruptured last week. Tyler Kersting / Nebraska Public Media</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-15/not-just-any-oil-spill-the-keystone-pipeline-dumped-notoriously-hard-to-clean-dilbit-in-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>Each day that passes, the hundreds of thousands of gallons of sludgy 
oil coating Mill Creek in north-central Kansas become harder to clean 
up.That’s because the pipeline that busted just outside the town of Washington on Dec. 7 doesn’t carry conventional crude
 oil. It carries a product of the Canadian tar sands called diluted 
bitumen that changes dramatically in chemical composition and behavior 
soon after escaping from pipes.A <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/21834/chapter/1" target="_blank">National Academies of Sciences</a> study found that transformation means the crude oil can start sinking below the water’s surface in a matter of days.The Kansas spill occurred <a href="https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2022-12/TC%20Oil%20CAO.3-2022-074.pdf" target="_blank">eight days ago</a> and is now the second-largest spill of tar sands crude on U.S. soil.The
 Environmental Protection Agency acknowledged Thursday morning that the 
crude was diluted bitumen, also known as dilbit. But the agency wouldn’t
 respond to questions about the implications of that fact for cleaning 
and containing the notoriously elusive crude oil.And it wouldn’t 
disclose what methods were being used to verify the material is truly 
contained, even as Mill Creek continues to flow downstream.TC Energy won’t answer those questions either.The same 2016 National Academies of Science study of diluted bitumen —
 a deep dive ordered by Congress in the wake of the nation’s largest 
inland spill of the stuff in Michigan in 2010 — found that bitumen’s 
peanut butter-like consistency poses special risks to the environment.“When
 a significant fraction of the spilled crude oil” sinks below the 
water’s surface, the scientists concluded, “the response becomes more 
complex because there are few proven techniques in the responder ‘tool 
box’ for detection, containment, and recovery.”Once it escapes its pipe, diluted bitumen also becomes far stickier than other types of crude oil.In
 Michigan, the gunk proved so gluey that it was easier to haul rocks 
away that had been coated with it along the Kalamazoo River than to 
scrub the bitumen off of them, said Steve Hamilton, a biologist who 
advised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the cleanup.“It’s
 almost impossible to clean from surfaces,” said Hamilton, a professor 
at Michigan State University and member of the National Academies of 
Sciences committee that wrote the 2016 report on diluted bitumen. “We 
tried hot water sprays and detergent and so on. … It’s extremely sticky 
once it has been exposed to air for a while.”Of the estimated 
14,000 barrels that spilled — nearly 600,000 gallons — out of the 
three-foot-wide Keystone pipeline, most has not yet been recovered.In
 the 2016 report, scientists concluded that once the bitumen starts 
sinking, detecting it and retrieving it becomes very difficult. So does 
containing it.“It ultimately took four years to clean up the 
Kalamazoo River spill,” Hamilton said Wednesday, “And you could argue 
that three and three-quarters of those years were all about (removing) 
submerged oil.”One silver lining: The 2016 report suggests that 
although bitumen spills may harm water quality more than conventional 
crude oil spills, as the substance weathers, it may pose less risk of 
contaminating groundwater (as opposed to surface water such as creeks) and drinking water.On
 Tuesday, the Kansas News Service asked TC Energy which specific 
detection techniques the company is using to verify whether the crude 
oil spilled in Kansas has been entirely contained within a four-mile 
stretch of Mill Creek.The News Service also asked which specific 
cleanup techniques are being used to address the concerns of scientists 
that traditional crude oil cleanup approaches have limited success on 
diluted bitumen spills.TC Energy wouldn’t offer specifics.“We
 have the people, expertise, training and equipment to mount an 
effective response and clean-up, and that’s what we’re doing,” the 
company said in an email.It repeated previous public statements 
that it has deployed booms at the site and said it sees “no indication” 
that the oil is passing its barriers.“Our approach in any 
incident is to respond and clean up the site as quickly as possible,” it
 said, “reducing the opportunity for any type of crude oil, including 
diluted bitumen, to have a lasting impact on the environment.”It also noted that its containment efforts were monitored by the EPA.The
 EPA says the spill has been contained to the 4 miles of creek that lie 
downstream from the pipeline break, and that the spill didn’t affect 
drinking water supplies, including wells.The agency has coordinators at the site to oversee the cleanup.Two
 underflow dams have been built, but they allow the stream to keep 
flowing under the water’s surface, where dilbit could already be 
present.In 2007, the U.S. Department of Transportation decided it
 would allow the stretch of Keystone pipeline that runs from Nebraska 
through Kansas to Oklahoma to eventually operate at a higher pressure 
than is otherwise allowed because it would be made of stronger steel. It
 <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-588.pdf" target="_blank">gave the final go-ahead</a> a decade later.On
 Thursday, the EPA said workers had pulled about 5,600 barrels of fluid 
from Mill Creek, though that fluid is a combination of oil and water. It
 says 5,000 cubic yards of oil-contaminated soil have been removed, and 
nine cubic yards of oily solids.Tar sands oil, or bitumen, is far
 too thick to travel through pipelines. So companies in Canada force it 
into a more moveable state by mixing it with lighter volatile compounds.But
 if a pipe breaks and the oil escapes, the diluted bitumen soon reverts 
to its original, sludgier consistency. The additives largely evaporate, 
leaving the ultra sticky, thick bitumen residue.Bitumen doesn’t 
float on water, the way crude oil does. And that leaves a short time to 
capture diluted bitumen from the surface of rivers, creeks and lakes 
before the sludge disappears from view.“This situation is highly 
problematic for spill response,” the National Academies report 
concluded, because “there are few effective techniques for detection, 
containment, and recovery of oil” once it has begun sinking.And 
once it reaches the bottom of the water body, finding and cleaning it 
remains complicated. Retrieving generally involves dredging.“Given
 these greater levels of concern,” the report concluded, “spills of 
diluted bitumen should elicit unique, immediate actions.”The 
scientists expressed concern that federal policies that govern spill 
planning and response fell short of properly considering the special 
conundrums posed by diluted bitumen.“Broadly, regulations and 
agency practices do not take the unique properties of diluted bitumen 
into account, nor do they encourage effective planning for spills of 
diluted bitumen,” the report said.Most methods for trying to detect sunken bitumen don’t seem to work well, the report said.The
 cause of the pipeline break in Kansas remains unknown, and a 
third-party analysis of the matter could take up to three months, 
according to the <a href="https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Transportation administration</a> that regulates oil pipelines.The
 Michigan spill involved upward of 840,000 gallons (20,000 barrels) of 
oil. That contaminated more than 30 miles of the Kalamazoo River, plus 
nearby woodlands and wetlands. The sheer scale of the disaster was 
exacerbated by heavy rains.It took four years and <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/2016/07/kalamazoo_river_oil_spill_time.html#:~:text=Enbridge%20completes%20its%20cleanup%20and,on%20the%20total%20cleanup%20effort." target="_blank">more than $1.2 billion</a>
 to retrieve as much of the oil as was deemed feasible. Some amount was 
left because getting at the sludge is itself so damaging to the affected
 ecosystems.Thousands of animals coated in oil were caught, treated and released.In Kansas, TC Energy has said one beaver has been caught and is being treated.The
 EPA added Thursday morning that four dead mammals and 71 dead fish have
 been found. It says biologists from the Kansas Department of Wildlife 
and Parks are assessing injured and dead animals.TC Energy has put its initial estimate of the Kansas spill at about 588,000 gallons.The
 region saw some rain this week, but TC Energy says it built a second 
earthen underflow dam in recent days to brace the initial containment 
dam for the anticipated rain, and that containment remains successful.

Notoriously hard-to-clean 'dilbit' dumped in Kansas oil spill

Governor Pete Ricketts, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Director John Selmer, and other state and local partners gathered to celebrate the opening of the Lincoln South Beltway.

Through the collaborative efforts of NDOT and its partners, work is complete on the mainline of the Lincoln South Beltway.&nbsp; As of today, the Beltway is open to traffic.&nbsp; The $352 million, 11-mile project connects U.S. Highway 77 (US-77) and existing Nebraska Highway 2 (N-2).&nbsp; This east-west, four-lane freeway will reduce congestion on N-2 through Lincoln and improve regional mobility.

“Completing the Lincoln South Beltway has been a priority of my administration as we work to Grow Nebraska,” said Governor Ricketts.&nbsp; “Whether driving their kids to school, getting to work, or delivering essential goods, all Nebraskans in this region will benefit from this 21st&nbsp;century infrastructure.&nbsp; Thank you to Director Selmer and our NDOT teammates, our federal and local partners, and Chris Hawkins and his team at Hawkins Construction for their hard work on the largest NDOT project in state history since construction of the interstate.”&nbsp;

NDOT has been working towards delivery of the Lincoln South Beltway since initial discussions began in the 1960s.&nbsp; It is the largest, and one of the most complex, projects NDOT has undertaken in state history.

Completion of the Lincoln South Beltway was accelerated by historic legislation to fund key infrastructure projects in the state:

Together, these bills provided the resources needed to accelerate the completion of the Lincoln South Beltway and other infrastructure projects throughout the state.

Additional funding sources came in March of 2018, when NDOT was awarded a $25 million TIGER Grant for the project.&nbsp; In February 2019, NDOT announced it would use an innovative financing approach to accelerate construction of the project to allow it to be built over three years but paid for over the same eight-year time frame originally laid out in the phased approach.

“The teams who got us here today come from all over our agency, our friends at Benesch, and many more people who played key roles in getting this work accomplished,” said NDOT Director John Selmer. “As with any large project, it takes hours of work and sustained partnerships to get across the finish line. We have so many to thank, including Governor Ricketts, our Federal Highway Administration partners, State legislators, Senator Fischer, the City of Lincoln, and Lancaster County.”

In December of 2019, NDOT announced the selection of Hawkins Construction Company to build the Lincoln South Beltway.&nbsp; In March of 2020, construction began. &nbsp;By May 2020, major construction commenced ahead of schedule.&nbsp; As a result, the Beltway’s mainline is now open to the public years ahead of schedule.

"It has been an honor to work on the largest project ever for the State of Nebraska,” said Chris Hawkins, Chief Operating Officer of Hawkins Construction Company. “The hard work and dedication that has happened over the last 33 months cannot be understated, and the work should be commended.&nbsp; We are grateful to be partners on this historic project."

Interchanges are open at Saltillo, 68th&nbsp;Street and 120th&nbsp;Street. NDOT has worked to provide updates to major mapping applications to ensure smooth navigation on the new alignment. Please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://dot.nebraska.gov/Lincoln-south-beltway" target="_blank">dot.nebraska.gov/Lincoln-south-beltway</a>&nbsp;to learn more.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671114115023.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Governor RickettsGovernor Pete Ricketts, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Director John Selmer, and other state and local partners gathered to celebrate the opening of the Lincoln South Beltway.Through the collaborative efforts of NDOT and its partners, work is complete on the mainline of the Lincoln South Beltway.&nbsp; As of today, the Beltway is open to traffic.&nbsp; The $352 million, 11-mile project connects U.S. Highway 77 (US-77) and existing Nebraska Highway 2 (N-2).&nbsp; This east-west, four-lane freeway will reduce congestion on N-2 through Lincoln and improve regional mobility.“Completing the Lincoln South Beltway has been a priority of my administration as we work to Grow Nebraska,” said Governor Ricketts.&nbsp; “Whether driving their kids to school, getting to work, or delivering essential goods, all Nebraskans in this region will benefit from this 21st&nbsp;century infrastructure.&nbsp; Thank you to Director Selmer and our NDOT teammates, our federal and local partners, and Chris Hawkins and his team at Hawkins Construction for their hard work on the largest NDOT project in state history since construction of the interstate.”&nbsp;NDOT has been working towards delivery of the Lincoln South Beltway since initial discussions began in the 1960s.&nbsp; It is the largest, and one of the most complex, projects NDOT has undertaken in state history.Completion of the Lincoln South Beltway was accelerated by historic legislation to fund key infrastructure projects in the state:<ul>
 <li>Following the 2011 passage of the Build Nebraska Act (introduced by then- State Senator Deb Fischer), NDOT was able to partner with the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County, and the U.S. Department of Transportation to secure funding and finalize the project.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>In 2016, Gov. Ricketts signed into law LB 960, the Transportation Innovation Act, or TIA (introduced at the request of the Governor by former Transportation &amp; Telecommunications Committee Chair Jim Smith and prioritized by former Senator Lydia Brasch).&nbsp; The TIA targeted $450 million towards accelerated expressway construction and investments in infrastructure projects to help Grow Nebraska.&nbsp; This legislation was one of the Governor’s top priorities for the 2016 legislative session and was passed with overwhelming support from the Legislature.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>The 2019 passage of Senator Hilgers’ LB 616&nbsp; (prioritized by Senator Geist) authorized the state to structure certain highway construction projects as “build-finance” projects to speed up construction on key projects like the Lincoln South Beltway.</li>
 </ul>Together, these bills provided the resources needed to accelerate the completion of the Lincoln South Beltway and other infrastructure projects throughout the state.Additional funding sources came in March of 2018, when NDOT was awarded a $25 million TIGER Grant for the project.&nbsp; In February 2019, NDOT announced it would use an innovative financing approach to accelerate construction of the project to allow it to be built over three years but paid for over the same eight-year time frame originally laid out in the phased approach.“The teams who got us here today come from all over our agency, our friends at Benesch, and many more people who played key roles in getting this work accomplished,” said NDOT Director John Selmer. “As with any large project, it takes hours of work and sustained partnerships to get across the finish line. We have so many to thank, including Governor Ricketts, our Federal Highway Administration partners, State legislators, Senator Fischer, the City of Lincoln, and Lancaster County.”In December of 2019, NDOT announced the selection of Hawkins Construction Company to build the Lincoln South Beltway.&nbsp; In March of 2020, construction began. &nbsp;By May 2020, major construction commenced ahead of schedule.&nbsp; As a result, the Beltway’s mainline is now open to the public years ahead of schedule."It has been an honor to work on the largest project ever for the State of Nebraska,” said Chris Hawkins, Chief Operating Officer of Hawkins Construction Company. “The hard work and dedication that has happened over the last 33 months cannot be understated, and the work should be commended.&nbsp; We are grateful to be partners on this historic project."Interchanges are open at Saltillo, 68th&nbsp;Street and 120th&nbsp;Street. NDOT has worked to provide updates to major mapping applications to ensure smooth navigation on the new alignment. Please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://dot.nebraska.gov/Lincoln-south-beltway" target="_blank">dot.nebraska.gov/Lincoln-south-beltway</a>&nbsp;to learn more.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Full video of today’s event can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffb.watch%2Fhq0XEEsWcn%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C8915b2893496475a77c308dade217b75%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638066532640885621%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=G2SYWkCSOW%2FID%2BMNoSEY9t3H0iCeS0uq5jGswt8Xr48%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here.</a>