Video & Transcript Research : 'declared disaster'
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NM
Transcript Highlights:
- balances, directing the expenditure of certain reversions for priority projects, making appropriations, declaring
- consumption and related health costs while generating additional state revenue for existing programs. disaster
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Education Pre-K - 12 Mar 17th, 2025
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine bipartisan legislative frameworks for digital assets. Feb 26th, 2025 at 01:30 pm
Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Digital Assets
Transcript Highlights:
- You know, it was in 2014 that the CFTC, under my leadership, declared Bitcoin a commodity.
- Then if you look at social media, my God, social media is a total and complete disaster in a lot of ways
Keywords:
Digital Assets, Bitcoin, Stablecoins, Legislation, Bipartisan, Consumer Protection, Regulatory Framework, Financial Innovation, Testimony
Summary:
The inaugural meeting of the Digital Assets Subcommittee brought a wave of excitement and anticipation regarding the future of digital assets, including Bitcoin and stablecoins. Chair Lummis expressed gratitude towards Senator Scott for establishing the subcommittee, indicating a commitment to promote responsible innovation while safeguarding consumers. Members discussed the necessity for a bipartisan legislative framework to regulate digital asset markets effectively while outlining the potential benefits such legislation could have on enhancing financial inclusion and streamlining payments. The meeting featured expert testimonies from key figures in the digital asset industry, highlighting the importance of creating clear regulatory guidance for digital assets to foster innovation without compromising consumer protections.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Combatting Antisemitism Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- current path of the Israeli government will not bring home the hostages or address the humanitarian disaster
- They declared that reports of rape by Hamas and Islamic Jihad were Zionist propaganda.
- have their own country, to have a Jewish nation, which happens to have as part of its founding declaration
- the definition said, including not just the IHRA definition, but other definitions: the Jerusalem Declaration
- the definition said, including not just the IRA definition, but other definitions, the Jerusalem Declaration
Summary:
The meeting opened with approval of the July 9, 2025 minutes and a roll call confirming quorum. DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez gave his first official testimony, affirming the department’s commitment to preventing antisemitism and societal bias in schools, saying DESE supports the commission’s recommendations and will add staff resources to help develop and disseminate guidance and instructional materials. He said DESE’s rubric and guidance for identifying effective curricula and resources should be finalized in late fall, and commissioners welcomed the partnership and asked about the ongoing Section 98A work.
The commission then heard from Professor Eitan Hirsch of Tufts, who presented research on antisemitism and campus climate. He described survey findings showing sharply different Jewish and non-Jewish views on Israel, increasing social pressure on Jewish students, and a growing tendency for Jewish students to hide their identity or feel penalized for participating in Jewish life. He argued that colleges need to do more to teach students how to handle dissent and build cultures of viewpoint diversity, and commissioners asked about best practices, regional differences, and the role of campus climate surveys.
Rabbi Fine of UMass Amherst Hillel and student Sky Landau testified about antisemitism at UMass, especially since October 7. Fine described both a thriving Jewish student community and serious incidents including harassment, vandalism, classroom issues, protests, and students hiding Jewish identity; he said the university is working with Hillel and DEI leadership on goals and strategy for Jewish inclusion, and he urged more training and structured dialogue. Landau described antisemitic incidents she experienced or witnessed, including hostile BDS meetings, exclusion of Zionist students, Holocaust denial, threats, and social ostracism, and said Hillel was the only consistently safe space for her. Commissioners discussed reporting pathways, affinity groups, mental health supports, and ways to distinguish criticism of Israel from antisemitism.
Later, the commission moved to its recommendations and made several edits before voting, including deleting offensive wording in a footnote, adding a citation to recent FBI hate crime data, and restoring language tied to an existing DESE regulation, 603 CMR 26.05, on classroom neutrality and fact-based instruction. Commissioners also reiterated that criticism of Israel’s government is not inherently antisemitic. The meeting included a brief interruption by a protester, after which the commission recessed and then resumed its work on the draft recommendations.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Travis Letter, all of those wonderful... that make
- For the archives, so where is the Travis letter, the declaration?
- It has the Declaration of Independence and Constitution in those sealed glass, you know.
- But do we have the Travis letter and the Declaration of Independence for Texas in the same type of protective
- So if some big natural disaster... happens, we do try to get in there and make a note of it, make that
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am
Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- So I guess I would quibble or draw a distinction between your declared statement that this whole industry
- So I guess I would quibble or draw a distinction between your declared statement that this whole industry
- Many of us here have been testifying for nearly a decade, trying to prevent the same public health disaster
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held a hearing on a broad set of cannabis and hemp bills, with the chairs opening by emphasizing unfinished work on equity, public health, safety, and market stability. The committee heard testimony on House Bill 146, which would create more efficient cannabis testing standards by increasing batch sizes, reducing or eliminating some environmental testing, standardizing lab reporting, and requiring annual scientific review and public data reporting. Industry witnesses, including a representative of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition, cultivators, and a testing lab owner, said current testing rules are overly burdensome, costly, and inconsistent, and argued the bill would lower compliance costs while preserving consumer safety. A testing lab witness also said some operators switch labs to obtain higher THC results or pass contaminated batches, and urged greater transparency and better sampling protocols.
A major portion of the hearing focused on intoxicating hemp and related bills that would bring hemp-derived intoxicating products under a stronger regulatory framework. Legislators and industry witnesses described products sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores as often untested, not age-gated, and sometimes mislabeled or far above the federal hemp THC threshold. Testimony from attorneys and cannabis business leaders said states can regulate these products more strictly under the Farm Bill’s non-preemption language, and pointed to New Jersey and other states as possible models. Some witnesses and committee members stressed that any new rules should avoid harming non-intoxicating CBD businesses or lawful hemp farmers, while others argued that the products are effectively cannabis and should be regulated like cannabis for licensing, testing, age limits, and taxation.
The committee also heard extensive public-health testimony in support of bills S. 95, S. 96, S. 97 and their House counterparts H. 191, H. 192, and H. 193. Parents, advocates, and public health professionals urged stronger warning labels, THC potency caps, and improved data collection on cannabis-related harms, citing cannabis-induced psychosis, addiction, anxiety, and youth exposure to high-potency products. Several witnesses said Massachusetts has not done enough to track health outcomes or warn consumers, and referenced other jurisdictions such as Connecticut, Vermont, Colorado, Canada, and Quebec as examples of stronger limits or warnings. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Committee Sep 11th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- additionally clarifies that wildfire settlements qualifying for relief must be related to federally declared
- or state-declared disasters.
Summary:
The Assembly Budget Committee held an informational hearing on the September budget package, which included SB 105 and a series of trailer bills covering health, human services, education, resources, child care, transportation, labor, public safety, housing, revenue, background checks, collective bargaining, and a special election. The Department of Finance described the package as largely technical and clarifying, but also responsive to state and federal changes, especially H.R. 1. Key items included roughly $3.3 billion in Proposition 4 climate and environmental spending, $540 million in discretionary greenhouse gas reduction funds, and major responses to H.R. 1 such as CalFresh error-rate mitigation, food bank support, and Medicaid-related changes. Other notable provisions included vaccine policy flexibility, an Abortion Access Fund, a gender-affirming care program, community college basic-needs and aid changes, CEQA and coastal permit exemptions tied to the 2028 Olympics, invasive mussel prevention funding, a civic media program, labor and pension-related provisions, and special election administration changes.
Members raised questions and concerns about several parts of the package. There was support for climate, water, transit, offshore wind, food security, and health investments, but also significant criticism of the lack of cleanup language for SB 131 and its advanced manufacturing exemptions, with multiple members saying promised fixes had not materialized and expressing concerns about tribal consultation, labor standards, and environmental protections. Members also questioned the scale and timing of some Proposition 4 allocations, including fairground upgrades, regional conveyance, and a UC Davis alternative protein research center. The Department of Finance said some programs would roll out over time and that certain funding levels reflected current implementation capacity.
The hearing also featured discussion of Bay Area transit financing, with Finance saying SB 105 directs the department and CalSTA to examine loan or other financing options rather than immediately providing loans. Members and public commenters also discussed the state’s response to H.R. 1, with advocates supporting food bank, health care, and immunization provisions while warning of ongoing harm to immigrants, foster youth, and other vulnerable groups. Public testimony broadly supported the health, food, water, offshore wind, and golden mussel provisions, while many speakers echoed legislative concerns about SB 131 and urged cleanup action in the next session. No votes were taken because the hearing was informational only, though the chair noted votes on the bills were expected later that night or the next morning.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Economic and Rural Development Aug 11th, 2025
Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- And even the governor's response in declaring a crisis, a water drought crisis for our state, how you
- And even the governor's response in declaring a crisis, a water drought crisis for our state, how you
- Being aware of what happened in Las Lunas could help you avoid such disasters in the future.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- only plans for the facility right now were to stockpile preparedness program supplies for natural disasters
- Throughout the years during disasters, federal surplus property personnel have helped us with storing
- disaster-related items there at that warehouse.
- So we could also possibly use the warehouse for a joint field office when we do have a federal disaster
- declaration, and we're bringing in additional federal resources.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Friday, September 19, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Your word declares there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been
- his tireless medical missions, disaster his tireless medical missions, disaster relief<00:19:31.760
- up from disasters, vital to making<00:52:56.960>
sure <00:52:57.119>that <00:52:57.440> - will make sure that these disaster will make sure that these disaster relief<00:53:58.800>
efforts - <03:02:33.680>
will is my prediction that this disaster will is my prediction that this disaster
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Science, Technology and Energy (01/14/2026)
Science, Technology and Energy
Transcript Highlights:
- Um so the report was just a disaster.
- It declares the policy position of the House and directs the Department of Environmental Services to
- It declares<04:22:51.680>
the <04:22:51.840>policy <04:22:52.319>position <04:22: - 52.800>
of <04:22:53.040>the declares the policy position of the declares the policy position - HB 1128 corrects that by restricting such activity to catastrophic drought conditions declared by the
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on the Judiciary Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on the Judiciary
Transcript Highlights:
- By declaring opposition to Israel to be anti-Semitic, this definition is associating the Jewish people
- I am here to declare strong personal opposition to H. 1763, and I ask legislators to reject H. 1763 as
- Critical perspectives such as the Jerusalem Declaration of Anti-Semitism explicitly distinguish between
- But if a definition is needed, I propose that you consider the Jerusalem Declaration on anti-Semitism
- I also am one of the drafters of the Jerusalem Declaration of Anti-Semitism.
Summary:
The committee opened with procedural guidance for a very large hearing, explaining testimony limits, written testimony procedures, and rules for maintaining order. Members then heard testimony on a wide range of bills, including proposals to define antisemitism using the IHRA definition, regulate facial recognition technology, restrict weaponized robotics and drone use, expand protections for journalists’ confidential sources, address access to decedents’ email accounts, and create or adjust rules around municipal enforcement and animal cruelty fines. Several sponsors and advocates asked for favorable reports, and committee members asked clarifying questions on implementation, costs, and how the bills would interact with existing law.
On facial recognition, sponsors and advocates described the technology as a threat to privacy, due process, and civil liberties, and urged adoption of the Special Commission’s recommendations, including warrant requirements, notice to defendants, and limits on untargeted surveillance. Support came from legislators, the ACLU, CDT, EFF, and a UMass professor, while committee members asked about current state law and municipal bans. On robotics, Senator Moore and industry witnesses from MassRobotics, Boston Dynamics, and AUVSI supported a bill prohibiting weaponized robots and requiring warrants for certain law enforcement uses, describing it as a public-safety and trust-building measure. On the shield law bill, newspaper publishers, journalists, NEFAC, and the Reporters Committee argued Massachusetts needs statutory protection for confidential sources, citing costly subpoenas and chilling effects on reporting.
The committee also heard testimony on a bill to expand the right of publicity to cover image and voice, with SAG-AFTRA members supporting protections against AI-driven exploitation and some discussion about viral content and consent. Another bill would allow limited access to a decedent’s email accounts, with one witness describing a family’s inability to use a deceased relative’s email to notify friends. The committee then took testimony on psilocybin-related bills: supporters described medical and personal benefits and argued for narrow decriminalization or study, while an opponent warned of public-health risks, impaired driving, and youth exposure; the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society supported limited, safety-based decriminalization. Finally, the committee heard strong support for a “safe reporting” bill for sex workers and trafficking survivors, with advocates saying immunity would encourage victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear of arrest, and members raised questions about how the immunity would work in practice.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate - 04/02/25
Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate
Transcript Highlights:
- Despite this, SF 2710 would have us declare that suddenly carbon free does include a method that by its
- If we continue to not clean this stuff up and have huge forest fires, that's the environmental disaster
- seen out in California where the environmentalists have sued themselves into a disaster.
- fires, that's the environmental disaster fires, that's the environmental disaster which<00:37:47.920
- have sued themselves into a disaster. have sued themselves into a disaster.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine the nomination of Elbridge Colby, of the District of Columbia, to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Mar 4th, 2025 at 08:30 am
Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel
Transcript Highlights:
- Losing Taiwan, Taiwan's fall would be a disaster for American interests.
- He declared in a national security presidential memorandum last month that a nuclear Iran quote, poses
- Holy cow, that was a disaster, and guess what happened? And I predicted this.
Keywords:
defense, geopolitical tensions, military readiness, China, Russia, U.S. military, Indo-Pacific, alliance, procurement
Summary:
The meeting focused on critical defense and security matters, particularly concerning the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving China and Russia. There were discussions surrounding U.S. military readiness, with significant emphasis on the potential threats posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region. Members expressed concerns about America's military capabilities in relation to the growing Chinese fleet and the importance of maintaining strong alliances with nations like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Additionally, the notion of prioritizing the defense industrial base was highlighted, emphasizing the need for effective procurement and modernization efforts to counter adversarial threats. Furthermore, notable commentary included a reference to President Zelensky's remarks regarding peace negotiations with Ukraine, expressing a willingness for further cooperation with the U.S.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- California has the Trump administration denied disaster assistance to victims of California devastating
- So when you cast your vote on these amendments, you will declare to the California people that you do
- The governor has not declared a state of emergency, just feeling like we should sound the alarms is not
- has been declared. How will counties be reimbursed for these costs?
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
FL House Floor Session - 2025-04-23 (10:00AM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Statute 870.044, which automatically prohibits the purchase and sale of ammunition and firearms during declared
- They have to declare my property to be an ag enclave. It would then go to the county commission.
- It must be declared an enclave before January 1st of 2026, actually, no, 2025, so this January.
- He co-authored critical reports on everything from foreign threats to environmental disasters, like the
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and moments of silence, including tributes related to the FSU campus shooting, Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, John Thrasher, the Florida Wildlife Corridor, and visiting student and community groups. The chamber then moved into special order bills and adopted a resolution honoring Coach Abdur-Rahim. A number of measures were taken up and passed, including child care and early learning provider regulation updates, false reporting/swatting penalties, health care billing and collection protections, hazardous walking conditions for schoolchildren, young adult housing support for foster and homeless students, the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, trust fund interest rules for IOTA accounts, transportation-related changes, public records exemptions for AHCA investigators, JQC employees, and appellate court clerks, municipal water and sewer utility rates in Miami-Dade, motor vehicle offenses involving obscured plates and impersonating law enforcement, trespass at large-scale ticketed events, refund of patient overpayments, stem cell therapy standards, insulin administration by direct support professionals and relatives, pre-arranged transportation services, and the Uniform Commercial Code update for digital assets.
Several bills were amended before passage, often by substituting House companions and adopting late-filed amendments. The transportation bill was significantly revised to remove speed-limit increases and utility-related provisions while adding beach equipment removal, flood-wake enforcement, expectant mother parking permits, and local regulation of micromobility devices; it passed 37-0. The trust fund interest bill drew the most debate, with supporters arguing it right-sized a volatile funding stream for legal aid and opponents warning it would sharply reduce support for legal aid organizations; it passed 28-10. The municipal water and sewer rate bill also prompted extended debate over fairness, fiscal impact, and accusations of racism, but passed 36-2. Public records exemption bills for AHCA investigators, JQC employees, and appellate clerks passed with varying margins, with supporters emphasizing safety and anti-doxing protections. One bill on cardiac emergencies and another on education were temporarily postponed.
Most measures were adopted by wide margins, often unanimously, after brief sponsor explanations and little or no debate. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring the late USF coach Amir Abdur-Rahim and recognized several visiting groups in the gallery. After completing the day’s special order calendar, the Senate recessed for lunch until 1:30 p.m. or on call of the President.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- Statute 870.044, which automatically prohibits the purchase and sale of ammunition and firearms during declared
- They have them to declare my property to be an ag enclave.
- It must be declared an enclave before January 1st of 2026, actually, no, 2025, so this January.
- He co-authored critical reports on everything from foreign threats to environmental disasters, like the
Summary:
The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions and moments of silence recognizing recent tragedies and public figures, including students affected by the FSU shooting, John Thrasher, Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, and conservation and youth groups visiting the chamber. The body also adopted Senate Resolution 1878 honoring Coach Abdur-Rahim and Senate Resolution 1892 recognizing Florida Wildlife Corridor Week.
The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar, passing several bills with little or no opposition. Measures approved included child care and early learning provider regulation updates (SB 738, 37-0), false reporting/swatting penalties and cost recovery (SB 726, 38-0), health care billing and collection protections/medical debt (SB 656, 38-0), hazardous walking conditions for schoolchildren (SB 650, 38-0), young adult housing support for foster and homeless students (SB 584, 38-0), the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program disclosure bill (SB 508, 37-1), trust fund interest for court-approved purposes after a debated amendment (SB 498, 28-10), transportation and traffic-safety changes including school bus camera hearings and micromobility rules (SB 462, 37-0), public records exemptions for AHCA investigators and JQC/appellate court clerks (SB 342, 34-4; SB 302, 35-3; SB 300, 35-3), municipal water and sewer utility rate fairness for Miami Gardens/North Miami Beach (SB 202/HB 11, 36-2), motor vehicle offenses involving obscured plates and impersonation (SB 44/HB 253, 36-0), trespass at large-scale ticketed events and law-enforcement-controlled sites (SB 1828/HB 1447, 35-1), patient refund of overpayments (SB 1808, 37-0), stem cell therapy standards (SB 1768, 37-0), insulin administration by direct support professionals and relatives (SB 1736/HB 1567, 38-0), and pre-arranged transportation services/rideshare impersonation (SB 1696/HB 1525, 37-0). Several bills were temporarily postponed, including cardiac emergencies, chemicals and consumer products, motor vehicle manufacturers and franchise dealers, and education.
Debate centered most heavily on the trust fund interest bill, with supporters arguing it would stabilize funding and better reflect market rates, and opponents warning it would sharply reduce legal aid funding and hurt access to justice. The transportation bill also drew extensive questions and amendments, including removal of a speed-limit increase, changes to school bus infraction hearing procedures, micromobility regulation, and flood-wake enforcement. The municipal water bill prompted constitutional and fairness concerns, while the public records bills were defended as necessary to protect investigators and court personnel from doxing and harassment. Most measures ultimately passed with strong bipartisan support, though the scholarship disclosure bill and trust fund interest bill drew the most visible dissent.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
FL House Floor Session - 2025-04-23 (10:00AM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Statute 870.044, which automatically prohibits the purchase and sale of ammunition and firearms during declared
- They would declare my property to be an ag enclave. It would then go to the county commission.
- It must be declared an enclave before January 1st of 2026, actually, no, 2025, so this January.
- He co-authored critical reports on everything from foreign threats to environmental disasters, like the
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and moments of silence, including tributes to those affected by the Florida State University shooting and recognition of Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, John Thrasher, student advocacy groups, conservation organizations, and visiting school groups. Members also adopted Senate Resolution 1878 honoring Coach Abdur-Rahim. The chamber then moved into special order business and considered a series of bills, many of them with House companions substituted in and passed by wide margins or unanimously.
Among the measures passed were bills updating child care and early learning provider regulation, imposing costs on false swatting reports, extending protections against extraordinary hospital collection actions, expanding hazardous walking conditions for schoolchildren, creating young adult housing support for foster and homeless students, clarifying school choice disclosure requirements under the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, adjusting interest rules for trust accounts supporting legal aid, revising transportation and traffic enforcement provisions, expanding public records exemptions for certain judicial and health care investigators and appellate clerks, changing municipal water and sewer utility rates in Miami-Dade, strengthening motor vehicle offenses involving impersonation and obscured plates, increasing trespass penalties at certain law-enforcement-controlled sites and large ticketed events, requiring refunds of patient overpayments, authorizing certain stem cell therapies, allowing relatives and direct support professionals to administer insulin in group homes, addressing rideshare impersonation and transit funding rules, and updating the Uniform Commercial Code for digital assets and emerging technologies.
Several bills drew notable debate. The trust fund interest bill prompted extended discussion over legal aid funding, bank participation, and whether the measure would reduce support for legal services; it ultimately passed 28-10. The transportation bill was heavily amended, including removal of speed-limit increases and changes to school bus camera enforcement and micromobility rules, and passed 37-0. The Miami-Dade water and sewer rate bill sparked debate over fairness, fiscal impact, and accusations of racism, but passed 36-2. Public records bills protecting agency investigators and JQC employees also drew questions about accountability and transparency before passing. Most other measures passed with little or no opposition, and a few bills were temporarily postponed or set aside.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Senate in Special Session B Jan 28th, 2025
Florida Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- utilizes: the power to uphold the laws, to get people removed from office for malfeasance, and to declare
- original version asked for $1 billion for what the Governor wanted: an emergency preparedness and disaster
- Sure enough, an executive order declaring a state of emergency was...
- I don't know if most of you know, we are still currently in a state of emergency declared by Governor
Keywords:
accountants, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, advocacy, legislation, business issues, memorial, law enforcement, sacrifice, tribute, community support, service, community, Holocaust, remembrance, antisemitism, human rights, education, Holocaust Remembrance Day, memorialization, sexual assault
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Appropriations and Finance Jan 27th, 2025
House Appropriations & Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- Practices Act to provide an enhanced penalty for people that engage in price gouging whenever there's a declared
- do appreciate you taking care of the price gougers that prey on fire victims in state and federal disaster
- You know, in Eastern New Mexico, we've got some federally declared transmission corridors, potential
- I'm wondering about why the local folks weren't contacted ahead of time about this federal declaration