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I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. WELCOME TO MATTER OF FACT, AS WARM WEATHER SETS IN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, RESIDENTS IN THE WEST ARE GROWING WARY. WE HAVE WINTER, SPRING, EARLY SUMMER AND FIRE SEASON AND INCREASINGLY INTENSE FIRE SEASON. IT CONTROLS YOUR DAILY LIFE. NOW PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO REALIZE THAT WE LIVE IN A FIRE ADAPTED ECOSYSTEM, A DOOR TO DOOR EFFORT THAT’S HELPING COMMUNITIES PREPARE FOR A FUTURE WITH WILDFIRES. PLUS, WE EXPLORE THE ONGOING IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN THROUGH ITS IMPACT ON CHILDREN. WHAT SCHOOL CAN SAY IF ICE COMES TO OUR CAMPUS? WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE A JUDICIAL WARRANT, BUT SCHOOLS CAN ALSO VOLUNTARILY COOPERATE. WHAT ARE THE LAWS AROUND SCHOOLS AND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT? AND IT’S LIKE A NICE PRESENT. EVERY MORNING. FRESH EGGS FROM YOUR BACKYARD. THE BUSINESS VENTURE ALLOWING YOU TO RENT THE CHICKEN, THE COOP AND EVERYTHING. THOSE STORIES RIGHT NOW ON MATTER OF FACT. WE KNOW WILDFIRE SEASON IS GETTING WORSE, BUT HOW MUCH WORSE? WELL, IT’S LONGER STARTING EARLIER IN THE SPRING AND EXTENDING LATER INTO THE FALL. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE, WHICH NOW HAS FEWER RESOURCES AS A RESULT OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CUTS AND FIRES ARE BECOMING MORE DESTRUCTIVE. THERE WAS A 246% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HOMES AND STRUCTURES DESTROYED IN WESTERN WILDFIRES BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020, COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS DECADE. ALL THIS SIGNALS THAT FIRE IS INCREASINGLY A FACT OF LIFE. I ACTUALLY STARTED AS A SEASONAL FIREFIGHTER THE DAY AFTER I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL. THAT’S MELISSA STEEL OF BEND, OREGON. IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, HER JOB FIGHTING FIRES HAS SHIFTED. I WAS TASKED WITH TAKING ON THAT LITTLE EXTRA AND AND I GUESS YOU COULD SAY EDUCATIONAL PROJECT. SHE’S EDUCATING RESIDENTS ON HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR HOMES FROM WILDFIRE. OUR CORRESPONDENT DAN LIEBERMAN TAKES US ALONG AS STEEL GOES DOOR TO DOOR. THE RECOMMENDATION HERE WOULD BE TO CUT THOSE LIMBS BACK AT LEAST TEN FEET. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THAT FLAMMABLE VEGETATION IS CUT BACK. FIRE INVESTIGATOR MELISSA STEEL IS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR FIRE RISKS. EVERYWHERE SHE GOES. THIS SEEMS NORMAL TO EVERYONE AND SEEMS VERY NATURAL WHEN IN REALITY IT’S OVERGROWN. AFTER LAST YEAR’S WILDFIRE SEASON, THE WORST IN OREGON’S HISTORY, STEEL IS SEEING A SURGE IN REQUESTS FOR FREE WILDFIRE RISK. HOME INSPECTIONS. LAST YEAR, IN 2024, I COMPLETED ABOUT 115 ALL YEAR, AND WE’RE SITTING RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT 400 AND SOMETHING REQUESTS. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS 30FT AWAY FROM A STRUCTURE. YOU’RE PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT FOR STEEL. THE WORK IS PERSONAL. LOSING HER OWN HOME TO A WILDFIRE SEVEN YEARS AGO. BUT SHE NOTES BIGGER CHANGES ARE STILL NEEDED TO HOW WE BUILD. IN MY OPINION, UNTIL WE STOP BUILDING HOMES 10 TO 15FT APART AND WE STOP CONNECTING THEM WITH WOODEN FENCES STRAIGHT ACROSS, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE STRONGER BUILDING AND FIRE CODES AS FAR AS WILDFIRE IS CONCERNED. WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN. YOU CAN SEE THE NATIONAL FOREST, A LOT OF THEM ALONG THE SPINE OF OUR CASCADES. THAT’S WHERE WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF CONCERN WHEN FIRES ESTABLISH THEMSELVES. MARIANA RUIZ TEMPLE IS OREGON’S FIRE MARSHAL. SHE SAYS THE WILDFIRE THREAT HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY OVER HER MORE THAN THREE DECADE CAREER. WE MIGHT USED TO THINK ABOUT A WILDFIRE BEING, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN THE FOREST OR SOMEWHERE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE OF OREGON, BUT WE’RE STARTING TO SEE THEM IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE STATE THAT AREN’T NECESSARILY OTHER PLACES THAT WE’VE SEEN. WILDFIRE. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WORSENING WILDFIRE THREAT? MORE PEOPLE ARE MOVING INTO OUR WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE, SO WE’RE BUILDING COMMUNITIES IN AND AROUND THOSE AREAS THAT MAYBE THEY WEREN’T BEFORE. THE CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND ARE CHANGING. FIRES WE’RE SEEING IN OUR RANGELANDS. THOSE FIRES MOVE QUICKLY. RUIZ SAYS STAFFING SHORTAGES AND UNCERTAINTY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL MEAN THAT THE STATE NEEDS A DURABLE, SUSTAINED FUNDING SOLUTION. A BILL CURRENTLY BEFORE THE STATE LEGISLATURE WOULD DO JUST THAT. LAST YEAR’S RECORD FIRES COST THE STATE $350 MILLION. WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH FIREFIGHTERS IN ANY WESTERN STATE TO REALLY DEAL WITH THE TYPES OF FIRES WE’RE SEEING ON THE GROUND. WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT HOW FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STAFFS THEIR FIRES, IT’S MAINLY A SEASONAL WORKFORCE FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS. AND WHAT WE’RE SEEING IS FIRES YEAR ROUND. AND MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF THE TYPES OF FIRES WE’RE SEEING AROUND THE AREA, THIS AREA CAN BE HEAVILY IMPACTED BY WILDFIRE SMOKE. IT CONTROLS YOUR DAILY LIFE NOW. IT’S KIND OF LIKE, I THINK, GOING OUT AND SMOKING A PACK OF CIGARETTES A DAY OR MORE FOR 65 YEAR OLD RANCHER WES RAU, WHO HAS SEVERE ASTHMA. THE WORSENING SMOKE IS TAKING A TOLL ON HIS DAILY TASKS. IT TAKES ME MAYBE TWICE AS LONG TO GO DO THE IRRIGATION BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO SLOWER. AND WHEN THE ASTHMA REALLY KICKS IN AND THE LUNGS ARE NOT DOING WELL, YOU JUST YOU HAVE TO STOP. MY PATIENTS WHO ARE WHO HAVE MOSTLY HAVE CHRONIC RESPIRATORY DISEASE. THEY LIVE THEIR WORST DAYS DURING THE WILDFIRE SMOKE. DOCTOR IAN SMITH IS A PULMONOLOGIST AT SAINT CHARLES HEALTH SYSTEM. RAU IS ONE OF HIS PATIENTS. WHAT ARE THE LONG TERM HEALTH IMPACTS THAT YOUR PATIENTS ARE EXPERIENCING AFTER THEY’VE LIVED THROUGH A SUMMER WILDFIRE SMOKE? SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO HAVE FLARES OF LUNG DISEASE WIND UP WORSE CHRONICALLY. STOPPING THE SPREAD OF SMOKE INVOLVES CAREFUL CROSS BOUNDARY WORK IN FORESTED AREAS TO MANAGE VEGETATION. AND AS WE REDUCE THE FUELS, WE’RE MINIMIZING THE IMPACT OF SMOKE INTO THE CITY. NATHAN BECKMAN IS THE RESILIENCY STRATEGY COORDINATOR WITH THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY, FOCUSED ON THE STATE’S 20 YEAR PLAN TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK. WE HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND REMOVE THAT EXCESS VEGETATION THAT’S OFTEN DONE WITH PRESCRIBED FIRE. AND THE IDEA HERE IS THAT YOU WANT OPEN SPACE SO THAT IF THE FIRE IS COMING FROM UP THERE, IT’S NOT GETTING TO COMMUNITIES DOWN HERE. THAT’S CORRECT. YEAH. PROTECTING COMMUNITIES FROM SMOKE AND WILDFIRE HAS BECOME AN ALL HANDS ON DECK EFFORT. BUT ONE, STEELE SAYS IS CRUCIAL. SEEING A WHOLE TOWN TRY TO REBUILD. YOU SEE THE CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT IT BRINGS. IT DOES CHOKE ME UP. I’M REALLY EXCITED THAT I CAN TAKE MY KNOWLEDGE AND BRING THAT HERE. GETTING THEM PREPARED AND READY DOESN’T SEEM LIKE IT AFFECTS YOU UNTIL IT DOES. FOR MATTER OF FACT, I’M DAN LIEBERMAN IN BEND, OREGON NEXT ON MATTER OF FACT, IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWNS AND SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AFTER ISIS HAS BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY. THERE’S A NOTICEABLE DROP IN ATTENDANCE AMONG HISPANIC AND IMMIGRANT CHILDREN. HOW STUDENTS EDUCATION IS IMPACTED BY THE THREATS OF APPREHENSIONS AND DEPORTATIONS. PLUS, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS, STUDENT LOAN DEFAULT COLLECTIONS RESUME. WHAT BORROWERS NEED TO KNOW. AND A PENNSYLVANIA COUPLE HAS AN INTERESTING BUSINESS. THEY RENT OUT CHICKENS. WHY? THEY SAY THE BENEFITS OF HAVING YOUR OWN BACKYARD FARM GOES WAY BEYOND JUST FRESH EGGS. YOU’RE WATCHING. MATTER OF FACT, AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWSMAGAZINE. PRESIDENT TRUMP CAMPAIGNED ON A PROMISE TO CRACK DOWN ON IMMIGRATION DURING HIS FIRST THREE MONTHS BACK IN OFFICE. HIS ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED 175 IMMIGRATION SPECIFIC EXECUTIVE ACTIONS. THAT’S ACCORDING TO ANALYSIS FROM THE MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE. IT’S LED TO ARRESTS, RAIDS, DEPORTATIONS, THOSE EXPULSIONS INCLUDE CHILDREN. RECENTLY, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REMOVED THREE CHILDREN WHO ARE U.S. CITIZENS. SO WHAT’S THE TOLL BEEN ON CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS ARE UNDOCUMENTED OR MAY BE UNDOCUMENTED THEMSELVES? WHAT’S THE TOLL BEEN ON THE SCHOOLS THEY ATTEND? JULIE SUGARMAN IS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION RESEARCH AT THE MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME. THANK YOU. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE GENERALLY AND THEN SPECIFICALLY KIDS, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE DISCUSSING? THERE’S ABOUT 13 MILLION UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE IN THE U.S., BUT THIS AFFECTS MORE THAN JUST CHILDREN WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED THEMSELVES. THERE’S ABOUT 9 MILLION CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN A HOUSEHOLD WITH A PARENT OR ANOTHER ADULT WHO IS NOT A CITIZEN. ARE THERE LAWS THAT DICTATE HOW A SCHOOL SHOULD DEAL WITH, LET’S SAY, ICE? IF IT WERE TO SHOW UP ON THE SCHOOL CAMPUS? ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVEN’T SEEN ICE DOING ANY OPERATIONS IN SCHOOLS, BUT WE HAVE SEEN THEM AROUND SCHOOLS. THERE’S A LOT OF SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING POLICIES. THEY RELY ON THE FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO PRIVACY. THERE CAN BE A REQUIREMENT TO HAVE A JUDICIAL WARRANT TO BE IN THE PRIVATE AREAS OF A SCHOOL. SO A SCHOOL CAN SAY, IF ICE COMES TO OUR CAMPUS, WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE A JUDICIAL WARRANT. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN DOING, IS SHOWING TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT, WHICH IS SOMETHING WHERE ICE HAS SOMETHING FROM THEIR OWN OFFICE SAYING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO VERSUS A JUDICIAL WARRANT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY SIGNED BY A JUDGE. BUT SCHOOLS CAN ALSO VOLUNTARILY COOPERATE. SO THESE POLICIES THAT THEY’RE DEVELOPING ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE’S ON THE SAME PAGE WITH HOW HOW THE SCHOOL IS GOING TO RESPOND IF ICE COMES. ARE THERE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU’RE SEEING FRONT OFFICES DO IN TERMS OF JUST GATHERING INFORMATION? ABSOLUTELY. A LOT OF SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW ARE GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THEIR POLICIES AROUND INFORMATION, MAKING SURE THAT THEY’RE ONLY COLLECTING THE INFORMATION THEY ABSOLUTELY NEED, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS THAT ARE SENSITIVE, LIKE WHERE A CHILD WAS BORN OR INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR PARENTS. AND THERE IS A FEDERAL LAW THAT REQUIRES PARENTAL NOTIFICATION AND PERMISSION TO GIVE INFORMATION OUT. AND SO SCHOOLS ARE MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT INFORMATION CAN BE GIVEN TO ICE OR TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WHAT CAN’T. WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY ABOUT THE EDUCATION OF ALL CHILDREN, INCLUDING CHILDREN WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED? THERE’S TWO REALLY IMPORTANT SUPREME COURT CASES. ONE IS PLYLER VERSUS DOE FROM 1982, WHICH SAYS THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ENROLLED IN SCHOOL REGARDLESS OF THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS OR THEIR PARENTS, REAL OR PERCEIVED IMMIGRATION STATUS. AND THEN ONCE THEY’RE INTO SCHOOL, THERE IS ANOTHER COURT CASE CALLED LAU VERSUS NICHOLS FROM 1974 THAT REQUIRES SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SAME EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AS ALL OTHER STUDENTS. SO THOSE TWO COURT CASES TOGETHER ARE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN CAN ACCESS THE CURRICULUM AND EVERYTHING THAT OTHER CHILDREN ARE LEARNING. HAVE YOU SEEN IMPACTS ON TEACHERS? BECAUSE, OF COURSE, TO A LARGE DEGREE, THEY’RE GOING TO BE THE FRONT LINE OF NAVIGATING WHATEVER IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING WITH THE STUDENTS. THE RESEARCH FROM THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REALLY SHOWED THAT TEACHERS WERE VERY STRESSED AND WORRIED. AND I THINK WE’VE BEEN HEARING THE SAME REPORTS FROM THE LAST 2 OR 3 MONTHS. AND THEY’RE ALSO REALLY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS RELATED TO EDUCATION MIGHT BE FOR ENGLISH LEARNER AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS. HAVE THEY SEEN ACTUAL, TANGIBLE CHANGES IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE SHOWING UP AT SCHOOL? WE’VE DEFINITELY HEARD ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE WHERE AFTER ICE HAS BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE’S A NOTICEABLE DROP IN ATTENDANCE AMONG HISPANIC AND IMMIGRANT CHILDREN, AND IT HAS AN EFFECT ON WHETHER THEY’RE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE, WHETHER THEY’RE WORRIED. AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THEY ARE IN SCHOOL, BUT THEY’RE THEY’RE NOT ABLE TO FOCUS. THAT’S ALSO A PROBLEM. JULIE SUGARMAN IS WITH THE MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COMING UP, GET READY FOR THE EGG PUNS. WE HATCHED. RENT THE CHICKEN IN 2013. WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A DOZEN YEARS NOW. LIKE A DOZEN EGGS. OH, I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE. WHY? THIS COUPLE SAYS THEY’VE SEEN BACKYARD CHICKENS BECOME A GATEWAY TO ALL SORTS OF FRESH FOOD. PLUS, DEFAULTED ON YOUR SCHOOL LOANS. HOW THAT COULD SOON IMPACT YOUR WAGES. YOU CAN RENT CARS. YOU CAN RENT APARTMENTS. YOU CAN RENT GOWNS FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS AND TRACTORS IF YOU NEED TO DO FARMING. AND NOW CHICKENS. A COUPLE IN PENNSYLVANIA HAD AN INNOVATIVE SMALL BUSINESS IDEA RENT OUT CHICKENS, DELIVER THEM ALONG WITH THE COOP AND FEED TO INTERESTED FAMILIES. EVERY SPRING. THEN IN THE WINTER, PICK THEM BACK UP AT ANY TIME THEY CAN, CHICKEN OUT, OR AT THE END OF THE RENTAL, THEY CAN ADOPT THE CHICKENS AS WELL AS THE COOP. CHICKEN OUT. GET IT? THAT’S JENN AND PHIL TOMPKINS, WHO FOUNDED RENT THE CHICKEN MORE THAN A DECADE AGO. SINCE THEN, THEIR BUSINESS HAS GROWN TO 30 AFFILIATE PARTNERS ACROSS THE U.S. AND CANADA. OUR PRODUCER, TARA CLEARY, TRAVELED TO PENNSYLVANIA TO FIND OUT MORE. HEY, LADIES. LET’S SEE WHAT YOU GOT FOR ME. HEY, I’M HOMESTEAD PHIL. I’M WITH RENT THE CHICKEN. I’M A CO-FOUNDER HERE. OH, LOOK AT THAT. WHEN SOMEONE IS READY TO HAVE CHICKENS, OUR CUSTOMERS GIVE US A CALL. RENT THE CHICKEN. THIS IS JEN. I’M HOMESTEAD JEN, CO-FOUNDER OF RENT THE CHICKEN. TYPICALLY, OUR RENTALS START AROUND $500, AND THAT’S FOR TWO HENS. AND TWO CHICKENS. LAY ABOUT A DOZEN EGGS A WEEK, WHILE FOUR CHICKENS LAY ABOUT TWO DOZEN EGGS. THOSE EGGS ARE MORE VIBRANT. THEY’RE DELICIOUS. YEAH. HOMESTEAD. NIKKI IN ALBERTA, HER TEST HATCH IS HATCHING TODAY. OH, I BET SHE’S EXCITED. EXCITED? I AM HOMESTEAD DREW NOROSKI. I BECAME LIKE A RENT THE CHICKEN AFFILIATE BECAUSE WE WERE PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH THE ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, START SAMPLING SOME HOMESTEADING IN THEIR BACKYARD AND BRINGING THEIR FOOD SOURCE CLOSER. AND I JUST WANTED TO BE MORE INVOLVED WITH THAT. SO I HAVE I RENT THE CHICKEN DELIVERY OPEN. I CAN SHRED IT FOR YOU, MAMA. THANK YOU. HONEY, WE HAVE A LONG TIME RENTER THAT IS GETTING HER COOP AGAIN THIS SUMMER. SO WE’LL GET EVERYBODY LOADED UP AND WE’LL TAKE IT TO HER HOUSE. SO WE WILL THE COOP RIGHT INTO THEIR BACKYARD WITH EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED FOR THE SUMMER. IT’S FUN TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO THE KIDS, GO DOWN AND CHECK THE CHICKENS, AND THEY ALWAYS RUN BACK IN EXCITEMENT WHEN THERE’S THREE EGGS INSTEAD OF TWO. IT’S ALSO REALLY FUN FOR THE COMMUNITY, THE NEIGHBORS ALL START TO COME OUT AND THEY WANT TO SEE THE CHICKENS, AND THE NEIGHBORS KNOW THEY CAN BRING THEIR KIDS AND THEIR GRANDKIDS OVER. OH, YOU WANT SOME? OH, THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO. THE CHICKEN IS THE GATEWAY TO OTHER FRESH FOOD THAT CAN COME RIGHT FROM YOUR BACKYARD. YOU FIGURE OUT THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, START FEEDING THEM YOUR KITCHEN SCRAPS, AND THEN YOU’RE LIKE, WAIT, IF I’M DOING THIS WITH MY KITCHEN SCRAPS, MAYBE I CAN START COMPOSTING. MAYBE IF I’M COMPOSTING, I CAN PUT MY COMPOST IN A GARDEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE, SO IT JUST IT SPIRALS AND IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL SPIRAL. OKAY. WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT TO NAME THIS ONE. ALMOST EVERY RENTER HAS A STORY OF HOW THE CHICKENS HAVE IMPACTED THEM. THE HENS THEMSELVES PROVIDE MORE THAN JUST THE EGGS. THEY PROVIDE A LEVEL OF THERAPY THAT PEOPLE DIDN’T KNOW THEY NEEDED. WELCOME TO THE RENT THE CHICKEN FAMILY. OUR MOTTO IS FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES, AND WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THAT’S WHAT WE’RE DOING. AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, WE EXPLORE THE UPCOMING CHANGES TO SOME STUDENT LOAN DEBT COLLECTION, PLUS SEVERE COASTAL FLOODING. RISK IS ON THE RISE. COULD PARKS LIKE THIS ACTUALLY HELP PROTECT OUR HOMES? TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH? MATTER OF FACT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT MATTEROFFACTTV. THIS MONDAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WILL RESTART COLLECTIONS ON FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS IN DEFAULT. THAT’S FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE PANDEMIC DEFAULTED. LOANS ARE LOANS THAT HAVE GONE AT LEAST 270 DAYS WITHOUT PAYMENT, ACCORDING TO EDUCATION SECRETARY LINDA MCMAHON. MORE THAN 5 MILLION BORROWERS HAVE NOT MADE A PAYMENT IN MORE THAN 360 DAYS, AND MORE THAN 42 MILLION BORROWERS OWE A TOTAL OF MORE THAN $1 TRILLION IN STUDENT LOAN DEBT. ABOUT 40% OF BORROWERS ARE WORKING TO PAY BACK THEIR STUDENT LOANS. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL ALSO RESTART THE TREASURY OFFSET PROGRAM, WHICH COLLECTS DEBTS BY TAKING FEDERAL AND STATE PAYMENTS LIKE TAX REFUNDS BY THE SUMMER. THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO GARNISH A BORROWER’S WAGES. YOU CAN CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR LOAN AT STUDENTAID.GOV. STILL AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, WHY THIS NEW JERSEY PARK WAS BUILT TOFINALLY, THERE’S A PARK JERSEY BUILT TO FLOOD. IT COULD BE A BLUEPRINT FOR RECREATIONAL AREAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. A RESPONSE TO INCREASED RISKS OF FLOODING. THIS IS RESILIENCITY PARK IN HOBOKEN, AND WHILE IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE A REGULAR PARK, IT CAN ACTUALLY HOLD UP TO 2 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER DURING HEAVY RAINS AND MAJOR STORMS. HOW? WELL, UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE, THERE’S A SYSTEM OF PUMPS AND STORAGE TANKS THAT MANAGE AND HOLD STORMWATER COLLECTING RUNOFF FROM 20 SURROUNDING BLOCKS, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE A SUNKEN BASKETBALL COURT AND RAIN GARDENS AND PERMEABLE PAVEMENT ALSO HELP TO SOAK UP WATER AND KEEP THE NEIGHBORHOOD DRY. IT’S ONE OF THREE RAIN RESILIENT PARKS BUILT IN HOBOKEN. THEY’RE PART OF A CITYWIDE INITIATIVE TO PROTECT RESIDENTS FROM EXTREME FLOODING, WHICH HAPPENED IN HOBOKEN DURING HURRICANE SANDY BACK IN 2012. THAT STORM CAUSED MORE THAN $110 MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGE. REBUILD BY DESIGN, THE ORGANIZATION BEHIND THE PROJECT IS ALSO LOOKING ACROSS THE HUDSON RIVER AT NEW YORK CITY. THOSE PLANS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROPOSAL STAGE, BUT THE COMPANY IS HOPING THE HOBOKEN PROJECT WILL ENCOURAGE OTHER CITIES TO TAKE SIMILAR ACTION. THAT’S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF MATTER OF FACT, I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN AND WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK TO WATCH MORE STORIES LIKE THIS. ANYTIME, HEAD TO MATTER OF FACT.