Tag: PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Westgate Resorts has been named the best digital detox vacation spot in 2026 by Consumer365, recognizing its offline retreat experience at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo in Central Florida.

Best Digital Detox Retreat

• Westgate Resorts – a U.S.-based hospitality company that develops and operates vacation resorts and experiential travel destinations across the country, offering accommodations, group retreats, and leisure-focused getaways in both urban and nature-driven settings

The designation reflects a broader shift in travel preferences as families, youth groups, and corporate teams increasingly seek experiences that encourage reduced screen time and in-person connection. With digital fatigue and constant connectivity cited as growing concerns among travelers, resorts offering structured offline programming have gained renewed attention.

Located along the Kissimmee River, Westgate River Ranch Resort offers a ranch-style environment designed to encourage guests to step away from devices and engage with nature, outdoor recreation, and shared activities.

A Florida-Based Retreat Centered on Offline Experiences

At Westgate River Ranch, digital detox programming is built into the guest experience. Rather than positioning the retreat as a strict technology ban, the resort emphasizes immersive alternatives that naturally redirect attention from screens to hands-on activities.

Guests participating in digital detox retreats can expect:

• Campfire gatherings focused on storytelling and stargazing
• Amazing Race-style team challenges
• Private hayrides and line dancing lessons
• Cattle drive experiences
• Archery instruction and skeet shooting
• Swamp buggy and airboat adventures
• A Saturday night rodeo open to guests
• On-site bourbon tastings such as S’mores ‘n Pours featuring Buffalo Trace bourbon

The ranch-style programming is structured to support both relaxation and active participation. According to Westgate Resorts’ retreat materials, the goal is to create an environment where technology becomes secondary to shared experience.

Digital Detox Programming for Families and Youth Groups

Consumer365’s recognition highlighted the resort’s adaptability for different age groups, particularly its structured programming for children and youth organizations.

For families seeking a digital detox retreat for kids, the resort offers outdoor-focused activities designed to encourage imagination and physical engagement. Options include:

• Archery and fishing
• Petting farm access
• Cowboy Adventure Park
• Swamp buggy rides
• Airboat excursions
• Hands-on rodeo experiences

With more than 15 accommodation types available, including traditional lodge rooms and glamping-style units, families can return for repeat visits while experiencing different lodging formats each time.

The emphasis on outdoor recreation aligns with broader travel trends showing increased demand for nature-based getaways, especially in domestic destinations.

Adult-Focused Retreats Emphasizing Nature and Reflection

For adults, Westgate River Ranch frames its digital detox retreats as an opportunity to exchange notifications for outdoor immersion. Activities such as horseback riding, skeet shooting, and guided ranch experiences provide structured alternatives to screen time.

Accommodations include unique glamping options such as teepees, tents, and Conestoga wagons. These lodging formats are designed to complement the rustic setting while maintaining comfort standards expected at a full-service resort.

Evening programming often centers on communal gatherings, including campfires and ranch events, reinforcing the offline theme. By offering curated experiences rather than unstructured downtime, the resort aims to help guests disengage from habitual device use.

Team Building and Corporate Retreat Applications

Beyond leisure travel, Westgate River Ranch has positioned its digital detox programming as a team-building solution for businesses and organizations.

Group retreats incorporate structured challenges intended to foster collaboration and communication. Activities such as cattle drives, line dancing instruction, and Amazing Race-style competitions are organized to encourage participation and interaction.

Corporate planners have increasingly explored offline retreat formats as a counterbalance to remote and hybrid work environments. As companies continue evaluating employee engagement strategies, experiential travel programs that emphasize real-world interaction have become part of that discussion.

Digital Detox Travel as a Broader Industry Trend

The recognition from Consumer365 reflects a growing segment within the travel industry focused on intentional disconnection. As smartphones and remote work blur boundaries between personal and professional life, travelers are exploring vacations designed to create clear breaks from digital routines.

Florida has remained a popular destination for experiential travel due to its climate, accessibility, and range of outdoor environments. Westgate River Ranch’s rural setting provides an alternative to traditional beach or theme park vacations, offering a working dude ranch atmosphere within driving distance of major metropolitan areas.

By combining outdoor recreation, structured group programming, and varied lodging options, the resort has positioned its digital detox retreat as part of a wider movement toward restorative travel.

Click here for the full review at Consumer365.

About Westgate Resorts

Westgate Resorts is a diversified hospitality company headquartered in Orlando, Fla., featuring the largest privately held timeshare resort club in the world and a portfolio of more than 60 resort properties. The company offers spacious villa accommodations, world-class amenities, and family-friendly destinations in sought-after locations such as Orlando, Las Vegas, Gatlinburg, Park City, and Myrtle Beach. In 2025, the company expanded its footprint with the addition of VI Resorts by Westgate, enhancing its presence in the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Canada, and Mexico. Since its founding in 1982, Westgate has focused on creating memorable vacations and delivering exceptional service, while maintaining a commitment to innovation, hospitality, and community engagement. Whether guests are seeking relaxation, adventure, or a combination of both, the company’s 9,000 Team Members provide personalized and value-driven getaways tailored to every traveler’s needs. Connect with Westgate Resorts on social media through LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook and learn more at WestgateResorts.com.

About Consumer365.org: Consumer365 provides consumer news and industry insights. As an affiliate, Consumer365 may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-digital-detox-vacation-2026-westgate-resorts-named-top-offline-retreat-for-relaxation-by-consumer365-302696080.html

SOURCE Consumer365.org

Comments needed by March 7 for 6,639 acres in Egypt Valley Wildlife Area; March 15 for 513 acres under Salt Fork State Park and 1,596 more acres of Egypt Valley

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ohioans who love their state parks and public lands need to tell the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission (OGLMC) to stop fracking them.

Over 8236 acres of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area’s 18,000 acres in Belmont County may be handed over for fracking at the commission’s next meeting, along with an additional 513 acres of Salt Fork State Park.

A total of 11,603 acres of Ohio state parks and wildlife areas have been approved for fracking by the commission since 2023, as well as 25 rights-of-way on Ohio Department of Transportation land and 6.9 acres at Noble Correctional Institution.

If approved, the latest round of fracking nominations would come close to doubling the acreage of public lands the state had already approved over the past three years.

Save Ohio Parks asks the public to tell the commission to deny fracking under Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and Salt Fork State Park.

The deadline to submit comments for Egypt Valley nominations 26-DNR-0001 and 26-DNR-0002 is March 7. Comments on an additional two nominations of land in Egypt Valley, 26-DNR-0004 and 26-DNR-0005, are due March 15.

The wildlife area is popular for hiking, fishing, and hunting. Its land was strip-mined for decades, but reclaimed through years of rehabilitation beginning in the 1990s.

Salt Fork State Park in Guernsey County is Ohio’s largest and arguably most beautiful park at 20,000 acres. It was the first state park to be approved for fracking in 2023, despite large citizen protests at OGLMC meetings.

Salt Fork is popular for camping, swimming, fishing, hunting, hiking, and horseback riding. Comment deadline for the 26-DNR-0003 Salt Fork parcel is March 15.

“Everyone who cares about keeping our pristine natural lands from being industrialized and wants to protect our health, our clean air, water and biodiversity in Ohio has a responsibility to act now and tell the OGLMC to say NO to fracking these beautiful, unspoiled land,” said Rebecca Malik, board member at Save Ohio Parks. “Ohio’s public lands were set aside beginning in 1949 the pleasure and leisure of the people of Ohio for all time. They are not owned by one governor or a supermajority political party seeking to monetize and destroy them with the help of the gas and oil industry.”

Arguments against fracking Ohio are many, as well as serious. Ninety-eight percent of citizen comments filed with the commission regarding fracking nominations are consistently opposed to fracking Ohio public lands.

Fracking is dangerous. Research by Save Ohio Parks’ Jenny Morgan and Fractracker Alliance documented and mapped 1,900 gas and oil “incidents” since 2015. This amounts to an accident or incident every 1.5 days.

An explosion and massive fire at the Groh well pad six miles from Salt Fork State Park in January 2025 forced the overnight evacuation of an entire township and spurred the formation of a statewide environmental organization coalition calling for Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to declare a moratorium on fracking under state parks and public lands. His office has ignored the group.

Gas and oil waste management and storage in Ohio is notably poor. In November 2025, coalition member Buckeye Environmental Network sued the ODNR for using old, lax rules to permit two Class II injection wells in Washington County. The county already has 17 wells—among the most in the state.

Washington County for Safe Drinking Water, a Marietta-based citizen group concerned about groundwater contamination from migrating oil and gas wastewater brine, has asked DeWine for a moratorium on injection well approvals. That request has also been ignored.

Fracking converts Ohio’s fresh water into toxic, radioactive waste. Research by Save Ohio Parks found that fracking approved through January 12, 2026, would use at least 1.9 billion gallons of fresh water taken from Ohio lakes and streams, converting it into toxic radioactive waste that must be stored in underground injection wells forever.

The five current nominations in Salt Fork and Egypt Valley would greatly add to the amount of fresh water taken from Ohio’s water cycle forever.

Lea Harper is director of Freshwater Accountability Project, which has advocated for fresh water and spoken out on the dangers of fracking since 2012.

“Gas and oil waste brine is shot into injection wells with no monitoring wells surrounding them to detect migration of toxic materials,” said Harper. “It deeply saddens me to see the fracking industry taking billions of gallons of water from our lakes and streams each year. That water is destroyed by a single boom-bust industry and forced underground forever, never to sparkle in the sun again. Can we afford to lose that much of our precious freshwater? I don’t think so, but few in Ohio government seem to care.”

Each of the 67 nominations so far for state parks, wildlife areas, Ohio Department of Transportation rights-of-way, and Department of Corrections land are listed on the Save Ohio Parks website. Click on each nomination to learn more and find out how to file a comment on the five open nominations of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and Salt Fork State Park.

Save Ohio Parks is a statewide nonprofit made of volunteers dedicated to educating the public about methane gas (natural gas) fracking’s dangers to human health, the environment and our public lands, in conjunction with Ohio’s lax gas and oil waste management and storage practices.

Contact: Melinda Zemper
Email: mzemper@fuse.net 
Phone: (513) 706-3737

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/save-ohio-parks-public-comments-needed-to-stop-fracking-8-749-acres-at-salt-fork-egypt-valley-302696040.html

SOURCE Save Ohio Parks

Comments needed by March 7 for 6,639 acres in Egypt Valley Wildlife Area; March 15 for 513 acres under Salt Fork State Park and 1,596 more acres of Egypt Valley

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ohioans who love their state parks and public lands need to tell the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission (OGLMC) to stop fracking them.

Over 8236 acres of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area’s 18,000 acres in Belmont County may be handed over for fracking at the commission’s next meeting, along with an additional 513 acres of Salt Fork State Park.

A total of 11,603 acres of Ohio state parks and wildlife areas have been approved for fracking by the commission since 2023, as well as 25 rights-of-way on Ohio Department of Transportation land and 6.9 acres at Noble Correctional Institution.

If approved, the latest round of fracking nominations would come close to doubling the acreage of public lands the state had already approved over the past three years.

Save Ohio Parks asks the public to tell the commission to deny fracking under Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and Salt Fork State Park.

The deadline to submit comments for Egypt Valley nominations 26-DNR-0001 and 26-DNR-0002 is March 7. Comments on an additional two nominations of land in Egypt Valley, 26-DNR-0004 and 26-DNR-0005, are due March 15.

The wildlife area is popular for hiking, fishing, and hunting. Its land was strip-mined for decades, but reclaimed through years of rehabilitation beginning in the 1990s.

Salt Fork State Park in Guernsey County is Ohio’s largest and arguably most beautiful park at 20,000 acres. It was the first state park to be approved for fracking in 2023, despite large citizen protests at OGLMC meetings.

Salt Fork is popular for camping, swimming, fishing, hunting, hiking, and horseback riding. Comment deadline for the 26-DNR-0003 Salt Fork parcel is March 15.

“Everyone who cares about keeping our pristine natural lands from being industrialized and wants to protect our health, our clean air, water and biodiversity in Ohio has a responsibility to act now and tell the OGLMC to say NO to fracking these beautiful, unspoiled land,” said Rebecca Malik, board member at Save Ohio Parks. “Ohio’s public lands were set aside beginning in 1949 the pleasure and leisure of the people of Ohio for all time. They are not owned by one governor or a supermajority political party seeking to monetize and destroy them with the help of the gas and oil industry.”

Arguments against fracking Ohio are many, as well as serious. Ninety-eight percent of citizen comments filed with the commission regarding fracking nominations are consistently opposed to fracking Ohio public lands.

Fracking is dangerous. Research by Save Ohio Parks’ Jenny Morgan and Fractracker Alliance documented and mapped 1,900 gas and oil “incidents” since 2015. This amounts to an accident or incident every 1.5 days.

An explosion and massive fire at the Groh well pad six miles from Salt Fork State Park in January 2025 forced the overnight evacuation of an entire township and spurred the formation of a statewide environmental organization coalition calling for Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to declare a moratorium on fracking under state parks and public lands. His office has ignored the group.

Gas and oil waste management and storage in Ohio is notably poor. In November 2025, coalition member Buckeye Environmental Network sued the ODNR for using old, lax rules to permit two Class II injection wells in Washington County. The county already has 17 wells—among the most in the state.

Washington County for Safe Drinking Water, a Marietta-based citizen group concerned about groundwater contamination from migrating oil and gas wastewater brine, has asked DeWine for a moratorium on injection well approvals. That request has also been ignored.

Fracking converts Ohio’s fresh water into toxic, radioactive waste. Research by Save Ohio Parks found that fracking approved through January 12, 2026, would use at least 1.9 billion gallons of fresh water taken from Ohio lakes and streams, converting it into toxic radioactive waste that must be stored in underground injection wells forever.

The five current nominations in Salt Fork and Egypt Valley would greatly add to the amount of fresh water taken from Ohio’s water cycle forever.

Lea Harper is director of Freshwater Accountability Project, which has advocated for fresh water and spoken out on the dangers of fracking since 2012.

“Gas and oil waste brine is shot into injection wells with no monitoring wells surrounding them to detect migration of toxic materials,” said Harper. “It deeply saddens me to see the fracking industry taking billions of gallons of water from our lakes and streams each year. That water is destroyed by a single boom-bust industry and forced underground forever, never to sparkle in the sun again. Can we afford to lose that much of our precious freshwater? I don’t think so, but few in Ohio government seem to care.”

Each of the 67 nominations so far for state parks, wildlife areas, Ohio Department of Transportation rights-of-way, and Department of Corrections land are listed on the Save Ohio Parks website. Click on each nomination to learn more and find out how to file a comment on the five open nominations of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and Salt Fork State Park.

Save Ohio Parks is a statewide nonprofit made of volunteers dedicated to educating the public about methane gas (natural gas) fracking’s dangers to human health, the environment and our public lands, in conjunction with Ohio’s lax gas and oil waste management and storage practices.

Contact: Melinda Zemper
Email: mzemper@fuse.net 
Phone: (513) 706-3737

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/save-ohio-parks-public-comments-needed-to-stop-fracking-8-749-acres-at-salt-fork-egypt-valley-302696040.html

SOURCE Save Ohio Parks

Comments needed by March 7 for 6,639 acres in Egypt Valley Wildlife Area; March 15 for 513 acres under Salt Fork State Park and 1,596 more acres of Egypt Valley

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ohioans who love their state parks and public lands need to tell the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission (OGLMC) to stop fracking them.

Over 8236 acres of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area’s 18,000 acres in Belmont County may be handed over for fracking at the commission’s next meeting, along with an additional 513 acres of Salt Fork State Park.

A total of 11,603 acres of Ohio state parks and wildlife areas have been approved for fracking by the commission since 2023, as well as 25 rights-of-way on Ohio Department of Transportation land and 6.9 acres at Noble Correctional Institution.

If approved, the latest round of fracking nominations would come close to doubling the acreage of public lands the state had already approved over the past three years.

Save Ohio Parks asks the public to tell the commission to deny fracking under Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and Salt Fork State Park.

The deadline to submit comments for Egypt Valley nominations 26-DNR-0001 and 26-DNR-0002 is March 7. Comments on an additional two nominations of land in Egypt Valley, 26-DNR-0004 and 26-DNR-0005, are due March 15.

The wildlife area is popular for hiking, fishing, and hunting. Its land was strip-mined for decades, but reclaimed through years of rehabilitation beginning in the 1990s.

Salt Fork State Park in Guernsey County is Ohio’s largest and arguably most beautiful park at 20,000 acres. It was the first state park to be approved for fracking in 2023, despite large citizen protests at OGLMC meetings.

Salt Fork is popular for camping, swimming, fishing, hunting, hiking, and horseback riding. Comment deadline for the 26-DNR-0003 Salt Fork parcel is March 15.

“Everyone who cares about keeping our pristine natural lands from being industrialized and wants to protect our health, our clean air, water and biodiversity in Ohio has a responsibility to act now and tell the OGLMC to say NO to fracking these beautiful, unspoiled land,” said Rebecca Malik, board member at Save Ohio Parks. “Ohio’s public lands were set aside beginning in 1949 the pleasure and leisure of the people of Ohio for all time. They are not owned by one governor or a supermajority political party seeking to monetize and destroy them with the help of the gas and oil industry.”

Arguments against fracking Ohio are many, as well as serious. Ninety-eight percent of citizen comments filed with the commission regarding fracking nominations are consistently opposed to fracking Ohio public lands.

Fracking is dangerous. Research by Save Ohio Parks’ Jenny Morgan and Fractracker Alliance documented and mapped 1,900 gas and oil “incidents” since 2015. This amounts to an accident or incident every 1.5 days.

An explosion and massive fire at the Groh well pad six miles from Salt Fork State Park in January 2025 forced the overnight evacuation of an entire township and spurred the formation of a statewide environmental organization coalition calling for Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to declare a moratorium on fracking under state parks and public lands. His office has ignored the group.

Gas and oil waste management and storage in Ohio is notably poor. In November 2025, coalition member Buckeye Environmental Network sued the ODNR for using old, lax rules to permit two Class II injection wells in Washington County. The county already has 17 wells—among the most in the state.

Washington County for Safe Drinking Water, a Marietta-based citizen group concerned about groundwater contamination from migrating oil and gas wastewater brine, has asked DeWine for a moratorium on injection well approvals. That request has also been ignored.

Fracking converts Ohio’s fresh water into toxic, radioactive waste. Research by Save Ohio Parks found that fracking approved through January 12, 2026, would use at least 1.9 billion gallons of fresh water taken from Ohio lakes and streams, converting it into toxic radioactive waste that must be stored in underground injection wells forever.

The five current nominations in Salt Fork and Egypt Valley would greatly add to the amount of fresh water taken from Ohio’s water cycle forever.

Lea Harper is director of Freshwater Accountability Project, which has advocated for fresh water and spoken out on the dangers of fracking since 2012.

“Gas and oil waste brine is shot into injection wells with no monitoring wells surrounding them to detect migration of toxic materials,” said Harper. “It deeply saddens me to see the fracking industry taking billions of gallons of water from our lakes and streams each year. That water is destroyed by a single boom-bust industry and forced underground forever, never to sparkle in the sun again. Can we afford to lose that much of our precious freshwater? I don’t think so, but few in Ohio government seem to care.”

Each of the 67 nominations so far for state parks, wildlife areas, Ohio Department of Transportation rights-of-way, and Department of Corrections land are listed on the Save Ohio Parks website. Click on each nomination to learn more and find out how to file a comment on the five open nominations of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and Salt Fork State Park.

Save Ohio Parks is a statewide nonprofit made of volunteers dedicated to educating the public about methane gas (natural gas) fracking’s dangers to human health, the environment and our public lands, in conjunction with Ohio’s lax gas and oil waste management and storage practices.

Contact: Melinda Zemper
Email: mzemper@fuse.net 
Phone: (513) 706-3737

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/save-ohio-parks-public-comments-needed-to-stop-fracking-8-749-acres-at-salt-fork-egypt-valley-302696040.html

SOURCE Save Ohio Parks

Comments needed by March 7 for 6,639 acres in Egypt Valley Wildlife Area; March 15 for 513 acres under Salt Fork State Park and 1,596 more acres of Egypt Valley

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ohioans who love their state parks and public lands need to tell the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission (OGLMC) to stop fracking them.

Over 8236 acres of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area’s 18,000 acres in Belmont County may be handed over for fracking at the commission’s next meeting, along with an additional 513 acres of Salt Fork State Park.

A total of 11,603 acres of Ohio state parks and wildlife areas have been approved for fracking by the commission since 2023, as well as 25 rights-of-way on Ohio Department of Transportation land and 6.9 acres at Noble Correctional Institution.

If approved, the latest round of fracking nominations would come close to doubling the acreage of public lands the state had already approved over the past three years.

Save Ohio Parks asks the public to tell the commission to deny fracking under Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and Salt Fork State Park.

The deadline to submit comments for Egypt Valley nominations 26-DNR-0001 and 26-DNR-0002 is March 7. Comments on an additional two nominations of land in Egypt Valley, 26-DNR-0004 and 26-DNR-0005, are due March 15.

The wildlife area is popular for hiking, fishing, and hunting. Its land was strip-mined for decades, but reclaimed through years of rehabilitation beginning in the 1990s.

Salt Fork State Park in Guernsey County is Ohio’s largest and arguably most beautiful park at 20,000 acres. It was the first state park to be approved for fracking in 2023, despite large citizen protests at OGLMC meetings.

Salt Fork is popular for camping, swimming, fishing, hunting, hiking, and horseback riding. Comment deadline for the 26-DNR-0003 Salt Fork parcel is March 15.

“Everyone who cares about keeping our pristine natural lands from being industrialized and wants to protect our health, our clean air, water and biodiversity in Ohio has a responsibility to act now and tell the OGLMC to say NO to fracking these beautiful, unspoiled land,” said Rebecca Malik, board member at Save Ohio Parks. “Ohio’s public lands were set aside beginning in 1949 the pleasure and leisure of the people of Ohio for all time. They are not owned by one governor or a supermajority political party seeking to monetize and destroy them with the help of the gas and oil industry.”

Arguments against fracking Ohio are many, as well as serious. Ninety-eight percent of citizen comments filed with the commission regarding fracking nominations are consistently opposed to fracking Ohio public lands.

Fracking is dangerous. Research by Save Ohio Parks’ Jenny Morgan and Fractracker Alliance documented and mapped 1,900 gas and oil “incidents” since 2015. This amounts to an accident or incident every 1.5 days.

An explosion and massive fire at the Groh well pad six miles from Salt Fork State Park in January 2025 forced the overnight evacuation of an entire township and spurred the formation of a statewide environmental organization coalition calling for Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to declare a moratorium on fracking under state parks and public lands. His office has ignored the group.

Gas and oil waste management and storage in Ohio is notably poor. In November 2025, coalition member Buckeye Environmental Network sued the ODNR for using old, lax rules to permit two Class II injection wells in Washington County. The county already has 17 wells—among the most in the state.

Washington County for Safe Drinking Water, a Marietta-based citizen group concerned about groundwater contamination from migrating oil and gas wastewater brine, has asked DeWine for a moratorium on injection well approvals. That request has also been ignored.

Fracking converts Ohio’s fresh water into toxic, radioactive waste. Research by Save Ohio Parks found that fracking approved through January 12, 2026, would use at least 1.9 billion gallons of fresh water taken from Ohio lakes and streams, converting it into toxic radioactive waste that must be stored in underground injection wells forever.

The five current nominations in Salt Fork and Egypt Valley would greatly add to the amount of fresh water taken from Ohio’s water cycle forever.

Lea Harper is director of Freshwater Accountability Project, which has advocated for fresh water and spoken out on the dangers of fracking since 2012.

“Gas and oil waste brine is shot into injection wells with no monitoring wells surrounding them to detect migration of toxic materials,” said Harper. “It deeply saddens me to see the fracking industry taking billions of gallons of water from our lakes and streams each year. That water is destroyed by a single boom-bust industry and forced underground forever, never to sparkle in the sun again. Can we afford to lose that much of our precious freshwater? I don’t think so, but few in Ohio government seem to care.”

Each of the 67 nominations so far for state parks, wildlife areas, Ohio Department of Transportation rights-of-way, and Department of Corrections land are listed on the Save Ohio Parks website. Click on each nomination to learn more and find out how to file a comment on the five open nominations of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and Salt Fork State Park.

Save Ohio Parks is a statewide nonprofit made of volunteers dedicated to educating the public about methane gas (natural gas) fracking’s dangers to human health, the environment and our public lands, in conjunction with Ohio’s lax gas and oil waste management and storage practices.

Contact: Melinda Zemper
Email: mzemper@fuse.net 
Phone: (513) 706-3737

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/save-ohio-parks-public-comments-needed-to-stop-fracking-8-749-acres-at-salt-fork-egypt-valley-302696040.html

SOURCE Save Ohio Parks

From 2020 to 2025, Health Net’s investments have fueled community-based programs to expand access to medical, behavioral, wellness and social services for Medi-Cal members

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Health Net, one of California’s most experienced Medi-Cal managed care health plans and a company of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), invested more than $284 million to strengthen and support community-based organizations from 2020 to 2025. This investment underscores Health Net’s decades-long work to advancing access to quality healthcare, including medical, behavioral, nutritional, and supportive services.

“Good healthcare is more than addressing physical medical needs,” said Dorothy Seleski, Medi-Cal plan president at Health Net. “At Health Net, we know safe housing, a full table, and trusted local relationships make a real difference. That’s why we invest in partnerships, programs, and resources that meet people where they are. We connect members with housing options, nourishing food, dependable care and practical support, like transportation, to help them stay well. We’re proud to stand with community organizations that turn immediate support into lasting opportunity.”

Health Net continues to partner with hundreds of local California organizations to advance access to care and tackle barriers to health. This includes addressing the lack of housing, food deserts, transportation costs, and more. As a result, more Medi-Cal members now experience:

• Better Health: Medically tailored meals, street medicine, doulas, and coordinated care improve chronic disease control (e.g., diabetes), lower C-section rates, reduce catastrophic medical incidents requiring emergency response and much more.
• More stability and safety: Permanent housing placements and on-site supportive services reduce exposure to violence, illness, and environmental stressors.
• More reliable access to care: Transportation assistance, tele-mental health for students, and community-based services reduce missed appointments and help close more treatment gaps.
• Better birth outcomes: Doula support sharply reduces risky C-sections and maternal complications, especially for Black mothers.
• Stronger condition management: Nutrition education and sustained support help increase medication adherence and improve chronic disease control.

The following examples illustrate key initiatives supported through these investments:

Addressing Homelessness

Health Net has invested millions of dollars over time to address homelessness and housing instability in Los Angeles, supporting both immediate health needs and long‑term housing solutions. In 2023, Health Net, in partnership with L.A. Care Health Plan, invested $34 million to address the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles County. The investment is helping secure leases of as many as 1,900 housing units and funding critical services such as maintenance, pest control, and greenspace to support resident stability.

“When my diabetes was out of control, my physician assistant came to see me almost every day at my tent,” a Health Net member who received street medicine services through Wesley Health Centers on Skid Row shared. “She helps me take my medicine, and now my sugars are the best they have ever been… I feel so much better, like I can start to get my life together. I am so grateful for her and her team.”

In addition to these Los Angeles–focused collaborations, Health Net has committed an additional $37 million to expand the supply of affordable housing statewide, supporting the development of more than 900 new low‑income housing units currently in progress across California.

Reducing Food Deserts

Health Net and the Centene Foundation committed a $1.1 million grant to the California Association of Food Banks in 2025 to help address the growing food insecurity crisis impacting 1 in 5 Californians. This funding bolsters emergency food responses and enhanced infrastructure—such as refrigerated trucks and cold storage—to distribute more nutrient-rich foods to 10 local food banks.

“When families in rural communities struggle to put food on the table, the entire community feels the impact,” said Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria, California’s 27th Assembly District. “This investment from Health Net and the Centene Foundation strengthens local food banks and ensures that neighbors can support neighbors during these challenging times. By working together, we’re building stronger, healthier communities for the future.”

Overcoming Transportation Barriers

In 2025, Health Net and the Centene Foundation invested more than $7.2 million to expand healthcare access for Californians through mobile clinics. These mobile units offer preventive care, screenings, health education, and social services in community settings, helping reduce common barriers such as transportation and time away from work.

Through partnerships with AltaMed, Community Medical Centers, Kaweah Health, and Vision y Compromiso, the initiative brought essential care directly to neighborhoods, making services more accessible and building stronger connections between providers and the communities they serve.

Advancing Maternal Healthcare

C-section rates among Black mothers in Los Angeles dropped from 70% to 10% within just six months, thanks in large part to The Community Doula Project. This is in part due to a $150,000 grant in 2023 to support the California Coalition for Black Birth Justice, the Preterm Birth Initiative at UCSF, and Cherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies, all of which contributed to this important outcome.

“To create lasting change, we need sustained investment in Black-led organizations, along with clear accountability and transparency,” said Dana Sherrod, executive director of the California Coalition for Black Birth Justice. “We’re grateful that Health Net recognized the importance of this work early on. Their support helped strengthen our foundation, and we hope it inspires others to step forward and invest in solutions that truly make a difference.”

Delivering Medically Tailored Meals

A partnership with Project Angel Food delivered over 1 million medically tailored meals annually to Medi-Cal members through CalAIM from 2023 to 2025. In addition to meal delivery, the program provides twice-daily medically tailored meals for at least 12 weeks and includes nutrition counseling designed to improve health outcomes, support chronic disease management, and enhance overall well-being for participating members.

These initiatives represent just a fraction of Health Net’s broader strategy to leverage data, partnerships, and community engagement to improve whole-person care and reduce health disparities across California.

Health Net’s $284 million commitment is a testament to its mission of transforming communities and creating a healthier California for all.

To learn more about Health Net’s local commitments, visit www.bridgingthedivideca.com.

About Health Net
Founded in California more than 45 years ago, Health Net, LLC (“Health Net”), a company of Centene Corporation, believes that every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Today, we provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses of every size and people who qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare. With more than 117,000 of our network providers, Health Net serves more than three million members across the state. We also offer access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services and managed healthcare products related to prescription drugs. We make these health plans and services available through Health Net and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a leading healthcare enterprise committed to transforming the health of the communities we serve, one person at a time. Health Net and Centene Corporation employ more than 5,700 people in California who work at one of five regional Talent Hub offices. For more information, visit www.HealthNet.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-at-risk-californians-find-housing-and-get-access-to-medical-and-other-care-thanks-to-more-than-284-million-in-investments-this-decade-by-health-net-302695207.html

SOURCE Health Net

From 2020 to 2025, Health Net’s investments have fueled community-based programs to expand access to medical, behavioral, wellness and social services for Medi-Cal members

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Health Net, one of California’s most experienced Medi-Cal managed care health plans and a company of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), invested more than $284 million to strengthen and support community-based organizations from 2020 to 2025. This investment underscores Health Net’s decades-long work to advancing access to quality healthcare, including medical, behavioral, nutritional, and supportive services.

“Good healthcare is more than addressing physical medical needs,” said Dorothy Seleski, Medi-Cal plan president at Health Net. “At Health Net, we know safe housing, a full table, and trusted local relationships make a real difference. That’s why we invest in partnerships, programs, and resources that meet people where they are. We connect members with housing options, nourishing food, dependable care and practical support, like transportation, to help them stay well. We’re proud to stand with community organizations that turn immediate support into lasting opportunity.”

Health Net continues to partner with hundreds of local California organizations to advance access to care and tackle barriers to health. This includes addressing the lack of housing, food deserts, transportation costs, and more. As a result, more Medi-Cal members now experience:

• Better Health: Medically tailored meals, street medicine, doulas, and coordinated care improve chronic disease control (e.g., diabetes), lower C-section rates, reduce catastrophic medical incidents requiring emergency response and much more.
• More stability and safety: Permanent housing placements and on-site supportive services reduce exposure to violence, illness, and environmental stressors.
• More reliable access to care: Transportation assistance, tele-mental health for students, and community-based services reduce missed appointments and help close more treatment gaps.
• Better birth outcomes: Doula support sharply reduces risky C-sections and maternal complications, especially for Black mothers.
• Stronger condition management: Nutrition education and sustained support help increase medication adherence and improve chronic disease control.

The following examples illustrate key initiatives supported through these investments:

Addressing Homelessness

Health Net has invested millions of dollars over time to address homelessness and housing instability in Los Angeles, supporting both immediate health needs and long‑term housing solutions. In 2023, Health Net, in partnership with L.A. Care Health Plan, invested $34 million to address the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles County. The investment is helping secure leases of as many as 1,900 housing units and funding critical services such as maintenance, pest control, and greenspace to support resident stability.

“When my diabetes was out of control, my physician assistant came to see me almost every day at my tent,” a Health Net member who received street medicine services through Wesley Health Centers on Skid Row shared. “She helps me take my medicine, and now my sugars are the best they have ever been… I feel so much better, like I can start to get my life together. I am so grateful for her and her team.”

In addition to these Los Angeles–focused collaborations, Health Net has committed an additional $37 million to expand the supply of affordable housing statewide, supporting the development of more than 900 new low‑income housing units currently in progress across California.

Reducing Food Deserts

Health Net and the Centene Foundation committed a $1.1 million grant to the California Association of Food Banks in 2025 to help address the growing food insecurity crisis impacting 1 in 5 Californians. This funding bolsters emergency food responses and enhanced infrastructure—such as refrigerated trucks and cold storage—to distribute more nutrient-rich foods to 10 local food banks.

“When families in rural communities struggle to put food on the table, the entire community feels the impact,” said Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria, California’s 27th Assembly District. “This investment from Health Net and the Centene Foundation strengthens local food banks and ensures that neighbors can support neighbors during these challenging times. By working together, we’re building stronger, healthier communities for the future.”

Overcoming Transportation Barriers

In 2025, Health Net and the Centene Foundation invested more than $7.2 million to expand healthcare access for Californians through mobile clinics. These mobile units offer preventive care, screenings, health education, and social services in community settings, helping reduce common barriers such as transportation and time away from work.

Through partnerships with AltaMed, Community Medical Centers, Kaweah Health, and Vision y Compromiso, the initiative brought essential care directly to neighborhoods, making services more accessible and building stronger connections between providers and the communities they serve.

Advancing Maternal Healthcare

C-section rates among Black mothers in Los Angeles dropped from 70% to 10% within just six months, thanks in large part to The Community Doula Project. This is in part due to a $150,000 grant in 2023 to support the California Coalition for Black Birth Justice, the Preterm Birth Initiative at UCSF, and Cherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies, all of which contributed to this important outcome.

“To create lasting change, we need sustained investment in Black-led organizations, along with clear accountability and transparency,” said Dana Sherrod, executive director of the California Coalition for Black Birth Justice. “We’re grateful that Health Net recognized the importance of this work early on. Their support helped strengthen our foundation, and we hope it inspires others to step forward and invest in solutions that truly make a difference.”

Delivering Medically Tailored Meals

A partnership with Project Angel Food delivered over 1 million medically tailored meals annually to Medi-Cal members through CalAIM from 2023 to 2025. In addition to meal delivery, the program provides twice-daily medically tailored meals for at least 12 weeks and includes nutrition counseling designed to improve health outcomes, support chronic disease management, and enhance overall well-being for participating members.

These initiatives represent just a fraction of Health Net’s broader strategy to leverage data, partnerships, and community engagement to improve whole-person care and reduce health disparities across California.

Health Net’s $284 million commitment is a testament to its mission of transforming communities and creating a healthier California for all.

To learn more about Health Net’s local commitments, visit www.bridgingthedivideca.com.

About Health Net
Founded in California more than 45 years ago, Health Net, LLC (“Health Net”), a company of Centene Corporation, believes that every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Today, we provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses of every size and people who qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare. With more than 117,000 of our network providers, Health Net serves more than three million members across the state. We also offer access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services and managed healthcare products related to prescription drugs. We make these health plans and services available through Health Net and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a leading healthcare enterprise committed to transforming the health of the communities we serve, one person at a time. Health Net and Centene Corporation employ more than 5,700 people in California who work at one of five regional Talent Hub offices. For more information, visit www.HealthNet.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-at-risk-californians-find-housing-and-get-access-to-medical-and-other-care-thanks-to-more-than-284-million-in-investments-this-decade-by-health-net-302695207.html

SOURCE Health Net

From 2020 to 2025, Health Net’s investments have fueled community-based programs to expand access to medical, behavioral, wellness and social services for Medi-Cal members

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Health Net, one of California’s most experienced Medi-Cal managed care health plans and a company of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), invested more than $284 million to strengthen and support community-based organizations from 2020 to 2025. This investment underscores Health Net’s decades-long work to advancing access to quality healthcare, including medical, behavioral, nutritional, and supportive services.

“Good healthcare is more than addressing physical medical needs,” said Dorothy Seleski, Medi-Cal plan president at Health Net. “At Health Net, we know safe housing, a full table, and trusted local relationships make a real difference. That’s why we invest in partnerships, programs, and resources that meet people where they are. We connect members with housing options, nourishing food, dependable care and practical support, like transportation, to help them stay well. We’re proud to stand with community organizations that turn immediate support into lasting opportunity.”

Health Net continues to partner with hundreds of local California organizations to advance access to care and tackle barriers to health. This includes addressing the lack of housing, food deserts, transportation costs, and more. As a result, more Medi-Cal members now experience:

• Better Health: Medically tailored meals, street medicine, doulas, and coordinated care improve chronic disease control (e.g., diabetes), lower C-section rates, reduce catastrophic medical incidents requiring emergency response and much more.
• More stability and safety: Permanent housing placements and on-site supportive services reduce exposure to violence, illness, and environmental stressors.
• More reliable access to care: Transportation assistance, tele-mental health for students, and community-based services reduce missed appointments and help close more treatment gaps.
• Better birth outcomes: Doula support sharply reduces risky C-sections and maternal complications, especially for Black mothers.
• Stronger condition management: Nutrition education and sustained support help increase medication adherence and improve chronic disease control.

The following examples illustrate key initiatives supported through these investments:

Addressing Homelessness

Health Net has invested millions of dollars over time to address homelessness and housing instability in Los Angeles, supporting both immediate health needs and long‑term housing solutions. In 2023, Health Net, in partnership with L.A. Care Health Plan, invested $34 million to address the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles County. The investment is helping secure leases of as many as 1,900 housing units and funding critical services such as maintenance, pest control, and greenspace to support resident stability.

“When my diabetes was out of control, my physician assistant came to see me almost every day at my tent,” a Health Net member who received street medicine services through Wesley Health Centers on Skid Row shared. “She helps me take my medicine, and now my sugars are the best they have ever been… I feel so much better, like I can start to get my life together. I am so grateful for her and her team.”

In addition to these Los Angeles–focused collaborations, Health Net has committed an additional $37 million to expand the supply of affordable housing statewide, supporting the development of more than 900 new low‑income housing units currently in progress across California.

Reducing Food Deserts

Health Net and the Centene Foundation committed a $1.1 million grant to the California Association of Food Banks in 2025 to help address the growing food insecurity crisis impacting 1 in 5 Californians. This funding bolsters emergency food responses and enhanced infrastructure—such as refrigerated trucks and cold storage—to distribute more nutrient-rich foods to 10 local food banks.

“When families in rural communities struggle to put food on the table, the entire community feels the impact,” said Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria, California’s 27th Assembly District. “This investment from Health Net and the Centene Foundation strengthens local food banks and ensures that neighbors can support neighbors during these challenging times. By working together, we’re building stronger, healthier communities for the future.”

Overcoming Transportation Barriers

In 2025, Health Net and the Centene Foundation invested more than $7.2 million to expand healthcare access for Californians through mobile clinics. These mobile units offer preventive care, screenings, health education, and social services in community settings, helping reduce common barriers such as transportation and time away from work.

Through partnerships with AltaMed, Community Medical Centers, Kaweah Health, and Vision y Compromiso, the initiative brought essential care directly to neighborhoods, making services more accessible and building stronger connections between providers and the communities they serve.

Advancing Maternal Healthcare

C-section rates among Black mothers in Los Angeles dropped from 70% to 10% within just six months, thanks in large part to The Community Doula Project. This is in part due to a $150,000 grant in 2023 to support the California Coalition for Black Birth Justice, the Preterm Birth Initiative at UCSF, and Cherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies, all of which contributed to this important outcome.

“To create lasting change, we need sustained investment in Black-led organizations, along with clear accountability and transparency,” said Dana Sherrod, executive director of the California Coalition for Black Birth Justice. “We’re grateful that Health Net recognized the importance of this work early on. Their support helped strengthen our foundation, and we hope it inspires others to step forward and invest in solutions that truly make a difference.”

Delivering Medically Tailored Meals

A partnership with Project Angel Food delivered over 1 million medically tailored meals annually to Medi-Cal members through CalAIM from 2023 to 2025. In addition to meal delivery, the program provides twice-daily medically tailored meals for at least 12 weeks and includes nutrition counseling designed to improve health outcomes, support chronic disease management, and enhance overall well-being for participating members.

These initiatives represent just a fraction of Health Net’s broader strategy to leverage data, partnerships, and community engagement to improve whole-person care and reduce health disparities across California.

Health Net’s $284 million commitment is a testament to its mission of transforming communities and creating a healthier California for all.

To learn more about Health Net’s local commitments, visit www.bridgingthedivideca.com.

About Health Net
Founded in California more than 45 years ago, Health Net, LLC (“Health Net”), a company of Centene Corporation, believes that every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Today, we provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses of every size and people who qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare. With more than 117,000 of our network providers, Health Net serves more than three million members across the state. We also offer access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services and managed healthcare products related to prescription drugs. We make these health plans and services available through Health Net and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a leading healthcare enterprise committed to transforming the health of the communities we serve, one person at a time. Health Net and Centene Corporation employ more than 5,700 people in California who work at one of five regional Talent Hub offices. For more information, visit www.HealthNet.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-at-risk-californians-find-housing-and-get-access-to-medical-and-other-care-thanks-to-more-than-284-million-in-investments-this-decade-by-health-net-302695207.html

SOURCE Health Net

Paso Robles Councilmember Fred Strong and Solana Beach Council Member Jewel Edson to Lead the Agency’s Board of Directors

ORANGE, Calif., Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency (Agency), which manages the Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner® train service, announces that its Board of Directors (Board) has unanimously selected Paso Robles Councilmember Fred Strong to serve as Board Chair, and Solana Beach City Council Member Jewel Edson to serve as Board Vice Chair for 2026.

“I’m honored to serve as chair of the LOSSAN Agency,” said Strong. “Passenger rail has long played a critical role in connecting communities and supporting economic opportunities. I look forward to working closely with my fellow board members, agency staff, and regional partners to strengthen the Pacific Surfliner service and advance a resilient, reliable rail corridor for the future.”

Strong has been a transportation advocate and civic leader for more than 35 years and represents San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) on the LOSSAN Board. A Paso Robles City Councilmember, he brings decades of experience serving local, regional, and national transportation and planning organizations.

“I’m excited to step into the role of vice chair and contribute to the collaborative leadership of the LOSSAN Agency,” said Edson. “Transparent decision-making, informed planning, and creative problem-solving are essential as we continue improving intercity rail service for the communities we serve along the corridor.”

Edson represents the North County Transportation District (NCTD) on the LOSSAN Board and serves as a Solana Beach City Council Member and small business owner. She is known for her open-minded, energetic leadership style and commitment to transparency, integrity, and informed decision-making.

“Their combined experience, thoughtful leadership, and commitment to regional collaboration will be invaluable as the agency continues to enhance service, increase ridership, and invest in the long-term success of the Pacific Surfliner service,” said Jason Jewell, Managing Director of the LOSSAN Agency.

The LOSSAN Agency is governed by an 11-member Board composed of officials representing rail owners, operators, and planning agencies along the LOSSAN Rail Corridor between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. To learn more, visit LOSSAN.org.

About the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency
The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency is a joint powers authority composed of rail owners, operators, and planning agencies along the entire LOSSAN rail corridor. In addition to working to improve passenger rail ridership, revenue, on-time performance, operational flexibility, and safety, the LOSSAN Agency assumed management responsibility for the Pacific Surfliner service in July 2015 following the execution of an interagency transfer agreement with the State of California. For more information, visit Lossan.org.

About the Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner®
Pacific Surfliner travels along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 29 stations. It is the second busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail route in the United States. To learn more and plan a trip, visit pacificsurfliner.com.

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SOURCE Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner

The data collected will help enhance understanding of habitats, geohazards, and oceanographic conditions across 13,000 square nautical miles in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Woolpert and Saildrone have partnered to acquire and process bathymetric survey data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Ocean Exploration and Office of Coast Survey in support of safe navigation and national ocean mapping initiatives, including the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone and Seabed 2030 initiative. 

The Mariana Islands’ strategic location and vast marine ecosystems make it a critical region for monitoring and analysis. The data will be used by NOAA to help enhance its understanding of sensitive habitats, marine geohazards, oceanographic conditions, seafloor composition, and ecosystem management within the U.S. exclusive economic zone in the vicinity of the Mariana Islands. It will also help expand taxonomic reference libraries for understudied marine organisms.

Woolpert, a leading provider of lidar and sonar bathymetry data, was selected by NOAA to map the seafloor off the eastern coast of the Mariana Islands. The firm partnered with Saildrone, which will use a 20-meter Saildrone Surveyor uncrewed surface vehicle designed for persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and deep-ocean mapping.

The Saildrone Surveyor operates autonomously and delivers high-resolution bathymetric data in the world’s most challenging environments. Powered by a high-efficiency diesel engine augmented by the patented Saildrone Wing, the vehicle leverages auxiliary wind energy to maximize fuel efficiency. This dual-source power architecture enables the extreme range and persistence necessary for autonomous, long-duration deep-water ocean mapping.

This month, Saildrone began collecting high-resolution bathymetric data across the 13,000-square-nautical-mile area of the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Saildrone will transmit the data to Woolpert in near-real time for processing and final delivery.

“The seafloor mapping and exploration data that the Surveyor collects around the Mariana Islands will close critical bathymetric gaps in the United States’ exclusive economic zone,” said Brian Connon, vice president of ocean mapping at Saildrone. “The Surveyor’s ability to remain at sea for months at a time, regardless of weather conditions or sea state, makes it an ideal platform to carry out this vital work. Saildrone is proud to be working with both Woolpert and NOAA in these crucial efforts to better understand our ocean, marine resources, and ecosystem.”

Woolpert Maritime Market Director Dave Neff said the partnership shows how autonomous technologies are transforming the acquisition of hydrographic data for deep-ocean exploration.

“By integrating Saildrone’s mission portal with Woolpert’s automated survey production environment, we gain real-time visibility into acquisition progress and data quality — especially in deep-water regions that were once difficult and costly to access,” Neff said. “This collaboration shows how uncrewed systems and smart partnerships can expand what’s possible in ocean mapping.”

The contract is underway and is expected to conclude in May 2026.

About Woolpert
Woolpert is a global leader in architecture, engineering, and geospatial (AEG) services, with over a century of experience driving innovation and delivering impact. We fuse deep technical expertise with a forward-thinking mindset to solve complex challenges across the public, private, and government sectors. Woolpert is proud to be a certified Great Place to Work, a Top 25 Building Design+Construction firm, a Top 50 Engineering News-Record Design firm, and a Global Top 100 Geospatial company. Woolpert operates from more than 75 offices across five continents—building smarter, more resilient communities around the world. Learn more at woolpert.com.

About Saildrone
Saildrone is a maritime defense company with a relentless passion for performance. Built to operate in the world’s harshest environments, Saildrone’s autonomous systems deliver payload effects and persistent, wide-area intelligence, enabling informed decisions across the spectrum of defense missions. Harnessing AI, advanced sensor suites, and renewable power for unmatched endurance at sea, Saildrone delivers superior multi-domain impact—from power projection to persistent ISR to real-time threat detection and tracking—while reducing cost and risk. With proven operational success across the world’s oceans, Saildrone is advancing the frontier of autonomous maritime operations to give decision-makers and warfighters the enduring advantage to outpace adversaries today and build tomorrow’s most decisive capabilities.

Media Contact
Lynn Rossi
312-837-2017

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SOURCE Woolpert