The clock is ticking to have the federal government cover 100 percent of tornado cleanup, and in Mayfield, Kentucky, that contract is in the hands of a company tied to a federal whistleblower lawsuit for practices used while building the U.S. Mexico border wall under the Trump Administration.
Last week, President Joe Biden promised 100 percent of cleanup efforts would be covered by the federal government for the first 30 days of recovery putting Kentucky on the clock to award contracts and begin the process of clearing away debris across a large path of destruction.
In Graves County, Kentucky, where the tornado leveled homes and businesses in Mayfield, the contract has been awarded by the Army Corps of Engineers to DRC Emergency Services, LLC on Dec. 20, 2021. The Army Corps of Engineers tells Kentucky Fried Politics DRC Emergency Services should begin initial cleanup on Dec. 26, 2021. FEMA estimates cleanup will cost $120 million to remove and dispose of approximately two million cubic yards of debris from Graves County where the devastation occurred, according to a news release from the Army Corps. The cleanup is estimated to take four months, according to the Corps.
“This mission is the first step in assisting our fellow Kentuckians back on their feet and I am confident we will deliver with world-class excellence,” said Louisville District Commander Col. Eric Crispino. “The Commonwealth of Kentucky is putting its trust and confidence in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Louisville District to assist the state and its residents recover from this catastrophic event.”
DRC is part of an interest company owned by John R. Sullivan, who operates Sullivan Land Services (SLS). SLS also seeks large government contracts. SLS recently found themselves as part of a federal whistleblower lawsuit for allegedly hiring Mexican nationals to guard 163 miles of border-wall construction sites in California . DRC Emergency Services did not respond to a phone call and message from Kentucky Fried Politics.
