Oil Spill
Restore Act amendment passes
Sun Herald
By MARIA RECIO
WASHINGTON -- The House passed an amendment Wednesday night critical to the
Gulf Coast that directs at least 80 percent of BP oil spill fines to the
five Gulf states.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/02/15/v-print/3756121/restore-act-amendment-passes.html
Mississippi to use $1.8M from BP funds on project
AP
MOSS POINT, MISS. — A new $2 million Pascagoula River Audubon Center
celebrating the environment of the Mississippi Gulf Coast is scheduled to
open in early 2013.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120215/NEWS/120215025/Mississippi-use-1-8M-from-BP-funds-project?odyssey=tab|
topnews|text|Home
Appeals court sides with judge in oil spill case
Published: Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 7:57 PM Updated: Wednesday,
February 15, 2012, 7:57 PM
By The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A federal appeals court has refused to overrule a judge
who ordered BP PLC and other companies involved in the nation's worst
offshore oil spill to set aside up to 6 percent of any settlement or claims
payments for the benefit of a group of lead plaintiffs' attorneys.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2012/02/appeals_court_sides_with_judge.html
The chance of a lifetime
Editorial – Sun Herald
Asian Americans for Change is spearheading a life-altering approach to BP
oil spill recovery.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/02/15/v-print/3755866/the-chance-of-a-lifetime.html
State News
Team asks EPA to alter DeSoto listing
Seek exclusion of county from Memphis ozone level
Commercial Appeal
By Henry Bailey
Thursday, February 16, 2012
DeSoto County's congressional delegation, taking aim at EPA's "misguided"
proposal to list the county with Memphis as falling short on ozone
standards, has called on agency chief Lisa Jackson to clear the air by
reversing the plan.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/feb/16/team-asks-epa-to-alter-desoto-listing/?print=1
Chemical cleanup continues on Seaway Road
WLOX
Cleanup crews have been working around the clock since Tuesday morning to
cleanup the chemicals that leaked from Channel Chemical Corporation.
http://www.wlox.com/story/16931825/deq-no-danger-from-chemical-leak-on-seaway-road
Water pipeline construction in downtown Jackson
WLBT
After several weeks of inactivity, work has resumed on a construction
project in downtown Jackson to lay a 48-inch water pipeline.
The line begins at the Reservoir and goes underneath Jefferson Street near
WLBT.
WLBT first reported the work was halted because diesel fuel was discovered
running into the huge trench being dug down the middle of Jefferson Street
to bury the pipeline.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is still trying to find
the source of the diesel fuel.
http://www.wlbt.com/story/16946582/water-pipeline-construction-in-downtown-jackson
Landfill begins production of green energy in Pontotoc
by Regina Butler
Pontotoc Progress
02.15.12 - 04:59 pm
A very special switch was thrown at the Three Rivers Solid Waste Landfill
last week signaling the first green electricity produced in Pontotoc
County.
http://nems360.com/view/full_story/17545266/article-Landfill-begins-production-of-green-energy-in-Pontotoc?instance=secondary_stories_left_column
Zoning approves Class I rubbish site
South Reporter (Holly Springs)
By SUE WATSON
Two developers, with 73 acres each located in the Chickasaw Trail
Industrial Park, were given the green light to take the next step in
obtaining a permit for a Class I rubbish site.
http://southreporter.com/zoning.html
Bills aimed at helping oystermen, shrimpers
Sun Herald
By GEOFF PENDER
Two bills moving through the state Legislature are aimed at giving some
relief to Mississippi's oystermen and shrimpers, who've been hammered by
the BP oil disaster and freshwater incursion.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/02/15/v-print/3756145/bills-aimed-at-helping-oystermen.html
Noxubee refuge named for Hamilton
WTVA
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — President Obama has signed a bill to name the Noxubee
National Wildlife Refuge for the late Sam D. Hamilton.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Noxubee-refuge-named-for-Hamilton/WxhpX9STdkeBA25Qjn4jBQ.cspx
House OKs bill to cut Hood's power
AP
The Republican-led Mississippi House voted 59-55 Wednesday to pass a bill
limiting the powers of the Democratic attorney general.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120216/NEWS010504/202160335/House-OKs-bill-cut-Hood-s-power
Legislature adopts new budget-writing rule
AP
Mississippi legislators have set a new budget-writing rule, but only after
arguing about whether it increases accountability or limits most lawmakers'
power to boost spending on education and other programs.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120216/NEWS010504/202160345/Legislature-adopts-new-budget-writing-rule
National News
State wants dead zone off Impaired Waters List
Houma Courier
By Nikki Buskey
Louisiana environmental officials have refused to add the yearly Gulf of
Mexico "dead zone" to a nationwide list of polluted water bodies despite
requests from the federal government.
http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20120215/ARTICLES/120219744
U.S. Pushes to Cut Emissions of Some Pollutants That Hasten Climate Change
NY Times
By JOHN M. BRODER
WASHINGTON — Impatient with the slow pace of international climate change
negotiations, a small group of countries led by the United States is
starting a program to reduce emissions of common pollutants that contribute
to rapid climate change and widespread health problems.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/science/earth/us-pushes-to-cut-emissions-that-speed-climate-change.html?_r=1&ref=earth&pagewanted=print
U.S. will lead new effort to cut global warming from methane, soot
Washington Post
By Brian Vastag,
With global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions stalled, the United
States and five other countries are starting a new program to cut other
pollutants — including methane, soot and hydrofluorocarbons — that
contribute to global warming.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-will-lead-new-effort-to-cut-global-warming-from-methane-soot/2012/02/15/gIQAoYtUGR_print.html
Federal funds for health testing at beaches to be eliminated
LA Times
Health testing at beaches in California and across the nation is at risk of
being cut back under a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plan to
eliminate federal funds for monitoring whether the water is too
contaminated to swim in.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/02/epa-to-eliminate-federal-funds-for-beach-water-testing.html
Press Releases
Wicker, Cochran, Nunnelee Press EPA Officials to Reverse Harmful DeSoto
County Decision
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker and Thad Cochran along with
Representative Alan Nunnelee on Tuesday afternoon met with Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson to express their
opposition to the federal agency's proposal to include DeSoto County with
Memphis for violation of ozone emission standards. Failure to comply with
the EPA standards could hamper economic and community growth in DeSoto
County.
"Desoto County has gone above and beyond what is required by EPA to lower
their ozone emissions," Wicker said. "Emissions have remained below the
level set by the law. Holding the county accountable for a violation they
have not committed would hurt job opportunities in Mississippi."
"We met with Administrator Jackson to outline credible, fact-based
arguments against her agency's emissions standard proposal, which would
unfairly penalize DeSoto County. This plan is problematic not only on an
environmental basis, but also on the grounds that it fails to give adequate
consideration to the economic impact on this area of Mississippi. The
Environmental Protection Agency is misguided in this instance and should
withdraw DeSoto County from this proposal," Cochran said.
"I appreciate Administrator Jackson taking the time to hear our position,"
said Nunnelee. "Desoto County has been proactive in improving air quality
and the numbers show that pollution is trending down as a result. It would
be wrong and counterproductive to punish their good faith efforts and I am
hopeful that EPA will reconsider their decision."
In December 2011, EPA announced a proposal to include parts of DeSoto
County with Memphis, which has ozone emissions that are above allowable
limits set by federal regulation. The plan would include the urban areas
of DeSoto County and Crittenden County, Arkansas, in the Memphis ozone
non-attainment area.
DeSoto County was excluded from the Memphis non-attainment area in 2004
because the county did not significantly contribute to ozone levels in the
Memphis area. Since that time, ozone concentrations have dropped in DeSoto
County.
The three Mississippi lawmakers met with officials from the Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and DeSoto County last week. In
addition to the congressional delegation's response, the county has worked
with MDEQ to stop the ruling.
State and county officials have until February 29, 2012 to submit
additional data to support their position, and EPA plans to finalize the
ruling by May 31, 2012.
###
