Oil Spill
Senators lobbying House to pass BP oil spill bill
by MBJ Staff
Published: March 15,2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST — U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger
Wicker (R-Miss.) are hoping the House of Representatives will look
favorably on "overwhelming" Senate support for legislation that will direct
fines from the BP oil spill to Mississippi and other Gulf Coast states.
http://msbusiness.com/2012/03/senators-lobbying-house-to-pass-bp-oil-spill-bill/
Oil spill documents must stay confidential, judge rules
Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 10:45 PM
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune
Documents prepared by the National Marine Fisheries Service for the BP oil
spill trial are confidential and are not to be made public, U.S. Magistrate
Judge Sally Shushan ruled Tuesday. Shushan's one-page order cites earlier
orders issued by U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier outlining what documents
should be treated as confidential by the trial's Plaintiff Steering
Committee, BP and Justice Department attorneys.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/03/oil_spill_documents_must_stay.html
BP oil spill health settlement details are still a mystery
Published: Sunday, March 11, 2012, 6:30 AM
By Rebecca Mowbray, The Times-Picayune
In the BP oil spill case, the health settlement negotiated last weekend
between BP and attorneys for private plaintiffs in the oil spill litigation
makes tens of thousands of new people eligible for care and compensation
from the disaster, and it could make a meaningful difference in the
delivery of mental and physical health care in small coastal communities.
But law professors, environmental health specialists and health care
practitioners say it all depends on the yet-unknown details of the
agreement, which is expected to be filed in court in mid-April.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/03/bp_oil_spill_health_settlement.html
Oil Exceeding $120 Means BP Can Pay More for Gulf Spill: Energy
Brian Swint,
Bloomberg News
Friday, March 16, 2012
March 15 (Bloomberg) -- Oil prices close to the highest since 2008 are
increasing BP Plc's available cash as it negotiates a final bill with the
Obama administration to pay for damages caused by the worst U.S. spill.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/03/15/bloomberg_articlesM0W2GT07SXKX01-M0XKX.DTL
Fishermen Flounder as Details of Settlement for BP Oil Spill Await
Resolution
Published Thursday, Mar. 15, 2012
CRESSKILL, N.J., March 15, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Despite promises of
quick payments, it may be months if not years before plaintiffs associated
with the BP Gulf Oil Spill receive compensation. The settlement covers
lawsuits brought by more than 100,000 fishermen who lost work, cleanup
workers who suffered illness, and others who claimed harm from the April
2010 BP Gulf Oil Spill. RD Legal Funding, LLC ("RD Legal") is offering
lawsuit settlement funding to plaintiffs who are experiencing financial
hardship as soon as their settlement amounts are determined.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/15/4340697/fishermen-flounder-as-details.html
State News
Groups sue MDA over drilling regulations
Sun Herald
By MICHAEL NEWSOM
Environmental groups have filed a joint lawsuit seeking to hold up the
Mississippi Development Authority's new regulations for oil and gas
exploration and seismic testing in Mississippi waters.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/15/v-print/3821677/groups-sue-mda-over-drilling-regulations.html
Drilling opponents file suit against MDA
WLOX
The debate over drilling in the Mississippi Sound is now headed to court.
Two groups have filed a lawsuit against the Mississippi Development
Authority, challenging its regulations for oil and gas leases.
http://www.wlox.com/story/17166095/drilling-opponents-file-suit-against-mda
State high court: Regulators' details on coal plant not clear
AP
By JACK ELLIOTT JR.
JACKSON -- The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled Thursday state regulators
failed to lay out their reasoning clearly when they eased the financial
terms under which Mississippi Power Co. could build what it calls Plant
Ratcliffe in Kemper County.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/15/v-print/3821678/state-high-court-regulators-details.html
Bryant should step in and settle lawsuit over drilling
Editorial – Sun Herald
Gov. Phil Bryant and the Mississippi Development Authority, an agency that
reports directly to him, could have easily avoided the lawsuit filed
Thursday by the Sierra Club and the Gulf Restoration Network to block MDA's
new regulations for offshore drilling.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/15/v-print/3820710/bryant-should-step-in-and-settle.html
Bill eases state worker firings
Senate approves two-year removal of civil service protection
AP
Thousands of Mississippi state employees would lose civil service
protections for two years, meaning they could be fired more easily than
they can now, under a bill passed Thursday by the Senate.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120316/NEWS010504/203160335/Bill-eases-state-worker-firings
National News
Nutrients causing Gulf 'dead zone' subject of suits against EPA
Published: Thursday, March 15, 2012, 11:25 AM
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune
A consortium of state and national environmental groups filed suits Tuesday
against the federal Environmental Protection Agency in federal courts in
New Orleans and New York in an attempt to get greater restrictions on
nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the nation's rivers and streams.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/03/environmental_groups_sue_epa_t.html
Environmental groups sue EPA over Gulf dead zone
Wed, Mar 14 2012
Reuters
By David Bailey
(Reuters) - Several environmental groups are suing the government to curb
pollution of the Mississippi River with fertilizers and other contaminants
blamed with creating a "dead zone" the size of Massachusetts in the Gulf of
Mexico.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/15/us-lawsuits-idUSBRE82E04620120315
EPA's Proposed Fracking Rules Seen Cutting Gas Drilling
Business Week
By Mark Drajem on March 15, 2012
Regulations proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on air
pollution would reduce drilling for natural gas using hydraulic fracturing
by as much as 52 percent, the American Petroleum Institute said.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-15/epa-s-proposed-fracking-rules-seen-cutting-gas-drilling
EPA well water testing in Pa. gas drilling town fails to show elevated
levels of contamination
By Associated Press, Published: March 15
SCRANTON, Pa. — Federal environmental regulators said Thursday that well
water testing at 11 homes in a northeastern Pennsylvania village where a
gas driller was accused of polluting the aquifer failed to show elevated
levels of contamination.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/epa-well-water-testing-in-pa-gas-drilling-town-fails-to-show-elevated-levels-of-contamination/2012/03/15/gIQAAfg4ES_print.html
Zeroing In on Lead in Hunters' Bullets
NY Times
By DOUGLAS M. MAIN
Citing risks to birds and to human health, roughly 100 environmental groups
formally asked the federal Environmental Protection Agency this week to ban
or at least impose limits on lead in the manufacturing of bullets and
shotgun pellets for hunting or recreation.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/zeroing-in-on-lead-in-hunters-bullets/?pagemode=print
Cheap Natural Gas Unplugs U.S. Nuclear-Power Revival
Wall Street Journal
By REBECCA SMITH
The U.S. nuclear industry seemed to be staging a comeback several years
ago, with 15 power companies proposing as many as 29 new reactors. Today,
only two projects are moving off the drawing board.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304459804577281490129153610.html
Young Americans less interested in the environment than previous
generations
Washington Post
By Martha Irvine, Published: March 15
CHICAGO — They have a reputation for being environmentally minded
do-gooders. But an academic analysis of surveys spanning more than 40 years
has found that today's young Americans are less interested in the
environment and in conserving resources — and often less civic-minded
overall — than their elders were when they were young.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/young-americans-less-interested-in-the-environment-than-previous-generations/2012/03/15/gIQAGio1ES_story.html
Obama's EPA is a jobs killer
Op-Ed Politico
By: Rep. Don Young
March 15, 2012 10:12 PM EDT
President Barack Obama, in his recent "energy speech," declared that a key
to lower gasoline prices "starts with the need for safe, responsible oil
production here in America. We're not going to transition out of oil
anytime soon."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/74072.html
Press Releases
EPA Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Energy Star
Americans saved nearly $230 billion in two decades
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is kicking off
the celebration of Energy Star's 20th anniversary by recognizing the 2012
Energy Star award winners for their outstanding leadership and commitment
to protecting America's environment through superior energy efficiency.
Over the past 20 years, with help from Energy Star partners, American
families and businesses have saved about $230 billion on utility bills and
prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of carbon pollution.
"As we celebrate 20 years of progress through the Energy Star program, EPA
is proud to congratulate the 2012 Energy Star award winners," said EPA
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "Thanks to their innovative thinking and
commitment to energy efficiency, these leaders are helping Americans find
cost-effective ways to save energy in everything we do, which is good for
our environment, our health and our future."
The 109 Energy Star award winners were chosen from nearly 20,000 partners
from across the nation. Organizations are recognized in one of four Energy
Star award categories: corporate commitment, sustained excellence, partner
of the year, and excellence in delivering specific promotions.
Corporate Commitment: Sears Holdings Corporation is being recognized with
the highest honor, the Energy Star corporate commitment award. This award
is reserved for partners whose superior achievements in energy efficiency
span the breadth of the Energy Star program.
Sustained Excellence: Fifty-seven sustained excellence winners continue to
raise the bar across their respective industries for outstanding
achievements in energy efficiency. A few of these winners include: Food
Lion Family, Bloom, and Bottom Dollar Food; GE Appliances & Lighting;
Gresham-Barlow School District; Hanesbrands Inc.; Nissan North America,
Inc.; PepsiCo, Inc.; and Saint-Gobain.
Partner of the Year: Thirty-six organizations are receiving partner of the
year awards for protecting the environment through energy efficient
products, practices and services. These organizations promote Energy Star
products and practices in their own operations, and provide efficient
products and services to consumers within their community. A few of these
winners include: Cleveland Clinic; Colgate-Palmolive Company; General
Motors Company; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Staples, Inc.; and The
Boeing Company.
Excellence: Fifteen organizations are recognized with an excellence award
for advancing energy-efficient products, homes, or buildings and helping to
expand the reach of the Energy Star program. A few of these winners
include: Design Tech Homes; DIRECTV; Good Earth Lighting, Inc.; and Sharp
Electronics Corporation.
Launched in 1992 by EPA, Energy Star is a market-based partnership to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Last year alone,
Americans, with the help of the Energy Star program and its partners, saved
approximately $23 billion on their energy bills while preventing greenhouse
gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of 41 million vehicles. To
date, more than 1.3 million new homes and nearly 16,500 buildings across
all 50 states have earned EPA's Energy Star certification. Today, the
Energy Star label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products
with more than 5 billion sold over the past 20 years.
Complete list of 2012 award winners: www.energystar.gov/awards
More information on Energy Star 20th Anniversary: www.energystar.gov/20th
