Oil Spill
Phil Bryant announces projects to restore Mississippi Gulf Coast from BP
oil spill
Published: Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 2:49 PM Updated: Tuesday, April 17,
2012, 3:08 PM
By Harlan Kirgan, Mississippi Press
GULFPORT, Mississippi -- Mississippi plans to use $13.6 million from BP to
begin two restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico following the 2010
Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Gov. Phil Bryant announced Tuesday at the
Gulfport Yacht Club.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/04/bryant_announces_projects_to_r.html
Bryant unveils projects to restore Coast after spill
Hattiesburg American
GULFPORT – Mississippi plans to use $13.6 million from BP to begin two
restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 BP/Deepwater
Horizon oil spill, Gov. Phil Bryant announced today.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20120417/NEWS01/120417013/Bryant-unveils-projects-restore-Coast-after-spill
Governor: MS to use $13.5 million towards Gulf restoration projects
WLOX
On Tuesday, Governor Phil Bryant announced Mississippi is planning to use
$13.6 million from BP towards oyster reef restoration and construction and
rehabilitation of artificial reefs in the Mississippi Sound.
http://www.wlox.com/story/17516090/governor-ms-to-use-135-million-towards-gulf-restoration-projects
Oil spill cleanup 2 years later: Only 2 to 3 percent of Mississippi
shoreline actively being cleaned of oil (gallery, video)
Published: Monday, April 16, 2012, 6:31 PM Updated: Monday, April 16,
2012, 6:51 PM
By Harlan Kirgan, Mississippi Press
GULFPORT, Mississippi -- Only 2 to 3 percent of Mississippi's shoreline,
including the barrier islands, remain to be cleaned of oil material from
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that started on April 20, 2010, said a BP
official.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/04/oil_spill_cleanup_2_years_late.html
BP: Mississippi 98 percent clean
Sun Herald
By KAREN NELSON
GULFPORT -- BP officials took the media on a helicopter tour of Mississippi
beaches Monday morning and announced that two years after the country's
worst environmental disaster began, the company is through with cleaning
almost two-thirds of the state's coastline.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/04/16/v-print/3886330/bp-mississippi-98-percent-clean.html
BP says Mississippi is 99% oil free now
WLOX
Flying over the barrier islands, you can't help but think what a difference
two years makes. No oil spill workers, no heavy equipment, just peaceful
and serene beauty.
http://www.wlox.com/story/17464026/bp-says-mississippi-is-99-percent-clean-now
RAW INTERVIEW: BP's Mike Utsler on MS coastal cleanup
Video
http://www.wlox.com/category/194069/video-center?clipId=6966443&autostart=true
Two Years After the Oil Spill, Mississippi Gulf Coast Sees Restoration and
Readjustment
MPB
Published by Rhonda Miller on 13 Apr 2012 03:36pm
Two years after the nation's worst oil spill, some say Mississippi beaches
and businesses are finally casting off the oil-soaked image and returning
to normal. But as MPB's Rhonda Miller reports, others are still struggling
to rebuild their lives and find a "new normal."
http://mpbonline.org/News/article/two_years_after_the_oil_spill_mississippi_gulf_coast_sees_restoration_and_r
Obama, Congress, industry get mixed grades two years after BP oil spill in
Gulf
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 04/17/12 11:16 AM ET
The Obama administration and oil companies have made progress on drilling
safety since the massive BP spill, but Congress has shown little
leadership, members of a disbanded commission that probed the 2010 Gulf of
Mexico disaster say.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/221937-two-years-after-bp-oil-spill-mixed-grades-on-drilling-safety-
Former Gulf oil spill commission gives Congress a 'D' on safety reforms
By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, April 17, 12:36 PM
WASHINGTON — A presidential commission that investigated the Gulf oil spill
blasted Congress for inaction Tuesday as it issued a report card on
industry and government response to the massive BP oil spill.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/former-gulf-oil-spill-commission-gives-congress-a-d-on-safety-reforms/2012/04/17/gIQADAnAOT_print.html
BP Gulf oil spill fine money tied to transportation bill
Published: Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 9:50 AM
By Bruce Alpert, Times-Picayune
WASHINGTON -- In a positive sign for legislation to designate 80 percent of
fines from the 2010 oil spill for the five Gulf States, House GOP leaders
agreed Monday to incorporate the outlines of the proposal into a stop-gap
transportation funding bill. The plan by the GOP is to pass the
transportation bill this week, most likely on Wednesday, and then proceed
into negotiations with the Senate on a long-term transportation bill.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/04/bp_gulf_oil_spill_fine_money_t.html
Congress stifles bill to funnel spill fines
Houston Chronicle
By Puneet Kollipara
Updated 10:12 p.m., Monday, April 16, 2012
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan push to set aside billions in fines from the BP
oil spill for Gulf of Mexico restoration remains stalled in Congress as the
disaster's two-year anniversary nears.
http://www.chron.com/business/article/Congress-stifles-bill-to-funnel-spill-fines-3486548.php
Florida seeks to delay approval of BP settlement
Reuters
(Reuters) - The Attorney General for the State of Florida has asked a
federal court to delay granting preliminary approval of BP Plc's $7.8
billion settlement with businesses and individuals suing over the massive
2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
http://news.yahoo.com/florida-seeks-delay-approval-bp-settlement-233938957.html
Gulf of Mexico oil spill researchers look into effects on wildlife, ways to
improve response
Published: Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9:00 PM
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune
LSU entomologist Linda Hooper-Bui and her graduate students spent a day
last week putting down cages, each one containing 20 brown crickets, among
sprigs of smooth cordgrass in a marsh by Bay Jimmy. The bay in western
Plaquemines Parish remains ground zero for efforts to clean remaining oil
from the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and also has become a focal
point of research into the spill's effects on the environment.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/04/scientists_find_cause_for_conc.html
Louisiana's economic recovery from BP oil spill has been quicker than
expected
Published: Sunday, April 15, 2012, 9:33 AM Updated: Monday, April 16,
2012, 11:05 AM
By Richard Thompson, The Times-Picayune
During the first weeks and months after BP's Macondo well erupted and
spilled millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, many coastal
residents expected the disaster to have a dire impact on tourism and the
region's other economic engines. As the Deepwater Horizon platform sank
less than 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana two years ago this week, a
wide range of talking heads -- from pundits and politicians to industry
observers -- imagined doomsday scenarios that would torpedo the economy,
tourism, and the perception of Gulf seafood, with some trade groups
predicting tens of thousands of jobs would be lost throughout the region,
and expectations that the moratorium on deepwater drilling would stretch
for more than a year.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/04/louisianas_economic_recovery_f.html
Damage in oil's wake
Baton Rouge Advocate
By Amy Wold
It's been almost two years since the April 20, 2010, explosion of the
Deepwater Horizon that left 11 men dead and kicked off an 87-day battle to
cap the well that was leaking millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of
Mexico, threatening the fragile coastline.
http://theadvocate.com/home/2528424-125/damage-in-oils-wake
BP still cleaning up oil spill mess, two years later (video)
Published: Monday, April 16, 2012, 4:45 PM Updated: Tuesday, April 17,
2012, 7:32 AM
By Rena Havner Philips, Press-Register
MOBILE, Alabama -- Two years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BP
continues to clean up the mess.
http://blog.al.com/live/2012/04/bp_still_cleaning_up_oil_spill.html
BP: Deadline For Gulf Oil Spill Settlement Extended To Wednesday
A U.S. District Court extended the deadline for BP PLC (BP, BP.LN) to
submit a settlement agreement with private plaintiffs affected by the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill until 8:30 a.m. CDT Wednesday, giving the two
groups more time to the finish the extensive documentation needed to secure
a deal.
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120416-716579.html
Activists: BP skirted duties in 2010 spill
UPI
Published: April 13, 2012 at 7:20 AM
LONDON, April 13 (UPI) -- British energy company BP hasn't take the action
needed to remediate the effects of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico, environmental activists said.
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2012/04/13/Activists-BP-skirted-duties-in-2010-spill/UPI-80651334316004/
OP-ED: Why passage of the RESTORE Act is so important
Published: Friday, April 13, 2012, 6:00 AM
By Mississippi Press Editorial Board
By James Cummins
Special to The Mississippi Press
Last month, the U.S. Senate demonstrated its commitment to restoring the
Gulf of Mexico's economy and environment by approving the RESTORE Act.
Known as SB 1400, it is an amendment to the Senate transportation bill.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-opinion/2012/04/op-ed_why_passage_of_the_restore_act_is_so_important.html
.
State News
Toxic nightmare concerns
WLBT
The Environmental Protection Agency is addressing the concerns of Flowood
residents about the Sonford Products superfund site. Work will begin in a
matter of days but this toxic nightmare started more than 30 years ago.
http://www.wlbt.com/story/17425604/toxic-nightmare-concerns
Work delayed at Biloxi Commercial Harbor
WLOX
Work on the Biloxi Commercial Harbor has come to a halt. That's the area
where the shrimp boats are usually docked behind Hard Rock Casino.
The $2.4 million FEMA project was supposed to be finished by June, but
that's not likely now. The work is at a standstill as the contractor awaits
the results of dredge spoils testing by the Mississippi DEQ.
http://www.wlox.com/story/17462358/work-delayed-at-biloxi-commercial-harbor
Waterfest to make splash Saturday
Rankin Ledger
By Dustin Barnes
As the weather warms up, more Rankin residents start flocking to the
Reservoir, one of the metro area's busiest spot once the flowers start to
bloom again.
And as nature warms up, that means it's time for another Waterfest, an
annual event aimed to raise awareness of the environment.
http://www.rankinledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120417/NEWS/204170309
Harrison County announces unwanted prescriptions can be safely turned in
Published: Monday, April 16, 2012, 10:01 AM Updated: Monday, April 16,
2012, 10:28 AM
By Susan Ruddiman, The Mississippi Press
GULFPORT, Mississippi - The Harrison County Narcotics Division will hold a
"Prescription Take Back Day" from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28, in
two locations, Harrison County Sheriff Melvin T. Brisolara announced.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/04/harrison_county_announces_unwa.html
For one morning, hazardous waste is welcome in Jackson County
Published: Monday, April 16, 2012, 5:54 AM
By Susan Ruddiman, The Mississippi Press
GAUTIER, Mississippi -- The opportunity to do some spring cleaning has come
to Jackson County for the ninth annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Day on Saturday.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/04/for_one_morning_hazardous_wast.html
Biloxi to celebrate Earth Day with 'Go Green on the Green Festival'
Published: Monday, April 16, 2012, 11:05 AM Updated: Monday, April 16,
2012, 11:12 AM
By Susan Ruddiman, The Mississippi Press
BILOXI, Mississippi - Earth Day will be celebrated from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 21, on the Biloxi Town Green for "Go Green on the Green
Festival."
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-living/2012/04/biloxi_to_celebrate_earth_day.html
South Mississippians pitch in to Clean Our Scene
WLOX
South Mississippi has so much to offer visitors from the INFINITY Science
Center, to the George Ohr Museum, beaches and casinos.
http://www.wlox.com/story/17452690/sou
Oil field rules: Public safety or government interference?
'If you've got something dangerous, put a fence around it'
Hattiesburg American
Every morning, Phillip and Wanda White drove past the oil field site in
Forrest County where their son was killed during an explosion.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20120415/NEWS01/204150337/Oil-field-rules-Public-safety-government-interference-
Beef plant settlement yields $3.9M
State collecting maximum from insurer
AP
Attorney General Jim Hood said Monday that he's settled the state's 2007
lawsuit against the firms that built a financially disastrous beef plant in
the Yalobusha County town of Oakland.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120417/NEWS/204170325/Beef-plant-settlement-yields-3-9M
National News
Memphis will spend $250 million to upgrade sewer system
Commercial Appeal
By Tom Charlier
The city of Memphis will pay an immediate fine of $645,000 and spend $250
million over the next nine years upgrading its leaky, outdated sewage
collection and treatment system, according to an agreement reached Monday
settling longstanding Clean Water Act violations.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/16/memphis-pay-fine-install-measures-prevent-sewage-o/?print=1
Companies to pay $14.8M in FEMA trailer settlement
AP
By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN
Nearly two dozen companies that manufactured government-issued trailers for
storm victims after Hurricane Katrina have agreed to pay $14.8 million in a
proposed class-action settlement of claims that the temporary shelters
exposed occupants to hazardous fumes.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/04/17/v-print/3888043/companies-to-pay-148m-in-fema.html
Wyoming governor to Interior: Defer to states on gas 'fracking'
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 04/16/12 12:17 PM ET
Wyoming's GOP governor is urging the Interior Department to defer to state
regulation of natural gas "fracking" rather than impose new federal
regulations that he contends could stymie drilling.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/221655-wyoming-gov-to-interior-defer-to-states-on-gas-fracking
States back fracking website
Politico
By: Talia Buford
April 15, 2012 11:11 PM EDT
For all the anger and divisiveness of the fracking debate, one nonprofit
disclosure website may be something that almost everyone can agree on.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/75158.html
US greenhouse gas emissions grow in '10, EPA finds
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 04/16/12 01:52 PM ET
Economic expansion and warm summer weather helped boost U.S. greenhouse gas
emissions in 2010 following two years of declines, according to the
Environmental Protection Agency.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/221699-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-grow-in-10-epa-finds
EPA's change of heart for CO2 rules
Politico
By: Erica Martinson
April 16, 2012 11:17 PM EDT
The Environmental Protection Agency's apparent change of heart on plans to
limit greenhouse gas emissions at existing power plants came during a White
House review of the agency's proposed greenhouse gas rule for new plants,
according to documents obtained by POLITICO.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/75216.html
Press Releases
EPA Publishes National U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released
the 17th annual U.S. greenhouse gas inventory. The final report shows
overall emissions in 2010 increased by 3.2 percent from the previous year.
The trend is attributed to an increase in energy consumption across all
economic sectors, due to increasing energy demand associated with an
expanding economy, and increased demand for electricity for air
conditioning due to warmer summer weather during 2010.
Total emissions of the six main greenhouse gases in 2010 were equivalent to
6,822 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. These gases include carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and
sulfur hexafluoride. The report indicates that overall emissions have grown
by over 10 percent from 1990 to 2010.
The Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2010 is the
latest annual report that the United States has submitted to the
Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,
which sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the
challenge posed by climate change. EPA prepares the annual report in
collaboration with experts from multiple federal agencies and after
gathering comments from stakeholders across the country.
The inventory tracks annual greenhouse gas emissions at the national level
and presents historical emissions from 1990 to 2010. The inventory also
calculates carbon dioxide emissions that are removed from the atmosphere by
"sinks," e.g., through the uptake of carbon by forests, vegetation and
soils.
More on the greenhouse gas inventory report:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html
Obama Administration Announces New Partnership on Unconventional Natural
Gas and Oil Research
WASHINGTON – Today, three federal agencies announced a formal partnership
to coordinate and align all research associated with development of our
nation's abundant unconventional natural gas and oil resources. The
partnership exemplifies the cross-government coordination required under
President Obama's executive order released earlier today, which created a
new Interagency Working Group to Support Safe and Responsible Development
of Unconventional Domestic Natural Gas Resources. This new partnership will
help coordinate current and future research and scientific studies
undertaken by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Interior – better
positioning the Obama Administration to ensure that continued expansion of
natural gas and oil production happens safely and responsibly as part of an
all-of-the-above approach to American energy in which science plays a
guiding and critical role.
As the president has made clear, domestic natural gas and oil resources
will continue to play a key role in America's energy future. Already,
technological advancements like hydraulic fracturing – innovation supported
by public research – have allowed development of previously uneconomic
natural gas and oil deposits. In fact, since 2008, U.S. oil and natural gas
production has increased each year. In 2011, U.S. crude oil production
reached its highest level in 8 years, increasing by an estimated 110,000
barrels per day over 2010 levels to 5.59 million barrels per day. And U.S.
natural gas production grew in 2011 as well – the largest year-over-year
volumetric increase in history – easily eclipsing the previous all-time
production record set in 1973. Overall, oil imports have been falling since
2005, and oil import dependence declined from 57 percent in 2008 to 45
percent in 2011 – the lowest level since 1995.
As the United States continues to expand domestic natural gas and oil
production, it is critical that the public has full confidence that the
right safety and environmental protections are in place – guided by the
best available science. Leveraging each agency's core competencies and
strengths will enhance efforts to explore the significant new resource
development opportunities made possible in recent years by hydraulic
fracturing and other new technologies, and meet high-priority challenges in
a coordinated and common-sense way.
"Science, research and innovation continue to play a vital role in our
efforts to further expand oil and gas production in the United States and
make sure it's done safely and responsibly," said Department of the
Interior Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes. "Improvements in technologies
like hydraulic fracturing are responsible for greatly increasing our
capacity to develop America's abundant unconventional resources in recent
years. Through a close collaboration across the government that reduces
redundancy and streamlines our research, we are positioning the Obama
Administration to best meet the critical need of increasing public
understanding and public confidence of these critical technologies so that
we can continue safe and responsible exploration and production for many
decades to come."
"The development of American shale gas resources is having a transformative
impact on the U.S. energy landscape, helping to improve our energy security
while spurring economic development and job creation around the country,"
said Acting Under Secretary of Energy Arun Majumdar. "The Energy Department
remains committed to the safe and responsible development of this American
resource, and continued cooperation between government and private industry
partners under President Obama's all-of-the-above approach to American
energy."
"We are moving into a new era of American energy, one that has the
potential to create jobs, strengthen our energy independence and security,
and cut pollution. President Obama has created this interagency working
group to ensure that these energy innovations happen safely and
responsibly, without compromising the environment or the health of the
American people," said EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe. "We will
continue to rely on the best available science to oversee the responsible
development of these energy sources."
A primary goal of this effort will be to identify research topics where
collaboration among the three agencies can be most effectively and
efficiently conducted to provide results and technologies that support
sound policy decisions by the agencies responsible for ensuring the prudent
development of energy sources while promoting safe practices and human
health. The new research partnership is an example of the Obama
Administration's effort to coordinate activities across the federal
government to support development of our abundant domestic natural gas
resources in a safe and responsible way. Today the administration announced
that a broader set of activities will be coordinated under an executive
order issued by President Obama to create a new Interagency Working Group
to Support Safe and Responsible Development of Unconventional Domestic
Natural Gas Resources.
To view the memorandum of agreement:
http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracture/oil_and_gas_research_mou.pdf
EPA Proposes Rule to Require Electronic Reporting for Chemical Information
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a
proposed rule to require electronic reporting for certain information
submitted to the agency under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).The
action is an important milestone in the agency's effort to increase
transparency and public access to chemical information in order to help
Americans protect their health and environment. Electronic reporting will
increase the speed with which EPA can make information publicly available,
increase accuracy, and provide the public with quick and easier access to
chemical information.
"Administrator Lisa P. Jackson is committed to strengthening EPA's
chemicals management program and increasing the public's access to chemical
information," said Jim Jones, acting assistant administrator for EPA's
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "The agency is also
committed to reducing reporting burdens and paper-based reporting in favor
of electronic reporting. These measures will streamline the reporting
process and reduce the administrative costs."
Today's proposed rule would require electronic reporting rather than
paper-based reporting for various TSCA actions including submission of
information relating to chemical testing, health and safety studies, and
other information. When final, EPA will only accept data, reports, and
other information submitted through EPA's Central Data Exchange, a
centralized portal that enables streamlined, electronic submission of data
via the Internet. The agency will be soliciting comments on this proposed
rule for 60 days.
Over the coming months, the agency will offer a number of opportunities for
potential users to become familiar with the new requirements. These
opportunities will include an initial webinar to introduce the web-based
electronic reporting tool, follow-up webinars and testing of specific
applications, and opportunities for submitters and others to provide
feedback to the agency on their experiences using the tool before its
release.
For more information on the proposed rule:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/chemtest/
For more information on OPPT's increasing transparency efforts:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/transparency.html
