Oil Spill
Mississippi Scientists Studying Dolphins for BP Oil Spill Damage Assessment
MPB
PUBLISHED BY RHONDA MILLER ON 16 MAY 2012 07:07PM
Scientists are assessing damages to the environment caused by the BP oil
spill. MPB's Rhonda Miller went out with researchers studying dolphins in
Mississippi waters and has this report.
http://mpbonline.org/News/article/mississippi_scientists_studying_dolphins_to_assess_damage_from_oil_spill
NOAA scientists still studying Mississippi dolphins
WLOX
Researchers with NOAA are wrapping-up a two year study of dolphins in the
Mississippi Sound.
http://www.wlox.com/story/18438568/noaa-scientists-still-studying-mississippi-dolphins
Dolphins photographed in damage assessment process (gallery)
Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 6:30 PM Updated: Wednesday, May 16,
2012, 10:04 PM
By Harlan Kirgan, Mississippi Press
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Dolphins in the Mississippi Sound from western
Horn Island to eastern Petit Bois Island have been photographed since the
summer of 2010 as part of the assessment of damages from the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill.
On Wednesday, representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
demonstrated to news reporters how the on-the-water portion of the
bottlenose dolphins study has been conducted.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/05/dolphins_photographed_in_damag.html
State News
Grants to help with solid waste disposal
WTVA
JACKSON, Miss. (WTVA) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality is providing grants to assist with solid waste enforcement and
hazardous waste disposal.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Grants-to-help-with-solid-waste-disposal/Pi5jL2ihdUy9m3GIb3RmWg.cspx
Lowndes Gets Grant to Fight Illegal Dumps
WCBI
Posted by Steve Rogers | May 16, 2012 / 02:50pm | Local News, Crime
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has awarded
Lowndes County a solid waste assistance grant of $18,512 that will be
used by the county to clean up illegal dump sites and for employment
assistance for a local solid waste enforcement officer.
http://www.wcbi.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1337197847&archive=&start_from=&ucat=2,4&
MDEQ Awards Grant To County
North Mississippi Herald
5/16/2012
JACKSON – The Missis-sippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
has awarded Yalobusha County a solid waste assistance grant of $10,414
that will be used by the county to clean up illegal dump sites.
http://www.iclassifiedsnetwork.com/content.aspx?module=ContentItem&ID=240763&MemberID=1175
MDEQ awards grant to county
South Reporter
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has awarded Marshall
County a solid waste assistance grant of $17,124 that will be used by
the county to clean up illegal dump sites and for employment assistance for
a local solid waste enforcement officer.
http://southreporter.com/mdeq.html
Proposed landfill to receive public hearing
Stone County Enterprise
By Jody O'Hara
May 11, 2012, 10:24
Solutions are being sought to the problem of solid-waste disposal in Stone
County.
… The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality shut down the
landfill the county had been using on Old Hwy. 26 and the county has had to
pay for transportation of Class 1 rubbish since.
http://www.stonecountyenterprise.com/article_1566.shtml
Curbside recycling could be coming to Fulton
Itawamba County Times
by Adam Armour/Staff Writer
05.14.12 - 06:00 am
Dear Fulton resident: Would you be willing to recycle? Check "Yes" or "No."
http://itawamba360.com/view/full_story/18501314/article-Curbside-recycling-could-be-coming-to-Fulton?instance=secondary_stories_left_column
Federal funds to benefit part of Pelahatchie Creek
Rankin Ledger
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to dedicate $33 million nationwide
to stop polluted storm runoff from gushing into 157 watersheds, including a
portion of Pelahatchie Creek near the Ross Barnett Reservoir.
http://www.rankinledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120515/NEWS/205150310/-1/NEWS01/Federal
+funds+to+benefit+part+of+Pelahatchie+Creek
Grant allows beautification to continue at Rez
Rankin Ledger
A recent grant will enable Keep the Rez Beautiful to continue its
beautification efforts at a vacant site near the Reservoir.
http://www.rankinledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120515/NEWS/205150309/-1/NEWS01/Grant
+allows+beautification+to+continue+at+Rez
South Coast SummerFest set for June
Hattiesburg American
OCEAN SPRINGS— South Coast SummerFest, a 10-day celebration that showcases
the waterways and coastal culture of south Mississippi, will be hosted June
15-24 by the state's three coastal counties.
…South Coast SummerFest is sponsored by a grant from the Gulf Coast
Regional Tourism Partnership and BP and by Mississippi Power Company; the
City of Ocean Springs; Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce; Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality; Gulf Hills Hotel; Mississippi
Department of Marine Resources; and the Land Trust for the Mississippi
Coastal Plain. Festival organizers are seeking additional sponsorships and
exhibitors.
For more information, visit www.SouthCoastSummerFest.com; or
www.facebook.com/SouthcoastSummerfest or call Cynthia at (228) 875-1032.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20120516/NEWS01/120516009/South-Coast-SummerFest-set-June
MDEQ lifts Harrison Co. water advisory, Hancock Co. station 4 advisory
still in effect
WLOX
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality:
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), through its
Beach Monitoring Program, has lifted a water contact advisory previously
issued May 8 for the following station:
http://gulfport.wlox.com/news/environment/56269-mdeq-lifts-harrison-co-water-advisory-hancock-co-station-4-advisory-still-effect
Katrina cleanup investigation: Ladners to stand trial in July
Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 6:54 PM
By The Associated Press
GULFPORT, Mississippi -- A federal judge has ordered the government to
identify alleged coconspirators in a case involving a Hancock County couple
accused of being involved in a kickback scheme related to storm cleanup
contracts.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/05/katrina_cleanup_investigation.html
Grand Bay National Estaurine Research Reserve in Moss Point observes
wetlands month
Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 3:39 PM Updated: Wednesday, May 16,
2012, 5:14 PM
By Susan Ruddiman, The Mississippi Press
MOSS POINT, Mississippi - The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
will offer "Walk through a Wetland" Saturday, May 19, in celebration of
American Wetlands Month.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-living/2012/05/grand_bay_national_estaurine_r.html
Harbor Landing in Ocean Springs prepares to close as state Department of
Marine Resources takes over
Published: Thursday, May 17, 2012, 5:39 AM Updated: Thursday, May 17,
2012, 6:38 AM
By Susan Ruddiman, The Mississippi Press
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- The 18 months the Harris family had to
operate Harbor Landing boat storage facility is about to expire, said
William Walker, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/05/harbor_landing_in_ocean_spring_2.html
National News
Fracking's Methane Trail: A Detective Story
by ELIZABETH SHOGREN
NPR
May 17, 2012
There are a lot of cheerleaders for the nation's natural gas boom — in part
because they believe it's a lot cleaner than dirty coal. It's pretty
well-known that power plants that burn coal pump out far more greenhouse
gases than power plants that run on natural gas.
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/17/151545578/frackings-methane-trail-a-detective-story
Energy in America: Ethanol concerns bring customers to more costly 'pure'
gas stations
By Kathleen Foster, Rick Leventhal
Published May 16, 2012
FoxNews.com
advertisement
York County, Pa. – When looking to fill up your tank, would you drive
farther to pay more? Randy Hake's customers are doing just that, since he's
the only gas station in York County, Pa., selling "pure" ethanol-free fuel.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/16/ethanol-concerns-bring-customers-to-more-costly-pure-gas-stations/?test=latestnews
A New Skirmish in the Ethanol Wars
NY Times
By MATTHEW L. WALD
The auto and oil industries plan to release a report on Wednesday
indicating that some cars running on E15, the 15 percent ethanol blend that
was recently authorized by the Environmental Protection Agency, experienced
engine damage.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/a-new-skirmish-in-the-ethanol-wars/?pagemode=print
Federal Officials Tighten Lead Limits for Kids
Wall Street Journal
By TIMOTHY W. MARTIN
U.S. health officials on Wednesday halved the minimum threshold for lead
poisoning in children younger than 6, reflecting growing research that
shows that even small traces of the metal in the blood stream can lower IQ
and stunt brain development.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303360504577408391761980840.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Press Releases
EPA Launches Competition for College Students to Develop Innovative
Approaches to Stormwater Management
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a
new design competition called the Campus RainWorks Challenge to encourage
student teams on college and university campuses across the country to
develop innovative approaches to stormwater management. Stormwater is a
major cause of water pollution in urban areas in the U.S., impacting the
health of people across the country as well as tens of thousands of miles
of rivers, streams, and coastal shorelines, and hundreds of thousands of
acres of lakes, reservoirs, and ponds. The competition will help raise
awareness of green design and planning approaches at colleges and
universities, and train the next generation of landscape architects,
planners, and engineers in green infrastructure principles and design.
Student teams, working with a faculty advisor, will submit design plans for
a proposed green infrastructure project for their campus. Registration for
the Campus RainWorks Challenge opens September 4, and entries must be
submitted by December 14, 2012 for consideration. Winning entries will be
selected by EPA and announced in April 2013. Winning teams will earn a cash
prize of $1,500 - $2,500, as well as $8,000 - $11,000 in funds for their
faculty advisor to conduct research on green infrastructure. In 2013, EPA
plans to expand Campus RainWorks by inviting students to design and
complete a demonstration project assessing innovative green infrastructure
approaches on their campus.
"Reducing stormwater pollution requires innovative approaches and America's
college students are incredibly creative and talented," said Nancy Stoner,
acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Water. "The Campus
RainWorks Challenge will engage students across the country in tackling one
of the toughest challenges to clean water and show them the opportunities
in environmental careers."
EPA is encouraging the use of green infrastructure as a solution to help
manage stormwater runoff. Green Infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and
natural processes to manage stormwater runoff at its source and provide
other community benefits, including economic development.. Green
infrastructure is increasingly being used to supplement or substitute for
single-purpose "gray" infrastructure investments such as pipes, and ponds.
The Campus RainWorks Challenge will help encourage the use of green
infrastructure projects on college and university campuses to manage
stormwater discharges.
More information on the Campus RainWorks Challenge:
http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/crw_challenge.cfm
EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson Testimony before the U.S. Senate,
Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies
Thank you for inviting me to testify on the President's Fiscal Year 2013
budget for the Environmental Protection Agency. I'm joined by the Agency's
Chief Financial Officer, Barbara Bennett.
EPA's budget request of $8.344 billion focuses on fulfilling EPA's core
mission of protecting public health and the environment, while making the
sacrifices and tough decisions that Americans across the country are making
every day.
EPA's budget request fully reflects the President's commitment to reducing
government spending and finding cost savings in a responsible manner while
supporting clean air, clean water and the innovative safe guards that are
essential to an America that's built to last.
In some cases we have had to take a step back from programs - this budget
reflects a savings of $50 million through the elimination of several EPA
programs and activities that have either met their goals, or can be
achieved at the State or local level or by other Federal agencies.
Let me spend a moment discussing major elements of EPA's budget request.
This budget recognizes the importance of our partners at the State, local
and tribal level. As you know, they are at the front lines of implementing
our environmental laws like the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act. In
fact, the largest portion – 40 percent of EPA's funding request -- is
directed to the State and Tribal Assistance Grants appropriation to support
their efforts.
Specifically, this budget proposes that $1.2 billion - nearly 15 percent of
EPA's overall request - be allocated back to the States and tribes, through
categorical grants. This includes funding for State and Local Air Quality
Management grants, Pollution Control grants and the tribal general
assistance program.
The budget also proposes that a combined $2 billion - another 25 percent of
EPA's budget request - also goes directly to the States for the Clean Water
and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. This funding will help support
efficient system wide investments and development of water infrastructure
in our communities. We are working collaboratively to identify
opportunities to fund green infrastructure - projects that can reduce
pollution efficiently and less expensively than traditional grey
infrastructure.
Additionally, EPA's budget request would fund the protection of the
nation's land and water in local communities, including important waters
such as the Narragansett Bay. Reflecting the President's commitment to
restoring and protecting the Great Lakes, this budget requests that
Congress maintain the current funding level of $300 million for the Great
Lakes Restoration Initiative. This support will continue to be used for
collaborative work with partners at the State, local and tribal level, and
also with non-profit and municipal groups. The budget also requests support
for protection of the Chesapeake Bay, and several other treasured and
economically significant water bodies. The budget reflects the importance
of cleaning up contaminated land sites in our communities by requesting
$755 million for continued support of the Superfund cleanup programs and
maintains the Agency's emergency preparedness and response capabilities.
EPA's budget request makes major investments in its science and technology
account of $807 million, or almost 10 percent of the total request. This
request includes $576M for research, including $81 million in research
grants and fellowships to scientists and universities throughout the
country for targeted research as part of the Science to Achieve Results -
or STAR – program, including children's health, endocrine disruption, and
air monitoring research. Also, as part of this request, EPA includes
funding increases into key areas that include green infrastructure and
hydraulic fracturing.
As I've mentioned before, natural gas is an important resource which is
abundant in the United States, but we must make sure that the ways we
extract it do not risk the safety of public water supplies.
This budget continues EPA's ongoing congressionally directed hydraulic
fracturing study, which we have taken great steps to ensure is independent,
peer reviewed and based on strong and scientifically defensible data.
Building on these ongoing efforts, this budget requests $14 million in
total to work collaboratively with the United States Geological Survey, the
Department of Energy and other partners to assess questions regarding
hydraulic fracturing. Strong science means finding the answers to tough
questions, and EPA's request does that.
We are making investments to support standards for clean energy and
efficiency in this budget. Specifically, this budget supports EPA's efforts
to introduce cleaner vehicles and fuels and to expand the use of home-grown
renewable fuels. This includes funding for EPA's Federal Vehicle and Fuel
Standards and Certification program to support certification, and
compliance testing for all emissions standards. This also includes
implementation of the President's historic agreement with the auto industry
for carbon pollution and fuel economy standards through 2025 for cars and
light duty vehicles, including testing support for NHTSA's fuel economy
standards.
Taken together, the Administration's standards for cars and light trucks
are projected to result in $1.7 trillion dollars of fuel savings, and 12
billion fewer barrels of oil consumed. This funding will also help support
implementation of the first ever carbon pollution and fuel economy
standards for heavy duty trucks.
Mister Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. While my
testimony reflects only some of the highlights of EPA's budget request, I
look forward answering your questions.
EPA Announces NAS' Review of IRIS Assessment Development Process
WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that
the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) will conduct a comprehensive review
of the agency's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program's
assessment development process. The IRIS program helps EPA protect
Americans' health and the environment by conducting health assessments of
over 550 chemicals that may be present in our environment.
In April 2011, NAS recommended several ways to improve the development of
IRIS assessments. EPA has embraced these recommendations and is
implementing them using a phased approach. Future draft IRIS assessments
released for public comment and peer review will demonstrate the progress
EPA has made in implementing NAS recommendations.
"EPA is committed to a strong and robust IRIS program," said Lek Kadeli,
acting assistant administrator for the EPA's Office of Research and
Development. "This program plays a significant role in protecting the
health of our country's citizens and the environment in which they live. We
welcome the NAS' review of the IRIS assessment development process and look
forward to working with them to continue to strengthen the program."
NAS will conduct a review of the IRIS assessment development process and
the changes that are currently being made or planned by EPA in response to
NAS' April 2011 recommendations. NAS will also review current methods for
weight of evidence analyses and recommend approaches for weighing
scientific evidence for chemical hazard identification.
EPA's IRIS program provides health profiles of chemicals to which the
public may be exposed from releases to air, water, and land and through the
use and disposal of chemicals. IRIS assessments inform EPA rulemakings, and
the release of final IRIS assessments is consistent with EPA's ongoing
efforts to improve Americans' health and protect the environment.
More information about IRIS: http://www.epa.gov/iris
