Oil Spill
Sen. Marco Rubio says all BP spill fines should go to Gulf states
Published: Tuesday, May 01, 2012, 2:07 PM Updated: Tuesday, May 01,
2012, 2:07 PM
By The Associated Press
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida (AP) -- Sen. Marco Rubio said he opposes a plan
that would give Gulf coast states 80 percent of the fines stemming from the
2010 oil spill because the other 20 percent will be cut up and spent
elsewhere, a position that drew loud applause from a crowd in this Gulf
coast city that was hit by a drop in tourism during and after the spill.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2012/05/sen_marco_rubio_says_all_bp_sp.html
Deny BP motion to delay start of oil spill trial, Alabama attorney general
says
Published: Tuesday, May 01, 2012, 2:34 PM Updated: Tuesday, May 01,
2012, 3:34 PM
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune
BP's motion to delay the start of the civil trial over the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill until after final approval of a proposed settlement
between BP and private claimants should be denied, and BP should remain a
defendant when the trial resumes, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange
argued in a memorandum filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in New Orleans.
"BP should be held publicly accountable in 2012," the memorandum says
flatly.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2012/05/deny_bp_motion_to_delay_start.html
Feds seek summer trial date for Gulf spill claims
AP
By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN
The Justice Department is urging a federal judge to set a new trial date
for no later than this summer for government claims against BP over the
2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/05/01/v-print/3919274/feds-seek-summer-trial-date-for.html
BP Spill Trial Shouldn't Be Delayed by Accord, U.S. Tells Judge
Reuters
By Margaret Cronin Fisk - May 2, 2012
The U.S. government said the trial over fault for the 2010 BP Plc (BP/)
Gulf of Mexico oil spill shouldn't be delayed until after a proposed
November hearing on a settlement of most private-party claims.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2012-05-01/bp-spill-trial-shouldn-t-be-delayed-by-settlement-u-s-says-1-.html
State News
MDEQ tests soil near Hattiesburg plant
WDAM
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality ran tests in
Hattiesburg near Hercules Chemical Plant.
http://www.wdam.com/story/18010032/hercules-orders-test-soil-near-hattiesburg-plant
Bill pushes Mississippians first
AP
JACKSON -- Gov. Phil Bryant on Tuesday signed into law a bill pushed by
Coast lawmakers to require companies doing work related to natural
disasters or large oil spills to consider Mississippians first for any jobs
related to the work.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/05/01/v-print/3919633/bill-pushes-mississippians-first.html
Where's the Beach? Seawall fence, 'Mt. Sand Helens,' restricting access
Sea Coast Echo
By JACE PONDER
May 1, 2012, 18:31
With the seawall barricades and sand renourishment projects, about 40
percent of Hancock County's seven miles of beaches are under construction
or not easily accessible, but county officials estimated Monday that
renourishment projects could be completed by July.
http://12.68.233.230/40/article_5917.shtml
Bluff City earns No. 1 ranking as Asthma Capital
Commercial Appeal
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Memphis has been named the No. 1 Asthma Capital for 2012.
To create the list, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America compared
the 100 largest U.S. cities based on "air pollution, ozone days, pollen
counts, medication utilization, poverty rates and even public smoking
laws."
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/02/brief-bluff-city-earns-no-1-ranking-asthma-capital/
Jackson sales tax bill dies in Miss. House
AP
A bill that would've allowed Jackson and surrounding cities to charge up to
1 percent sales tax to pay for water and sewer system repairs died in the
House Tuesday.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/05/01/v-print/3919311/jackson-sales-tax-bill-dies-in.html
MDOT's Trash Bash hauls in 650 bags of litter
Sun Herald
By MICHAEL NEWSOM
BAY ST. LOUIS -- Mississippi Department of Transportation workers picked up
cigarette butts, soda bottles, fast-food bags and other rubbish along the
major roads of Hancock County Tuesday as part of the 22nd annual Trash
Bash.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/05/01/v-print/3919448/mdots-trash-bash-hauls-in-650.html
National News
Falling natural gas prices hit states' pocketbooks
By Chuck Raasch
USA TODAY
Energy-producing states are bracing for lower tax revenue from the
plummeting price of natural gas, which is just above half of what some
states forecast when they put together budgets for 2013 and beyond.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2012-04-30/falling-gas-prices--hit-government-revenues/54668118/1
State report tweaks fracking report, says exploration could be done safely
Charlotte Observer
By John Murawski
State regulators Tuesday issued a long-awaited analysis of fracking,
reiterating that the mining method can be done safely in North Carolina,
despite overwhelming public opposition to the natural gas extraction
technique.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/01/3211649/state-report-tweaks-fracking-report.html
Geisinger Using Patient Database to Assess Fracking Harm
By Alex Wayne on May 01, 2012
Geisinger Health System, a nonprofit chain of hospitals in eastern
Pennsylvania, plans to use its database of patient records to determine
whether natural gas drilling in the state's Marcellus shale is harming
residents.
http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/59002?type=bloomberg
Press Releases
EPA Takes Next Step to Implement 2008 Ozone Standards
Most areas that need to take steps to reduce ozone pollution are close to
meeting the standards; only three new areas have been added
WASHINGTON – Working closely with states and tribes, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is identifying areas that meet or do
not meet the 2008 air quality standards for ground-level ozone, known as
smog. The agency's approach to implementing these standards will improve
air quality, protect public health, increase certainty for states and
tribes, maximize flexibilities and minimize the burden on state, tribal and
local governments. Breathing air containing high levels of smog can reduce
lung function and increase respiratory symptoms, aggravating asthma or
other respiratory conditions. Ozone exposure may also contribute to
premature death, especially in people with heart and lung disease.
In 2008, EPA set new smog standards at 75 parts per billion. Working with
states and tribes and following an open public process that included a
45-day public comment period, EPA has determined that 45 areas across the
country, including two separate areas of Indian country, are not meeting
the 2008 standards based on the most recent certified air quality data.
Almost all of these areas already have programs in place to improve air
quality because they did not meet the 1997 smog standards. Only three areas
will be identified for the first time as not meeting smog standards.
Reflecting ongoing improvements in air quality, EPA is identifying fewer
areas that do not meet the 2008 standards than the agency identified as not
meeting the 1997 standards.
Reducing smog and improving air quality is a shared responsibility of
federal, state, local and tribal governments. National clean air programs
such as EPA's standards to reduce power plant emissions that cross state
lines, clean vehicle and fuel standards, and more locally focused state,
tribal air quality programs are already contributing to air quality
improvements. These actions will help areas meet the standards and protect
public health. In addition, EPA expects that most areas would be able to
meet the 2008 standards as a result of recent and pending rules.
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to review and, if necessary, revise air
quality standards every five years to ensure that they protect public
health with an adequate margin of safety. Following a change in standards,
EPA works with states and tribes as appropriate to identify areas that do
not meet the standards and establish plans to improve air quality. EPA
continues to work to review the science needed to inform the next five-year
review of the smog standards and currently expects to propose action in
2013.
More about final designations throughout the country:
http://www.epa.gov/ozonedesignations/2008standards/index.htm
EPA Works to Help the Nearly 26 Million Americans with Asthma
Highlights Asthma Awareness Month in May
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging
Americans to take action against asthma by learning more about the disease
and how it affects their families and communities. Nearly 26 million
Americans, including more than 7 million children, are affected by this
chronic respiratory disease, including low income and minority populations
at the highest rates.
"Asthma is a disease that touches the lives of American families every day.
EPA is working hard to clean the air we breathe and reduce the
environmental causes of asthma and other respiratory illnesses," said EPA
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "As we mark Asthma Awareness Month, it's
important for parents and children to learn more about the disease and its
triggers, so we can prevent asthma attacks and better protect our health
and our children's health."
The annual economic cost of asthma, including direct medical costs from
hospital stays and indirect costs such as lost school and work days, amount
to approximately $56 billion. Through the Clean Air Act, EPA has helped
prevent millions of asthma attacks across the country and continues to work
alongside federal, state and local partners to address this nationwide
problem. In 2010 alone, pollution prevention standards under the Clean Air
Act lead to reductions in fine particle matter and ozone pollution that
prevented more than 1.7 million incidences of asthma attacks. Recent
standards, such as the 2011 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, will further
reduce air pollution and help prevent asthma attacks.
Americans who suffer from asthma can learn to control their symptoms and
still maintain active lifestyles. Here are some simple steps:
Know your Asthma Triggers and Avoid Them: Air pollution, dust mites, mold,
secondhand smoke and even cockroaches can trigger asthma attacks. Learn
your triggers and avoid them in your home and neighborhood.
Create an Asthma Action Plan: You can help avoid the emergency room by
managing your asthma daily. With a doctor's help, you can create an asthma
action plan to help you effectively manage your asthma and reduce exposure
to triggers.
Get Active: Even if you have asthma, by taking the appropriate medications
and avoiding your triggers, you can still participate in sports and
activities.
Be 'Air Aware': Check local air quality conditions at airnow.gov and make
informed decisions about participating in outdoor activities. To help, an
Air Quality Index mobile app is available for smart phones.
As part of Asthma Awareness Month, EPA is honoring exceptional health
plans, health care providers and communities in action for their efforts to
improve the lives of people with asthma in underserved communities across
the country. The winners of the 2012 National Environmental Leadership
Award in Asthma Management include Connecticut Children's Medical Center,
Hartford, Conn., L.A. Care Health Plan, Los Angeles, Calif., Michigan
Department of Community Health's Asthma Prevention and Control Program,
Lansing, Mich., and Mission Health, Asheville, N.C.
More on Asthma and the 2012 award winners: http://www.epa.gov/asthma
More on the Air Quality Index Mobile App: http://m.epa.gov/apps/airnow.html
EPA to Work with Drinking Water Systems to Monitor Unregulated Contaminants
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today published
a list of 28 chemicals and two viruses that approximately 6,000 public
water systems will monitor from 2013 to 2015 as part of the agency's
unregulated contaminant monitoring program, which collects data for
contaminants suspected to be present in drinking water, but that do not
have health-based standards set under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
EPA will spend more than $20 million to support the monitoring, the
majority of which will be devoted to assist small drinking water systems
with conducting the monitoring. The data collected under the Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Rule 3 (UCMR 3) will inform EPA about the frequency
and levels at which these contaminants are found in drinking water systems
across the United States and help determine whether additional protections
are needed to ensure safe drinking water for Americans. State participation
in the monitoring is voluntary. EPA will fund small drinking water system
costs for laboratory analyses, shipping and quality control.
The list of contaminants to be studied includes total chromium and
hexavalent chromium, also known as chromium-6. Addressing hexavalent
chromium in drinking water is a priority for EPA Administrator Lisa P.
Jackson. In January 2011, EPA issued guidance to all water systems on how
to assess the prevalence of hexavalent chromium and in the March 2011
proposal for UCMR 3, EPA invited comments on whether the agency should
include chromium in the final rule. Public comments received by EPA were
strongly supportive of adding total chromium and hexavalent chromium for
monitoring.
"The monitoring that will take place will provide EPA with invaluable
information about what municipalities are seeing in their drinking water
all across the country," said EPA acting assistant administrator for Water
Nancy Stoner. "The results of this multi-year monitoring effort will help
inform EPA's work to ensure Americans receive safe drinking water."
EPA selected the contaminants by first reviewing the agency's contaminant
candidate list, which highlights priority contaminants that need additional
research to support future drinking water protections. The contaminants on
the list are known or anticipated to occur in public water systems.
However, they are not addressed by existing national drinking water
standards. Additional contaminants of concern were selected based on
current occurrence research and health-risk factors.
EPA has standards for 91 contaminants in drinking water, and the Safe
Drinking Water Act requires that EPA identify up to 30 additional
unregulated contaminants for monitoring every five years.
For more information, visit:
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/ucmr/ucmr3/index.cfm
