Isaac
Moran: Judge 'clears the way' for Ocean Springs beach cleanup
Sun Herald
OCEAN SPRINGS -- A judge has clarified a previous ruling on the Ocean
Springs beachfront that should allow the city to proceed with its cleanup
of debris from Hurricane Isaac, Mayor Connie Moran said Thursday night.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/09/20/4199301/moss-points-rose-drive-residents.html
Supervisors hear debris report, let bridge contract
By David A. Farrell
The Picayune Item
POPLARVILLE — Les Dungan of Dungan Engineering of Picayune, told Pearl
River County supervisors on Wednesday that the cleanup was "well underway"
and that six work crews are in the field picking up storm debris and
hauling it to the central landfill at Millard. Dungan is the county's
monitor for the Hurricane Isaac cleanup.
http://picayuneitem.com/local/x403271828/Supervisors-hear-debris-report-let-bridge-contract
MS insurance losses from Isaac relatively small
AP
JACKSON, MS (AP) - Private insurers expect to pay more than $24.3 million
in claims in Mississippi as a result of Hurricane Isaac, Insurance
Commissioner Mike Chaney says.
http://www.wlox.com/story/19595933/ms-insurance-losses-from-isaac-relatively-small
Oil Spill
Virtually all Alabama tar balls from BP oil spill, new study shows
Published: Thursday, September 20, 2012, 9:55 PM
By The Associated Press
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — A new chemical analysis shows that virtually all the
tar balls washing onto the Alabama coast are directly linked to the BP oil
spill more than two years ago.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2012/09/virtually_all_alabama_tar_ball.html
BP oil spill linked to tar on Gulf beaches after Hurricane Isaac
Updated: Friday, September 21, 2012, 7:00 AM
By Kathy Jumper, Press-Register
ORANGE BEACH, Alabama -- A new chemical analysis shows that virtually all
the tar balls now washing on to the Alabama coast are directly linked to
the BP oil spill of 2010.
http://blog.al.com/live/2012/09/bp_oil_spill_linked_to_tar_on.html
Seafood industry survives gulf oil spill
UPI
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Figures from 2011 indicate a solid rebound
in fisheries production and revenue in Louisiana, despite fears of a
harvest devastated by the Deepwater oil spill.
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2012/09/20/Seafood-industry-survives-gulf-oil-spill/UPI-25541348174665/?spt=hs&or=bn
Ex-prosecutor says companies should be charged with crimes for spill
Fuel Fix
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 7:00 am by Emily Pickrell
A former Justice Department official says BP, Transocean and Halliburton
should face criminal charges for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2012/09/21/ex-prosecutor-says-companies-should-be-charged-with-crimes-for-spill/
State News
MS Insurance Comm. sold on propane to fuel state vehicles
WLBT
All kinds of vehicles were on display Thursday at the Mississippi
Agriculture and Forestry Museum. They all had one thing in common. They run
on propane gas.
http://www.wlbt.com/story/19598042/ms-insurance-comm-sold-on-propane-to-fuel-state-vehicles
New Propane Powered Technology
Fox40
The Mississippi Roadshow is showing off clean technology for fleets in the
state.
The propane auto gas roadshow is in town today allowing business owners and
drivers the opportunity to test drive propane auto-gas vehicles for
possible purchase. The alternative fuel is the most widely used in the
world and very cost effective. Event organizers say its also better for the
country.
http://www.fox40tv.com/news/local/story/New-Propane-Powered-Technology/tJl5jcoWXEmkDe6CfOF_ww.cspx
National News
US Chamber, others ask appeals court to uphold ruling against EPA in veto
of W.Va. mine permit
By Associated Press,
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and nine other business
groups say an appellate court should uphold a federal judge's ruling that
the Environmental Protection Agency overreached when it retroactively
vetoed water-pollution permits for one of West Virginia's largest
mountaintop removal mines.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/us-chamber-others-ask-appeals-court-to-uphold-ruling-against-epa-in-veto-of-wva-mine-permit/2012/09/20/8136960a-032a-11e2-9132-f2750cd65f97_story.html
Report: Climate change means taxpayers could pay for more disaster cleanups
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 09/20/12 12:25 PM ET
A trend of insurance companies backing away from extreme-weather-threatened
regions might leave taxpayers on the hook for more natural disaster cleanup
efforts, according to a report released Thursday.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/250697-report-taxpayers-may-pay-for-more-disaster-cleanups
Panel sets floor votes on climate science, EPA mine veto power
The HIll
By Ben Geman - 09/20/12 08:05 AM ET
House lawmakers will battle over climate science when they debate GOP
legislation to roll back White House policies that Republicans blame for
the coal industry's woes.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/250609-panel-sets-floor-votes-on-climate-science-epa-mine-veto
Nutrient reduction science assessment to provide roadmap for farmers
Agri News
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
DES MOINES —Iowa researchers are completing a nutrient reduction science
assessment that will guide efforts to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus that
are getting into the Mississippi River and contributing to Gulf of Mexico
hypoxia.
http://www.agrinews.com/nutrient/reduction/science/assessment/to/provide/roadmap/for/farmers/story-4855.html
Opinion
Fighting off the war on coal
Op-Ed, Politico
By: Rep. Fred Upton and Sen. Jim Inhofe
September 20, 2012 10:48 PM EDT
"When the work underground stops," a TV reporter in Boone County, W.Va.,
said last Friday, "everything above pays the price." She was reporting that
two local coal mines would soon start laying off workers. One was preparing
to lay off 116 miners in a matter of weeks, the second had yet to finalize
the number to be let go.V
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81492.html?hp=l14
Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Robbie Wilbur
September 21, 2012 601/961-5277
MDEQ LIFTS BEACH CLOSURE FOR ONE STATION IN BILOXI
(JACKSON, Miss.) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, has lifted a beach closure
issued August 31 for the following monitoring station in Biloxi:
Station 12 A - Biloxi West Central (Rodenberg Avenue) -- extends from
Travia Street on the west to Iberville Drive on the east.
Water samples at this station show the area has attained acceptable
bacteria levels. The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, which performs water
sampling of the Mississippi Gulf Coast beaches for MDEQ, notifies the
agency when an area returns to acceptable levels and safe conditions.
All other stations, except 11A, remain on advisory. Station 11A (Edgewater
Beach) was opened September 14. Testing has resumed at most stations
following Hurricane Isaac and MDEQ anticipates removing advisories for more
stations soon.
Information on the Mississippi Beach Monitoring Program is available at:
http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/msbeach/index.cgi.
To receive beach advisories directly, send an email to
rwilbur@deq.state.ms.us for inclusion in a public group email list or
follow MDEQ on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/MDEQ.
Electronics Manufacturers and Retailers Join EPA Challenge for Safe
Management of Used Electronics
WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched its
Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge, an initiative
to make protective electronics refurbishing and recycling practices the
industry standard. EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and
Emergency Response Lisa Feldt, joined by leaders from Best Buy, LG
Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sprint, and Staples, made the
announcement at Vintage Tech Recyclers, a certified electronics recycling
facility in Romeoville, Ill.
"Already, the United States generates almost 2.5 million tons of electronic
waste per year – and that number will only grow. Used electronics have
materials in them that can be recovered and recycled, reducing the economic
costs and environmental impacts of securing and processing new materials
for new products," said EPA Administrator Lisa. P. Jackson. "The SMM
Electronics Challenge will help us ensure that we are doing all we can to
repurpose or safely dispose of the cell phones, computers and other devices
we use every day – all while helping to build a robust market for
electronics recycling in the United States."
As the volume of used electronics continues to grow in the U.S. and the
world, so has the importance of safely managing and recycling used
electronics. Electronics are made of valuable resources such as precious
metals, copper, plastic and glass – all of which require energy to mine and
manufacture. Recycling or reusing these electronics conserves these
materials and prevents greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution.
By participating in the SMM Electronics Challenge, leaders in the
electronics industry are committing to send 100 percent of the used
electronics that they collect to third-party certified refurbishers and
recyclers and to increase the amount of used electronics they collect.
Through this challenge, EPA is providing a transparent and measurable way
for electronic companies to commit to safe and environmentally protective
practices for the refurbishment and recycling of used electronics, and
publically show progress toward recycling goals.
In order to be certified, recyclers must demonstrate to an accredited,
independent auditor that they meet specific standards to safely recycle and
manage used electronics. Third-party recyclers, including Vintage Tech
Recyclers, are expanding to meet growing demand for this accreditation.
Vintage Tech Recyclers attributes 80 percent of new jobs added in the last
two years to their third-party certification.
The Electronics Challenge supports President Obama's "National Strategy for
Electronics Stewardship" – a strategy for the responsible design,
purchasing, management and recycling of electronics to promote the growing
electronics recycling market and jobs of the future. In conjunction with
the release of the National Strategy in July of 2011, Dell, Sony and Sprint
committed to EPA to follow a set of responsible management practices with
their used electronics. The commitments of these three companies formed the
foundation from which the Electronics Challenge was developed.
More information on the EPA and industry collaboration:
http://www.epa.gov/smm
More information on the National Strategy:
http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/materials/ecycling/taskforce/docs/strategy.pdf
More information on certified recycling:
http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/certification.htm
