Isaac
Cochran, Bryant discuss storm recovery with coast leaders
WLOX
Federal buy outs of flood-prone properties and concerns about FEMA
reimbursement dollars. Those were among the hurricane recovery issues
discussed Thursday at a meeting hosted by Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran.
http://www.wlox.com/story/19478149/cochran-bryant-discuss-storm-recovery-with-coast-leaders
6,000 South Mississippi homes affected by Isaac; cost at $30 million and
rising
Sun Herald
GULFPORT -- U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran listened to concerns from city, county
and state leaders at City Hall on Thursday and promised to help untangle
issues with federal agencies in the wake of Hurricane Isaac.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/09/06/4169071/cochran-pledges-help-to-deal-with.html
Gov. Bryant on Isaac
WLOX
Video Only
http://www.wlox.com/category/240214/video-center?clipId=7695863&autostart=true
Some of Harrison Co. beach to open in time for Cruisin'
WLOX
It's a race against the clock for Harrison County crews trying to get some
areas of beach open in time for the arrival of thousands of classic car
lovers. Cruisin' the Coast kicks off in early October. However, right now
the beach is closed because of Hurricane Isaac debris. So with a lot to do
in a short time, crews are in overdrive.
http://www.wlox.com/story/19476971/some-of-harrison-co-beach-to-open-in-time-for-cruisin
Supervisors award monitoring, management bid for cleanup to Dungan
Engineering
By David A. Farrell
The Picayune Item
POPLARVILLE — River County supervisors on Thursday awarded a monitoring and
grant control contract to Dungan Engineering of Picayune.
http://picayuneitem.com/local/x1059008907/Supervisors-award-monitoring-management-bid-for-cleanup-to-Dungan-Engineering
APNewsBreak: Tests confirm oil came from BP spill
Updated: Sep 06, 2012 4:45 PM CDT
By CAIN BURDEAU and JAY REEVES
Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Laboratory tests show that globs of oil found on two
Louisiana beaches after Hurricane Isaac came from the 2010 BP spill.
http://www.wlox.com/story/19474475/apnewsbreak-tests-confirm-oil-came-from-bp-spill
Hurricane Isaac puts BP back to work in La.
CBS
(CBS News) ELMER'S ISLAND, La. - We may not have seen the last of Hurricane
Isaac. Government forecasters said Thursday there's a 40 percent chance
that remnants of the storm will form a tropical cyclone.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57507919/hurricane-isaac-puts-bp-back-to-work-in-la/
Hurricane Isaac's surge, waves, wipe out BP oil berm along northern
Chandeleur Islands
Published: Thursday, September 06, 2012, 10:00 PM
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune
Hurricane Isaac's surge and waves swept away almost all of the sand from
the 6-foot-high berm built in 2010 along the northern end of the Chandeleur
Islands to capture oil from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf
of Mexico, according to U.S. Geological Survey photos taken in the
aftermath of the storm this week.
http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2012/09/isaacs_surge_waves_wiped_out_b.html
East Beach property ruling in Ocean Springs could have broad implications
to other beaches
Thursday, September 06, 2012, 3:51 PM
By Susan Ruddiman, The Mississippi Press
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- A special chancellor has ruled the Secretary
of State has no claim on two parcels of property on East Beach.
As a result of the Aug. 14 ruling by Robert L. Lancaster, Chancery Court
Judge for the 14th district in Columbus, Jackson County and Ocean Springs
officials have expressed concern that the beaches cannot be cleaned up
after Hurricane Isaac.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2012/09/east_beach_property_ruling_in.html
South Mississippi rescuers helping hundreds of animals after Isaac
Sun Herald
Animal rescuers spent several hours recently trying to rescue a young deer
from the waters around Cable Bridge in Pass Christian. Flooding from
Hurricane Isaac had trapped it there and the current was swift.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/09/06/4170512/south-mississippi-rescuers-helping.html
Oil Spill
BP executives sought to blame "blue collar rig workers": U.S.
Reuters
4:55am IST
By David Ingram
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - BP executives wanted to concentrate blame for the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster on "blue collar rig workers" in order
to save themselves, U.S. government lawyers wrote in a court document that
until Thursday was partially redacted.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/09/06/us-bp-oilspill-blue-collar-idINBRE8851DF20120906
State News
EPA Decree Will Cost Jackson Big Money
Jackson Free Press
JACKSON — The city may have to begin what could add up to hundreds of
millions of dollars worth of work on its sewer and waste-water system.
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2012/sep/06/epa-decree-will-cost-jackson-big-money/
State agencies link up to increase electronic job search portals
WLBT
With the signing of their names, agency directors from the Mississippi
Department of Employment Security and the Mississippi Department of Human
Services made it official.
http://www.wlox.com/story/19475349/state-agencies-link-up-to-increase-electronic-job-search-portals
National News
Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force to Meet in Des Moines
Illinois Ag Connection - 09/06/2012
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey will be hosting a meeting of the
Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force in the Des Moines area on Sept. 11 and
12. More than 75 federal and state government officials and organization
representatives are expected to participate in the task force meeting.
http://www.illinoisagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=896&yr=2012
Plans announced for TVA settlement funds
$2.24M to go to WNC counties
Asheville Citizen-Times
ASHEVILLE — Improvements to DuPont State Forest and preserving a
high-elevation watershed are among projects to win funding from a
settlement with the Tennessee Valley Authority, officials announced
Thursday.
http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20120907/NEWS/309070018/Plans-made-TVA-settlement-funds?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage&nclick_check=1
OMB Reviewing EPA Proposal on Adequacy Of Refinery Air Toxics, New Source
Standards
Bloomberg
Friday, September 7, 2012
from Daily Environment Report™
The Environmental Protection Agency Sept. 5 sent a proposed rule to the
White House for review on the outcome of an evaluation of the adequacy of
air pollution standards for petroleum refineries.
http://www.bna.com/omb-reviewing-epa-n17179869513/
Fracking Is Safe—Except in Wyoming
Bloomberg
By Mark Drajem on September 06, 2012
Louis Meeks, a hay farmer in Pavillion, Wyo., holds a mason jar under a
faucet in his house and turns on the water. It's a demonstration he's given
to a slew of neighbors and government officials. The water, drawn from his
backyard well, is cloudy and smells like diesel. "Would you want to drink
it?" he asks.
http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/70202-fracking-is-safe-except-in-wyoming
The U.S. Military's Great Green Gamble Spurs Biofuel Startups
Forbes
Eighty miles west of El Paso, Tex., in a sunburned stretch of the New
Mexico desert, Predator drones and blimps patrol the nearby border and
immigration-agency SUVs speed through the desolate terrain, the occasional
coyote loping across the scrub. Oddly, given that I'm more than 600 miles
from the Pacific, there's a distinct salty ocean tang wafting on the
breeze. But that's not the sea I'm smelling: The odor is emanating from
algae growing in 30 acres of huge oblong ponds at Sapphire Energy's Green
Crude Farm.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/toddwoody/2012/09/06/the-u-s-militarys-great-green-gamble-spurs-biofuel-startups/
Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6, 2012
Media Contact:
866-920-MEMA
Continuing Joint Response Efforts to Hurricane Isaac
PEARL – Federal, state and local agencies continue to respond to Hurricane
Isaac.
Emergency operations continue for Mississippians affected by the storm with
the following updates:
Lamar County Dam: Pumping operations continue at the damaged dam in Lamar
County. Fourteen homes remain evacuated. The dam has NOT been breached. A
slide occurred on the dam Monday, and further damage to the slide prompted
the precautionary evacuation.
Pike County Dam: Federal, state and local agencies remain on scene to
assess the damage and pumping operations at the Pike County dam. Responding
agencies are evaluating the water levels to further assess the damage.
Individual Assistance Registrations: As of 7 p.m., 8,751 individuals in
declared Mississippi counties have registered for federal assistance
through FEMA. More than $1.8 million has been approved for individual
assistance.
Damage: State, federal and local partners continue to assess damage in
affected counties.
Shelters: As of 7 p.m. today, one shelter in the state is open with 12
evacuees housed.
Deaths: One death in Pearl River County and one death in Holmes County have
been attributed to Isaac.
Power Outages: Power has been restored to all who can receive it.
Additional Assistance: Residents needing services not covered by federal or
state programs may call 2-1-1 Mississippi, or 1-866-472-8265 to seek
additional resources.
For more information about all programs available for residents affected by
Hurricane Isaac, visit us online at www.msema.org. You can also follow us
on Twitter using keyword MSEMA and on Facebook under Mississippi Emergency
Management Agency.
###
EPA Awards $15 Million to Assist U.S. Small Drinking Water and Wastewater
Systems
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded nearly
$15 million in funding to provide training and technical assistance to
small drinking and wastewater systems – those serving fewer than 10,000
people – and to private well owners. The funding will help provide training
and tools to improve small system operations and management practices,
promoting sustainability and supporting EPA's mission to protect public
health and the environment.
"Small systems form the backbone of our nation's public water system and it
is a priority for EPA to help them to meet water quality standards and
provide clean water to communities," said Nancy Stoner, EPA Acting
Assistant Administrator for Water. "This funding and technical assistance
is part of EPA's continuing efforts to promote sustainability and public
health protection for communities served by small systems."
EPA awards include:
· Nearly $7 million to the National Rural Water Association and
nearly $3 million to the Texas Engineering Extension Service,
which together will provide training and technical assistance
for small public water systems across the country to achieve
and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act;
· $2.5 million to New Mexico Environmental Finance Center to help
small systems improve their financial and managerial
capabilities that will enable these systems to effectively
provide safe drinking water over the long-term;
· $2 million to the Rural Community Assistance Partnership to
work with small publicly-owned wastewater systems on treatment
and operations issues and to help private well owners;
· $500,000 to the Rural Community Assistance Partnership to
provide training and technical assistance to tribally-owned and
operated public water systems.
More than 97 percent of the nation's 157,000 public water systems serve
fewer than 10,000 people, and more than 80 percent of these systems serve
fewer than 500 people. Many small systems face unique challenges in
providing reliable drinking water and wastewater services that meet federal
and state regulations. These challenges can include a lack of financial
resources, aging infrastructure, management limitations and high staff
turnover.
For more information on EPA's programs and tools to help small water
systems, visit:
http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/sdwa/smallsystemsrfa.cfm
EPA Awards $1.5 Million to Universities for Sustainable Drinking Water
Treatment Methods
WASHINGTON - Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced
almost $1.5 million in funding to three universities to develop sustainable
drinking water treatment methods. The research grants are funded through
EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. These grants, which
supplement last year's grants to eight other universities, are intended to
provide innovative treatment methods to protect people's health by keeping
harmful contaminants out of drinking water.
In 2010, EPA announced a new drinking water strategy to strengthen
protections against contaminants in drinking water and promote
cost-effective new technologies to meet the needs of communities across the
country struggling with water challenges. The research sponsored by these
grants will help satisfy the key goals of this strategy.
The grantees are:
• University of Nevada, Reno – quantifying the range of drinking water
contaminants and contaminant classes that can be removed by membrane
distillation, and developing and testing a small-scale pilot system that
operates using waste heat
• University of Florida, Gainesville and University of South Florida, Tampa
– identifying, testing, and evaluating the sustainability of ion exchange
processes that can treat entire groups of chemical contaminants.
• Clarkson University, Potsdam, N.Y. – engineering, developing, and
demonstrating an integrated process comprised of membrane technology and
electrical discharge plasma generated via a novel reticulated vitreous
carbon (RVC) electrode material.
There are approximately 157,000 public drinking water systems in the U.S.
regulated by EPA, states, or tribes that provide drinking water to 90
percent of Americans. More than 290 million people living in the U.S. rely
on the safety of tap water provided by public water systems that are
subject to national drinking water standards.
EPA's STAR grant program supports human health, ecology, economics and
engineering sciences through grants, centers, and fellowships.
More information on the grants: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/dwtreatment
More information on EPA's new Drinking Water Strategy:
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/dwstrategy/index.cfm
More information on STAR grants: http://epa.gov/ncer/
Recreational Vehicle Manufacturer to Pay $885,000 Penalty to Resolve
Violations of the Clean Air Act
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a
settlement with recreational vehicle manufacturer, American Suzuki Motor
Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation, to pay an $885,000 penalty for
allegedly importing and selling 25,458 uncertified all-terrain vehicles
(ATVs) and off-road motorcycles in the United States. ATVs and motorcycles
that are not certified may be operating without proper emissions controls
and can emit excess hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides that can cause
respiratory illnesses, aggravate asthma and contribute to the formation of
ground level ozone, or smog.
"EPA's vehicle emission standards are vital safeguards that protect our
nation's air quality," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for
EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "By taking action to
deter the importation and sale of non-compliant engines, EPA is not only
protecting people's health, but is also ensuring a level playing field for
manufacturers that play by the rules."
The Suzuki ATVs and off-road motorcycles were uncertified because they were
manufactured with an undisclosed electronic emission control configuration
that would allow the vehicles to be modified for increased horsepower
through the installation of an aftermarket part. This type of modification
could lead to increased emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides.
Design features that may effect emissions must be disclosed in certificate
applications. Vehicles that do not conform to the design specifications in
their certificate applications are not covered by a certificate. The
violations were identified and self-disclosed by Suzuki.
The Clean Air Act (CAA) prohibits any vehicle or engine from being imported
into or sold in the United States unless it is covered by a valid,
EPA-issued certificate of conformity indicating that the vehicle or engine
meets applicable federal emission standards. The certificate of conformity
is the primary way EPA ensures that vehicles and engines meet emission
standards. This enforcement action is part of an ongoing effort by EPA to
ensure that all imported vehicles and engines comply with the CAA's
requirements.
The settlement requires Suzuki to implement three emission mitigation
projects to reduce hydrocarbon emissions by 210 tons or more. The projects
include replacing older unregulated gas cans with gas cans that meet
current evaporative emission requirements, discontinuing the sale of
high-permeability fuel line hoses, and installing evaporative emission
control devices on certain models of highway motorcycles sold throughout
the United States.
Suzuki also will modify its warranty policy and owner's manual for ATVs and
off-road motorcycles to increase awareness of modifications to emissions
control systems, environmental regulations, prohibited modifications, and
acts that could result in loss of warranty coverage.
More information on the settlement:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/caa/suzuki.html
More information on EPA's Clean Air Act mobile source enforcement programs:
http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/air/index.html#mobile
EPA, Green Sports Alliance Partner to Protect People's Health and the
Environment
WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed an
agreement with the Green Sports Alliance to work together to address
environmental challenges faced by sports venues, organizations and teams.
EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe joined Green Sports Alliance
Executive Director Martin Tull today to sign the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) at the Second Annual Green Sports Alliance Summit in
Seattle, Washington. The agreement will facilitate collaboration between
the two organizations on issues such as waste management, water and energy
conservation and sustainability for teams and at stadiums and sporting
venues.
EPA has also agreed to share tools like the Energy Star Portfolio Manager,
an energy management tool that allows building owners to track and assess
energy and water consumption, to help Alliance members to improve their
environmental performance.
"For years, American sports teams, venues and leagues have been leaders on
sustainable development and environmental stewardship, and the Green Sports
Alliance has been critical to the success they've seen," said EPA Deputy
Administrator Bob Perciasepe. "This MOU will strengthen the partnership EPA
has with the Alliance, and ensure its members have EPA resources at their
fingertips as they continue their important work. Together, we can find new
ways to conserve energy, reduce waste and pollution, and engage America's
sports fans in the effort to bring about a more sustainable future."
"In order to be successful in their greening efforts, teams and venues have
to start by measuring their environmental impact," said Green Sports
Alliance Executive Director Martin Tull. "We encourage this as a first step
for all Alliance members. This deeper partnership with the EPA will help
provide our members with the tools and resources they need to establish
baselines and support their continuous improvement in terms of performance
and efficiency."
Green Sports Alliance is a non-profit organization with a mission to help
sports teams, venues and leagues enhance their environmental performance.
Alliance members represent over 100 sports teams and venues from 13
different sports leagues. The Green Sports Alliance and EPA share a
commitment to supporting the U.S. sporting industry's efforts to improve
environmental awareness and promote more sustainable behavior by the
sporting industry, stakeholders, partners and consumers. EPA has
collaborated with a number of sporting organizations and related
stakeholder groups to provide assistance to green sports projects,
competitions and challenges to help organizations save money and protect
people's health and the environment.
More on the Green Sports Summit: http://www.greensportssummit.org/
More on the Green Sports Alliance: http://greensportsalliance.org/
More on EPA's Partnership
