11/29/12
Oil Spill
BP gives $6M in grants to South Mississippi organizations
By CECILY CUMMINGS — Special to the Sun Herald
HANCOCK COUNTY -- Thirteen just might be the lucky number for the Gulf
Coast tourism and seafood industry.
On Wednesday, a grant recipient check presentation was held at the Infinity
Science Center where 13 organizations from South Mississippi received
grants from BP to promote Gulf Coast tourism and the seafood industry after
the 2010 oil spill.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/11/28/4328676/bp-gives-6m-in-grants-to-south.html
BP Blocked From Deals
Ban Covers Contracts With the U.S.; Three Plead Not Guilty in Spill Case
Wall Street Journal
By TOM FOWLER
NEW ORLEANS—The Obama administration has temporarily blocked BP PLCBP.LN
+0.22% from obtaining new contracts with the U.S. government, citing a
"lack of business integrity" that resulted in the Deepwater Horizon
explosion and oil spill in 2010.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324020804578146941265511214.html
3 BP employees arraigned on Gulf oil spill charges
AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Two BP rig supervisors and a former BP executive have
pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in the deadly Deepwater Horizon rig
explosion and the company's response to the massive 2010 spill in the Gulf
of Mexico.
http://blog.al.com/live/2012/11/3_bp_employees_arraigned_on_gu.html#incart_river
Senators question ban on contracts to BP
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 11/28/12 04:10 PM ET
Senators that strongly back expanded oil drilling are seeking more
information from the Environmental Protection Agency about its decision to
temporarily bar BP from new federal contracts, including oil-and-gas
leases.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/269933-senators-question-bp-federal-contracts-ban
Counties want governor's help with plan for BP money
News Herald
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Counties affected by the Gulf oil spill want to make
sure the governor's office is on board when RESTORE Act money comes
through.
http://www.newsherald.com/news/government/counties-want-governor-s-help-with-plan-for-bp-money-1.56406
State News
Leak prompts brief evacuation at Nissan plant
Clarion Ledger
The Nissan vehicle assembly plant in Canton was evacuated Wednesday
afternoon after a minor fuel leak was discovered.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20121129/NEWS/311280076/Leak-prompts-brief-evacuation-Nissan-plant
Jackson's EPA troubles could impact suburbs
Madison County Journal
By MICHAEL SIMMSONS
The city of Jackson will pay about $400 million to improve its wastewater
system to prevent the overflow of raw sewage under a proposed consent
decree announced Nov. 20 by federal and state officials.
http://onlinemadison.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=25854
Cochran, Wicker support NOAA decision on 'turtle excluder devices'
Sun Herald
U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker said Wednesday they supported a
federal decision not to require some shrimpers to use turtle excluder
devices.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/11/28/4328665/cochran-wicker-support-noaa-decision.html
Wildlife management areas need volunteers
Special to The Clinton News
Managing the state's Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) is a non-stop job,
and sometimes it is nice to have an extra hand.
http://www.clintonnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121129/NEWS/311280008/-1/NEWS01/Wildlife-management-areas-need-volunteers
Markers to tell history of floods, levee
AP
GREENVILLE, MISS. — Two new historic markers being placed in Greenville
will tell the stories of the river stages during the 1927 and 2011 floods
and the history of the Mississippi River levee.
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/11/29/4328862/markers-to-tell-history-of-floods.html
National News
As nations haggle, global carbon cut targets get impossibly deep
Wed, Nov 28 2012
Reuters
By David Fogarty and Alister Doyle
(Reuters) - As the nations of the world struggle in Doha to agree even
modest targets to tackle global warming, the cuts needed in rising
greenhouse gas emissions grow ever deeper, more costly and less likely to
be achieved.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/28/us-climate-talks-targets-idUSBRE8AR14T20121128
Senate passes amendment keeping biofuel investments in defense bill
The Hill
By Zack Colman and Ramsey Cox - 11/28/12 02:33 PM ET
The Senate approved an amendment to the defense authorization bill
Wednesday that would restore the military's ability to invest in biofuels.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/269897-senate-passes-amendment-keeping-biofuel-investments-in-defense-bill
Press Releases
EPA Recognizes Seven Communities for Smart Growth Achievement
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
recognizes seven communities with its 2012 National Award for Smart Growth
Achievement. The Smart Growth awards are given for creative, sustainable
initiatives that better protect the health and the environment of our
communities while also strengthening local economies.
The 2012 award winners are being recognized in four categories: Overall
Excellence in Smart Growth, Equitable Development, Main Street or Corridor
Revitalization, and Programs and Policies. Specific initiatives include
improving transportation choices, developing green, energy-efficient
buildings and communities, and providing community members with access to
job training, health and wellness education, and other services.
The 2012 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement winners are:
Overall Excellence - Winner
BLVD Transformation Project, Lancaster, Calif.
The redesign of Lancaster Boulevard helped transform downtown Lancaster
into a thriving residential and commercial district through investments in
new streetscape design, public facilities, affordable homes, and local
businesses. Completed after eight months of construction, the project
demonstrates how redesigning a corridor guided by a strategic vision can
spark new life in a community. The project has generated almost $300
million in economic output and nearly 2,000 jobs.
Equitable Development - Winner
Mariposa District, Denver, Colo.
The redevelopment of Denver's historic and ethnically diverse La
Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood is turning an economically challenged area
into a vibrant, transit-accessible, district. The community's master plan
preserves affordable housing while adding energy-efficient middle-income
and market-rate homes. Because of extensive community engagement,
development will include actions to improve the health of residents, reduce
pollution, and control stormwater runoff.
Main Street or Corridor Revitalization - Winner
The Cooperative Building, Brattleboro, Vt.
The Brattleboro Food Co-op, the town's only downtown food store, made a
commitment to remain at its downtown location by constructing an
innovative, four-story green building on Main Street with a grocery store,
commercial space, offices, and affordable apartments. The Main Street
location provides healthy food, new jobs, and housing within walkable
distances of downtown businesses and public transit.
Programs and Policies - Winner
Destination Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Va.
The city of Portsmouth revised its comprehensive plan and undertook a broad
review of its development and land use regulations. As a result,
Destination Portsmouth prepared a package of new plans, zoning ordinances,
and other development policies in collaboration with community
stakeholders. The overhaul of the city's codes encourages development in
targeted growth areas and helps businesses to locate in the city while also
protecting the character of Portsmouth's historic neighborhoods.
Equitable Development - Honorable Mention
Northwest Gardens, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Through safer streets, job training and education programs, and
high-quality, affordable homes, the once struggling Northwest Gardens
neighborhood is rapidly becoming a model for economic, environmental, and
social sustainability. The redesigned neighborhood offers a range of
energy-efficient, affordable housing choices and is one of the first
communities in the nation to receive LEED for Neighborhood Development
certification. A local housing authority program also provides
disadvantaged youths with construction training as they complete their
GEDs.
Main Street or Corridor Revitalization - Honorable Mention
Larkin District, Buffalo, N.Y.
Community organizations and a local developer partnered with the University
at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning to help revitalize the
Larkin District, an old manufacturing district located one mile from
downtown Buffalo. Architectural students worked with the developer and the
city to create a master plan for an urban village that now features new
office space, restaurants, apartments, parks, and plazas. New sidewalks,
lighting, crosswalks, bicycle lanes, and bus shelters reduce pollution from
vehicles by making walking, biking, and public transit more appealing.
Programs and Policies - Honorable Mention
Bay Area Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Fund, San Francisco, Calif.
The Bay Area Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Fund is providing loans
for developers to build affordable homes near public transportation. At
this point, the fund has provided loans for a 153-unit high-rise for
low-income families located two blocks from a major transit station, and
for a 64-unit building for seniors close to a light rail station that will
provide free transit passes for all residents.
This year's winners and honorable mentions were selected from 47 applicants
from 25 states. The winning entries were chosen based on their
effectiveness in creating sustainable communities; fostering equitable
development among public, private, and nonprofit stakeholders; and serving
as national models for environmentally and economically sustainable
development.
EPA created the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement in 2002 to
recognize exceptional approaches to development that protect the
environment, encourage economic vitality, and enhance quality of life. In
the past 11 years, 54 winners from 26 states have shown a variety of
approaches that states, regions, cities, suburbs, and rural communities can
use to create economically strong, environmentally responsible development.
EPA's Office of Sustainable Communities manages the awards program.
EPA will host a ceremony on December 5th to recognize these seven award
winners. Please RSVP for the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement
ceremony here.
More information on the winners: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/awards.htm
