2/11/13
Oil Spill
Council gathering information for coast
Baton Rouge ADVOCATE STAFF REPORT
February 11, 2013
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council will hold several public
meetings to gather public comments regarding formation of a Comprehensive
Plan for Gulf Coast restoration.
http://theadvocate.com/news/5118523-123/council-gathering-information-for-coast
Dunedin checking for losses from BP oil spill; may file claim
Tampa Bay Times
DUNEDIN — Lawyers are investigating whether the BP oil spill cost Dunedin
taxpayers tourism dollars and whether that warrants a lawsuit.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/dunedin-checking-for-losses-from-bp-oil-spill-may-file-claim/1274425
First of BP oil spill money arrives for Pensacola Veterans Memorial Park
First of four installments that will total $360,000 is already spurring
park repairs
Pensacola News Journal
The first $90,000 of a BP grant for maintaining and improving the Gateway
area esplanade at Veterans Memorial Park has been received at Pensacola
City Hall and is already spurring repairs at the facility.
http://www.pnj.com/article/20130206/NEWS12/302060025/First-of-BP-oil-spill-money-arrives-for-Pensacola-Veterans-Memorial-Park
State News
D'Iberville directed to stop spending $3 million grant
Sun Herald
By MARY PEREZ — meperez@sunherald.com
D'IBERVILLE -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has
directed the city of D'Iberville to stop work on the Ocean Expo aquarium
project funded in part by a $3 million BP grant and to turn over documents
showing how the city has spent the money.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/07/4455452/comptroller-tapped-as-interim.html
Percy Quin park dam repairs under way
AP
MCCOMB — About $5 million is being spent to repair damage caused by
Hurricane Isaac to a dam at Percy Quin State Park, according to a
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality engineer.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20130211/NEWS01/302110009/Percy-Quin-park-dam-repairs-under-way
DMR director could be named next week
Sun Herald
By MICHAEL NEWSOM — mmnewsom@sunherald.com
GULFPORT -- Sources in state government say the next head of the
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources could be revealed as early as
next week.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/08/4456956/ashley-edwards-wont-seek-dmr-director.html
House approves bills backing Kemper Co. plant settlement
JACKSON, MS (WLOX) -
At the state capitol Friday, an agreement was reached involving the Public
Service Commission and Mississippi Power. State House members voted to
allow Mississippi Power to sell up to $1 billion in bonds to pay for any
construction and financing costs, above $2.4 billion.
http://www.wlox.com/story/21087815/house-approves-bills-backing-kemper-co-plant-settlement
Chinese drywall settlement will help hundreds of Mississippians
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -
Chinese drywall has been a nightmare for thousands of families, corroding
metal pipes, wiring even jewelry and causing many homeowners to experienced
health problems related to the defective drywall.
http://www.wlox.com/story/21087702/chinese-drywall-settlement-will-help-hundreds-of-mississippians
Rock Hounds - Treasure comes in many different forms
by M. Scott Morris
NEMS Daily Journal
02.10.13 - 07:50 pm
The earth yields up its treasures for those predisposed to look. According
to Nancy Roberts, almost everyone has experienced this essential truth,
even if they've forgotten it over the years.
http://djournal.com/view/full_story/21676323/article-Rock-Hounds---Treasure-comes-in-many-different-forms?instance=secondary_stories_left_column
Mississippi House Senate square off over location of Revenue Department
offices
Commercial Appeal
By Phil West
Friday, February 8, 2013
JACKSON — State senators drew a line in the sand Friday over where the new
Department of Revenue offices will be.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/feb/08/mississippi-house-senate-square-off-over-of/?print=1
Collins kills PERS bill, wants discussion
by Bobby Harrison
NEMS Daily Journal
02.09.13 - 07:02 am
JACKSON – In the end, Sen. Nancy Collins, R-Tupelo, killed her own bill
that proposed changes to the Public Employees Retirement System.
http://djournal.com/view/full_story/21671635/article-Collins-kills-PERS-bill--wants-discussion
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National News
Gulf Coast congressmen to federal government: Stop killing red snapper
By George Talbot | gtalbot@al.com
updated February 10, 2013 at 11:13 AM
A federal program to destroy idle oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico may be
killing thousands of red snapper – even as the government is tightening
restrictions on the popular fish.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/02/gulf_coast_congressmen_to_fede.html#incart_river
State of the Union 2013: On climate, which Obama will speak Tuesday night?
Politico
By: Andrew Restuccia
February 9, 2013 04:42 PM EST
President Barack Obama's annual addresses to Congress offer a glimpse at a
leader whose rhetoric on energy and the environment has changed
dramatically over the past four years — from his calls to pass sweeping
climate legislation in 2009 to a full-throated embrace of natural gas last
year.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/state-of-the-union-2013-obama-climate-change-87407.html?hp=l2
EPA moves forward with climate change protection plan, asks for comments
The Hill
By Ben Goad - 02/08/13 10:55 AM ET
The Environmental Protection Agency is formally moving forward with its
Climate Change Adaptation Plan.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/281915-epa-puts-forward-climate-change-adaptation-plan
Farmers, environmentalists await seventh analysis of 60-year-old
Mississippi levee plan
Washington Post
By Juliet Eilperin,
An engineering project introduced during the Eisenhower administration may
be carried out during the Obama administration, but with no more consensus
now than over the past 60 years.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/farmers-environmentalists-await-seventh-analysis-of-60-year-old-mississippi-levee-plan/2013/02/10/bd06e6a0-7218-11e2-ac36-3d8d9dcaa2e2_story.html
Opinion
Moving state agencies would provided substantial boost to downtown
Ripple effect would be substantial
Emily Lane, Clarion Ledger
When a number of businesses left downtown Jackson for the suburbs more than
three years ago, Central Business District lunch eateries felt the loss.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130210/OPINION03/302100001/Moving-state-agencies-touted
NANCY COLLINS: PERS program needs hard deliberations for its future
Daily Journal
by Nancy Collins
02.10.13 - 07:30 am
I grew up in Tupelo. My mother was a teacher; my father was a teacher who
eventually served as the Northern District's highway commissioner. I have
relatives who work and have worked in state and local government. Public
service is my heritage; it's a part of who I am.
http://djournal.com/view/full_story/21676288/article-NANCY-COLLINS--PERS-program-needs-hard-deliberations-for-its-future
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Climate change and the president
Washington Post
By Editorial Board,
PRESIDENT OBAMA will deliver his 2013 State of the Union address on
Tuesday, and expectations are high that he will devote significant time to
climate change. We hope that he adopts a different approach to explaining
the need for action than he did in much of his first term.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/climate-change-and-the-president/2013/02/09/317db2fa-7239-11e2-a050-b83a7b35c4b5_story.html
Press Releases
UPDATED DAMAGES AND STATE ACTIONS FOLLOWING SEVERE WEATHER
PEARL – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has received reports of
damage from seven counties as a result of severe weather that moved through
the state this evening.
No fatalities have been reported.
The state has deployed a mobile communications trailer and is establishing
a command center in Lamar County to assist local emergency responders.
Gov. Phil Bryant declared a State of Emergency for counties affected by
today's severe weather. The State of Emergency allows for the use of state
resources and assets to support local governments in their response
efforts.
The state has also deployed following resources:
· One State Emergency Response Team consisting of four emergency
management officials.
· One light plant to Marion County. This equipment can light an area
the size of a football field.
· MEMA Area Coordinators have deployed to affected areas to support
local emergency response efforts.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol will deploy 20 troopers at 6 a.m. on Monday
to assist the Hattiesburg Police Department with law enforcement and
emergency response efforts.
Counties are reporting the following impacts:
Forrest County
· Numerous homes, businesses and public buildings sustained significant
damage.
· Hardy Street is closed from 40th Ave. to U.S. 49 in both directions.
· Sections of Mobile Street, Park Street and Main Street are closed.
· Several roads are closed due to downed trees and power lines.
· Ten injuries have been reported.
· Numerous power outages.
A shelter has opened at the Forrest County Community 361 Shelter on U.S. 49
South. Another shelter is open in Petal at the Petal Civic Center 712 South
Main Street, Petal. The Ben McNair Recreational Center at 300 North 12th
Ave. is open for people who cannot get to another shelter because of road
closures.
Numerous schools are reporting closings for Monday. Stay tuned to local
media for information about specific schools.
Damage assessments will begin at sunrise on Monday morning.
Lamar County
· Shelter open at Lamar County Multipurpose Center: 99 Central
Industrial Rd.; Purvis, Miss.
· Reports of damage in multiple locations, including Oak Grove and the
Lake Serene neighborhood.
· Two critical injuries reported. Additional injuries also reported.
· Power outages reported and some power lines down.
Lawrence County
· Injuries reported.
· Some damage reported.
Marion County
· A few injuries reported.
· Several homes reported destroyed and several reported damaged.
Warren County
· Trees down.
· Flooding on multiple streets.
Wayne County
· Impacts reported in Clara and Progress communities.
Yazoo County
· Trees down.
· Flooding on multiple streets.
State and local emergency officials remain on the ground in impacted areas.
MEMA will report updates as they are available.
The public is encouraged to follow MEMA on Twitter and Facebook for
information.
Gov. Bryant Declares a State of Emergency due to Ongoing Weather Event
JACKSON – Gov. Phil Bryant declared a State of Emergency today for four
Mississippi counties due to the impacts of severe storms and tornadoes.
Those counties are: Forrest, Lamar, Lawrence and Marion.
Any additional counties with damages or impacts due to the ongoing severe
weather will also be covered by this State of Emergency.
"As local and state officials work together to assess the damages, this
State of Emergency will help expedite the support needed," Gov. Bryant
said.
The State of Emergency is an administrative tool that allows the state to
offer support to the areas impacted by this weather event.
Storm spotters confirmed at least one tornado, which moved through Lamar
and Forrest Counties earlier this evening and is responsible for damages in
Hattiesburg and on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has deployed state resources
including search and rescue teams and a forward command center to support
the local governments as they respond to this event.
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