2/4/13
Oil Spill
For BP, the Cleanup Isn't Entirely Over
Wall Street Journal
By SELINA WILLIAMS
LONDON—As BP BP.LN -1.69% PLC gears up to report on Tuesday on its
performance in the last quarter of 2012, it appears on the surface at
least that the oil giant has much to cheer after a difficult 2½ years.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323926104578277761760467452.html
Plan for oil spill money under way
Houma Courier
By Nikki Buskey
Published: Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.
A plan to spend billions of dollars in environmental fines from the 2010
Gulf oil spill will be released July 6.
http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20130202/ARTICLES/130209924/1319?Title=Plan-for-oil-spill-money-under-way
New Congressional report summarizes BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill actions
By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
updated February 01, 2013 at 7:38 PM
The Congressional Research Service has issued a new report summarizing
information about the BP Deepwater Horizon accident and oil spill,
including the few actions taken by Congress in its response. The research
arm of Congress does not publicly release its reports, but individual
members of Congress often do, and this one appears on a Web site maintained
by the Federation of American Scientists.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/02/new_congressional_report_summa.html
Magistrate in BP spill trial orders university to turn over 'sensitive'
flow rate research
By Richard Thompson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
updated February 01, 2013 at 5:33 PM
The federal magistrate judge in the BP oil spill litigation has ordered the
University of California at Santa Barbara to turn over work that one of its
researchers considers confidential and "highly sensitive" because it
details research that has yet to published.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2013/02/magistrate_in_bp_spill_trial_o.html
Gulf oil spill damage payments can be spread over multiple years, federal
judge rules
By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
updated January 31, 2013 at 10:54 PM
Individuals and businesses reaching economic damage settlements with global
oil giant BP will be able to stretch payments over two or more years with
the money invested in an annuity, based on a ruling issued by a federal
judge Thursday.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/01/bp_deepwater_horizion_oil_spil.html
County may hire RESTORE Act coordinator
By MATTHEW BEATON / The News Herald
Published: Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 18:15 PM.
PANAMA CITY — The Bay County Commission will vote Tuesday on creating a
position solely focused on RESTORE Act money. The new position would be
called the "RESTORE Act coordinator."
http://www.newsherald.com/news/government/county-may-hire-restore-act-coordinator-1.89265
Bob Graham: Fix bay with RESTORE Act
By JACQUELINE BOSTICK / The News Herald
Published: Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 20:16 PM.
PANAMA CITY — Former Gov. Bob Graham on Saturday urged the use of RESTORE
Act funds to ensure the future of Apalachicola Bay.
http://www.newsherald.com/news/bob-graham-fix-bay-with-restore-act-1.89306
State News
Harrison County Utility Authority fires longtime director
WLOX
A questionable car deal prompted the firing of the longtime executive
director of the Harrison County Utility Authority on Friday.
The utility board voted unanimously at a special meeting to terminate
Kamran Pahlavan. The decision followed a lengthy closed door meeting.
http://www.wlox.com/story/20935701/harrison-county-utility-authority-fires-longtime-director
Harrison County Utility Authority fires executive director
Sun Herald
By MELISSA M. SCALLAN — mmscallan@sunherald.com
GULFPORT -- The Harrison County Utility Authority will begin searching for
a new executive director after members voted unanimously Friday to fire
Director Kamran Pahlavan.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/01/4441750/utility-authority-discussing-personnel.html
Newspaper allegations refuted by legal firm hired by former DMR head Bill
Walker
By Warren Kulo | GulfLive.com
updated February 02, 2013 at 5:52 PM
OCEAN SPRINGS, Misissippi -- Bill Walker, the former Executive Director of
the Department of Marine Resources fired from his post last month, has
retained a Jackson-based legal firm to battle allegations made against him
by "a local south Mississippi newspaper."
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/02/newspaper_allegations_refuted.html#incart_river
DMR's former chief denies wrongdoing through attorneys
Sun Herald
By ANITA LEE — calee@sunherald.com
Bill Walker, former executive director of the Mississippi Department of
Marine Resources, has hired the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman,
Caldwell & Berkowitz to represent him amidst ongoing state and federal
investigations of spending at the agency under his leadership.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/02/4443573/dmrs-former-chief-denies-wrongdoing.html
Newsom column | Insiders say Edwards may head DMR
Sun Herald
Word around the campfire is Ashley Edwards is in line to become the next
head of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources -- the permanent
replacement for Bill Walker, who was fired in January as a result of state
and federal investigations of the agency.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/02/4444566/insiders-say-edwards-may-head.html
Coast Guard: Oil removed from damaged barge, Mississippi River reopened
By Mississippi Press Staff
updated February 02, 2013 at 5:58 PM
VICKSBURG, Mississippi -- The Coast Guard has reopened the Mississippi
River to north and southbound towboat traffic following the completion of
oil removal operations, Saturday.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/02/coast_guard_completes_oil_remo.html#incart_river
Recycling program takes off quickly
Bolivar Commercial
by Denise Strub
02.03.13 - 02:27 pm
"Things have grown so fast," said Brett Moorman, Cleveland director of
community development, of the city's new recycling program, which started
Jan. 14.
http://www.bolivarcom.com/view/full_story/21602804/article-Recycling-program-takes-off-quickly?instance=main_article
Gautier couple clean the bayous one garbage bag at a time
WLOX
When Nancy Blue and Rick McDonald got married six years ago, he vowed to
stay together for better or worse.
What might be considered the worst part is garbage in the marshes and
bayous as far as they eye can see. Several hours every weekend, they comb
through the marshes, garbage bags in hand.
http://www.wlox.com/story/20952252/gautier-couple-clean-the-bayous-one-garbage-bag-at-a-time
Dust, noise accompany Caledonia fracking operation
Commercial Dispatch
February 2, 2013 8:49:43 PM
Sarah Fowler - sfowler@cdispatch.com
On Thursday night, Bob stood in his yard and marveled at what he saw.
"This whole thing was lit up, with this huge cloud of dust around it," he
said. " It looked like a flying saucer."
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=21974
National News
Gina McCarthy said to be top contender for EPA
Washington Post
By Emily Heil
Looks like the field of candidates to head the Environmental Protection
Agency is narrowing — perhaps even down to one name:Gina McCarthy, now the
assistant administrator for the agency's Office of Air and Radiation,
according to people familiar with the White House's selection process.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop
Exclusive: Obama leaning toward McCarthy for EPA chief - sources
Fri, Feb 1 2013
Reuters
By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is leaning toward choosing
Gina McCarthy, a top official in charge of air quality at the Environmental
Protection Agency, to run the EPA in his second term, according to two
sources familiar with the matter.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/01/us-usa-cabinet-epa-idUSBRE91018A20130201
Energy Secretary Steven Chu resigning
Washington Post
By Al Kamen
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced Friday that he was resigning
pending the confirmation of a successor.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop
Coal-burning utilities seek a role in EPA rule-making on greenhouse gas
emissions
Washington Post
By Jim Efstathiou Jr. and Mark Drajem, Published: February 3
Lobbyists for coal-burning utilities such as Southern Co. and Duke Energy
are consulting environmental advocates and holding strategy sessions as
they seek a role in shaping President Obama's plan to combat climate
change.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/coal-burning-utilities-seek-a-role-in-epa-rule-making-on-greenhouse-gas-emissions/2013/02/03/a0095c8a-6b39-11e2-95b3-272d604a10a3_story.html
Republican energy plan calls for more drilling, nothing to rein in
greenhouse gases
By Sean Cockerham — McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — The Senate's top Republican on energy issues, Lisa Murkowski
of Alaska, has crafted a blueprint for U.S. energy policy that calls for
increased drilling while opposing laws to cap greenhouse gases that are
blamed for global warming.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/03/4445504/republican-energy-plan-calls-for.html
Composting efforts gain traction across the United States
Washington Post
By Juliet Eilperin, Published: February 3
Roy Derrick maneuvered his forklift with a pallet of neatly boxed expired
produce and flowers and dropped it into an industrial compactor at
Safeway's cavernous return center in Upper Marlboro. As the compactor
hummed, compressed food and floral scraps spilled through a chute into a
40-foot trailer, one of five that would make the weekly trip to composting
centers in Delaware or Virginia.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/composting-efforts-gain-traction-across-the-united-states/2013/02/03/645a7024-670c-11e2-9e1b-07db1d2ccd5b_story.html
Energy Industry Develops Nontoxic Fracking Fluids
By KEVIN BEGOS Associated Press
PITTSBURGH February 3, 2013 (AP)
The oil and gas industry is trying to ease environmental concerns by
developing nontoxic fluids for the drilling process known as fracking, but
it's not clear whether the new product will be widely embraced by drilling
companies.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/energy-industry-develops-nontoxic-fracking-fluids-18391773
Opinion
Fracking With Bad Water
Forbes
So, you have a dwindling supply of fresh water for drinking and for
wildlife, you have large amounts of contaminated water from old mining
operations that we don't know what to do with and are really expensive to
clean-up, and you have the need for large amounts of water for the dramatic
increase in fracking operations that don't need to use fresh or potable
water but are presently using both fresh and potable water from these very
dwindling supplies.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2013/02/04/fracking-with-bad-water/
