3.19.13
Oil Spill
Transocean rig crew had proper training, well-control expert testifies in
BP oil spill trial
By Richard Thompson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
March 18, 2013 at 10:17 PM
A well-control expert testified Monday in the massive civil trial to
determine liability for the BP oil spill that Transocean crew members on
the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig "had the training that was necessary to
understand" a basic well-control situation and to react to it.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/03/transocean_rig_crew_had_proper.html#incart_river
Companies begin their defense in Gulf oil spill trial, starting with rig
owner Transocean
By Associated Press,
NEW ORLEANS — Workers on the drilling rig that exploded at the outset of
the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill catastrophe were "trying to get it right"
as they monitored BP's well for signs of trouble before the blast, an
expert witness for the company that owned the rig testified Monday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/defense-starts-for-companies-in-gulf-oil-spill-trial-as-plaintiffs-case-winds-down/2013/03/18/f237850a-8fdc-11e2-9173-7f87cda73b49_story.html
Transocean CEO Steven Newman to testify at trial over deadly rig explosion,
Gulf oil spill
By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, March 19, 3:09 AM
NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge is set to hear testimony from the chief
executive of the company that owned the drilling rig that exploded in the
Gulf of Mexico in 2010, killing 11 workers and triggering the nation's
worst offshore oil spill.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/transocean-ceo-steven-newman-to-testify-at-trial-over-deadly-rig-explosion-gulf-oil-spill/2013/03/19/493dbd08-906c-11e2-9173-7f87cda73b49_story.html
BP withheld data from rig crew in Gulf disaster, expert says
Houston Chronicle
NEW ORLEANS — The crew of the rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in
2010 was well trained and followed standard procedures before the oil spill
disaster, but critical information was withheld from them by British oil
giant BP, a Transocean drilling expert testified Monday.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/03/18/transocean-defense-takes-center-stage-at-gulf-oil-spill-trial/
BP Loses Bid to Dismiss Gross Negligence in Spill Trial
Bloomberg
By Allen Johnson Jr. and Margaret Cronin Fisk - Mar 18, 2013
BP Plc (BP/) lost an effort to eliminate the possibility of a finding of
gross negligence that might trigger fines as much as $17.6 billion in the
trial over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-18/bp-loses-bid-to-dismiss-gross-negligence-in-spill-trial.html
State News
Lauderdale, Kemper counties to kick off state KAB cleanup
By Ida Brown
The Meridian Star
MERIDIAN — State and local Keep America Beautiful officials, as well as
city officials and volunteers met Monday to plan the statewide kickoff of
KAB's Great American Cleanup.
http://meridianstar.com/local/x1221092514/Lauderdale-Kemper-counties-to-kick-off-state-KAB-cleanup
Jackson County leaders looking at solar fit for one county building as a
test
Sun Herald
By KAREN NELSON — klnelson@sunherald.com
PASCAGOULA -- Jackson County leaders said Monday they plan to take Dr. Hank
Roberts up on his offer to fit one public building with solar panels to see
how much the county can save on electricity.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/03/18/4536713/jackson-county-leaders-looking.html
National News
Why the EPA might delay its carbon rules for power plants
Washington Post
By Brad Plumer, Updated: March 18, 2013
Is the Obama administration planning to backtrack on its carbon rules for
power plants? That's the big environmental question on everybody's mind
lately.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/18/why-the-epa-might-delay-its-carbon-rules-for-power-plants/
Mo. senator threatens to block EPA administrator until stalled levee
project moves forward
By Associated Press, Published: March 18
ST. LOUIS — Republican Sen. Roy Blunt threatened Monday to block President
Barack Obama's choice for Environmental Protection Agency administrator
until plans are resolved for a long-stalled levee project in southeast
Missouri.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/mo-senator-threatens-to-block-epa-administrator-until-stalled-levee-project-moves-forward/2013/03/18/c3baed90-9002-11e2-9173-7f87cda73b49_story.html
EPA wants lawsuit by W.Va. chicken grower dismissed; farm bureaus say
issues must be heard
By Associated Press, Published: March 18
ELKINS, W.Va. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants a judge to
dismiss a West Virginia chicken grower's lawsuit over water-pollution
orders the agency issued against her then withdrew in December, arguing the
case is now moot.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/epa-wants-lawsuit-by-wva-chicken-grower-dismissed-farm-bureaus-say-issues-must-be-heard/2013/03/18/7894eda0-8fd2-11e2-9173-7f87cda73b49_story.html
Rising cost of corn ethanol credits alarms Hill
Politico
By: Darren Goode
March 19, 2013 04:44 AM EDT
Congressional committees are taking note of a massive spike in the price of
corn ethanol credits that refiners use to meet the Environmental Protection
Agency's renewable fuels mandate — amid concern it could increase gasoline
prices.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/rising-cost-of-corn-ethanol-credits-alarms-hill-89043.html?hp=l14
Press Releases
EPA Announces University Challenge to Find Innovative Uses for Toxics Data
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today launched
the TRI University Challenge, a new initiative designed to use academic
partnerships to find innovative uses for Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)
data. TRI gives all Americans access to information about toxic chemicals
in the environment as a tool to better protect health and the environment.
"For more than 20 years, individuals, organizations and communities have
relied on TRI as a powerful tool for environmental protection," said
Malcolm D. Jackson, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of
Environmental Information and Chief Information Officer. "Now, EPA is
encouraging students and professors to submit ideas for new projects that
will increase the knowledge, use, and understanding of TRI data.
EPA will accept TRI University Challenge applications between March 18 and
May 13, 2013 for projects that will begin this fall. Two informational
webinars about the challenge are planned for April.
Institutions whose project proposals are selected will become TRI
University Challenge partners. Partners gain practical experience
collaborating with EPA to understand and solve local environmental
challenges and may receive national recognition for their efforts. While no
monetary assistance is available as part of this challenge, partners will
receive direct support and guidance from EPA TRI experts.
Priority will be given to projects related to one or more of the following
four topics: pollution prevention and sustainability, stakeholder
engagement, technology and data mashups, and environmental education.
TRI helps industry, government, non-governmental organizations and the
public make environmentally responsible decisions .by providing them with
information about toxic chemical releases into the air, water and land.,
More information on the Challenge, webinars and sample project ideas:
www.epa.gov/tri/university
More information about the Challenge: http://challenge.gov/
More information about TRI: www.epa.gov/tri
