3.22.13
Oil Spill
Lawyers for BP, Alabama to seek sanctions against Halliburton over Macondo
cement samples
By Richard Thompson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
March 21, 2013 at 7:50 PM
Attorneys for BP and the state of Alabama told the federal judge overseeing
the civil trial to determine liability for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil
spill that they will seek sanctions against Halliburton for not turning
over to federal investigators samples of the cement used on the ill-fated
Macondo well.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/03/lawyers_for_bp_alabama_to_seek.html#incart_river
BP asks judge to sanction its Deepwater Horizon cement contractor over
missing samples
By Associated Press, Published: March 21
NEW ORLEANS — BP asked a federal judge Thursday to sanction its cement
contractor on the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon drilling project, accusing
the company of withholding critical evidence that could have been used at
the ongoing trial over the nation's worst offshore oil spill.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/bp-asks-judge-to-sanction-its-deepwater-horizon-cement-contractor-over-missing-samples/2013/03/21/3a1be188-929c-11e2-9173-7f87cda73b49_story.html#
Gulf Coast attorneys general say BP 'wrong' to challenge oil spill claims
process
By George Talbot | gtalbot@al.com
March 21, 2013 at 5:53 PM
Attorneys general from Alabama and Mississippi today urged a federal court
judge to reject BP's attempt to block payments to some victims of the 2010
Gulf oil spill.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/03/alabama_ag_luther_strange_says.html#incart_river
Wikipedia editors accuse BP of rewriting page about itself, CNET reports
By NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
March 21, 2013 at 6:09 PM
The tech media website CNET is reporting that "Angry Wikipedia editors
estimate that BP has rewritten 44 percent of the page about itself,
especially about its environmental performance."
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/03/wikipedia_editors_accuse_bp_of.html#incart_river
Oil company BP announces share buyback with total value of $8 billion
By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, March 22, 6:47 AM
LONDON — Oil company BP said Friday it will buy back $8 billion in shares
after completing a landmark deal for TNK-BP.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/oil-company-bp-announces-share-buyback-with-total-value-of-8-billion/2013/03/22/ecf67ef8-92d3-11e2-b394-d7c84089679b_story.html
State News
New questions surround utility contractor S.H. Anthony
WLOX
There are new questions about whether utility contractor S.H. Anthony,
hired by several government bodies, is earning the millions in tax dollars
it's being paid. The company also has an operations and maintenance
contract with the Harrison County Utility Authority, and WLOX News has
learned that work was not being done regularly.
http://www.wlox.com/story/21761818/new-questions-surround-utility-contractor-sh-anthony
More problems with Utility Authority contractor
Sun Herald
By MELISSA M. SCALLAN — mmscallan@sunherald.com
GULFPORT -- Members of the Harrison County Utility Authority said Thursday
they were surprised to learn about problems from three months ago with the
operation and maintenance contractor.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/03/21/4544340/more-problems-with-utility-authority.html
Bryant signs bill extending Mississippi territorial waters
Sun Herald
By MICHAEL NEWSOM — mmnewsom@sunherald.com
Gov. Phil Bryant has signed a bill that extends Mississippi's territorial
waters by about seven miles -- a move state lawmakers said was in response
to a Louisiana plan to extend its waters.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/03/21/4543027/bryant-signs-bill-extending-mississippi.html
CMR commissioners tour Stone County fish farm
WLOX
The owner of Aqua Green fish farm in Stone County describes his operation
as a "well kept secret." But with enormous potential for future growth,
that secret may be getting out soon.
http://www.wlox.com/story/21761517/cmr-commissioners-tour-stone-county-fish-farm
Fight spurs entry fees to Reservoir-area parks
Clarion Ledger
Visitors to parks at the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Madison and Rankin
counties will start paying an entry fee in May.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130322/NEWS01/303220032/Fight-spurs-entry-fees-Reservoir-area-parks
National News
Progress in US on emissions may be tied to increased natural gas production
By Lee Ross
Published March 21, 2013
FoxNews.com
Somewhat hidden among the alarming data about global warming and
environmental horribles is a significant piece of good news that seems to
have slipped by with little attention. International and American agencies
charged with keeping track of carbon pollution each report that while
global air pollution is on the rise, U.S. emissions have reduced
significantly in recent years.
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/03/21/progress-in-us-on-emissions-may-be-tied-to-increased-natural-gas-production/
Sierra Club blasts plan to improve fracking in the Northeast
Published March 22, 2013
Associated Press
PITTSBURGH – The Sierra Club and some other environmental groups are
harshly criticizing a new partnership that aims to create tough new
standards for fracking.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/22/sierra-club-blasts-new-plan-to-improve-fracking/?test=latestnews
Panel approves Obama's Interior pick
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 03/21/13 10:45 AM ET
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 19-3 Thursday to
approve Sally Jewell, President Obama's nominee to replace outgoing
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/289533-senate-panel-approves-obamas-interior-nominee
Mayors press for federal focus on Miss. River
By JIM SALTER and JIM SUHR — Associated Press
ST. LOUIS -- Mayors from communities along the Mississippi River said
Thursday that they would work with federal lawmakers to sharpen the
national focus on the waterway after two years in which shipping has been
threatened by flooding and then drought.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/03/21/4544121/mayors-press-for-federal-focus.html
Apple makes renewable energy push with solar, fuel cells
Reuters
Thu, Mar 21 2013
By Poornima Gupta
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc now runs its largest U.S. data center
entirely on renewable energy, with a majority of the power generated
on-site from solar panels and fuel cells, the company's chief financial
officer, Peter Oppenheimer, said on Thursday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/21/us-apple-solar-idUSBRE92K0X820130321
Opinion
The EPA: The Worst of Many Rogue Federal Agencies, Part II
Forbes
In my previous article, we reviewed some of the ways in which politics has
trumped sound science in the EPA's policymaking process, even to the point
of defying the law at times. Here are some more specific instances of the
EPA having abused its power, often at great cost to American citizens.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhendrickson/2013/03/21/the-epa-the-worst-of-many-rogue-federal-agencies-part-ii/
