4.18.2013
Oil Spill
Testimony wraps up in first phase of BP oil spill trial
By Richard Thompson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
April 17, 2013 at 7:21 PM
Testimony in the first phase of the sprawling BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill
trial concluded Wednesday (April 17), almost three years to the day after
the explosion and collapse of the Deepwater Horizon rig, which killed 11
workers and caused one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S.
history.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/04/testimony_wraps_up_in_first_ph.html#incart_river
Testimony Ends in BP Trial
Judge to Assess Civil Culpability for Energy Firms in Deepwater Horizon
Disaster
Wall Street Journal
NEW ORLEANS—Testimony ended on Wednesday in a federal trial here to
determine civil liability faced by BP PLC and other companies as a result
of the fatal 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324493704578429070675918086.html
Testimony ends for 1st phase of trial over 2010 rig explosion, BP's massive
Gulf oil spill
By Associated Press, Published: April 17
NEW ORLEANS — Testimony concluded Wednesday for the first phase of a
high-stakes trial over the deadly 2010 rig explosion that led to the
nation's worst offshore oil spill, but the presiding judge didn't
immediately rule in the case.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ex-bp-executive-testifies-as-1st-phase-of-trial-over-gulf-oil-spill-nears-end/2013/04/17/20da7f0a-a781-11e2-9e1c-bb0fb0c2edd9_story.html
BP Manager Cites Rig's Safety-System Delay as Trial Ends
Bloomberg
By Allen Johnson Jr., Jef Feeley and Laurel Brubaker Calkins - Apr 18, 2013
A BP Plc (BP/) executive testified the captain of the oil rig that exploded
and sent millions of barrels of oil pouring into the Gulf of Mexico delayed
activating the installation's safety systems after the blast as a trial
over the disaster ended.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-17/bp-official-says-rig-captain-delayed-safety-system-start.html
BP oil spill panel: Congress failed
Politico
By: Andrew Restuccia
April 18, 2013 05:14 AM EDT
Three years after the BP oil spill ravaged the Gulf Coast, Congress has
failed to take action to prevent another disaster, former members of
President Barack Obama's oil spill commission said Wednesday.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/bp-oil-spill-panel-congress-failed-90239.html?hp=l11
State News
Hattiesburg City Council hears presentations on Waste Water Treatment
WDAM
Hattiesburg City Council members convened for an executive session Tuesday
evening to hear presentations on possible waste treatment solutions.
http://www.wdam.com/story/22006559/hattiesburg-city-council-hears-presentations-on-waste-water-treatment
Crude Oil Leak apparently Poses No Hazard
WCBI
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) — A tank car carrying crude oil springs a
leak, tying up emergency crews for hours.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/crude-oil-leak-apparently-poses-no-hazard
Dirt mining pit off Miss. 463 approved by supes in 4-1 vote
Madison County Journal
By ALINE CARAMBAT
Supervisors voted 4-1 on Monday to allow Warren Excavation to proceed with
surface mining after a previous appeal by a neighboring homeowner was
withdrawn.
http://onlinemadison.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=26488
Cleanup in DeKalb Friday
The Meridian Star
MERIDIAN — Keep Mississippi Beautiful's cleanup event for DeKalb was
rescheduled and will take place Friday.
http://meridianstar.com/local/x1097426716/Cleanup-in-DeKalb-Friday
Supervisors clear path for CalStar deal
April 17, 2013 9:48:36 AM
Commercial Dispatch
Nathan Gregory - ngregory@cdispatch.com
A potential agreement between Lowndes County, the Mississippi Development
Authority and Delaware-based sustainable building material manufacturer
CalStar Products would create at least 58 jobs and possibly up to 100
within the next three years, Golden Triangle Development Link CEO Joe Max
Higgins said Monday.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=23616
$1.1 million forfeited by ex-Hancock County official returned to FEMA
Sun Herald
By ROBIN FITZGERALD — rfitzgerald@sunherald.com
GULFPORT -- More than $1.1 million in stolen taxpayer money has been
returned to FEMA in a forfeiture order against former Hancock County Road
Manager Roger Joe Ladner.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/04/17/4600351/11-million-forfeited-by-ex-hancock.html
National News
West, Texas fertilizer plant cited for '06 permit violation
By The Associated Press
April 18, 2013 at 7:43 AM
WEST, Texas — The Texas fertilizer plant where an explosion injured more
than 100 people and killed an unknown number of others was cited for
failing to obtain or to qualify for a permit in 2006.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/04/west_texas_fertilizer_plant_ci.html#incart_river
EPA faces lawsuit threats over blown climate rule deadline
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 04/17/13 05:29 PM ET
A dozen states and cities are jointly threatening to sue the Environmental
Protection Agency over its failure to impose carbon emissions standards on
power plants.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/294615-epa-faces-lawsuit-threats-over-blown-climate-rule-deadline
EPA Issues Vapor Intrusion Guidance To Enhance Assessment, Mitigation
Efforts
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Bloomberg
The Environmental Protection Agency released for public comment April 16 a
draft final version of its long-awaited vapor intrusion guidance to ensure
that exposure assessment and mitigation actions are undertaken in a
consistent manner.
http://www.bna.com/epa-issues-vapor-n17179873421/
Oil-and-gas lobby talks biofuel rule with White House, EPA, senior
lawmakers
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 04/17/13 05:35 PM ET
The head of a powerful oil industry lobbying group met with top White House
officials and senior lawmakers Wednesday about stripping a federal biofuel
rule.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/294623-oil-and-gas-lobby-talks-biofuel-rule-with-white-house-epa-senior-lawmakers
Jeanne Shaheen, Rob Portman have high hopes for energy efficiency bill
Politico
By: Andrew Restuccia
April 18, 2013 06:01 AM EDT
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Rob Portman are optimistic they can do what many
in the energy community gave up on years ago: pass legislation.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/jeanne-shaheen-rob-portman-energy-efficiency-bill-90254.html?hp=r3
Press Releases
EPA Announces U.S. Organizations Using the Most Green Power
WASHINGTON –– Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Green
Power Partnership released an updated list of the Top 50 organizations that
are choosing to use electricity from clean, renewable sources.
"We applaud the leadership demonstrated by organizations that are helping
reduce carbon pollution and spur the growth of clean, American-made energy
sources by increasing their use of renewable energy," said EPA Acting
Administrator Bob Perciasepe. "As President Obama has made clear, clean
energy is critical to our health, our economy, our security, and our
ability to effectively address climate change."
Intel Corporation continues to top the list, using green power to cover 100
percent of its electricity load. Microsoft Corporation moved into second
place by increasing its green power use to more than 1.9 billion
kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually. Apple Inc., new to the Top 50 list, ranks
number 10 with 85 percent of its nationwide electricity now coming from
green power.
The top 10 partners appearing on the Top 50 list include:
1. Intel Corporation
2. Microsoft Corporation
3. Kohl's Department Stores
4. Whole Foods Market
5. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
6. U.S. Department of Energy
7. Staples
8. Starbucks Company-Owned Stores
9. Lockheed Martin Corporation
10. Apple Inc.
For the first time, EPA also released a list of partners that have
committed to purchasing green power for a period of five years or more.
These organizations send a strong signal to renewable energy developers,
stating that they are committed to green power for the long-term and are
helping to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions. Among the partners with
the longest-running contracts are the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma
State University, The Ohio State University, Iowa State University, and the
University of Maryland. Of the 47 partners appearing on the list, 15 are
higher education institutions.
In addition, for the seventh year in a row, the agency is encouraging
increased green power use among higher education institutions through the
College and University Green Power Challenge. Out of the 32 competing
conferences, the Big 10 is this year's conference champion, collectively
using more than 315 million kWh of green power annually and avoiding carbon
pollution equal to that produced by the electricity use of more than 33,000
American homes. The University of Pennsylvania continues to be the top
individual school in the challenge, purchasing more than 200 million kWh of
wind power annually--more green power than any of the 75 other competing
schools.
Green power is a subset of renewable energy and represents the renewable
energy resources and technologies that provide the highest environmental
benefit. EPA defines green power as electricity produced from solar, wind,
geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass, and low-impact small hydroelectric
sources.
As part of the EPA's Green Power Partnership, more than 1,400 organizations
are purchasing more than 27 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually,
avoiding carbon pollution equal to that created by the electricity use of
more than 2.8 million American homes. The partnership provides quarterly
updated lists of partners using green power in the following categories:
K-12 schools, technology and telecommunications, local government, and
retail, among others.
More on the Top 50 list and other Top rankings:
www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists
More on the 2012-13 EPA College & University Green Power Challenge
conference champions: www.epa.gov/greenpower/initiatives/cu_challenge.htm
More on EPA's Green Power Partnership: www.epa.gov/greenpower
