5.10.13
Oil Spill
Federal judge postpones trial against former BP executive
By Richard Thompson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
May 09, 2013 at 4:35 PM
A federal judge has agreed to push back the trial date for a former BP
executive charged with concealing information from Congress about the
amount of oil leaking from the company's Macondo well in the aftermath of
the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/05/federal_judge_postpones_trial.html
Ex-BP executive's trial delayed
AP
A federal judge has agreed to postpone the trial of a former BP executive
charged with concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil
that was leaking from the company's blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico in
2010.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22209203/ex-bp-executives-trial-delayed
State News
Pascagoula selected for two brownfield assessment grants totaling $400,000
Mississippi Press Staff
May 09, 2013 at 5:18 PM
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- The United States Environmental Protection
Agency has announced that the city of Pascagoula has been selected for two
brownfield assessment grants of $200,000 each.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/05/pascagoula_selected_for_two_br.html#incart_river
Pascagoula to get $400,000 for environmental assessment
Sun Herald
By LEIGHANNE LOCKHART — llockhart@sunherald.com
PASCAGOULA -- Pascagoula will receive two $200,000 grants to pay for
environmental assessments of properties along the riverfront and in the
central business district.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/09/4656042/pascagoula-to-get-400000-for-environmental.html
McKay to take deep-sea fishing trip issue to state auditor
Sun Herald
By KAREN NELSON — klnelson@sunherald.com
BILOXI -- Jackson County Supervisor John McKay said Thursday the deep-sea
fishing trips he took in 2012 with the state Department of Marine Resources
have become an issue in his race for mayor of Ocean Springs.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/09/4656079/mckay-to-take-deep-sea-fishing.html
Pontotoc Could Receive Funds For New Sewer Systems
WCBI
Last week, the Pontotoc Board of Alderman voted unanimously to apply for a
grant for major sewer repairs needed in the southwest area of the city.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/video-pontotoc-could-receive-funds-for-new-sewer-systems
Hattiesburg Council weighing options for sewage treatment
WDAM
Video Only
http://www.wdam.com/category/240207/video?clipId=8863137&autostart=true
Bryant gives drillers of horizontal oil & gas wells huge tax break
MBJ
Energy exploration companies that do horizontal drilling in Mississippi
will pay 80 percent less in taxes next year on oil and gas they extract.
http://msbusiness.com/businessblog/2013/05/09/bryant-gives-drillers-of-horizontal-oil-gas-wells-huge-tax-break/
Biotech group sends letter to Cochran urging mandatory funding
by MBJ Staff
Published: May 10,2013
AROUND MISSISSIPPI — A group of Mississippi biotechnology companies and
state associations have written Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), urging him to
support mandatory funding for renewable energy programs in a new Farm Bill.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/05/10/biotech-group-sends-letter-to-cochran-urging-mandatory-funding/
Hailstorm does estimated $22M worth of damage to state buildings
by Associated Press
Published: May 9,2013
METRO JACKSON — The Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy
in Pearl isn't the most aesthetically appealing place to train officers
these days, its director, Pat Cronin, concedes.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/05/09/hailstorm-does-estimated-22m-worth-of-damage-to-state-buildings/
Barnes to lead state Homeland Security
Clarion Ledger
JACKSON — The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has named a new
director for its Office of Homeland Security.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130510/NEWS01/305100026/Barnes-lead-state-Homeland-Security
National News
Republican boycott stalls vote on EPA nominee Gina McCarthy
By Erika Bolstad — McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Republican senators on Thursday boycotted a scheduled
committee vote on President Barack Obama's pick to be the nation's top air
and water quality regulator, saying the Environmental Protection Agency
hadn't adequately answered questions about her role as a deputy there.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/09/4655095/republican-boycott-stalls-vote.html
Senators' boycott blocks action to confirm EPA head
Washington Post
By Darryl Fears, Published: May 9
For the second time in as many days, Republicans in the Senate blocked
committee action to confirm a nominee to President Obama's second-term
Cabinet, this time by boycotting a Thursday vote on his pick to head the
Environmental Protection Agency.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/senators-boycott-blocks-action-to-confirm-epa-head/2013/05/09/c1c5062a-b8dd-11e2-92f3-f291801936b8_story.html
Gina McCarthy's nomination in doubt, angering Democrats
Politico
By: Erica Martinson and Darren Goode
May 9, 2013 09:01 AM EDT
President Barack Obama's nominee to head the Environmental Protection
Agency is in jeopardy after Republicans formed a united front Thursday to
deny her a vote in committee.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/republicans-boycott-gina-mccarthy-vote-91124.html?hp=l4
EPA, other agencies expanding urban waterways program from 7 to 18 sites in
US, Puerto Rico
By Associated Press, Published: May 9
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Environmental Protection Agency, the White House
and other federal departments announced Friday that they are expanding a
program for restoring and improving urban waterways nationwide.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/epa-other-agencies-expanding-urban-waterways-program-from-7-to-18-sites-in-us-puerto-rico/2013/05/09/ce9e0872-b920-11e2-b568-6917f6ac6d9d_story.html
Water bill could see smooth sailing in Senate, despite critics
By Curtis Tate — McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Amid sharply partisan exchanges over guns, immigration and the
federal budget, the debate that began in the Senate this week over a water
resources bill seems relatively tame.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/09/4655325/water-bill-could-see-smooth-sailing.html
Obama officials roll out climate and health data tool
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 05/09/13 02:50 PM ET
The Obama administration has launched an online tool to bolster research
into links between climate change and health and inform "more effective
responses."
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/298843-obama-administration-rolls-out-climate-and-health-data-tool
Press Releases
Governor Phil Bryant Signs Legislation Reducing Severance Tax on
Horizontally Drilled Wells
Jackson, Miss. – Legislation that will dramatically reduce the state's tax
rate for oil and natural gas companies that use horizontal drilling was
recently signed into law. Gov. Phil Bryant affirmed House Bill 1698 on
April 23, advancing a major component of his Energy Works: Mississippi's
Energy Roadmap plan.
"Mississippi has been ranked a top location for oil and gas investment
internationally and this severance tax reduction builds upon our already
strong positioning among the most competitive states in the nation when it
comes to attracting companies that explore and develop shale plays,"
Governor Bryant said. "It positions our state as a top contender for
significant company investments and job creation in this market sector.
Mississippi's low tax rate structure and business friendly environment make
the state an ideal location for companies investing in oil and gas
exploration, as well as the service and supply companies that contribute to
those plays."
This bill will reduce the severance tax from 6 percent to 1.3 percent, a
reduction of almost 80 percent, for oil and gas extracted from horizontally
drilled wells for a period of 30 months or until the payout of the well.
The legislation applies to all qualified horizontally drilled wells between
July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2018.
While there are several geologic formations in Mississippi with significant
potential for oil and gas production using horizontal drilling, one in
particular is quickly drawing attention and investment to the state. The
emerging Tuscaloosa Marine Shale development in southwest Mississippi is
projected to produce a very high-quality oil at substantial quantities.
Experts anticipate that once full-scale production commences, the
Tuscaloosa Marine Shale will be one of the most active shale plays in the
United States. Several companies are currently undergoing preliminary
drilling tests in the play, working to refine the extraction techniques
appropriate for the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale.
Oil and gas developments using horizontal drilling technology, such as the
Tuscaloosa Marine Shale, can help reduce the country's dependence on
foreign sources, increase its domestic energy supply, lower costs and
create thousands of high-paying jobs that will positively impact local
communities.
"Recognizing the fierce competition for capital dollars in the U.S. onshore
energy marketplace, Mississippi's leaders have taken a bold step in better
positioning the state to capture the benefits of the American energy
renaissance relative to tight oil and shale gas," said Lem Smith, director
of U.S. Government and Regulatory Affairs for Encana Oil and Gas (USA) Inc.
"Technological advancements in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing
have led the way in enabling the nation to be less dependent upon foreign
oil sources, and formations like the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale in southwest
Mississippi stand to benefit from this new, targeted and carefully-crafted
tax policy," said Smith.
Governor Bryant tasked the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) with
executing his strategies for energy-related economic development. MDA
promotes the state's energy-related economy utilizing four targeted
approaches: Responsible Resource Exploration and Extraction;
Energy-Intensive Industry Recruitment; Energy Systems Component
Manufacturing; and Biomass Development.
"The Tuscaloosa Marine Shale in southwest Mississippi has the potential to
provide remarkable opportunities for the region's residents and the state
as a whole. The passage of the severance tax reduction bill will help
attract corporate investment, support economic growth and spur job creation
throughout the region," said MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen. "I
thank Governor Bryant and the State Legislature for taking steps to improve
our competitiveness and aggressively recruit new energy development and
investment to this state."
This severance tax reduction is one of several laws enacted under Governor
Bryant's landmark energy legislation in 2013. To learn more about energy
initiatives in Mississippi, please visit
http://www.mississippi.org/energy-works. To learn more about the benefits
of a Mississippi location, please visit
http://www.mississippi.org/locate-in-mississippi/.
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Up to $9 Million Available from EPA for 2013 Diesel Emission Reduction
Grants
Release Date: 05/09/2013
Contact Information: Latosha Thomas (News Media Only),
thomas.latosha@epa.gov, 202-564-9546, 202-564-4355
The DERA program has significantly improved air quality and provided
critical health benefits by reducing air pollution and saving millions of
gallons of fuel. Diesel pollution is linked to a range of serious health
problems including asthma, lung and heart disease, other respiratory
ailments, and premature death. EPA estimates that clean diesel funding
generates up to $13 of public health benefit for every $1 spent on diesel
projects.
States, tribes, local governments, and non-profits are eligible to apply
for DERA grants. Projects can reduce air pollution from older school buses,
transit buses, heavy-duty diesel trucks, marine engines, locomotives, and
other diesel engines. The projects will help achieve significant reductions
in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution reduced and reductions in
diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets operating in poor air
quality areas. The closing date for receipt of proposals is June 25, 2013.
Since the first year of the DERA program in 2008, EPA has awarded over 500
grants across the U.S. Many of these projects fund cleaner diesel engines
that operate in economically disadvantaged communities whose residents
suffer from higher-than-average instances of asthma, heart, and lung
disease. From FY 2008-2010, grantees took steps to retrofit, replace or
repower more than 50,000 vehicles and equipment in a variety of industries
and these projects reduced emissions by at least 203,900 tons of NOX and
12,500 tons of PM over the lifetime of the engines. As a result of these
reductions, EPA estimates that the health benefits associated with up to
1,400 fewer premature deaths and fewer hospital visits, among other
impacts, will total between $3.4 billion and $8.2 billion.
More on the Request for Proposals and other documents:
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/diesel/prgnational.htm
More on the National Clean Diesel campaign: http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel
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