5.1.2013
Oil Spill
BP's $340 million will restore 4 barrier islands, build 2 fisheries labs
By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
April 30, 2013 at 8:04 PM
Louisiana will receive $340 million from BP in early Natural Resource
Damage Assessment money for four projects to restore barrier islands and to
finance two coastal science centers, Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Tuesday in
a news conference in Jean Lafitte.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/04/bps_340_million_will_restore_4.html
BP's $340 million Louisiana restoration payment draws comments from
environmental groups, U.S. senators
By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
April 30, 2013 at 8:15 PM
What others are saying about the approval of spending $340 million from BP
early Natural Resource Damage Assessment dollars to rebuild four barrier
islands and create two fisheries laboratories in Louisiana:
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/04/environmental_groups_us_senato.html
BP settlement money made available for first La. restoration projects
WWL
BAYOU BARATARIA, La. - Hundreds of millions of BP dollars are now committed
to help restore the Louisiana coast.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/BP-205468851.html
BP Ordered to Give Lawyers' E-Mails on Gulf-Spill Size to U.S.
Bloomberg
By Margaret Cronin Fisk and Laurel Brubaker Calkins on April 30, 2013
BP was ordered by a federal judge to give the U.S. government e-mails
regarding Gulf of Mexico oil-spill volume estimates prepared with the help
of the company's internal and outside counsel.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-04-30/bp-told-to-give-lawyers-e-mails-on-oil-spill-size-to-u-dot-s-dot-1
MSU study: Residents willing to pay for coastal restoration
by Associated Press
Published: April 30,2013
GULF COAST — A new survey Mississippi State University finds more than 60
percent of Americans are willing to pay to restore Louisiana's rapidly
eroding Barataria-Terrebonne estuary.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/04/30/msu-study-residents-willing-to-pay-for-coastal-restoration/
State News
Public meeting to explore second wastewater treatment option
Hattiesburg American
The City of Hattiesburg will hold a public meeting on proposed wastewater
treatment systems at 6 p.m., on Thursday, May 2 at the Cultural Center, 723
Main Street.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20130430/NEWS01/130430021/Public-meeting-explore-second-wastewater-treatment-option
Delbert Hosemann presents $432,307 to USM for Gulf Coast Research Lab
Mississippi Press Staff
April 30, 2013 at 4:25 PM
HATTIESBURG, Mississippi -- State Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann
presented the University of Southern Mississippi with a check for $432,307
today in the President's Conference Room at the Aubrey K. Lucas
Administration Building on the University's Hattiesburg campus.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/04/delbert_hosemann_presents_4323.html#incart_river
National News
Judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit by W.Va. chicken grower challenging EPA's
permit authority
By Associated Press, Published: April 30
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is still
exerting a permit power that chicken growers contend it doesn't have, so a
federal judge said he won't dismiss a lawsuit by a West Virginia farmer the
agency had accused of polluting the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/judge-refuses-to-dismiss-lawsuit-by-wva-chicken-grower-challenging-epas-permit-authority/2013/04/30/c1f2018c-b19b-11e2-9fb1-62de9581c946_story.html
Fracking rules coming 'in weeks,' says Interior chief Jewell
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 04/30/13 01:47 PM ET
Draft federal rules on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, will be released
in a matter of "weeks, not months," Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said
Tuesday.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/296973-fracking-rules-coming-in-weeks-says-interior-chief-jewell
EPA Gets Additional 30 Days to Propose Revisions to Animal Feedlot
Regulations
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Bloomberg
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
reached an agreement late April 29 to give the agency an additional 30 days
to propose a rule that would potentially expand the universe of regulated
concentrated animal feeding operations.
http://www.bna.com/epa-gets-additional-n17179873666/
EPA names new regional director for Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Dakotas
Caspar Star Tribune
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a new regional director to
oversee Wyoming, Colorado, Montana and the Dakotas.
President Barack Obama selected Shaun McGrath to head the EPA's Region 8
office, the agency announced Tuesday.
http://trib.com/business/energy/epa-names-new-regional-director-for-wyoming-colorado-montana-dakotas/article_d8b063e2-4175-55bd-b629-6a2a2c62f354.html
Interior Department boosts estimates of oil-and-gas resources in North
Dakota
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 04/30/13 12:33 PM ET
A federal reassessment of oil-and-gas resources in North Dakota found the
state holds twice as much shale oil — and three times as much gas — than
was previously estimated.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/296953-feds-nd-oil-gas-reserves-much-greater-than-thought-
Climate change: When rain, rain won't go away
USA Today
CHESTER, Vt. — "I'd never seen the river that high," says Susan
Hammond. "But I was pretty certain the bridge wasn't going
anywhere."
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/30/climate-change-rain/2124911/
It's easy to keep U.S. carbon emissions flat. Sadly, that's not enough.
Washington Post
By Brad Plumer, Updated: April 30, 2013
It would be fairly straightforward for the United States to keep its carbon
dioxide emissions from rising between now and 2040. All Congress would have
to do is keep most current energy policies in place.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/30/its-easy-to-keep-u-s-carbon-emissions-flat-until-2040-sadly-thats-not-enough/
Interior's No. 2 official heads for the exit
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 04/30/13 11:42 AM ET
Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes is stepping down after four years as
the second-ranking official at the agency that plays a major role in
setting and carrying out U.S. energy policy.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/296925-interiors-number-two-official-heads-for-the-exit
Renewable energy groups in spat over imports
Politico
By: Darren Goode
May 1, 2013 05:03 AM EDT
An effort by ethanol backers to get the Environmental Protection Agency to
scale back the amount of advanced biofuels required in the U.S. gasoline
supply this year has opened a rift in a decades-old friendship within the
biofuels industry.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/renewable-energy-groups-in-spat-over-imports-90793.html?hp=r12
China struggles to tap its shale gas
Washington Post
By Steven Mufson, Published: April 30
BEIJING — In a remote corner of Sichuan with lush, terraced hillsides, oil
exploration teams have been scaling cliffs to lay seismic charges and
struggling to move heavy equipment along winding mountain roads.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/china-struggles-to-tap-its-shale-gas/2013/04/30/33f8c19a-b0f1-11e2-9fb1-62de9581c946_story.html
Press Releases
Gov. Jindal: BP Agrees to Pay $340 Million for Restoration Projects
LAFITTE – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal announced that BP has agreed to fund
approximately $340 million in restoration projects for Louisiana. This
investment is part of the $1 billion that BP agreed to invest for early
restoration of damaged natural resources resulting from the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill.
BP has agreed to fund approximately $340 million for the restoration of
four barrier islands from Terrebonne Parish to the east bank of Plaquemines
Parish and two Fish Stock Research and Enhancement Centers.
In 2010, Louisiana was the first state to request that BP make a down
payment to immediately begin restoring the damage the spill caused to the
Gulf and coastal communities. In April of 2011, BP finally agreed to the
state's request when they agreed to make a down payment of $1 billion for
restoration projects across the Gulf.
In July of 2011, Governor Jindal announced the "Louisiana Plan" – an
initial list of priority projects that the state would be seeking under the
$1 billion down payment. The list was developed with input from parishes,
fishermen, coastal families, and other stakeholders.
Before today's announcement, BP had only approved 10 projects representing
nearly $70 million of the $1 billion down payment. Governor Jindal stressed
that the state has been frustrated by the slow pace of progress from BP in
committing these funds to restoration needs in the Gulf and that this new
investment is long overdue.
Governor Jindal said, "We have been very frustrated by the slow pace of
progress in committing these funds to restoration needs in the Gulf.
Today, we are excited to announce a big, and overdue, step forward in the
restoration of Louisiana's Gulf.
"We must aggressively move forward on these and other important restoration
projects to ensure future generations have the same great opportunities we
have been able to experience growing up on the coast. This announcement
today makes a great stride forward, but this marathon is far from over. We
are going to hold BP accountable for all of the damages they have caused to
our coast, our fishermen, our small businesses and our families."
This $340 million in funding represents the largest single component of
restoration projects across the Gulf that BP has ever approved. Overall,
Louisiana is home to approximately $370 million in projects approved so
far through the early restoration process.
Governor Jindal emphasized that the disaster continues in Louisiana. The
Governor said, "It has been over three years since BP's Deepwater Horizon
oil platform exploded, causing a spill estimated to reach five million
barrels of oil, unprecedented rates of dispersants and natural gas to be
released in the Gulf. We know from federal data that coastal Louisiana
received approximately 92 percent of the heavily and moderately oiled
shorelines in the entire Gulf of Mexico. An estimated 60 percent or more of
injured, oiled and killed birds, mammals, fish and other wildlife found
were off Louisiana's shore.
"Despite the fact that those three years have passed, there are still an
estimated 200 miles of shoreline in our state that remain oiled and
Louisiana has 100 percent of the remaining heavily and moderately oiled
shorelines. Three years later, this disaster continues in Louisiana. We
have seen impacts on our coast and erosion rates have increased in some
areas; oyster production has dropped; shrimp, tuna, and mahi mahi
reproduction rates appear to be lower; and marine mammals are experiencing
one of the worst death rates ever. That's why it's critical BP live up to
their promise to make this right."
The four barrier islands represent a roughly $320 investment for the
restoration of areas that Governor Jindal called the most-injured by the BP
oil spill. The four components of this project include:
1. Caillou Lake Headlands Component, which is also known as Whiskey
Island, in Terrebonne Parish. This $110 million component will
restore beaches, dunes and back-barrier marshes.
2. Cheniere Ronquille Component, which is on the west bank of
Plaquemines Parish in Barataria Bay. This $35 million component will
construct beaches, dunes and back-barrier marshes.
3. Shell Island Component, which is on the west bank of Plaquemines
Parish in Barataria Bay. This $101 million component will restore
back-barrier marsh and dunes and beach on the east and west lobes.
4. Breton Island Component, which is on the east bank of Plaquemines
Parish in the Breton Sound. While the project configuration is being
finalized, this $72 million component will restore and protect beach,
marsh, and dune in the Breton Wildlife Refuge.
In total, these projects will create thousands of acres of dune and marsh,
and restore miles of Louisiana's barrier island beaches.
Governor Jindal said, "These barrier islands are our first line of defense
against storm surge and salt water intrusion, and they provide key habitat
for many fish and bird species. These islands help to protect our coast
and our communities. They have been eroding at an alarming rate and the
oil spill exacerbated this loss. With these investments and other projects
in the queue, this will nearly complete the restoration of the entire
Barataria Bay barrier island chain as called for in the 2012 Master Plan.
It is a major step forward."
BP is also funding $22 million for the establishment of Fish Stock Research
and Enhancement Centers in Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish and Point a la
Hache in Plaquemines Parish.
The center in Lake Charles will be focused on red fish, speckled trout and
flounder. This facility will mark and monitor select game species in
Louisiana to help improve the management of these important fisheries for
Louisiana anglers.
The second center in Point a la Hache will focus on baitfish such as
shrimp, cocahoe and croaker. The center will help inform fishery managers
on reproduction, survivability and population health of baitfish in
Louisiana's coastal estuaries.
Governor Jindal said, "Louisiana has one of the most productive fisheries
in the nation. We produce more commercial seafood than any state in the
continental United States, and Louisiana is one of the top recreational
fishing destinations in the country. That's why it's critical for us to
invest in and protect our fisheries."
Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana CEO David Cresson said,
"Saltwater angling is an integral part of our culture and our coastal
economy in Louisiana. We are blessed to have one of the world's greatest
saltwater fisheries, and we deserve the very best available tools to manage
that resource. The Louisiana Fisheries Research and Stock Enhancement
Center will be one of the finest systems of its kind, and will ensure that
our incredible coastal fisheries stay that way for future generations."
Jefferson Parish President John Young said, "This is a good first step
toward restoring our coastline as a result of the devastation caused by the
BP oil disaster. It is important those areas that were damaged receive the
funds to help continue the healing and preservation of our precious marsh
and coastline for future generations. This is so important not only to
Jefferson Parish, but to our entire country, as well."
Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph said, "This early funding
will jump start our recovery and restoration from the oil spill. This helps
the healing."
Jefferson Parish Councilman Elton Lagasse said, "These funds are critical
for southeast Louisiana and its economy. Besides helping to restore our
marsh lands and improve our fisheries it will provide a greatly needed
buffer against hurricanes. Jefferson Parish appreciates the Governor's
efforts to bring these dollars to southeast Louisiana."
http://gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=4018
