5/15/2013
Oil Spill
Mississippi will get $356M of benefit fund from BP spill
SUN HERALD
Mississippi will get $356 million for natural resource projects as part of
the $2.544 billion Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund announced Tuesday by the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/14/4664834/mississippi-alabama-and-florida.html
Alabama groups seek transparency in BP oil-spill projects
Gulf Coast News Today
Posted: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 3:55 pm | Updated: 5:54 pm, Tue May 14, 2013.
By Kaylea Saucier
SPANISH FORT, Alabama— At Friday's meeting of the Alabama Gulf Coast
Recovery Council, a number of leaders from area environmental groups asked
that a citizens committee be appointed to ensure transparency and fairness
in the selection of projects to be funded by RESTORE Act BP oil-spill
fines.
http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com/area_news/article_9a82a23a-bcd8-11e2-9b93-0019bb2963f4.html
Ex-BP Engineer Says U.S. Withheld Evidence in Spill Case
Bloomberg
By Margaret Cronin Fisk and Allen Johnson Jr. - May 14, 2013
A former BP Plc (BP/) engineer charged in the first criminal case arising
from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill will ask a judge today to sanction
U.S. prosecutors for withholding evidence that he says might clear him.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-14/ex-bp-engineer-says-u-s-withheld-evidence-in-spill-case.html
State News
Unapproved demolition reveals asbestos problem in Corinth
by Lena Mitchell
NEMS Daily Journal
05.15.13 - 06:25 am
CORINTH – Demolition of a building in the Downtown Corinth Historic
District that began last month was halted after it was found the owner did
not have required permits.
http://djournal.com/view/full_story/22581441/article-Unapproved-demolition-reveals-asbestos-problem-in-Corinth?instance=secondary_stories_left_column
Reservoir works on "master plan" for future
WLBT
Reservoir residents got the chance Monday night to give their input on
what's being called a "Master Plan" for the Pearl River Valley Water Supply
District.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/22241109/reservoir-works-on-master-plan-for-future
Mississippi Power's Renew Our Rivers project tackles Biloxi Bay
WLOX
Mississippi Power's Renew our Rivers clean-up campaign targeted Back Bay in
Biloxi on Tuesday. A team of volunteers from the company and community
spent the day removing all sorts of marine debris from the waters and
shoreline.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22250916/mississippi-powers-renew-our-rivers-project-tackles-biloxi-bay
US Senate adopts Cochran's Louisiana levee amendment
Sun Herald
By MICHAEL NEWSOM — mmnewsom@sunherald.com
The Senate has adopted U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran's amendment designed to
ensure a Louisiana levee plan wouldn't send water to Mississippi during the
hurricanes and other storms.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/14/4665602/us-senate-adopts-cochrans-louisiana.html
McKay reports on meeting with state auditor
Sun Herald
By KAREN NELSON — klnelson@sunherald.com
OCEAN SPRINGS -- Mayor candidate and county supervisor John McKay told the
Sun Herald this evening that his meeting with State Auditor Stacey
Pickering's staff today concerning deep-sea fishing trips he took with the
state Department of Marine Resources was "outstanding."
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/14/4665577/mckay-reports-on-meeting-with.html
HUD: Only 50 of 1,286 Port of Gulfport jobs documented
Sun Herald
By ANITA LEE — calee@sunherald.com
GULFPORT -- The federal government says the Mississippi Development
Authority has documented only 50 of the 1,286 direct, full-time jobs it
claims at the state port, and insists MDA provide records to show all the
jobs exist.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/14/4665898/hud-only-50-of-1286-port-of-gulfport.html
WOODS: MSU's waterfowl research revealing
MBJ
by John Woods
Published: May 14,2013
Waterfowl research being conducted by Mississippi State University
professors and graduate students could have important impacts on habitat
conservation and duck hunting in the Delta region of Mississippi.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/05/14/woods-msus-waterfowl-research-revealing/
National News
Gulf states fighting feds over red snapper fishing
By The Associated Press
May 14, 2013 at 9:48 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- Red snapper, one of the most popular fish in the Gulf of
Mexico, are the biggest and most plentiful in years, but the red snapper
season in federal waters keeps getting shorter.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/05/gulf_states_fighting_feds_over.html#incart_river
EPA, Attorneys Say Eighth Circuit Ruling Could Affect Legislative,
Executive Exchanges
Bloomberg
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The Environmental Protection Agency, as well as private-sector attorneys,
say a federal appeals court ruling against the agency's wastewater
treatment policies on the basis of an exchange with a U.S. senator could
have a "chilling effect" on candid exchanges between the legislative and
executive branches.http://www.bna.com/epa-attorneys-say-n17179873971/
Opinion
EPA makes information requests more difficult for conservatives
Daily Caller
Posted By Michael Bastasch
The IRS may not be the only federal agency singling out conservative
groups. Records suggest that the Environmental Protection Agency has made
it easier for environmental groups to file Freedom of Information Act
requests than conservative organizations.
http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/14/epa-makes-information-requests-more-difficult-for-conservatives/
Press Releases
Gov. Phil Bryant Enacts Major Energy Efficiency Legislation
JACKSON—Gov. Phil Bryant continues to advance Mississippi's energy economy
and recently signed into law four pieces of energy efficiency legislation.
The measures aim to make state government energy consumption more efficient
so savings can be directed to other priorities.
Gov. Bryant has made expanding Mississippi's energy economy a top priority
for his administration, and the bills are part of his comprehensive energy
development strategy, Energy Works: Mississippi's Energy Roadmap. His
Energy Works initiatives include increasing energy efficiency in state
government, reducing barriers to energy production and developing
opportunities in the energy supply chain.
"These measures will empower state agencies to implement energy management
plans that can lower energy usage and lead to cost savings," Gov. Bryant
said. "We are also adopting statewide commercial energy building codes and
providing a mechanism for municipalities and school districts to utilize
alternative fuel vehicles in their fleets.
"These new energy policies have the potential to save significant taxpayer
dollars and increase Mississippi's competitiveness. As we work to attract
new industries, these measures will further position our state as leader in
the energy sector."
Legislation signed into law includes:
· HB 1296 Mississippi Energy Sustainability and Development Act
o Restructures and provides direction for the state's energy
office, the Mississippi Development Authority's Energy and
Natural Resources Division (MDA ENR) and provides the office
with the tools to promote the state's energy resources and
encourage greater energy efficiency within state agencies.
· HB 1281 Energy Efficiency Standards for Commercial Buildings
o Increases the energy code standard for commercial buildings to
meet the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air
Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1-2010 standard. Mississippi
is the first state in the Southeast, and the third state in the
U.S., to adopt the ASHRAE 90.1-2010 code standard for
commercial buildings.
· HB 1266 Enhanced Building Codes for State-Owned Buildings
o Requires all major facility projects overseen by the Department
of Finance and Administration for State-owned buildings to be
constructed to the ASHRAE 90.1-2010 standard.
· HB 1685 Alternative Fuel Vehicle Revolving Loan Fund
o Creates a $2.75 million zero-interest revolving loan fund, to
be administered by MDA ENR, which will allow municipalities and
school districts to borrow funds at no interest for the cost of
purchasing or converting vehicles to natural gas or propane and
for the cost of infrastructure required in the fueling process.
"Managing taxpayer dollars more effectively through efficient use of
existing state buildings, higher design standards for new state facility
projects, and alternative fuel vehicles will free up funding better spent
on other state priorities," said Karen Bishop, director of the Mississippi
Development Authority's Energy and Natural Resources Division.
"Adopting statewide commercial energy building codes for new construction
and major renovations saves money, improves and standardizes building
practices in commercial design and construction, and provides
Mississippians more comfortable, energy-efficient buildings. Governor
Bryant's leadership is developing Mississippi's energy sector, saving
money, and using common-sense solutions to make our state more energy
efficient," said Bishop.
To learn more about energy initiatives in Mississippi, visit
www.mississippi.org/energy-works.
To learn more about the benefits of a Mississippi location, visit
www.mississippi.org/locate-in-mississippi/.
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| USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program Sign-Up |
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| Landowners and Producers Can Now Enroll in Continuous CRP with General |
| Sign-Up to Follow |
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|WASHINGTON, May 14, 2013 — Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today |
|reminded farmers and ranchers that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)|
|will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up |
|beginning May 20 and ending on June 14. Vilsack also announced the restart |
|of sign-up for continuous CRP, including the Conservation Reserve |
|Enhancement Program, State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative, the |
|Highly Erodible Land Initiative, the Grassland Restoration Initiative, the |
|Pollinator Habitat Initiative and other related initiatives. Sign-up for |
|continuous CRP began on May 13 and will continue through Sept. 30, 2013. |
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|"As always, we expect strong competition to enroll acres into CRP, and we |
|urge interested producers to maximize their environmental benefits and to |
|make cost-effective offers," said Vilsack. "CRP is an important program for |
|protecting environmentally sensitive lands from erosion and sedimentation, |
|and for ensuring the sustainability of our groundwater, lakes, rivers, ponds|
|and streams. Through the voluntary participation of our farmers and |
|ranchers, CRP helps us to protect our natural resources, preserve wildlife |
|habitat and bring good paying jobs to rural America related to hunting, |
|fishing, and outdoor recreation. |
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|Vilsack encouraged producers to look into CRP's other enrollment |
|opportunities offered on a continuous, non-competitive, sign-up basis. |
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|CRP has a 27-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural |
|resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant |
|economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United |
|States. Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving |
|covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and develop |
|wildlife habitat. In return, USDA provides participants with rental payments|
|and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. |
|Currently, 27 million acres are enrolled in CRP through 700,000 contracts on|
|390,000 farms throughout the U.S., with enrollment in 49 states and Puerto |
|Rico. Contracts on an estimated 3.3 million acres will expire on Sept. 30, |
|2013. Enrollment authority for all types of CRP, which had expired Sept. 30,|
|2012, was extended through 2013 by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.|
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|Offers for general sign-up CRP contracts are ranked according to an |
|Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) |
|collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative |
|environmental benefits for the land offered. FSA uses the following factors |
|to assess the environmental benefits for the land offered: |
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| · Wildlife habitat benefits resulting from covers on contract acreage; |
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| · Water quality benefits from reduced erosion, runoff and leaching; |
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| · On-farm benefits from reduced erosion; |
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| · Benefits that will likely endure beyond the contract period; |
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| · Air quality benefits from reduced wind erosion; and |
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| · Cost. |
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|CRP soil rental rates for non-irrigated cropland were updated this year to |
|better reflect location and market conditions. A nationwide cap was placed |
|on the maximum amount that may be paid per acre for the general sign-up. |
|Taken together these steps help ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent in a |
|fiscally responsible manner while producing the maximum environmental |
|benefits for each dollar spent. |
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|CRP is the largest USDA conservation program and continues to make major |
|contributions to national efforts to improve water and air quality, prevent |
|soil erosion, and protect the most sensitive areas including those prone to |
|flash flooding and runoff. At the same time, CRP has helped increase |
|populations of pheasants, quail and ducks and is recognized as benefiting |
|certain rare species like the sage grouse, the lesser prairie chicken and |
|other grassland birds. Highlights of CRP accomplishments include: |
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|The restoration of more than two million acres of wetlands and two million |
|acres of riparian buffers; |
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| · Prevention of more than 600 million pounds of nitrogen and more than |
| 100 million pounds of phosphorous from flowing into our nation's |
| streams, rivers, and lakes. |
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| · Providing $1.8 billion annually to landowners — dollars that make |
| their way into local economies, supporting small businesses and |
| creating jobs; and |
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| · Sequestering more carbon than any other conservation program in the |
| country. By placing vulnerable cropland into conservation, CRP |
| sequesters carbon in plants and soil and reduces both fuel and |
| fertilizer usage. In 2011, CRP resulted in carbon sequestration equal |
| to taking almost 10 million cars off the road. |
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|USDA has made a concerted effort to deliver results for the American people,|
|even as USDA implements sequestration – the across-the-board budget |
|reductions mandated under terms of the Budget Control Act. USDA has already |
|undertaken historic efforts since 2009 to save more than $828 million in |
|taxpayer funds through targeted, common-sense budget reductions. These |
|reductions have put USDA in a better position to carry out its mission, |
|while implementing sequester budget reductions in a fair manner that causes |
|as little disruption as possible. |
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|The Obama Administration, with Secretary Vilsack's leadership, has worked |
|tirelessly to strengthen rural America, maintain a strong farm safety net |
|and create opportunities for America's farmers and ranchers. U.S. |
|agriculture is currently experiencing one of its most productive periods in |
|American history thanks to the productivity, resiliency and resourcefulness |
|of our producers. |
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|For more information on CRP and other FSA programs, visit a local FSA |
|service center or www.fsa.usda.gov. |
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