5/21/2013
Oil Spill
Judge tosses ex-BP executive's obstruction charge
By The Associated Press
May 21, 2013 at 2:20 AM
NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge has dismissed a charge that is the backbone
of the case against a former BP executive accused of concealing information
from Congress about the amount of oil spewing in 2010 from the company's
blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://blog.al.com/live/2013/05/judge_tosses_ex-bp_executives.html#incart_river
State News
Mississippi Power's leader replaced after withholding info from PSC
AP
Mississippi Power Co. made an abrupt leadership switch Monday amid cost
overruns at the Kemper County power plant it's building, naming Ed Holland
president to replace Ed Day.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20130521/NEWS01/305210018/Mississippi-Power-s-leader-replaced-after-withholding-info-from-PSC
Mississippi Power Co. withheld information, Bentz says
Sun Herald
By MARY PEREZ — meperez@sunherald.com
Mississippi Power Co. announced Monday that Ed Day, 52, retired as
president and CEO, effective immediately, but the head of the Public
Service Commission said his agency is responsible for Day's departure.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/20/4677661/ed-day-out-as-ceo-of-mississippi.html
Hancock County, Diamondhead POA request permit to dredge Devil's Elbow
Sun Herald
By KATE MAGANDY — kmagandy@sunherald.com
Hancock County supervisors and the Diamondhead Property Owners Association
are asking the Department of Marine Resources for permission to dredge
Devil's Elbow, the DMR said Monday in press release.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/20/4677324/hancock-county-diamondhead-poa.html
Corinth to dedicate new water treatment plant
by Lena Mitchell
NEMS Daily Journal
05.21.13 - 06:20 am
CORINTH – It took an act of Congress and $50 million, and it's now time to
show off Corinth's water treatment plant and distribution system.
http://djournal.com/view/full_story/22652376/article-Corinth-to-dedicate-new-water-treatment-plant?instance=secondary_stories_left_column
Columbia battles sewage odor
WDAM
The city of Columbia is receiving complaints about the odor coming from its
sewage lagoon.
http://www.wdam.com/story/22303997/columbia-battles-sewage-odor
State Auditor's office remains silent on John McKay/DMR issue
By Warren Kulo | GulfLive.com
May 20, 2013 at 2:03 PM
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- Last week, Ocean Springs mayoral candidate
John McKay said a meeting with representatives of State Auditor Stacey
Pickering revealed there was no investigation of him relative to two trips
taken on boats owned by the Mississippi Marine Resources Foundation.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/05/state_auditors_office_remains.html#incart_river
National News
Chamber: Greens using 'sue and settle' to coerce EPA
The Hill
By Megan R. Wilson - 05/20/13 06:31 PM ET
Green groups have used "sue and settle" tactics to force more than 100 new
rules from President Obama's Environmental Protection Agency, according to
a new Chamber of Commerce study released Monday.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/300851-chamber-greens-using-sue-and-settle-to-coerce-epa
EPA to publish draft low-sulfur gas rule
The Hill
By Ben Goad - 05/20/13 10:26 AM ET
A proposed rule intended to cut pollution from automobiles is to be
published Tuesday in the Federal Register, nearly two months after the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) detailed the draft regulations.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/300687-epa-to-publish-draft-low-sulfur-gas-rule
Groups push Congress, White House to approve energy-efficiency bill
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 05/20/13 12:18 PM ET
An array of groups joined forces Monday to urge congressional leaders and
President Obama to approve an energy-efficiency bill that's currently
waiting for floor time in the Senate.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/300681-groups-push-congress-white-house-to-approve-energy-efficiency-bill
Report: 87 shipwrecks, most from WWII, could leak oil near US, but no
'ticking time bombs'
By Associated Press, Published: May 20
WASHINGTON — Shipwrecks lying deep off America's coasts are more often
historical artifacts than present-day threats from leaking old oil tanks, a
new federal report says.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/govt-survey-spots-87-shipwrecks-that-could-foul-us-waters-with-oil-still-less-than-bp-spill/2013/05/20/f9c4fb22-c17d-11e2-9aa6-fc21ae807a8a_story.html
Shale fracking proves $30 billion-a-year boon to waste disposal industry
Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
May 20, 2013 at 10:07 PM
The explosive expansion of drilling of natural gas and oil wells in shale
deposits in the United States and Canada using a directional drilling
method dubbed "fracking" may have spawned a $30 billion per year expansion
of the waste disposal business, waste and investment industry executives
were told Monday.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/05/shale_fracking_proves_30_billi.html
EU energy chief says EU to look at fracking this year
Reuters
Mon, May 20 2013
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Environmental concerns over the practice of hydraulic
fracturing to tap shale gas will be on the European Union's agenda this
year, EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told a German newspaper.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/20/us-eu-shale-oettinger-idUSBRE94J04G20130520
Press Releases
EPA Advises Facility Operators to Minimize Releases during Hazardous
Weather Events
Contact: Dawn Harris Young, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404) 562-8400 (Main),
harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA – As hurricane season approaches, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is issuing a Hazardous Weather Release Prevention and
Reporting alert to remind facility operators of certain regulations that
require minimization of chemical releases during process shutdown
operations. This alert is designed to increase awareness among facility
operators about their obligation to operate facilities safely and report
chemical releases in a timely manner.
The alert specifies operational release minimization requirements and
clarifies reporting requirements, including exemptions. Unlike some
natural disasters, the onset of a hurricane is predictable and allows for
early preparations to lessen its effect on a facility. Before hurricane
force winds and associated storm surge flooding damage industrial
processes, the alert recommends that operators take preventive action by
safely shutting down processes, or otherwise operate safely under emergency
procedures.
The alert and requirements are available at
http://www.epa.gov/region4/r4_hurricanereleases.html.
In the event of a hazardous weather incident, please visit
http://www.epa.gov/naturalevents/ for updated emergency information.
