6.19.13
State News
Miss. Dept. of Marine Resources 'susceptible to fraud, waste and abuse,'
new director says
'Susceptible to fraud, waste and abuse,' director says
AP
BILOXI — The head of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources said
Tuesday that the agency is "susceptible to fraud, waste and abuse" and must
change its own work environment.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20130619/NEWS01/306190027/Miss-Dept-Marine-Resources-susceptible-fraud-waste-abuse-new-director-says
The CMR weighs in on DMR assessment report
WLOX
Tuesday was no ordinary meeting of the Commission on Marine Resources. The
commissioners, who oversee the Department of Marine Resources, were briefed
on a report that's been 60 days in the making. Before a packed room, they
listened intently as new DMR Director Jamie Miller portrayed an agency
that's broken.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22624359/the-cmr-weighs-in-on-dmr-assessment-report
DMR's Jamie Miller `not surprised' by independent review findings,
announces staff changes
Mississippi Press
By Warren Kulo | GulfLive.com
June 18, 2013 at 1:53 PM
BILOXI, Mississippi -- Jamie Miller, Executive Director of the Mississippi
Department of Marine Resources, said Tuesday he was "not surprised" by the
findings of a 60-day review of the department by an independent firm.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/06/miller_not_surprised_by_report.html#incart_river
DMR will ask lawmakers for increase in funding, Miller says
Sun Herald
By PAUL HAMPTON — jphampton@sunherald.com
BILOXI -- The state Department of Marine Resources will need more money
from the Legislature to avoid layoffs and loss of programs and it will need
an overhaul in the way it accounts for its spending to restore the public's
trust, its executive director said Tuesday.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/18/4742501/dmrs-miller-unveils-major-organizational.html
D'Iberville gas spill quickly cleaned up
WLOX
A fuel tank spewed gallons of gas into a street in D'Iberville Tuesday
morning. D'Iberville officials said the truck was about to refuel the Shell
station on Automall Parkway and Suzanne Drive when the truck driver popped
the tank and gas started spilling out.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22622121/diberville-gas-spill-quickly-cleaned-up
Clear water in Gautier a step closer to major improvement
Mississippi Press
By Joanne Anderson
June 18, 2013 at 9:55 PM
GAUTIER, Mississippi -- "By fall of next year, the citizens of Gautier can
take a bath and come out clean," said Councilwoman-at-large Mary Martin at
the City Council meeting on Tuesday night.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/06/clear_water_in_gautier_a_step.html#incart_river
National News
Scientists project large 'dead zone' in Gulf this summer
Gulf hypoxic area could be big as N.J.
Baton Rouge Advocate
By AMY WOLD
An area of low oxygen to form this summer off the coast of Louisiana could
grow to the size of New Jersey if forecasts released Tuesday hold true.
http://theadvocate.com/home/6288380-125/scientists-project-large-dead-zone
New Effort to Quantify 'Social Cost' of Pollution
NY Times
By MATTHEW L. WALD
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is making a second attempt to
systematically account for the dollar damage from greenhouse gas pollution,
even with no consensus on how to forestall global warming or whether to do
so.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/us/politics/new-effort-to-quantify-social-cost-of-pollution.html?ref=earth&_r=0&pagewanted=print
States warn EPA: Don't let lawsuits force new regulations
The Hill
By Julian Hattem - 06/18/13 06:01 PM ET
A bipartisan group of state attorneys general are warning environmental
regulators not to let threats of lawsuits force the release of new rules
for carbon emissions from power plants.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/306347-states-warn-epa-dont-let-lawsuits-force-new-regulations
States, green groups delay lawsuit amid Obama climate rumors
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 06/18/13 09:12 AM ET
States and environmental groups are delaying litigation to force carbon
emissions rules for power plants, citing reports the White House will soon
unveil plans to address climate change.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/306147-states-green-groups-back-off-climate-lawsuit-against-obama-for-now
Ernest Moniz keeps cool as House GOP disputes climate change
Politico
By: Andrew Restuccia
June 19, 2013 05:07 AM EDT
If you want to understand the massive gulf between Democrats and
Republicans on climate change, look no further than the House Committee on
Science, Space and Technology.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/ernest-moniz-keeps-cool-house-gop-warming-93003.html
Satellites Show Shrinking Aquifers in Drought-Stricken Areas
The southern half of the U.S. has been rapidly depleting its groundwater
over the last decade, according to new scientific research
Scientific American
By Stephanie Paige Ogburn and ClimateWire | Monday, June 17, 2013
In New Mexico, the Rio Grande is trickling through Albuquerque at only a
quarter of its normal flow. The parched range and pastureland in the
southwest part of the state are all rated in poor condition by the
Department of Agriculture.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=satellites-show-shrinking-aquifers-in-drought-stricken-areas
Opinion
Surviving the Next Gulf Oil Spill
NY Times
By BEN RAINES
FAIRHOPE, Ala. — DOWN here on the Gulf of Mexico, the air is heavy with
expectation as we await the arrival of billions of dollars in fines from
companies involved in the BP oil-well blowout, which spewed millions of
gallons of oil into the gulf over three months in 2010.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/opinion/surviving-the-next-gulf-oil-spill.html?_r=0&pagewanted=print
EPA's Pinocchio nose grows with farmer privacy scandal
Jun. 18, 2013by Chris Bennett in Farm Press Blog
Western Farm Press
EPA's Pinocchio nose continues to grow longer. Despite a barrage of
criticism following the admitted release of private farmer data to three
environmental groups after a Freedom of Information Act request, EPA has
clammed up and carried on.
http://westernfarmpress.com/blog/epa-s-pinocchio-nose-grows-farmer-privacy-scandal
Press Releases
MDMR releases findings of 60-day agency review process
BILOXI, Miss. – Today, at a meeting of the Mississippi Commission on Marine
Resources (MCMR), Jamie Miller, the executive director of the Mississippi
Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) released key findings from the 60-day
review of the agency.
The 60-day review process included the executive director's internal
analysis of organization and staff and an Agency Assessment document
performed by an independent third party CPA firm to identify gaps, risks
and recommendations for improvement; assistance from the State Auditor's
Office, Department of Finance and Administration and Legislative Budget
Office and communication with members of the Coastal Legislative
Delegation.
As part of the 60-day review, the Agency Assessment report was presented
today at the MCMR meeting and is also available for the public to read at
MDMR's website: www.dmr.state.ms.us
"When I was appointed executive director of MDMR, I acknowledged the
challenges facing the agency and understood they must be addressed," Miller
said. "The challenges include restoring the public's trust in MDMR and the
credibility of the agency to prove that it's capable of carrying out its
mission while being accountable with taxpayers' money.
"The challenges we have at MDMR will not be fixed overnight, but today, I
am providing a comprehensive update on MDMR action. As promised, I have
performed 60-day agency review and assessment. It identifies organizational
deficiencies and designs a road map to restore accountability to the
taxpayers and responsible stewardship of the public's resources. The Agency
Assessment, which is one component of this 60-day review, outlines the
specific issues that need to be addressed by providing a framework of
recommendations MDMR will use as a process to become more accountable and
effective in the future."
Key findings of the 60-day Agency Assessment document highlight the
following deficiencies at MDMR:
• Outdated policies and procedures that are inconsistent with
current laws and regulations, as well as current practices within the
Agency;
• Inadequate reporting to the Commission for appropriately
fulfilling their oversight responsibilities;
• Inadequate or non-existent oversight over key functions and
departments, including grant management and compliance;
• Lack of communication and appropriate training throughout
the Agency;
• Lack of consistent and transparent communication with the
public; and
• Inadequate internal control structure, as well as related
assessment and monitoring activities, which are non-compliant with
current DFA requirements.
State Auditor Stacey Pickering stated, "I believe that the 60-day Agency
Assessment of MDMR is an eye-opening review of the challenges facing the
agency from a structural, operational and accountability standpoint. As
State Auditor, my office will continue to provide assistance in the area of
performance auditing to ensure that MDMR is able to implement the
appropriate recommendations made in the 60-day Agency Assessment."
"Clearly, there is an environment and culture at MDMR that is susceptible
to fraud, waste and abuse, which must be changed," Miller continued. "I
have already identified several of the key deficiencies and have begun
addressing them. The depth and significance of the deficiencies identified
in the Agency Assessment will require an extensive amount of time and
assistance for MDMR to appropriately and adequately remediate, and I remain
committed to making sure MDMR gets on the right track as quickly as
possible."
In addition to the 60-day review process, several corrective actions have
already taken place at MDMR, including reducing the number of contract
employees from 32 to 16; significant changes to the organizational
structure and staff responsibilities; the hiring of Dr. Kelly Lucas as
chief scientific officer and encouraging and fostering an "open door"
policy with all employees through one-on-one meetings and agency-wide
updates and providing an honest and accurate approach to MDMR's budget.
Agency Assessment report is now available online at www.dmr.state.ms.us
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to
enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by
managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and
waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational,
educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with
environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at
www.dmr.ms.gov.
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